Visible storage

By Ingrid Fetell Lee

met_roof_sunset

Indian summer is the gift that keeps on giving in New York this year. Perhaps to make up for the drizzly summer, we keep getting these gorgeous sunny, mild weekend days. This Saturday I walked through the park and met my friend Emily on the steps of the Met. We set out in search of the Vermeers, which are quietly luminous and very worth the trip. But we soon discovered what felt like the real find of the visit: visible storage.

I’ve been going to the Met for a long time, since I was a child, but I was surprised and delighted to find this wonderful set of displays. It feels like you’re getting a behind-the-scenes tour, with all the paintings and artifacts crammed in together in row after row of glass partitions. The closeness of everything forces new connections, new relationships between items. Without the artful arranging, you’re free to see things in a new way. It feels a little like a treasure hunt, and was easily the most exciting part of the visit.

The roof is still open for drinks, and we arrived just in time for the spectacular sunset above. It’s always hard to believe when the blue sky turns pink and purple, and the art took a back seat for a moment as everyone turned towards the city and watched the beautiful spectacle unfold.

visible_storage

visible_storage2

Sunset image, mine. Met images, pazzia.

October 12th, 2009

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    Discussion (1 Comment)

  1. Robert Schmitz on February 8, 2012

    We have fabricated and installed several such open art storage systems, the largest one being the Luce Center in Washington, DC. We also installed the cases pictured above. Thanks for the nice images.

    Reply

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