Wednesday, December 16, 2009

SLAM

.
SLAM is a bit of a hard acronym for the St. Louis Art Museum, more suited to professional wrestling than aesthetics. Still, it's a really good regional museum and it had some happy news this week. A major expansion of the museum was put on hold 13 months ago because of the financial crisis. The Board just decided to go forward with the project, all financing in place. At a time when almost no American art museums can afford to grow, SLAM is adding 30% to its exhibition space and a 300 car underground garage. Yay for us.

THE PICTURE THAT GOT AWAY: I was sitting in the lobby of a suburban office building, talking to a client, waiting to start his Social Security disability hearing (that's what I do). There was an odd metalic sound coming from outside. As it got closer it hit me - jingle bells! A man came in wearing full Santa Claus regalia. As someone else engaged him in a brief conversation I whipped out my point-n-shoot and took a couple of quick shots. They were awful - the ISO was set to 3200. The Santa impersonator said he was there for an appointment with his psychiatrist in the same building. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during the appointment.
at

12 comments:

  1. Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.comDecember 16, 2009 at 6:45 AM

    Delighted to hear of the expansion of the Art Museum. It is a shame that many museums cannot display much of their collections.

    The St. Louis Art Museum has an excellent collection of pre-Columbian art.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OlivierDecember 16, 2009 at 6:55 AM

    bravo, bon réflexe, j'attends la photo avec le père noël avec impatience. 3200 isos pas trop de bruits ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. brattcatDecember 16, 2009 at 7:04 AM

    What a beautiful museum this is, and how regally it sits on its grounds. As for Santa and his shrink, I wonder if after the session, the psychiatrist gives him a list.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SharonDecember 16, 2009 at 8:24 AM

    Beautiful photo and happy news about the art museum. I spent many hours there when I was working in the city. I love to go back whenever I get that way.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Luis GomezDecember 16, 2009 at 8:39 AM

    This is a really nice place. I have been to Saint Louis couple of times but after following your blog I have many places that I want to check out next time I visit.

    ReplyDelete
  6. VirginiaDecember 16, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    So is this a SLAM dunk for your museum?? How terrific. THere's talk that our Museum will take over the adjacent city auditorium and expand. That would be marvelous. We have so much in storage that there's not room for. I"m off to the BMA this morning to be the friendly volunteer in our big exhibit!

    And this is a terrific shot B. Love the curve of the path.
    V

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nathalie H.D.December 16, 2009 at 9:51 AM

    What's this ISO 32000? Point and shoot cameras should be left on automatic at all times! LOL

    Just thinking of what you would have done with that photo, yay!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nathalie H.D.December 16, 2009 at 9:52 AM

    And... congratulations on the extension of SLAM, that's very good news!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Merry@SyracuseDecember 16, 2009 at 8:29 PM

    This is lovely light and color, and the endless curve is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. cieldequimperDecember 17, 2009 at 2:43 AM

    Excellent news about the museum. I'm pleased that it's an UNDERGROUND garage too!

    I'm wearing full regalia today, jingle bells at the office. See http://marinagrenadinescieldequimper.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  11. PatDecember 17, 2009 at 7:16 AM

    Well, I think SLAM isn't so bad---better to be hit with good art!

    I like the South Lake Union Trolley's acronym better...see here

    ReplyDelete
  12. Louis la VacheDecember 18, 2009 at 12:45 AM

    "Ho! Ho! Ho!", Said the Shrink, "We get to 5150 Santa!"

    ReplyDelete