Sunday, January 04, 2009

The IMA

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is free, thanks to the generosity of Colonel Eli Lilly, who started a company that made so much money he can pay for everyone in the world to go the museum. Art museums are among Ethan's favorite places to go. He especially likes African art (Jooj!), although during our visit on Friday he also made sure we stopped by the American, European and Asian sections. Andrew was mostly interested in getting some food. Emma was hoping to see paintings of kitties (there were none; but she did find a sculpture of a winged kitty).

Here is Emma in front of a drawing that Henri Matisse did of her, years before she was actually born. If you click on the image, you'll see that it's appropriately entitled "Emma L."


Security Guard: "Hey you kids! Get off the wall!"

Emma liked this horse, made by a Chinese artist 100 years before Jesus was born!

Put your hands up in the air, raise em' like you just don't care!

(Note: I set off the alarm TWICE in the African section by pointing my finger too close to the exhibits. At the end Andrew made sure he stood between me and the exhibits at all times, lest I embarrass the family any more.)


Sophie fell asleep on the way to the museum, and didn't wake up until we were almost leaving. "I want to see the paint!" she said once we got in the car. When she woke up we were at the end of our visit, in the African section, where there are lots of scary masks but no paintings.

Ethan wants to make a mask like this for Halloween.

On the way home the kids begged us to stop at the art supply store to buy some clay. They were inspired the next day to make a miniature Egyptian sarcophagus, a tarantula and a butterfly.

3 comments:

Leslie said...

what good parents you guys are. no wonder your kids are all geniuses. :) sounds like fun!! i wish ethan could see the ultra-creepy mummy that neal made out of paper maiche in high school. sounds right up his alley. his mom kept it in the attic for years, and the first time i saw it, i totally freaked out. :)

Barbara said...

This is really wonderful. Taking them all to such great museums. More parents should introduce their children to good art and music. There is a program on PBS called "from the top at CarneigeHall" Check times in your area and watch it if you can. It is only 1/2 hour. I went onto PBS and then clicked on programs from a-z and then to From the Top. These performers are of all ages 10-???? but all young students at Julliards. They are soooo talented. I think you would enjoy watching them.

joojierose said...

this may be my favorite post you've ever done, elliott. haha - oh the IMA, such fond memories.... i'm so proud of ethan for his appreciation of african art :) you guys are awesome.