Bouquets to Art 2011

I can’t wait to attend BtA 2012 event! $ 20 for general admission

For a short span of 4 – 5 days, the de young museum turns it’s permanent collection upside down and inside out. Pieces that have never before been seen next to other pieces are suddenly transposed into a glorious celebration of flora and creativity. It happens every year, and this year the opening morning was no exception to the horse race.
I showed up around 10:30 with my parents. There was a line that went around the whole of the members merry-​go-​round and back out the door, up to heaven. The biggest different between this line and every other queue that I’ve been in is that everyone here was SO WELL BEHAVED! If you are ever going to heard people as cattle, the art crowd is the way to go. The women were wearing natural fibers and exotic jewelry. They accessorized their faces with their unique and colorful eyeglasses. That diamond ring I saw had just as much weight as the ladies from Neimans, but set in something folksy that did not set off the fire and sparkle within. Different priorities.
Having never come here before, I did not know what to expect. I was hoping for lovely arrangements of gorgeous flowers that did not look like they were on the verge of dying. I was hoping for roses more vibrant and alive than those found at the flower stand on Market. I was hoping for something transformative. Wow me, oh bounty of mother nature. Make me blush.
After obtaining tickets, there were so many people around. It was a bit like a fair, many vendors selling ditties such as raffle tickets, faux flower boutinnieres, faux flower decorative hair appliques, and pastel colored gardening tools. The ladies rushed around in their long raincoats, excited for the prospect of art and flowers.
The flowers were quite nice. The crush of people was intense and there were moments where I almost felt like screaming. When this one woman stepped on me as I was trying to get a non-​flash photograph of the bouquet paired with Rothko whilst in a crouched position, I did nearly scream.
The mix of art was well done. Everything from the impressionists to the photographs to the modern post modern sculptures were paired. The flowers, though not exotic, were lush and vibrant. I wonder if they are updated, replaced, repaired. Because it was very warm, and there was a LOT OF TOUCHING. The flowers were so vibrant they looked manufactured. And some women (and men) could not RESIST TOUCHING THE FLOWERS. I heard a few justifying the touching because it was so lovely and breathtaking. I’m sure they would sing a different tune if I used the very same reasoning for going up to them, pinching their child-​bearing hips and smelling under their arm pits, perhaps check their teeth like a horse. The horror show and the amusement came in the same package. If you can, take a step back, take a look at the spectators. The spectacle is in the spectators.