Free Hopper and Meat Sculptures

Awesome pal, L, works in museums and invited us to tag along for an opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art!

The place was awash with trendy young things, and we made our way down to the lower level where wine was being served in a pink lit room.

Here's the best pic I could take (dim lighting):

And here is what the bar looked like up close. As L had foretold, much of the VIP excitement of attending a private opening at the Whitney is about just being there and not the free offerings themselves.

Drink: A- There was only wine, but they had both red and white and the white wine was quite good!

Food: B Standard art gallery potato chips and crudites.

Ambiance: A+ Giant vases of autumn leaves on the refreshments floor gave the event a proper autumnal feel. And fantastic people watching! Lots of young people in tight jeans, fedoras, and one man in what appeared to be an Amish farmer hat. I saw a glam girl from my high school in a black cape! And I don't think it was being worn in reference to Halloween at all.

Swag: N/A, unless you count the cultural "swag" of seeing multiple Edward Hoppers from close proximity after hours.

After imbibing, we headed upstairs to preview: Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time. It's a great exhibit. A wonderful assortment of Hopper paintings mixed in with works by Hopper's contemporaries done on similar subjects.

And then, right before closing time, we took a quick spin around: Paul Thek: Diver, a Retrospective. He was known for making "meat sculptures" out of plastic and fiberglass - sometimes disturbing, but very interesting nonetheless!

See right column of the blog for a Quote Vote for the evening! Thanks, L, for this highbrow freebie night out!