Minneapolis has been a revealation. I never dreamed there could be so much to see and do in a city that's only a third of the size of Tucson.
You could easily spend an entire day at the Walker Art Center and that's basically what we did yesterday. Our host was Phil Von Blon, one of the Museum Directors. (I teach a course in Chinese history in Tucson, and Phil is one of my students. In fact, he's the one who talked me into coming to Minneapolis)
This is a lovely, welcoming museum. White walls, soaring vistas, huge windows. I kept imagining what it must be like during the winter, surrounded with snow, white on white.
First, we toured the Picasso and American Art Exhibition. Picasso never visited the United States, but his paintings created a huge stir when they were first exhibited here in 1914. This particular exhibition explores the impact that Picasso had on American artists, many of whom took cubism as a starting point to be followed wherever it led. The juxtapositions were astounding. Plus lots of wonderful Picassos.
After lunch, a leisurely stroll through the Sculpture Garden, which also features a wonderful glass conservatory with palm trees (in Minneapolis!) and a huge, glass leaping fish by Frank Gehry.
Phil and his wife JoAnn were our hosts for dinner at their breathtaking condo in the sky overlooking the Mississippi River. It's a converted flour mill, one huge room as big as a football field, fabulous art competing with fabulous views. I've only ever seen homes like this in the glossy pages of architectural magazines.
What an absolutely fantastic day!