"Art Escape" Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C.

Reflection on “Art Escape” Smithsonian Museum


Washington D.C.
May 14-16, 2010


The journey began from the Amtrak Station at west Peachtree, Atlanta at around 8: 20pm after Dr. Hopkins, the group leader have accounted for all who have signed in. On the train we were given all the necessary information, and papers to choose our own museums to visit in the morning and the afternoon. We were also to table talk our sitting partners to know their expectation and why they chose to go on the trip. It was a long trip. By 11:00 pm almost everybody was asleep on the train. We woke up around 7:00am when we were by then at Manassas, Va. By 9:45 am we’ve arrived at the union Station in Washington DC. Participants were given final briefing and broke into various groups base on their chosen museum. I went with the group going to the African museum. It was a long walk, but walking so close to the capital and seeing the white house on foot was the most exciting thing to me. In the African museum I bought books on how to make drums and textile printing. Most of the pictures I took in the museum were Henry Mores sculptures and paintings and artifacts from the Fante people in Ghana, my home land. My next visit was to the Washington monument, Kennedy and Jefferson monuments. In my attempt to go to the American national museum I end up at national archives. After 20 minutes in line I decided to continue to go and see the original copy of the Declaration of Independence, hand written Constitution, the abolition of slavery and Georgia’s acceptance of the slavery amendment. I left the archives and finally walk through the Navy memorial to the National Art museum and the National Portrait museum. Overall, it was a trip of a life time. I did apply Daniel Pink Six sense to my visit. The designs I saw sparked my (design) creative thinking abilities. And hope to apply them in the near future... Every single work in Smithsonian has a special story to me in addition to what is written. People from all walks of life have come together to harmonize with the Art works.(Symphony) I felt the empathy when I saw the slavery amendment acceptance from Georgia and able to connect with the works from Africa especially the works from Fante people in Ghana, my place of birth. Meaning evolved from the works to me as I read some of the great saying on the walls of the American National Museum.
Quotes on wall
“Art ain’t about paint, it ain’t about canvas, it’s about ideas. Too many people died without ever getting their mind out to the world”
Thornton Dial Sr. 1993


“One can’t paint NY as it is, but rather as it is felt.”
Georgia O’Keefee, 1926
“Being in exhaustible, life and Nature are a constant stimulus for creative mind.”
Hans Hofman, 1880 – 1966
“Ideas are like... you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.”
Carl Schurz 1859, Boston
“I look at nature I see myself. Paintings are mirrors, so is nature.”
Arthur Dove, 1880 - 19466

In the mist of all theses, I was able to make time to have fun by looking and enjoying the kids on the horse merry-go-round opposite the information center on the park, play therefore took place. I hope to repeat this experience with my family this summer. And finally in the words of Michael Angelo “If I want to talk about the work I saw I will write a book” and therefore I chose to give my title to my experience as “Through the lenses of my Camera” Smithsonian DC as you look at the pictures I took while over there. Attached are some of the pictures I took.
By Martin Mensah