Andy's Space
If for no other reason than my membership expires in a week, today I rushed over to The Modern art museum in Fort Worth to check out the Wi-Fi. And of course, while I was there, I sampled the “decor” in Tadao Ando’s architectural showpiece.
Actually, there was another reason. As of late, PingWi-Fi is focusing on Wi-Fi hotspots “in our own backyard” — Dallas/Fort Worth. So, why not The Modern?
One of my favorite pieces in the permanent collection is still the green Andy Warhol “Self Portrait,” largely because of the dramatic placement. Head up a few steps on the first massive stairway, and you see spiked hair. A few more steps, ascending, and you see Andy’s face staring at you, birdlike. Climb to the top, and you see the portrait, dominating a special little landing area.
Another most impressive piece is a recent addition to the collection by Kehinde Wiley — a huge, classical style portrait of a “soldier” on steed. Actually, it is a modern remix reminiscent of Napoleon. A few details have been changed. The general riding the horse has been replaced with a young hipster in his fur-lined coolio coat and Nikes.
So how ’bout the art of wireless Internet? Well … because the “art police” wouldn’t let me take photos of the featured exhibit, I pulled out my iPhone to check for a signal among the computer art by Jeff Elrod. See:
No prob. Plenty of Wi-Fi in Elrod’s space and in the permanent collection as well (where photos are permitted). I picked up a couple of networks with the iPhone, although my backup computer (a Dell with an ancient add-on Wi-Fi card inserted) found only one. I managed to get by, comfortably perched on a catwalk over the main hall of the museum … uploading photos and blogging at will.
Provocative art, diversity and satisfactory Wi-Fi for this collector — The Modern gets 5 pings.
Grand Hall
"Twenty-five Colored Marilyns," Andy Warhol
Foliage
iWiz -- "Klansman," Andres Serrano
Andy
Warhol Pistol, "Gun"
"Elke," George Baselitz
"Aschenblume," Anselm Kiefer
"Colonel Platoff On His Charger," Kehinde Wiley
