TRAVEL HERE: POP INTO THE DMA FOR BRILLO PADS AND PLASTIC RAINCOATS
Pop Art is not my thing, but a recent invitation to the opening celebration of International Pop suggested there might be some fun to be had at the DMA. I am really into fun – big time. So, I made my RSVP and marked the date on the calendar. I know this is supposed to be At Home in Heath day, but with so many exciting things going on, you’ll have to travel across the lake with me and go to Downtown Dallas.
ATTIRE – neon to throwback!
Ah the Sixties! Fishnet hose and go-go boots! And if you really wanted to look cool, you wore two pair of fishnets at the same time. My closet didn’t have any fishnet hose in it or go-go boots, for that matter, but I did have this psychedelic purple top. For the rest I just channeled my Inner Hippie.
Inner Hippies Abound
Apparently, I’m not the only one with an Inner Hippie lurking at the edges of my psyche. Arriving at the museum I was surprised by the number of blue-headed grandmotherly sorts who’d shown up for this celebration and those grandma’s were sporting some signs of the times. Headbands, fishnet hose, round sun glasses and peace signs abounded.
But even the disco lights couldn’t hide the construction zone. Things are in a mess at the DMA. Renovations dominate the North Entrance and while you can still get to the parking lot, it’s not very pretty. They’ve boarded up the ceramic mural and once you’re inside the atrium looks bare without the Chihuly. On my last visit I had noticed the shrubs needed to be replaced, because they were past their prime, so I’m glad they are sprucing things up. I’m just sorry to miss two of my favorite pieces of art.
Inside the crowd had obviously embraced the suggestion to adjust their attire for the occasion, but some of the ensembles on the younger participants looked more Jean Paul Gautier than Peter Max. And neon, there was plenty of that, but it wasn’t vintage. More like H&M or Forever 21.
The invitation also promised food stations and those were a lot of fun: miniature hot dogs, french fries in paper cones, grilled finger sandwiches and popsicles. The hot dogs were actually quite good and I was glad to see sweet potato fries as a choice, but that wasn’t something we embraced in the fifties and sixties. Cash bars were churning out drinks and dueling DJ’s were spinning the hits, but the music was a little loud. It sang more of the 80’s & 90’s than 50’s & 60’s, but most of the crowd was too young to realize.
Clearance Sale in the Gift Shop
The Atrium was filling fast, so we escaped to the gift shop. The whole back half of the shop is given over to a clearance sale. If there’s any t-shirts or posters that you wished you’d purchased from a previous exhibit, now is the time to get them. I noticed items dating back to the Tut exhibit and some of the prices were great.
We were killing time, because the exhibition didn’t open to peons like us until 7:45. They’d saved the first 45 minutes for the real patrons. We’d popped up there after our mini-hot-dogs and scored a glass of champagne, but the gallery was off limits to the likes of us.
The Exhibition
There is an explanation for the proliferation of plastic raincoats and Brillo Pad cartons currently filling the DMA’s Barrel Vault, but you’ll have to get it from the museum. They’ll also explain to you why the Jackson Pollack exhibit, which is soon to open, is so important.
Personally, I was sorry the Spirit and Matter exhibition was closed for the evening. I would have also liked to have seen the Wittgenstein Vitrine which is on exhibit in the Conservation Gallery. Which just proves the DMA has something for everyone. Wednesday night I enjoyed the mini-dogs while expanding my horizons into the world of International Pop – something I wouldn’t have done without the invitation. Next time I’ll wallow around in some art that suits my personal taste a little more, but I like that variety is the spice of the museum. I’m all about engaging all comers in art.
After taking in the exhibit we enjoyed the perfect Dallas evening over in Klyde Warren Park. Here’s some photos so you can enjoy the exhibit and the park also. The exhibit opens Saturday to the general public and will be here until mid-January.
Miscellaneous Jane 