Dia Beacon Foundation

I was looking forward to go see the Dia Beacon Foundation since it was at the heart of my subject. I went there without reading on the actual building and what it was before the Museum, because I wanted to be free of interpreting it the way I truly saw it and felt it. 

When I entered the doors, the first thing I saw and felt was the kind of "Game" between natural lights and dark which I thought was interesting, the spacious rooms were welcoming and cold at the same time.

Throughout the visit, I had one thing that bothered me, in the rooms where the floor was made out of wood, the wood was so varnished that I could nearly see my self in it. My eyes were attracted to the floor and didn't let me enjoy the visit and the art fully. 

The outside space was really amazing, I like how the colours of the trees and flowers went well with the colours and the textures of the building. I liked a lot the mix of all the different materials (Wood, Metal, concrete etc...). I think it is a shame that the outside nature and the museum was not in complete harmony I had the feeling I could not enjoy both of them at the same time, I wish it could have been complementary. 

The art that was in the museum was sometime absurd to my eyes and didn't seem to fit, but other pieces were truly amazing and I felt they were in the "right" place.

Critique

I chose to look at two pictures of the Fondation  Beyler and analyse what I saw in term of balanced or distortion.

The annotations on the pictures are critiques of what is in my eyes not making the environment completely balanced and to maximize the experience.

Environment

I want to look at two environments and the way both of them could be experienced. The first set of picture shows Cultural Center designed by Renzo Piano in New Caledonia and the second set shows the Jewish Memorial in Berlin, Germany by Peter Eisenman.

The difference between both monuments is clear. I thought it would be interesting to look at what they both portray. 

It is clear to the eye that the Jewish Memorial evokes very strong and hard memories for all the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, the choice of colors and the massive block are direct. 

The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre was created to honor Jean Marie Tjibaou who was a cultural leader in Caledonia when France was occupying the island. To tell you the truth I had no idea what represented and what the Cultural Center stood for before reading about it, but for the Jewish memorial, even if I didn't know what it stood for, the shapes and the colors gave me this impression of sadness and the feeling of being trap.

Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia

  

Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia

                                                Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia
 

                                                             Jewish Memorial, Berlin, Germany

                                                              Jewish Memorial, Berlin, Germany
 

                                                               Jewish Memorial, Berlin, Germany

Renzo Piano

Here are several pictures of different project Renzo Piano realized over the years. I thought it was interesting to see works from the same architect from around the world and look at the differences and similitude. What touches me the most, is the harmony I felt while visiting some of those places whether it was intended by the architect or not.

 

Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland.

Sketches of the Fondation Beyeler

                                        
                                                        Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland

    
                                                            Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland

                                                           Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland
 

                                                           Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas

                                                           Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas



 

Comparison

I asked some people to look at Giacometti's sculptures in two different settings

As much as I admire Giacometti's sculptures, I think the Fondation Beyeler in Basel gives the most credit to his work. I had the chance to see his sculptures and paintings in various museums around the world and Basel is the only place where they exposed l"'homme qui marche I" in an environment mixing contemporary architecture and pure nature. 

                                                             Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland

 At lacma, his art is displayed in a line as if they were some quick preview of Giacometti's work . Artificial light being the only one around, his most important  works being displayed closer to the visitor, and others in the background. I personnaly find Alberto's work should be spread in spacious areas. allowing the visitors to see ans analyze them one by one, not all together.

                                                                     LACMA

Alberto Giacometti

 I decided to gather several pictures of different settings where some of Alberto Giacometti's sculptures are exposed. I thought it would be really interesting to compare and see various backgrounds.

                                              Louisiana museum
 

                                            Louisiana museum

                    
                                           Fondation Maeght, Provence, France.

                                                     Fondation Maeght, Provence, France.

Outside opinions

I though it would be interesting to see what other people thought and felt about "Fondation Beyeler", so I gathered some information on the matter.

19 years old student:

I love the fact that this foundation always exposes masterpieces of the art world but the place itself could be considered as a masterpiece. The combination and the connection we find between the different materials (stone, glass, wood, water) that Renzo Piano used to create this architectural beauty makes it even easier for people to appreciate what is exposed in the museum. The high ceiling makes it spacious and allows the Foundation to expose very big pieces. Renzo Piano and the Foundation Beyeler probably worked hard in order to transmit vibes, emotions, and I could even say: bring some inner peace to the visitors by connecting the art of painters, sculptures with perfect light, beautiful woods and water surrounding the building. I shall always remember the day I first saw Giacomettiʼs Walking Man in that big room, with the pond behind, the trees and grass, perfect connection between art and nature. I have often visited museums, all around the world, and I can happily say that Foundation Beyeler is the only one that never disappointed me, or failed to give me a great experience while watching an art exhibition. Architecture, art and nature are in perfect symbioses in those two words: Fondation Beyeler.

I have then asked few people to tell me the three words that would pop up when they thought of this museum

53 years old CEO and art amateur:

Beauty, harmony and peace. 

47 years old photographer:

 Art, balance and nature.

73 years old engineer:

Giacometti, Monet and Basel

21 years old student:

Art, Giacometti and sculptures

          Opinion on the Nympheas by Claude Monet at the Fondation Beyeler 

At the Fondation Beyeler, Monet's Nympheas was truly the most impressive painting I saw. Its dimensions and colors gave the room it was disposed in a unique atmosphere. Making you wish the nature you could see outside the museum's windows was as beautiful as the painting. It is almost as if the area where this artwork lies was made and reserved for Monet's painting, leaving the visitor enough space to admire it as a whole, and in every detail.

This statement was written by a 22 year old student in the Hotel Management School of Lausanne, Switzerland. I thought it was relevant to put it on the blog, because again the connection of nature, art and architecture comes back.

More research

Some of my classmates have told me I should visit the Dia Beacon Art Foundation and Storm King. I believe both places will help me get a better understanding on how people interact with art and the environment where art is displayed.

  Dia Beacon 

 

                                                                 Dia Beacon

 Storm King

                                                                           
                                                   Storm King

Narrative

The first time I heard of Ernst Beyeler, was from both my grandfather and my father. They told me the story of this young Swiss man who was working in a library in Basel and ended up one of the biggest collector of Modern Art in the World and the co-founder of the most famous art fair in the world (Art Basel). The story of this self made man fascinated me at a young age.  

I read about him and his collection and wanted to see more. My father has always been enchanted by art and every year he has been taking us to Art Basel. I believe it was in the year 1999 or 2000 while being in Basel we couldn’t miss the opportunity of going to see the new Foundation, we were told that the collection was beautiful but that the building it self was worth the detour.

The museum is situated in Riehen, in the suburbs of Basel. It is strategically placed where time and agitation of the city is forgotten. With a beautiful “English” garden, the building makes one with nature. I will always remember the first time I passed those doors, the feeling I had while going through the different exhibition rooms was like going through some sort of "Museum Heaven". Never I had felt that much in harmony with the building, the paintings and the sculptures surrounding me. 

The art collection, the gardens and the building seemed in perfect balance with

each other. It is very hard to find a place where everything is in concordance, this is such a wonderful place. Each time I visit this magical place the feeling comes

back.

In my opinion, the most amazing place in the foundation is the room of the Giacometti sculptures and the Monet room; they both are connected to a pond, which feels like the continuation of the floor. The pond reflects with the Nympheas of Monet and the Alberto Giacometti’s masterpieces, it feels like they are about to walk on the water nearly and gives you this sensation of movement without time. In this case, the environment makes you forget everything that is going in the outside world and helps you focus on the art presented in the different galleries.

Research

I was interested at one specific place to begin my research, The "Fondation Beyeler" in Basel, Switzerland. The Swiss Art dealer and collector Ernst Beyeler commissioned the Italian architect Renzo Piano to do the building. I chose this place, because it is the only place where I have had the most amazing and complete experience while visiting a Museum. 

I believe one has to  go there to understand it, but I will try my best to explain what I felt in those walls. Everything is one, art, architecture and nature. Time does not matter there, the "Fondation" is situated in the countryside outside of Basel in the middle of a field. To give you an example, Renzo Piano and Ernst Beyeler chose materials or the region to built the Museum so it would really fit in the surroundings and would not stand out too much.

the most incredible room is the room with the Alberto Giacometti's sculptures and the room with the Monet painting. Both of the rooms are connected to a pond outside the "Fondation". When entering, the sculptures become alive and it feels like they are about to become alive and walk on the water.

                                       
                                                 Fondation Beyeler

                                                Fondation Beyeler

                                                    LACMA

                                              Fondation Beyeler

                                              Fondation Beyeler

                                             Fondation Beyeler

                                             Fondation Beyeler

 

Fondation Beyeler, Riehen, Switzerland.

Healing & Learning

For this project, I chose to look at the process of healing and learning through art and the environment surrounding us. it is important for me to really understand and explore the way people interact and are influenced by different environments. I intend to research and look at as much "inspiring" places in order to an a good idea on how people function and what could be changed in order to maximize the "experiences". 

I grew up in Switzerland and always had a hard time finding a place where to study. Most of the school and public libraries were not places where  I Could easily concentrate. Last summer, when I went back home all my friends studying in Lausanne told me I HAD to come and visit their new Library at the EPFL campus. It was amazing, never I had seen such a place for students. When I passed those doors, I told my self "Why are you going across the globe to study when you have this kind of facilities available to you here". I wish this building existed back then, when I was in high school, it would have really helped me through my exams. This library was especially design to "heal & learn" in my opinion.

 The Rolex Learing Center, EPFL. Lausanne, Switzerland

Links for pictures and video:

http://www.fondationbeyeler.ch/Museum

http://www.stormking.org/visitor_information.html

http://www.diabeacon.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O0OqdIoOPQ 

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