Everyone says art is very subjective. Two people can stand side by side, looking at the same piece, yet experience completely different emotions. They can form very different opinions from one another based on their personal reactions and thoughts. For example, some love the Mona Lisa and all the history and mystery behind her smile. While others, just look at her and the only thing they gather is that she has no eyebrows and ain’t even that pretty.
I do enjoy art and respect artists. I’m not a critic in the sense that I overanalyze or try to discover hidden meanings behind pieces. I don’t necessarily need to know what was in the artist’s head at the time. That’s for them to know. Sometimes I just like to look at art. Just because.
I was browsing Instagram when I took that survey where it asked me the types of ads I’d prefer to see. The ad for Chihuly kept popping up as an option and I was like, wtf is a Chihuly? A few google images later, I came across Persian Ceiling, saw it was in town and knew I wanted to experience that in person. Showcased at the Royal Ontario Museum, I was lucky enough to catch it on its last day.
Dale Chihuly (according to Wiki) is a glass sculptor from America. He learned the art of blowing glass, but after some injuries, due to a car and surfing accident, he was no longer able to hold the glass blowing pipe. And so he stepped back and became more of a choreographer and director, as he describes.
Here are a few pictures from my visit. I won’t dive in with descriptions and opinions. You can form your own. Enjoy!
I was happy I could see Chihuly’s work in person. Some of his pieces, like Icicle Towers, stand floor to ceiling and are so intricately woven into each other it was amazing to see up close. They were all strong and solidly built, but so delicate in the fact they were made of glass. One push and it could all smash into a million pieces – I wonder if that’s ever happened? Because that would suck to clean!
My favourites were Sapphire Neon Tumbleweeds and Persian Ceiling. The blue in Sapphire was so electric and the nice thing about Persian Ceiling was that they placed pillows and cushions on the floor so you could lay back and admire the glass above your head. Just like you would lay back in the grass and stare at the clouds. So mesmerizing.
All in all I had a nice time at the ROM. The only issue I had about my visit was the $5 can of coconut water my boyfriend made me buy in the cafeteria. Five dollars!? My grilled cheese sandwich was only $3.50. So $5 is a bit extreme for me, but they didn’t have sparkling water. He’s bougie like that.
Anywho, some of Chihuly’s sculptures are in public places, like in train stations or hotels. So if you ever get a chance to see one, I highly recommend stopping to take a moment. If not for the hard work and artistry that goes into his pieces, then simply for the beauty.
xo
Stephanie
Luxe & Loaded 