Tag Archives: Gallery

Jun15

The Banksey Exhibition in Oslo

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The Banksey Exhibition in Oslo

Thursday, 23-May-2024


Yesterday was my natural history day – the museum, the botanical garden… lots of beauty, but lots of natural beauty.

Today was for something no less beautiful. Today was my art day.

I started off at a really interesting pop-up that I’d noticed while perusing google maps – a show in town, not permanent, for an artist who I’ve enjoyed for quite some time. Banksey, arguably the most publicized graffiti artist in the world.



The exhibition was interesting. It was almost all reproductions, from what I could tell, which was disappointing… but also makes sense in retrospect. My biggest takeaway, surprisingly enough, was just how commercialized his work is. How many pieces have been sold, and just how much money’s been made by his work.

I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, though. The final entry in the exhibition was about how he “did what all millionaires do, and bought a yacht”… but, in keeping with the irony of his work, that yacht is actually a rescue ship working to save migrants in the Mediterranean.

Doing that is a good reason to be a millionaire, I have to say.

Jun11

The National Gallery of Iceland

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Monday, 20-May-2024


I may have mentioned, but I adore museums. Art museums in particular – I have a long history with museums, and to date my absolute favorite is almost definitely the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.

In Nuuk, I made a point to visit the art museum and ended up making a friend and meeting a whole group thanks to it!

In Reykjavik, I made a point to do the same. Unfortunately, though, the days that I was in Reykjavik were Pentecost Sunday and Whit Monday… two days that most businesses and museums are closed, apparently. Thankfully, though, the Reykjavik modern art museum was still open! I grabbed my bag, put on my walking shoes, and headed out for beautiful art and adventure!

I… didn’t quite find either, frankly.

I’m a bit of an art snob, I freely admit it. I like what I like, and I’m not a fan of what I don’t like. Maybe it’s from growing up visiting the MFA… maybe it’s having quite a few artists in the family… maybe it’s that I have a tendency to date artists, and love learning about their passions… Whatever reason, I am going to freely admit that I wasn’t a fan of the galleries in Iceland’s National Gallery. Or at least the galleries that were open on Whit Monday.

There were three – one of simple geometric patterns, one contrasting developmentally-challenged artists against more traditional artists, and one showing a mix of watercolors and magnets. I came close to liking the magnetic pieces, since magnets are cool, but… still. Personally, I felt that they were all in the vein of “this is art because I am famous and say that it’s art”; which is more a commentary of the artist themselves…

That being said, I still took pictures. So… Peruse, and perhaps your tastes, dear reader, vary enough from mine that you’ll enjoy the views? That’s the best part of art – it’s subjective!