Favorite Places
I’ve got a lot of favorite places in San Francisco and the Bay Area and I’m sure you do, too. Long before I worked here, the Asian Art Museum was at the top of my list. Turns out we’re at the top of Stanlee Gatti’s list, too. If you’re not familiar with him, according to Google, Stanlee Gatti is “San Francisco’s ‘resident creative genius;’ known for making event design a visual art.”
I know we’re one of Stanlee Gatti’s favorite places because he told us. Well, actually he told Google and then they told us. Google asked a number of well-known locals (apparently those with excellent taste) to make a list of their favorite places. So the next time you’re wondering what to do with yourself you can say “What would Alice Waters do today?” or “What would Nate Query do tonight?” and check out their lists for ideas.
Google sees this as a way to promote local businesses and improve their maps function (you can create your own list of favorite places and publish it if you want). And Google sure knows how to put on a media event to get the word out. In addition to the usual presentation, there was a little main street set up in the back of the North Light Court at City Hall. My colleagues and I were surprised to find a fully-functioning candy store, a flower cart, a deli and a hardware store.
Let’s assume that Asian is one of your favorite places in San Francisco. Where is your favorite place in the museum? For me it’s a tough choice between walking down the hallway in the 3rd floor Chinese galleries towards the Guanyin and the Peterson Room Garden where I’m fortunate to spend time with Jade Circle members and special guests.
The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Chinese: Guanyin), approx. 1100-1200; Wood; China; The Avery Brundage Collection B60S24+
The Richard H. and Marianne Peterson Garden
7 Responses to “Favorite Places”
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xensen on July 20th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I’m fond of the Betty Bogart Contemplative Alcove, which is located on the second floor near the walkway leading from Samsung Hall to the Japanese art galleries on the south wing. It features this basin (2000) by Masatoshi Izumi, which is made from a single massive basalt stone. The exterior is an oxidized brown color with a rough surface but the top is a dark gray, polished smooth. (The artist polished the surface by hand with a whetstone and water over many months.) Water flows so slowly from the center that it can go unnoticed by visitors who are hurrying.
(BTW, just to be clear, the Peterson room is not open to the public, though it can be viewed from the landing at the top of the escalator, or glimpsed from the mani wall — another favorite place — on the cafe terrace.)
bittermelon on July 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Oooh, favorite places inside the museum. Good topic! I agree with Tom about the contemplative alcove (I think it’d also be a good date spot!) I guess it’d be weird to say all the galleries, cuz DUH. Art aside, I think the loggia, where the red couches are, is a sweet spot to relax. Hmm, I’ll have to think about this more.
nico on July 20th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
xensen, I also love the Izumi. Firstly, there’s the connection to Noguchi.
Secondly, someone once mistook the fountain for a seat, creating a completely unexpected result of mindfulness…for where one should and should not sit.
namastenancy on July 20th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
While I can never resist a plug for Chao Shao-an’s paintings, I also love the Izumi sculpture. I confess to a mischievous moment when I tried to encourage a teenager to sit on it. He and his friends were text messaging their way through the galleries, not paying much attention to anything but their cell phones. Of course, I stopped him before he could do so. I didn’t want him to damage this beautiful object but I did want his friends to stop and look. They all laughed at their clueless friend but they did take their noses out of the current text message of the moment to marvel. It was one small step for mindfulness. Maybe someday, they will be discussing their favorite pieces at the Asian and remember the moment when they almost sat on a piece of shinning stone.
erica on July 21st, 2009 at 9:14 am
Namastenancy, have you seen the new rotation of Chao Shao-an’s paintings yet? Another breathtaking group.
I nearly included the Betty Bogart Contemplative Alcove and the Izumi sculpture. It is magnificent. Knowing that at least one person has sat on it and another almost done the same thing makes me love it even more.
In truth it’s nearly impossible to stick with one or two favorite places. I love to take a minute to really notice the Nandi sculpture when I’m hurrying through South Court and I could look at the sculptures of Shiva and Parvati from Angkor all day in the 3rd floor Southeast Asian galleries…I could go on and on.
namastenancy on July 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Oh yes, thinking of all my favorite pieces at the museum just awakens the greedy monster that lurks (not very quietly!) in my soul. I can’t go by any gallery without wanting That! and That! and THAT! Oh, and that as well, If I could buy a fraction of the pieces that I love, I’d need a palace bigger than Versailles to store it all. I am trying to get to the museum tomorrow to see the work before I have to head south for an obligatory family visit. I want to carry Chao Shao-an’s beautiful images in my heart as I deal with family issues.
erica on July 25th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Namastenancy, I saw in a comment on another thread that you saw the new rotation of Chao Shao-an paintings. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. And thanks for the reminder about how art can fortify us against difficulty.