Miguel R.
Yelp
I am inspired by different forms of Art, especially the written word, and thus I want to begin this review with a quote: "Art is not just for the wealthy and elite, it is for everyone, and it speaks to all of us in a different way." - Unknown. In other words, art should be for all--- the ever-blessed, the ever-lacking, and the ever-living. Moreover, the power of art is in its flexibility to be interpreted by the sight and lived experience of varied human eyes and how all these interpretations are valid Louvre material. OCMA inspired me to say that!
I went to OCMA this past weekend, and its principal exhibition meant to give magical and uncanny abilities to all that we see in our daily lives. I am here for that, as my mission-by-choice is to see the world as a canvas ready to be filled-- slightly, to the brim, and every measure in between. Truly the building blocks of art are all arounds us- hues yet to be classified, shapes yet to measured and compared to luggage sizes, and the unquantifiable aroma and zest of all things that are waiting to be clay figurines.
It is also important to note that OCMA is free for its guest which means that any person can see and interpret art regardless of how much they hold in stock, gold doubloons, or autographed sneakers that one day will be worth more, when the player passes. Damn--- I just molded art with only the use of the alphabet!
One of my favorite exhibitions was that of a broken vase in water, or what I interpreted to be a broken vase in water. When I went for a closer inspection, the art work had fishes inside. It was like a piece of Atlantis had been captured, and the fish were present to remind us that one day the broken vase belonged in an Atlantean flea market. I heard a woman say to her museum-partner, "I wonder how they move [the art] here?" He responded, "possibly in parts." Some people see a play and see an Angel soar, while others wonder what type of rope is used to help grace hold flight? Another woman wondered, how the fishes were fed? The art was encased. Some people see the calm of the sea when fishes swim, others worry for the fishes fate. Truly, art is shaped by the person who views it, and that is the value of what we see, when we wonder- art across the parking lot, in the tumble of a dryer, and in a gardener's toil and sigh.
OCMA is not huge, it is, in my opinion just right--- like the baby bear's porridge. You can go here when you need some culture but you do not want to embrace the art of the day fully. If you want a break from what you see and wonder, OCMA also has a restaurant with a bar on their roof. The roof does not call me to eat or drink, it calls me to rest with a view. The roof has chairs that give me papasan vibes, which are a type of futon. If you never have sat on a futon then allow yourself to live and sit in the cushion of a futon it is like being swallowed by comfort, yet not being chewed. And remember the price of this experience is given freely, by OCMA.
I have gone to OCMA a few times, and it has never let me down, it has only surprised me. I have seen Pokemon turned into sculptures, sunrises turned turquoise, and the staff wearing cream colored clothes. Some of them turned the regulatory color into fashion. That is fun to see too!
As I was walking OCMA I saw letters on a wall: A Moment in Time. And that is the promise fulfilled by OCMA, a moment in time. What you see from your time there, largely depends on your mood, your view of sight and ultimately what you allow yourself to feel. I just recommend that you take these two questions with you: What is art to me and how can I see it today, so it helps me believe in the magic of my life? Is that two questions or three? The world may never know.