Besides the permanent exhibits (some mentioned in my previous blog post), the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums host special exhibits, each for a limited time.
Recently (our second rushed visit), Wjp and I decided to go to de Young since Ansel Adam‘s work was on exhibit. I am a fan of Adam’s work, but I had no idea that, by the time I got through viewing his work, how big an admirer I would become.
Born in San Francisco, California, Ansel Adams grew to be one of the most talented, all-time favorite landscape photographer and environmentalists of our time. He was a member of the Sierra Club at age 17 and was, as an adult, also one of the founding members of Group f/64.
As I walked through the gallery, peering at his pictures, a deep appreciation for the man overtook me.
Though he was criticized for not paying as much attention to the societal problems, those of us who love going to national parks (and enjoying nature’s wildness) are very grateful that he chose to turn those lenses onto Mother Nature and advocate for her.
Adams has also been known to, at times, manipulate some pictures in the darkroom by working with the light and enhancing the shadows. Through his vision and mastery in the darkroom, he made sure to not take away the raw original beauty of the subjects but to bring forth the images into stark focus. The resulting photographs are breathtaking!
Black and white photography has always been my favorite to view. It gets to the very core of the subject and entices the viewer to feel the emotion, the calm or the drama of a scene – without the distracting elements of color.
My pictures of the exhibits don’t do justice to the artistry and mastery of Ansel Adams’ photographs. It really is better to see them in person.
I will certainly be going back again.
Meanwhile, there are also works by contemporary photographers with a similar theme. Below are a couple of my favorites by Bryan Schutmaat:
Just before the entrance to the cafeteria, you will find this particular gem on the wall. The mural is mesmerizing and stunning!
There’re gift shops for that special memento.
While there are cool sculptures and other exhibits inside, don’t forget to take a walk outside to admire the ones there.
The museum has designed the space to blend in architecture with the natural environment.
The café has outdoor seating from where one can eat while enjoying the sculptures, the greenery and the little birds that grace the grassy meadow.
The membership (we got ours for $209.00 = 2 members + 2 free guest passes) is worth it if you live in the Bay area or are a frequent visitor to the region and love the fine arts. One day is not enough to see all the exhibits in one or both museums, namely de Young and Legion of Honor museums.
Until the next time…umm, did I mention I will be back again?
