By Max Kyburz
When it opened in 1903, it was the first museum in the country to strictly feature American art. And it’s five minutes away from campus.
Let’s face it – New Britain is not exactly the kind of city you’d expect to find eclectic art. New Haven, definitely. Hartford, sure. But “hard hittin'” New Britain? You may think I’m pulling your chain. I don’t say this out of snobbery or spite for the city itself, I’m just stating the facts: we are not the most cultured city. However, the New Britain Museum of American Art gives the city the little bit of class it needs. The city is often judged by its downtown area, but that must not be what it’s most remembered for.
On a given day, one can enjoy a guided tour from one of the many art experts the museum has under its radar. My grandfather, Tom Murphy, is one of these many docents. A longtime patron of the arts and supporter of the museum, Tom represents the enthusiasm and charisma the NBMAA has long possessed. The guides provide a wholesome experience for patrons, offering anecdotes and key facts about the artists and the work they’ve created. One of the most popular works along the tour is Lisa Hoke’s The Gravity of Color, a vibrant and trippy found object work composed of thousands of paper and plastic cups. It looks like Van Gogh doing the best remodeling job ever. “The kids go absolutely crazy for it,” Tom says, “sometimes they try to steal the cups.”
We all know about the famous paintings and works of art, we see them in books and films, but we never truly experience them until we see them up close. You can make the extra trip to New York to the Museum of Modern Art or the Metropolitan, both of which are worthy, but if you don’t have the time, the NBMAA is still a great place to spend a few hours.
Aside from Hoke, the museum has hosted a score of noteworthy collections, it’s most recent exhibition being the works of M.C. Escher. You may already be familiar with Escher even if you haven’t heard his name. His “Relativity” has been parodied in Family Guy, and his concepts regarding the infinite were inspiration for Inception. It would be one thing to look up one of his paintings on Google, but there’s absolutely nothing like seeing the works close up in all of their eight-foot by six-foot glory. You still have time; the exhibition goes until mid-November.
The exhibitions adorning the museum’s walls have ranged from high to low art (depending on your definition). On one of my first visits to the museum, I was fortunate enough to see a collection of original paintings that became covers for pulp novels. A recently departed collection housed the works of Elana Herzog, a New York-based artist who specializes in “sculptural drawings” made from household textiles and metal staples. A new collection features the works of Jon Rappleye, a New Jersey artist who combines nature and surrealism in an explosive assault on the eyes. So much variety can only make one keep questioning about what truly defines art, and it is this uncertainty that makes the arts so fresh and intriguing.
The wide variety is not exclusive to temporary exhibitions; the permanent collection provides an ample medley as well. One of my favorite inclusions is Rowena Morrill’s “Twilight Terrors,” a fantasy illustration that you may expect to find in Tales from the Crypt. If that’s too low-brow, the prime cut is Graydon Parrish’s 18-foot long “Cycle of Terror and Tragedy,” a densely morose and moving tribute to the Sept. 11 attacks. Commissioned by the museum, Parrish’s painting has become a draw for New England residents, and is a must-see for any visitor.
This may not even be news, because hopefully some of you have already visited the museum. If you’re an art student at CCSU, you may be familiar with the “Night at the Museum” program, an evening dedicated to the works of students. Anyone interested in the arts should visit the NBMAA at least once, whether to bask in the greatness of America’s long colorful art history, or to find a source of reinvigoration. If you’re a student, you’re in luck; admission is free with a CCSU ID, and guided tours (which can be arranged for online) are ten bucks a head.
