[ad_1]
Art museums around the world begin welcoming visitors early in the morning as they prepare to open. In the exhibition halls and corridors filled with portraits, paintings, sculptures and statues, uniformed security guards stand guard silently.
Standing in such close proximity for hours on end, the guards develop an intimate relationship with the museum’s artists and their works. In silent contemplation, the guards take time to consider the techniques, skills, and feelings they evoke, developing preferences among paintings and objects that may not be the museum’s most well-known or eye-catching.
We asked five security guards from five of the world’s most famous museums to share their favorite exhibits and why they think they mean something, and you might, too.
– New York
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Emilie Lemakis: Seated Figure
I’ve been at the Met for 29 years and I’ve never applied for another job. So for many years I’ve been looking at this African sculpture called “The Seated Statue.” This statue is from the 13th century, and it’s very powerful and poetic, and it has these marks on its back, and it looks like he’s been through it. He seems to be talking to me, saying, “I endured it all, and I survived; the pain is over, and now it adorns me.” He’s so old, and he survives, even if it’s just in a museum.
Being a security guard means you can love your job, but it doesn’t take over your life. It doesn’t take away your soul. You take off the uniform, you leave, and then you have your life. I think a lot of people work here because they just want to make a living and be surrounded by art, so it attracts a lot of creative people. I make a lot of art myself that’s related to my job. We have a staff art show, and I made some museum-related pieces for it. One time, I collected a bunch of late slips – a yellow slip you get when you’re late – and used it to make a big paper airplane.
— Málaga, Spain
Picasso Museum
Auxi Roca: Woman with Raised Arms
I always say you don’t have to like Picasso, but you can’t deny that he was a revolutionary artist. That’s what I really liked about him – he wanted to break the rules, he completely changed the concept of art.
For Woman with Raised Arms, he mixed paint with sand to create a special texture. I think Picasso felt very free during this period. His style was very personal. I can also see the influence of African art; I just love its exciting colors and emotions. I am a person who is very interested in emotions. If I could go back in time, I would probably study something else and become a therapist. When I am in museums, I try to connect my interest in emotions and healing with the art I see there.
Sometimes people come in and worry that they don’t know anything about art. I always say, “But you can feel it! You don’t need to know about art, you need to feel it.” I think you can feel Picasso’s art very easily. I don’t think it’s difficult to find Picasso’s personality in his paintings. We think of Picasso as an artist, but I think he was a person – just like you and me.
– London
Victoria and Albert Museum
Eleanor George: The Center
“The Centre Painting” by Alfred Gilbert was a Golden Jubilee gift to Queen Victoria. It’s a very fascinating piece – not just because of its structure but because you can read so much about the artist’s life from his work. You can tell he was British.
You get to know an artist through their work, and sometimes you can see yourself reflected in their life, even if they lived in a completely different time. It’s like reaching out to someone and knowing that you’re the same, that people are always the same, whether it’s a little clay pot from 6,000 years ago or something that was made yesterday. I just think there’s something really beautiful about that timeless, borderless connection that comes with passion and creativity.
I seek art in every aspect of my life. I went to art school and graduated during the recession around 2010. You know, it was hard to find a job, it was hard to find a way out. Working at the V&A was a dream come true because I could finally find a job that complemented the way I work, which is to learn as much as I can, to be inspired as much as I can, to really get to know the craft in depth. Seeing the work of thousands of artists reminded me of the meaning of existence: creativity is worth it no matter how stressful everyday life may be.
Paris
Musee d’Orsay
He Fan: Monet’s “Blue Water Lilies”
Art is my favorite thing. I’m from China and came to Paris in 2009 to study art. I worked in graphic design, but it was too stressful. So I quit. My friend is an artist and he suggested that I try working in an art museum. That way I can immerse myself in art.
Claude Monet is my favorite artist and my favorite painting is “Blue Water Lilies” – his most famous water lily painting. Monet was obsessed with water lilies. He depicted all the charm of water and the relationship between water and water lilies. He had his own style and painting technique. I love nature, so I am attracted to his flowers and colors. The colors in his paintings change with the light.
I have worked here for four years and I always have the pleasure of enhancing the visitor experience. This is my favorite museum.
— Amsterdam
Van Gogh Museum
Mohammed Bukhloof: The Potato Eaters
I’ve always loved drawing since I was 4 years old. When I was 12, I had an accident. I could no longer play outside, play soccer, or run—even walking was difficult. This lasted for two years. I hid in the library. In old history books, I saw paintings by Rembrandt and other artists from the period. When I came across Impressionism, I fell in love with it. The use of pigments, the colors; it really attracted me.
The Potato Eaters was my introduction to Van Gogh. It got me into the Impressionists. Van Gogh’s style was completely different from the other Impressionists. As soon as school was over, I would go to the library, bring those books home, and try to paint on my own. I was alone, and that was basically my whole world. I fantasized about being a painter, but my father didn’t care.
When I started working here a year and a half ago, my interest in art was rekindled. Vincent van Gogh is like a childhood friend. I am moved by his story, the struggles he went through. Now I feel like he is my employer. That’s how I feel about him, anyway. – The New York Times
[ad_2]
Source link
