07.27.2011 The Getty!

Today I skipped out of the three day after tour with the group and went to the Getty Museum. I also wanted to go to Art Center College of Design and UCLA today, but it seemed that I was once again a bit ambitious with my plans. But the Getty! I heard all sorts of nice things about it. Although, for some reason I was thinking that it would be something like the Guggenheim (because it starts with the letter G?) I don't know where I got that idea from.



Our first stop was the Getty Villa, and then the Getty Center. The Villa focuses on the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruriaon(?), and requires an advance ticket booking to get in. It's almost like a fancy exclusive person's collection that you are going to visit.

I really liked this sign. You can hardly read it from this angle, but it says Inspiration and the arrow points to the direction of the Getty Villa.

 

 
This is from the Art of Ancient Greek Theatre exhibition collection. Look at those faces!

 
exterior

 
interior, mosaics!


 
a tiny collection of tiny things. yay! The Coins and Jewellery Collection from the Antiquity section


Lion with a permed mane

I had to sneak this picture in. I have no idea how long we've been friends for, or how we even became friends in the first place. But this time, instead of being in an unknown country together, I am on his turf. So thanks to this old friend of mine, we skipped out of the three day tour to do one of my favourite things --museums!

This is the Getty Center! I can't remember if I've been here before or not, but I'm going to say that I haven't and this was my first time.

If you look closely, there are girls happily lying on the hill like they are talking to each other. In fact, they are two little girls who run up the hill and then roll down the hill on their stomachs. I really wished I could join them, without being scary. It looked like so much fun!!

Someone told me that there was a flower maze at the Getty center. Just imagine the disappointment when I realized it was a garden maze that you could NOT walk through.

 
Look who I came across! <3

  
1. Delusions of Grandeur, Rene Magritte,                    2. Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture and Decorative Arts Collection

 

He is from  "La Roldana's Saint Ginés: The Making of a Polychrome Sculpture" This was a neat exhibit because it talked about both the sculptor as well as different sculpting techniques 

So realistic!

This was a happy discovery. Tucked away in one of the buildings was this tiny exhibition. We weren't going in any order because I was trying to avoid watercolour paintings (because I find them somewhat boring) and we were entering buildings from side doors and going out through front doors. This collection lent from Cambodia is really beautiful. It was interesting to see the influence of people (from India) passing through Cambodia and bringing knowledge of Hindu gods and Buddhist texts a bajillion centuries ago.

 
1. Diane Von Furstenburg! I didn't walk in.                                                 2. Lead Apron, and fine arts and rare books gallery store. 

We stopped by the Marc Jacobs store (with glee!) and I think I perused everything. There was also a Paul Smith, I forgot to go check out. : ( 

 
1. In n-Out fast food burger joing. It's supposed to be american goodness, but does that mean there is no vegetarian? 2. We went here for dinner with a bunch of other friends. It's a busy ramen place!