Saturday, August 30, 2008

Open Your Eyes

The Knoxville Museum of Art occupies a stark, modernist cube of a building, clad in Tennessee pink marble. Built in 1990 as the permanent, state-of-the-art home for the modern art collection that was established in 1961, it generated some discussion for being so plain.
I've always liked this building. It's simple lines and shape are so appropriate to house a twentieth and twenty-first century art collection. And I like it even more now that they've added eyes.  If they add a moustache too, I'll be even happier.

10 comments:

Virginia said...

That would certainly cause one to pause if you ran up on that at night! So the eyes are a permanent thing not just poster up for a special exhibition. Cool.

angela said...

Not too sure about the proportions of the building but the eyes definitely save it...
Mustache? They look like girl's eyes to me.

Knoxville Girl said...

VJ - unfortunately, I think they're a temporary promo for the museum in general; they've just recently appeared.
angela - they do kind of look like girl's eyes; but heck, a moustache - come to the cabaret!

USelaine said...

It wants a tall, elaborate sculpture to rise before it - something for her to stare at.

Jane Hards Photography said...

The buidling reminds me of modern UK Schools, without the eyes though. Big Brother or is that big sister watching you. It's a shame they can't stay.

marley said...

Oooh, a moustache! Draw one on! Like on a photo. Very funny :)

Knoxville Girl said...

Elaine - yes, a sculpture would be great. But in real life she's staring at the Holiday Inn across the park. If I were staying there, I'd keep the drapes closed!

B - better than CCTV? I hope they keep them up for awhile - startles the tourists, you know.

Marley - I hear Photoshop calling me. mwahaha

Laurie Allee said...

Remember the eyes looking down in The Great Gatsby? I forget if they were on a building or a billboard but that's what I thought of here.

Cool building -- I like the moustache idea, too.

Jim Klenke said...

The moustache would need to be from side to side the big bushy kind.

Louis la Vache said...

Yes! A Groucho Marx moustache! And a cigar!

Re your comment Chez Louis, "Mood Indigo" was a song that went through "Louis's" mind when posting it! Spot on!