There are two kinds of art in this world. (Ok…of course there are more than two, but for purposes of this discussion, please grant me some, ah, artistic license.)
Ahem. There are two kinds of art in this world: art that challenges and provokes, and art you want to live with.
Art as statement, political or otherwise…
…and art as beautiful object.
Naturally there’s overlap. But this is a design blog, and its mission is to help people make their homes more beautiful and more livable, not to force a grad school thesis down your throat.
So. “Where do I buy art?” is a question I hear from friends and clients often. Heck, I’ve asked it myself.
The obvious answer is, “In galleries.” But that can be intimidating. EVEN IF we live in an area where there are art galleries, and EVEN IF we have the wherewithal to know which to visit, and EVEN IF we’re confident enough in our own taste to know what we like and are willing to buy, going to an art gallery is not a natural thing for many of us.
We picture a silent, furniture-free space with white walls, no other visitors, and a staff person lurking in the corner trying to look inconspicuous. We think they’re expensive. We think we’re obligated to buy something. We think we’ll have to ring a buzzer to get in.
That’s is a fair description of some galleries, and an unfair description of many.
But this post isn’t in defense of the art gallery.
This post is about where average everyday people can buy beautiful and/or interesting but visually appealing objects to hang on our walls and place on our shelves.
It’s about beauty. And where to get it.
In the greater Washington, D.C. area, you should start at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. It’s actually in Old Town Alexandria.
To say it’s like an art shopping mall isn’t quite accurate…but it’s not inaccurate, either.
There are more than 80 working artist studios, and several group galleries. The website is quite comprehensive.
I went there a few weeks ago with a friend, and we had a great afternoon. We parked right in front (!), walked around the whole place, chatted with some of the extremely friendly artists in the galleries, and we each even bought a little something – although we felt under no pressure to do so.
And then we had a delightful lunch. (Unlike the Washington Design Center, which is in no-man’s land food-wise, the Torpedo Factory is right around the corner from lots of cute places to eat and shop recreationally.)
So now you know where to go. Next time, I’ll tell you what to buy :)
The first picture is by Hannah Hoch, and it’s called, “Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany” (Schnitt mit dem Küchenmesser durch die letzte Weimarer Bierbauchkulturepoche Deutschlands), 1919-1920. It’s owned by the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie. It’s actually not a great example, because I would KILL to live with a piece like that. But you see my point, right?
You recognize the second picture, of course: Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies,” 1919. It’s at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY.