dancing with architecture: washington, dc (brutalism, national building museum, national portrait gallery)

Whelp, I've been in D.C. a couple times over the past coupla months and actually had a wee bit of time to wander and gawk. Searching for a museum to stroll one afternoon, I came across the Hirshhorn which, in addition to showing modern art, is housed in that rarest of beasts, curvy Brutalism. And imagine my delight in finding the map above! Sometimes the gawds smile upon thee...

The Hirschhorn looks like something out of an old Star Wars movie, assuming a defensive posture against the rebels. In a sense, it is: direct sunlight is art's greatest enemy (besides razor-wielding nutballs and shortsighted politicians). Designed by Gordon Bunshaft of those masters of Modern, Skidmore, Owens, and Merrill, the Hirshhorn is sculptural as well as functional. Because of its circular floorplan (inspired by Wright's Guggenheim?), you can peruse the art in an efficient ain't-gonna-miss-anything fashion.

Jeff Koons "New Hoover Deluxe Rug Shampooer"

Peter Nagy "Entertainment Erases History"

Alan McCollum

John M Armleder

Artwork inspired by water reuse(!!!):

Outhouse on a mountain

sculpture based on water condensation

a future architect...

Georgian food and wine:

My hotel on one of the trips was Corbusian:

a couple student-designed chairs...

The museum had an apartment sporting some of the latest tech for homes:

That a shower. You pull on the mirrored "wall" to use it.

Austin represented in the displays:

Off to the National Portrait Museum across the street from my hotel. Open late, so I could chceck it out:

In the basement was a this display:

back at the airport...

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