The High Museum of Art

I've lived in Atlanta for over a year now and had not been to the High yet. For an art love like myself this is slightly disappointing. My friends don't exactly want to go to an art museum during their precious free weekends. Finally, I gave up and decided to go by myself.

Honestly, I think going to the High alone was best way to experience it. There's nobody rushing you, nobody complaining because they're board and no small talk when all you want to do is get lost in the brush strokes.

The exhibits were all beautiful in their own way, an amazing amount of talent, history and beauty inside the three buildings that make up the High. Here are a few of my favorites:

Dragon (Drache), 2001. Anselm Kiefer. Oil emulsion on lead and canvas.

"Anselm Kiefer's work invites contemplation of the relationship between good and evil, redemption and destruction. Many of his paintings are based on ancient myths and sagas, which he believes are part of a collective human history. In this piece, the seashore and the night sky are connected by delicate lines that form the constellation Draco ('Dragon'). The dragon appears in the lore of many cultures, but Kiefer is most likely referring to the tale of Siegfriedand and Brunhilde, a German myth that has inspired many of his works. In this story, the evil dragon can be slain only by the pure of heart."*

The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100

This entire exhibit was about the Coca-Cola bottle and it's evolution. If you know me, you know I love Coke and you know why I enjoyed this exhibit.

Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, 1873. Claude Monet. Oil on Canvas. 

"Claude Monet executed this work of the Petit Bras, a branch of the Seine near Argenteuil, shortly after his arrival there in 1871. The vantage point suggest that he painted this work from the small boat he had converted into a floating studio. In the background are recognizable architectural landmarks, including the Chateau Michelet. THe relatively small, delicate brushstrokes underscore this work as a painting created during the 'high' or 'classic' phase of Impressionism. The brilliant colors of Monet's landscape are mirrored in the water below, resulting in a remarkable symmetry that makes it difficult to distinguish between the reflections and their sources."*

If you have a chance to visit the High in Atlanta, don't rush. Take your time, either alone or with a few friends, and really experience everything it has to offer.

xx Kristen

*via the plaques in the museum.