While in Bentonville, we visited this art museum. Several modern-looking galleries and walkways surround a couple ponds with outside gardens and sculpture parks. Here’s an overview of it all in a display in the lobby.
We played a game as we walked around. Several paintings were displayed together on a wall. We picked the one we’d want in our home if we had to choose one. Much of the time, we picked the same one. My favorite artwork in the museum was this painting from a Wisconsin artist — I can’t remember his name. All those dots are birds — actual American species done in great detail. There are animals and other things scattered around too. I could spend an hour looking at it. I wanted to buy a print, but the gift shop only sold postcards on which the image was much to small to appreciate.
There was a special exhibit on birds and birding that had some cool pieces.
There was a lot of more modern art, much of which was nonsense. For example, this entire wall.
This guy sat in an alcove. Even knowing it was not real, it was creepy.
Another special exhibit featured Americana. This portrait of Washington was once owned by Alexander Hamilton. (In case you’re wondering why I took some of the photos at weird angles — it was to eliminate the glare on the glass.)
The museum grounds included the Bachman-Wilson House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was built in 1956 along a river in New Jersey. Due to repeated flooding, it was dismantled and rebuilt here to preserve it. I must admit I can’t figure out why they bothered.
The wall of windows was cool, as were the built-in bookcases, but the cement block walls, the square furniture, the tiny, dark rooms and ridiculously narrow passageways were all ugly and impracticle.
We were given tiny recorders that gave us a tour as we walked through what amounted to three rooms.
Near the house was the sculpture garden. We didn’t cover much of it because we’d been on our feet all morning.
This “art” consists of a bunch of silver balls floating in a pond.
This spider statue was titled “Maman.” It’s a great example of the ridiculous “meanings” of modern art. The sign reads, “Like an umbrella against a storm, Maman shelters this space, looming over us in a protective, yet mysterious way. “Maman” is the French word for “Mom.” The image of the spider refers to the artist’s mother, whom she has described as her closest friend. Though spiders can inspire fear for some people, Bourgeois thought of the spider as caring, helpful, and hard-working—the way she remembered her mother.” If you got that out of the sculpture before reading the sign, raise your hand.
Overall, we enjoyed the museum and would probably go again if we had the opportunity. I’d like to do more of the sculpture garden, and I’d definitely skip the Wright house.
We stopped at the nearby Culver’s — the only one in Arkansas — for lunch, then headed home.