August 2012 – Fort Worth, TX – Modern Art Museum – Lucian Freud

After recently visiting the National Portrait Gallery's exhibit of the Lucian Freud show Portraits, I almost passed to travel to Texas in August to see the only U.S. presentation of this exhibit thinking myself indulgent. However, as I read articles on the show to follow, I discovered how the two exhibits had been arranged before the artists death the year before and that future shows of this magnitude might be few and far coming with the works value and insurance issues to navigate. As I consider the artist a master of our times, I thought I would allow myself to lay eyes on them one more time. Interesting to me, beyond the fact not all the paintings came to this exhibit including "Benefits Supiviser Sleeping"- making me glad I went to London earlier in the year- was the great difference the installation of the art in the museum made to view. The exhibit in the National Portrait Gallery was such a fitting show in the artists home of London and a very elegant and well attended display honoring the artist with his first exhibit after his passing. I very much love the greys and colors of the London skys and architecture and it is reflected in the artists sophisticated palette. By contrast, this exhibit in Fort Worth's Modern Art Museum was a very different display. The hanging of the paintings where noticeably low and allowed an intimacy to see the paintings at very close range. The forum was more casual and you almost felt you had the space and paintings to yourself to spend time an afternoon with as if as accessible as being on an artists easel to stand in front of to gain insight. I was very glad I made the trip and as with all of my travels to museums, I left feeling inspired and grateful to have learned more by seeing.