buter's BABY blog

Overheard outside the Art Gallery on Saturday:

Mummy: "So what do you think priceless means?"
Junior: "Priceless is when something is so expensive even Nanny can't afford it"

- cue Mummy peeing her pants. As did several assorted bystanders.

Anyway so I was at the Art Gallery on Saturday to absorb some culture, or at least some secondhand pretentiousness by seeing the Archie-bowls with Jarv. I could have it completely wrong, but it seemed that people were there just so they could say "I went to see the Archibowls". They clustered around the paintings, made "hmmm" sounds and stroked their chins, then exited with alacrity - without seeing any of the other exhibitions ... like the Wynne prize, which is one of Australia's longest running art prizes ...

But what really bugged me is that they cluster so *close* around the pictures. These things are about 12 square metres!! How on earth can you absorb the impact when you're 20cm from them? What, are you critiquing the brushwork? Geez people, for some things it's actually better to be a bit *further* away from the action.

[deep breath]
<mantra>
I must remember that every single person in the Art Gallery has their own problems, their own inspirations, their own concerns. I can't project myself onto them in order to understand their motives. Just because I wouldn't do the same things as them doesn't make them any less worthy of respect. It's a lesson in patience.
</mantra>