Visting Buffalo, NY -- Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Last Saturday we decided to visit Buffalo.  Our first stop was the Albright-Knox Art Gallery on Elmwood Street in Buffalo.  We made our way from the Peace Bridge, after about 20 minutes crossing the border--not bad.  We ended up driving all the way down Elmwood Street, what a lovely drive with all the quaint stores.  We went by the Blue Monk where Bruce had lunch last year when he visited Buffalo with Ken Brown for the Buffalo Garden Walk.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery Tickets

Once inside the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, we made our around the art gallery.  We opted for the audio phones that you punch in the number beside the painting and you get a recording of what the artwork is about--really interesting.

Using the audio phone.

We started around the art gallery & one of the first paintings we viewed was this one, "The Transparent Simulacrum of the Feigned Image" by Salvator Dali.  You either see a beach with a towel on the sand or a table with a cloth on the top.  It is rather interesting.

Salvator Dali
The Transparent Simulacrum of the Feigned Image

About half way round the gallery I came across this painting by Pablo Picasso.  I have never liked Picasso but this one I absolutely fell in love with.  It was my goal to go home with a print of this painting but sadly it was not to be.  The AK Shop did not sell this print.  I was very disappointed. It is my absolute favourite painting in the whole gallery.
  

Pablo Picasso
Harlequin (Project for a Monument) 1935

This is another painting by Picasso.  I am not fussed on it but took a picture of it to show the different phases that Picasso went through.

Pablo Picasso
La Toilette 1906

 I do like Paul Cezanne, this was to one I like best.

Paul Cezanne
Le Bassin du Jas de Bouffan

These three photos are the same piece.  This is in the illusion area of the gallery.  The photos are taken from different angles.  Some of the pieces are rather trippy!  I don't remember what this piece is called.

Photo taken straight on

The stairs were also painted in an illusion.  You definitely had to watch your step.

Close-Up of the painted illusion stairs

Stairs painted in a illusion.  Interesting.
Jackson Pollack "Convergence" at the top right.

Jackson Pollack's "Convergence" was at the top of those stairs to the right.  It is a very different painting.  I really liked it.

Jackson Pollack
Convergence

We went upstairs to the current exhibition "Sweet Dreams, Baby!"

Current Exhibition

This is what we saw when we walked up the stairs.  Also the walls are 'haunted', if you get too close to the walls a recording will say "Please move away from the walls"

Sol LeWitt
Scribbles: Staircase

The walls are called "Scribbles: Staircase".  It was designed & planned by Sol LeWitt but he never go to see it.  It is made by graphite & just scribbling on the wall.  The darker areas there are more scribbles & the lighter ones are less scribbles.  The wall is FLAT!! It is an illusion that there are pipes on the wall.

This is the view from the top of the stairs looking back.

Sol LeWitt
Scribbles: Staircase

The lighter area up close of the scribbles on the wall.

Sol LeWitt
Scribbles: Staircase

Once upstairs we were in the current exhibition of 'Pop Art'.  Pop Art is definitely an acquired taste.  Here are some of the pictures I took of this exhibition. 

Andy Warhol
Marilyn Munroe

Andy Warhol
Portrait of Seymour H. Knox

Andy Warhol
100 Cans

This is Roy Lichenstein & I really liked his take on comic book art. 

Roy Lichenstein
Head-Red & Yellow

The other current exhibition on display was Robert Therrien.  This exhibition was interesting in the fact that all pieces were over-sized so you had a different perspective of the world.  I could walk under the chairs.  The detail was perfect & they actually folded.  There was a folded chair leaning against the wall.  Very interesting perspective!

No title (folding table and chairs, beige)

I really enjoyed the time we were at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.  We will be looking at what the Upcoming Exhibitions are and definitely be going back.

Next stop was to be the Frank Lloyd Wright Darwin Martin House but the line was extremely long & as we found out later, reservations are highly recommended so we just drove by--maybe next time.  Onto Betty's Restaurant on Virginia Street for lunch.  Wonderful place and it has gluten free options as well.    Next stop the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens.