So I was forced to visit the Portland Art Museum today. I say forced because I don't want it know that I should willing go to such a place. I was forced, physically and mentally, to go.

I'll admit, they had some cool pieces. I guess the main one was some large painting this guy did of a waterfall on the Columbia river that isn't as cool anymore since the river's been dammed up and the falls are not inside a reservoir. That piece was okay... but I guess I liked a smaller piece the same artist did of Mt. Hood. (The picture in question is a view of the mountain with the Columbia gorge in the foreground... even thought that particular side of the mountain is what's seen when facing Portland. AKA, he didn't pay attention to geography)

But it wasn't what the museum had that was good that irritated me... it was the halls and halls they filled with stuff that was not so good. You know how in movies, when the artists reach their mental breakdown point, they will smear paint across their canvas senselessly. Yeah, it was like they had a ton of those on display today. And then there were huge pieces that were all in one color. Okay, great, they painted the thing all in yellow... why is it on display in an art museum? Couldn't we go to a kindergarten classroom or something and see equally insightful work?

Of course, the absolute worst was called "Ripped Canvas" which was exactly that; a canvas that had been ripped, and then framed and put on display. Really? REALLY?

Maybe I'm missing the whole artistic design, since I have been informed every time I create art that I should not be an artist. But if those same people are labeling this stuff art... well, then my opinion of people who are knowledgeable in art has severely dropped.

(Yes, I am focusing on the negative. The museum had a lot of cool stuff, from very realistic paintings to sculptures to how-on-earth-is-that-metal-thing-doing-that stuff. But the negative stuff warrants a blog rant, so it gets one)

If I have offended you about art... WOOT! Achievement unlocked!