Chihuly is a Genius

So, last week I went to the de Young museum in Golden Gate Park to see the Chihuly exhibit. Unbelievable. I enjoyed his works before, but seeing so many different works in person was a dream come true. You might have remembered his works from the Bellagio in Vegas? Truly remarkable works. One of the keys to this exhibit was the lighting, and it was interesting to see how the light had so much to do with the final result.

I've read a comment recently from an author that modern music is "pretty again," and I'm sure that some people have said this about art as well. It's finally "pretty again." I'm not sure if I would say this myself although I do hold similar reservations about modern works. I would even somewhat agree with this point, but I've never felt that something has to be pretty to be good or that something good is pretty.

Chihuly's work on the other hand is both. If you wanna sit back and admire the colors you can. If you want to delve more deeply into it, there's plenty to find. All his works have a story behind them. I can't say that there's some sort of message behind them or that they're meant to make a statement. I personally feel that the whole idea was to create something that looked cool. He just wanted to make something that looked cool. And what's wrong with that? Make something enjoyable to look at, something with aesthetic appeal, sit back and enjoy it. What emotions are evoked when you see these works? When these colors are put in these patterns on this medium? It reminds me a lot of Rothko, that color can have a powerful impact on the soul. But what'do I know?

I highly recommend seeing more at Chihuly's website but more importantly, to find the nearest place that has his works and see them in person. These photos, as lovely as they are, don't do them any justice (especially the lavender reeds below). I've always felt photos undermined sculpture anyway, but until I can afford a $6,000 piece myself, I'll have to settle for this.