[Leica] At the National Gallery of Art

[abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)]

This week I'm in D.C. for a mid-week meeting and to enjoy my son's
performance in Brahms' "German Requiem". I'd write that properly, in
German, but the notes have been swallowed by the hotel room. (The
concert was fabulous, I was in tears, what a fabulous piece of music!)

Monday we took advantage of some free time to go to the National
Gallery of Art where there are two exhibitions that I found
fascinating: a major exhibition of Edward Hopper's work and the
largest exhibition of Turner's work to appear in the United States in
something like 25 years. Seeing both of these, together, was very
special and for those who can make it to the National Gallery I'd say
JUST DO IT.

I had never seen Hopper's work in person. With perhaps 100? works on
display, including etchings, sketches, water color and oils, there's a
terrific sense of his work. I found much of it really spoke to how I
view the world as a photographer and wondered if Ansel ever met him
when he was in New York visiting O'Keefe? Certainly there's a
wonderful range of values in Hopper's work.

Walking to the west building we enjoyed a nearly as large collection
of Turner's work. I admit that many of his monumental works don't do a
lot for me, although in all cases I appreciate his use of light. But
in his water colors, and in his late work, OMG, he was decades ahead
of his time. There's one tiny water-color of Stone Henge, the massive
monoliths rendered insubstantial and transparent, the background
visible through them, that just reached out and grabbed me.

So, just go. They're great. Oh to live near the Tate!

When we arrived I was taken by the staircase in the east building and
I snapped this image of my wife climbing the stairway:

<http://www.adam-bridge.com/Images/JanAtNationalGallery.jpg>

Comments welcome, of course, about both my commentary and the image.

Thanks!

Adam