Roy Lichtenstein’s Brushstoke on The National Mall side of The Hirshhorn Museum – Washington, DC
From the moment you see The Hirshhorn Museum you know you are in for a treat. The dramatic round building on four feet looks as though a spaceship has just landed on Independence Avenue in Washington. Personally, I like the building as much as any inside the Beltway. The architecture of the museum fits the space it occupies and the purpose for its construction perfectly.
Roy Lichtenstein’s monumental Brushstroke stands proudly facing the Hirshhorn’s Sculpture Garden on The National Mall. The model for this sculpture was completed by Lichtenstein in 1996 less than a year before his death and the 32 foot high work in front of the Hirshhorn was unveiled in 2003.
Inside the Sculpture Garden you will find works by Joan Miro, Alexander Calder (although his piece, Six Dots Over a Mountain, was being moved the day we were there), Alberto Giacometti, Henry Moore and Judith Shea to name just a few. The Sculpture garden provides a wonderful respite from the busy streets of Washington and the few other people we saw there maintained the same type of quiet reference and reflection the site inspired in us.
King and Queen by Henry Moore – Bronze – 1952-53
Lunar Bird by Joan Miro – 1944-46 – Enlarged and cast 1966-67
Monumental Head by Alberto Giacometti – Bronze – 1960
Standing Woman by Gaston Lachaise – Bronze – 1932 Cast 1981
Sphere No. 6 by Arnaldo Pomodoro – Bronze – 1963-65
After spending a significant amount of time basking in these wonderful sculptures we headed towards the front door of the museum passing under the building on the way. The structure of the Hirshhorn is very unique – the building is round and completely encircles a plaza area in the center which contains a fountain. While already drained for the winter, the construction of the fountain itself is a work of art and accents the building perfectly even when dry.
Just before reaching the entrance we came upon Juan Muñoz’s Last Conversation Piece in the lawn area. I had seen this work a number of times before but I was moved by it this time even more than in the past. This series of statues always makes me a little sad – I think I relate to the fellow who is on the outside the conversation looking in.
Detail of Last Conversation Piece by Juan Muñoz – Bronze – 1994-95
All of this on our approach to the Hirshhorn Museum. We hadn’t even entered the door and had already been awash in fine modern art. This was just the build-up needed for the fabulous works inside the museum. I will save that for tomorrow.
