Event 4: The Getty Museum

I visited the Getty Museum in the last week of this quarter when the Abelardo Morell “The Universe Next Door” was taking place. The Getty Museum is one of my all-time favorite places in Los Angeles and I have been here many times already and each time I will explore some new things attractive to me.

You always start your trip at the Getty Museum with a tram ride, which is a unique experience that provides you with views of LA from the top. Every time I arrive the actual museum , I’m drawn to the museum’s architectures and its groomed grounds. Their building reminded me of our lesson on math and art. Most wall and floor elements are 30 inch squares, creating the simple geometric forms of the building.

Inside the museum, I visited the exhibition “The Universe Next Door”. Morell experimented with the use of camera obscura works. This technique is basically drilling a hole in the wall of a room and making the rest of room dark, creating an image inside a dark room and depicting what is happening outside and the scenery from outside will project upside down on the wall opposite to the hole. The radius of the hole plays a significant role. For example, if the size of the circle is too big the picture will be brighter but less focused. There is also a room that illustrates exactly how camera obscura works and see why the image is inverted. The camera Obscura work is a good example of combination of math, physic and art. With the use of an extremely small pinhold and a correct alignment of mirrors on the wall, a completely inverted world was established!

Since taking pictures is not allowed in the museum, I got some examples online. One of the famous examples is The View of Brooklyn Bridge in Bedroom. Some hotel rooms that faced the Brooklyn Bridge had a small pinhole in their walls. The image of the bridge should be upside down, but Morell used a hidden mirror that makes it turned and reverse a second time.

I would definitely recommend people to visit the Getty Museum and especially the exhibition “The Universe Next Door” to enrich your knowledge of art and science.

Citations:

1."Los Angeles, 3–7 October 2006." . N.p., E-mail. <http://yank.to/Photos/2006/20061003_Los_Angeles/index.html>.

2.Lienhard, John. "CAMERA OBSCURA." . N.p., Online Posting to Engines of our ingenuity. E-mail. <http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1772.htm>.

3.Picture taken by myself

4."Abelardo Morell print." . N.p., Online Posting to New Art Edition. E-mail. <http://www.newarteditions.com/abelardo-morell-print-view-of-brooklyn-bridge-in-bedroom-aperture/>.

5.Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door (Getty Center Exhibitions)."Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door (Getty Center Exhibitions). Web. 12 Dec. 2013.