My 2-year-old daughter placed her head on my shoulder while I investigated every face in Picasso’s Le Moulin de la Galette. I explained to her that this painting was an earlier work by Picasso, before he began to create his own unique style. We stood while I chatted away about Moulin being Picasso’s first painting in Paris and the epicurean body languages of the painted figures
Hand in hand, we ventured over to Kandinsky’s Composition 8. I bent down and pointed at the geometric war taking place while circles provide warmth and calmness. With a quiet voice, I spoke about the circles within the painting and how they bring attention to the other shapes while providing a sense of tranquillity. And then I asked her to count the circles.
Moving from one painting and sculpture inside the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum to the next, I quietly explained the art pieces the best I could. I am not an artist nor do I have a deep understanding of art, but I appreciate the craft and the pieces. There were times my daughter decided she had enough and walked away. And there were moments when it seemed like she would let me talk for hours. I held her hand, cradled her in my arms, or ran after in her to keep her from touching the artwork. At the end of our Guggenheim experience, we split a brownie and a croissant in the museum’s café.
Chances are, my daughter will not remember our day together. Sure, there is the possibility that a memory is stored and will appear at a particular time. However, I will always remember the first time I took my daughter to the Guggenheim.
Fatherhood isn’t a one-off experience where I do something fun and great occasionally and hope it carries my children through their life. It is one day built upon the next. Like Picasso’s artwork, my fatherhood style has evolved over the years. At first, I was a carbon copy of all the dads I studied in parenting books. As time moved along, I developed my own kind of parenting. And like Kandinsky, there are moments of chaos, but within the chaos, I try (TRY) to provide peace and bring everyone together.
Ticket information:
Adults: $25
Students and Seniors (65+) $18.
Under 12: Free
Membership: $75 per year for individual or $160 for family
To skip the line and purchase online, click here.
On Saturdays between 5:45 and 7:45, tickets are donation based.
Hours:
Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 10-5:45
Thursday: Closed
Saturday: 10-7:45
Activities for Kids:
On Select Wednesdays and Saturdays, there is a Little Guggs program for children 2-4. Registration is required.
On Saturday at 10 am, teens can pick up art materials at the Family Activity Kiosk for Saturday Sketching
There are also family activity guides available at the Kiosk.
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We visited the Guggenheim. I was more fascinated by the structure of the building. Guess I needed you along to explain the paintings 🙂 Though some of them we really enjoyed.
So glad you are taking your daughter at her young age. She’ll become accustomed to going to museums and will love each time you return. Thanks, too, for sharing the fundamentals of art with her — she can form her own conclusions later with your good foundation.