November 1, 2009
Akron has seen better days. It's history as America's rubber capitol is long gone, and nothing significant seems to have replaced it. Its Museum of Art is small, and specializes in art produced or owned by locals. It's much better than you might think, though. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many artists worked in northwest Ohio and their paintings hanging in the museum now are very satisfying. I'm not sure one goes to a museum to be satisfied, but that's how I felt this afternoon.
The Museum's highlights, though, are its contemporary works, some of which are pretty exciting. My favorite is strictly funky. It's by two artists who commissioned a poll to find out what Akronians wanted to see in a piece of art. The result is a painting full of automobile tires, unicorns, and assorted frogs. You gotta laugh.
A show of Chuck Close pieces owed by Ohioans dominates several galleries. I don't think I've ever been to a show solely of his work, so I was surprised to find the net effect a bit spooky. Also up is an exhibition of perhaps 15 paintings by Jacob Lawrence of John Brown and his abolitionist efforts. I've always liked Jacob Lawrence, and hadn't seen these before, maybe because they're in Akron? John Brown's family lived in nearby Hudson, Ohio for a while, so perhaps that's why the Museum owns these.
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