Recently we went with a friend of Allysen’s to see this remarkable installation of art at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo. It was spectacular, an hour-long walk through the grounds of the zoo, winding past a continuing display of gorgeously lit fabric-covered, wire-frame sculptures, many of them animated. It was mesmerizing, and a remarkable achievement by the artists who created it. Here are a few of the highlights:
We didn’t see any orgs, that is, living zoo animals. I asked about it as we were leaving, because I thought maybe they had all been moved to another facility for the time being. But no, I was told, they were all just asleep in their enclosures—apparently uninterested in the fairyland just outside their doors!
Today we watched our last panels, at least the ones we could get into (many were full). With Worldcon coming to a close, we turned our attention to another exhibition just down the concourse: Beyond Van Gogh Glasgow. It was an astonishing display, conveying Van Gogh’s masterpieces in an immersive visual experience. Paintings set to motion, images flowing and melding with each other, set to lovely music (I know not what). We were invited to sit on soft benches, or on the floor with beanbag cushions, and soak it in, as long as we liked. I’m going to put a few stills here. I did take some video, which we were invited to do, but I haven’t had a chance to look at any of it yet. It was an extraordinary meditative experience.
I think this, or one like it, showed in Boston a while back, but we missed it. No longer.
Tomorrow we hope to see a bit more of Glasgow, before setting our course to the west, and home.
With Allysen, I drove the Mothership to western Massachusetts and the Berkshires this past weekend. We stayed at the Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, somewhere near the base of Mt. Greylock, the tallest peak in Massachusetts. Before taking on the mountain, however, we set off for Stockbridge and the Naumkeag Public Garden, to view a collection of kinetic sculptures by George Rickey. The sculptures were fascinating—all stainless steel, and (I think) most of them in motion from wind energy. This is a double-triangle, slowly twisting in the wind:
The grounds were beautiful. This is a great place to visit if you are in the area. Here’s Allysen and the moving circle sculpture. Except that it’s a still photo, and you can’t see it moving. Use your imagination.
And a tree-lined lane with a shifty-looking writer trying to be inconspicuous:
After the garden closed, we hightailed it back to Mt. Greylock, in hopes of driving to the summit on the scenic parkway. Alas, we arrived at the gate to find a sign prohibiting all vehicles over 22 feet in length from the parkway. At 24 feet, they were looking at us. Undeterred, we parked at the visitor center and set out on an easy walking trail loop on the lower part of the mountain. Easy, my aching feet! Easy for the young’uns. In truth, it was a beautiful hike through the woods, maybe four miles or so; it didn’t feel like more than ten, what with the uphill slopes. (Note to self; buy some decent hiking shoes.) Here we are, cheering ourselves on:
Oddly, we never did get a view of the mountain. You know, as a big, well, mountain rising up before you. Its 3,489-foot height, from where we came in, was pretty much obscured by a sea of forest. Nevertheless, it is the highest point in Massachusetts. Next time, we’ll have to come by car, so we can drive to the top. Yes, I know you can hike it. You can hike it. We’ll pick you up at the summit.
