Next stop my choice! I decided to visit the Minnesota Institute of Art (MIA) because I was required to do so previously and was unable to attend. I wanted to make sure I had the opportunity to write about my experience.

I found out this semester the hardest thing about Art in City is being able to juggle a work schedule and a museum schedule. Most may think it would not be that difficult but without having a set schedule I was introduced to challenges. The two museums I was unable to visit and blog about happen to be the two museums I wanted to visit most, MIA and the Walker Art Museum. With the hours each of these museums were open I wasn’t able to attend due to other obligations. As most of you would say forget it I decided to attend just on my own time when it was convenience.

If you have not visited the MIA before I strongly encourage everyone to do so. This museum will open your eyes to much art that has been forgotten, un-noticed, never recognized or art that was introduced to you at different dates. The experience and wonders that one will be forced to see will open your eyes to whole new art world.

I have visited this museum many times before and I believe every time I attend I see new works of art that I had not noticed before or I pay more attention to art that was unrecognized to me. With as much art that is there and your introduced to I would say it is impossible to fully give your attention to all of the art in one viewing. I would recommend going to this museum often with some knowledge of the different galleries to get a full experience as well as taking the amount of time to really view each piece.

One cannot give justice to this museum in one visit!

The MIA is a unique museum that happens to be the largest in museum in Minnesota. This museum hold art from the entire well known artist as well as artist many have not heard of. When visit you may come across items one would not even expect to be art!
I find the MIA to be relaxing, soothing, over whelming and yet an adventure. With all of the components I have not yet been disappointed by my outcome. My favorite spot to attend at the museum happens to be a very well known piece of work!

Rembrandt, Dutch 1606-1669, Lucretia 1666, oil on canvas. This painting happens to be one of my most favorite paintings of all time. My love for this painting started two years ago in an art history course I was taking. After learning about this particular painting I needed to see it up close. I drove two hours to view this painting and sat in the room looking at it for about forty five minutes. Even to this day I spend about twenty five to forty minutes still viewing this painting in each visit.

This particular painting comes with a unique explanation. You see this painting is a painting of a wife who happens to be married to a nobleman known for his loyalty. The wife was raped by a village man whom was sexes and un- loyal. After her husband and son found out about the rapping she decided to take her own life due to respect and loyalty her son found her the next day.

Lucretia is painted with dark shades except for her white night gown that is covered in blood. With the distress of sadness in her eyes there is no way a viewer is capable of walking away from this painting without feeling anything!

What makes this painting unique to the MIA is that there is a double of this painting in a museum located in New York City. The significance and difference between this painting and the other is that in this particular one Rembrandt painted her after she killed herself. New York’s museum has the same painting only it shows her before taking her own life.
I feel everyone should view this painting and actually look into her eyes and listen to feeling it will give you.

With many other works of art that come from great painters I strongly encourage you to view. One can view the Tea House in the Japan gallery, Bamboo Rocks, 1760 ink on paper in the China Gallery, El Greco’s Spanish art, Vincent Van Gogh’s, one out of 15 Olive Tree paintings, the Veiled Lady sculpture by Raffaelo Monti, Pablo Picasso’s Baboon and Young, Frank Stella’s work, Georgia O’Keeffe and much more. I guarantee you that there is something at the MIA for everyone and that it will entertain you. One may become over whelmed but please take your time and make multiple trips so your capable to view each work of art with the respect it deserves.

The museum is FREE to the public but will except donations!

1. What you make is important
2. Design is an integral part of business
3. Products must be honest
4. You decide what you will make
5. Market for a good design
Herman Miller

This week’s gallery was located at Goldstein Museum found in the University of Minnesota. I found the designs very unique and creative as well as inviting. As for the environment of the gallery itself I found it very uncomfortable, stuffy, hot, crowded and suffocating. There was a lot to look at and a lot going on in this gallery! I wouldn’t recommend it unless one is capable of adjusting to such an environment, however; I do recommend researching and viewing the designs of Herman Miller INC.

Herman Miller is a company located in Michigan that creates and manufactures creative designer furniture. The company is made up of three different designers Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Isamu Noguchi. Each designers work represents the nations defining social movement, global expansion, the West coast coming of age and the economies making of goods.

“Everybody deserves a good chair,” Herman Miller.

Herman Miller was Dj De Pree’s father in law. Herman was brought to Zeeland to rescue the colonial manufacturing company. Within time Herman raised wages and cut the work hour weeks from 59 to 40. It was looked at as a well respected designer and was often described as “ordinary or extraordinary.”

“Why do I work for Herman Miller? Because they trust me,” George Nelson.

Charles was born in St. Louis Missouri and studied architecture until 1938 soon after he moved to Michigan for Art.

Ray Kaiser studied abstract painting. The two designers met in 1940 while preparing an entry for the Museum of Modern Art. The entry was a set up of organic designs of home furniture and consisted of drawn to scale model and photos of five different chairs, two sofas, two tables and case goods.

“Priority number one is the people who are going to live with your product,” Dj De Pree.

Charles and Ray Eames had four different designs shown at this exhibit. Out of the four I found the “Screen indoor, outdoor, Reclining chair and Ottoman, 1958.” Aluminum, woven saran and plastic. The most inviting and fascinating.

I have seen this design before and I have also had the opportunity to sit in one and enjoy the comfort. The chair was very inviting and would mostly be used for a piece of patio furniture. If one could afford this chair or design I would highly recommend it. The furniture that was shown was definitely something we have all seen before whether it was an original or an offset of the design itself.

As I continued to explore the gallery I came upon the area of all different designs. With the many different designs I was attracted to three in particular.

1. Love Seat or “Marshmallow” sofa, 1956. George Nelson, designer.
Foam circular cushions with upholstery on steel frame.
This sofa was the first to be produced.

I found the chair very inviting with a vibrant blue color. At the first glance one may think the sofa wouldn’t be as comfortable but with much examination I believe the sofa would be one of the most comfortable sofas out there. As I continued to look at the design the more and more I wish I had one. This sofa wasn’t an ordinary sofa but an extraordinary. Reminding me of what the employees said about the company and owner on the previous board. “He is either ordinary of extraordinary.”

2. Ottoman, 1966-1967
Alexander Girard, Designer
“Jacob’s coat” upholstery, chrome plated legs.
Designed for lobby of Braniff Airlines office in New York.

This design was very colorful with a creative pattern. I found the ottoman very fun and creative. This ottoman looked like any other ottoman but a lot larger and in the shape of a circle. I believe I was attracted this piece of work because of the colors and fabrics. I could see this piece being placed in a longing area and a very warm and inviting space.

3. Bentwood or “Pretzel” side chair 1958-1960
George Nelson, Designer
Bent birch wood with original upholstery by Alexander Girad

I found this design unique because of the fabric that covered the chair. Once again the material grasped my eye. As for the design of the chair itself, I thought it seemed like any other chair but made with wood instead of metal or steel.

All of the designs that were shown where very unique and creative some of the designs are like others that one has may seen but I found a lot of different designs one may not have seen. I do recommended viewing designs or researching the work.

As for the last designer I would like to point out to you is George Nelson. Mr. Nelson was born in 1908 in Hartford. He studied architecture at Yale University and became the designer director for Herman for over twenty five years where he worked side by side with Dj De Pree. George was a much respected man and designed many different office spaces and office furniture.

“The answers are found in the people not the hardware,” George Nelson.