Some Strikingly Simple and Compelling Photos Back at the Metropolitan Museum, plus a Short Video

Been a while since I have made a photo visit to the Met...busier than ever, it seems to me, especially on a sunny Sunday afternoon

 Tons of people, as individuals or small groups or organized groups were thronging all over the place today...I had forgotten just how many exhibits the Met can have going at one time and the mind boggling number of art objects on display..

I headed upstairs to where they have a lot of old European paintings and where it was less crowded so I could make a short video. And short it was, too, because it was barely a minute before I had a woman guard tapping me on the shoulder and telling me they did not permit filming there ( you can hear her on the soundtrack) ( and though on past visits I have seen all sorts of people using flashes which they forbid and also obviously making videos--usually Asians--and no one says anything to them).

I also wandered through the halls of Richard Morris Hunt's edifice and found one of two photo exhibits they had-- this one the modern one

Here are just a couple of examples of what their curators chose to put on the walls...

I am no longer a student who has to memorize names, titles and dates etc. so I just give you some of the more interesting photos without bothering to attribute them...this is not a course on modern photography, I just want to give you an idea of what the Met thought was worth showing

In this regard, I have to note the relatively simplicity of the photos they chose. In some previous exhibits at other museums, in the past I saw a fetish with large gelatin prints and very technically splashy photos, all of which it seemed had to pass some test of having something very "special" about them

 I DO remember that this photo is back from 1971 but obviously was chosen for its timeless quality

 This is one of the photos you have to see in person at the Museum to really appreciate...tonal aspects etc.

 Well, about as simple and classic a photo of lovers as you could want

 This was from four or five photos showing women drinking different kinds of coffee...obviously all kinds of influences on this, including Andy Warhol

Of all the other items I saw, let me show you two right away that made me pause 

 I think this piece is absolutely inspired and I intend to go back to look at it some more and do some research on it as a matter of fact...also

 I wanted to show how this European "Commode" has so many kinds of cultural influences on it..

Well, that wraps up this part of my blogging on the Museum..