April 2019 – The Exhibitist

Valle Fértil: Parque Provincial Ischigualasto [Ischigualasto Provincial Park]

April 15, 2019April 16, 2019The ExhibitistLeave a comment

This will be a mini-post, just a quick look at Ischigualasto and its museum.

Ischigualasto Park, also known as “The Valley of the Moon,” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a hot, dry, wind-blasted rockscape that’s an absolute treasure field of paleontologic significance of the late Triassic. I have been dying to go for years.

100% on the strength of having seen a photo of this formation, the “Bocce Court.” There are not nearly as many of the round rocks as there used to be, because people stole them. Now you have to go on a guided tour to see the park. People are assholes.

Frankly, having to be on a guided tour isn’t that bad an idea, as if you were to get lost in the park you would absolutely die. The name of the park, according to the ranger leading the tour, is from a Native word meaning “tierra sin vida”–the deadland.

There are several famous rock formations to see on the tour, including this one:

The Mushroom, with the barrancas rojas (red cliffs) in the background.

Photographs really don’t do the place justice.

There is a small museum onsite!

Non-dinosaur prehistoric megafauna were the absolute weirdest.

It’s not completely devoid of animal life today. There are guanacos, choiques (Darwin’s rhea), foxes, condors, and others, including the biggest grasshopper things I’ve ever seen.

This mother and her babies got what I hope was an unfortunate recreation, shown below.

The tour of the park takes about three to four hours with a break at a small building with a dig display and snack bar halfway; you ride in your own car (you can hire a local car if you don’t have one in a nearby town). The ranger picks a car from the line of tourists that has room for him and rides in it, so if you have a free seat, don’t be surprised if the ranger hops in. Check the website for hours, available tours (there’s a night one during full moons), and rates. The park does occasionally have to close on account of the Zonda wind, but I don’t think that’s very common. For the love of all that is holy, wear sunblock.

San Agustin del Valle Fértil: Museo Piedras del Mundo [Rocks of the World Museum]

April 11, 2019The ExhibitistLeave a comment

Recently, I was on a road trip to the provinces of San Juan and La Rioja. The main point of the trip was to see Parque Ischigualasto, Parque Talampaya, and guanacos.

But, there was an opportunity to take in one of my favorite type of little museums: a personal collection that got wildly out of hand. This is the Museo Piedras del Mundo:

The enterprising proprietor of the museum has put together three rooms of displays, which he will lead you through (Spanish only). The main gallery boasts a hell of a rock collection.

Pains are taken to give information on the chemistry of various minerals, which are indeed from around the world. There are also sections dedicated to the local geology.

And from the Argentine territory of the Antarctic.

A second room houses local archaeological finds (the region is rich in fossils and ancient human-made relics, as well as impressive rocks)…

…and also some truly alarming local creepy crawlies.

Remember, your hotel absolutely cannot keep them out! Sleep tight!

The third room houses the seashell, fish specimen, and photography collection (all the photos were taken by the museum owner).

You will easily burn more time in the museum than you thought you would. And it’s a fun little place! It is maybe just past the middle of nowhere, if you’re coming from San Agustín, closer to a very, very small village called Usno. There’s literally nothing around the place. It is, if I recall correctly, $100 pesos for entry, and it’s open from 8am to 7pm daily. He’s also got a little gift shop.

San Antonio, TX: The McNay Art Museum

April 3, 2019February 6, 2022The ExhibitistLeave a comment

My, my. Time to stroll down Memory Lane.

I spent January in the US, and managed, during my relentless pursuit of Tex-Mex and Whataburger, to visit the McNay Art Museum, a place that will always be special to me.

“Expecto Patronum,” I shouted, as a silvery Spanish Colonial-Revival mansion sprang from my wand. *“After all this time?”* “Always.”

The McNay opened in 1954, with the home, collection, and an endowment of Marion Koogler McNay, as established in her will. It was the first modern art museum in Texas, although the holdings expanded outside of that frame.

When I was a regular visitor, as a teenager, it was already a super cool place. There was an auditorium and workshop space, the grounds were beautiful, and the museum was free. I went often, and I got pretty familiar with the collection.

She isn’t where she used to be, but I still found her.

In 2008, the museum underwent a heckin big expansion, adding 45,000 square feet of space plus a sculpture garden. It isn’t free anymore, but it does have a cool gift shop and also lots of exhibitions. I do feel a bit wistful for the smaller oasis the McNay was for me back in the day, but it has grown and it is thriving and one must be satisfied with that.

Plus now it has this guy, who could hardly be less than an object of delight.

There were some dramatic sights back in January!

And the Mathews Collection of Art Glass is both seriously interesting and awesomely exhibited.

I took a metric ton of photos, but I won’t subject you to them all. Mainly, I was just very happy to visit some old friends.

My girl here is obviously not modern; she’s 15th century German. But you could still say baby Jesus here is a whole #mood.

And meet some new ones.

Is that a Munch moon or are you just happy to see me

Julie Hefferman’s *Self-Portrait as a Tangled Nest* (2006), which is…a lot

Mear One’s *Revolution* (2012), just saying what we’re all thinking.

The McNay also has a big-time theatre arts collection, some of which formed part of this exceptionally fun show:

Just a couple more pictures of the courtyard and grounds, I promise:

Should you wish to explore the collection and temporary exhibits more, the museum has a robust online presence. But do go visit if you’re ever in the area; you’ll be so glad you did. The McNay is treasure of San Antonio.

The McNay Art Museum is closed Monday and Tuesday, and general admission is relatively steep, at least to me (as I’m used to the inexpensive entry fees of Argentina), but they have a pretty extensive free and discount list. See the website for all the where, when, and how much nitty gritty.

The Exhibitist

Museums in New Zealand, Argentina, and occasionally elsewhere.

Month: April 2019

Valle Fértil: Parque Provincial Ischigualasto [Ischigualasto Provincial Park]

San Agustin del Valle Fértil: Museo Piedras del Mundo [Rocks of the World Museum]

San Antonio, TX: The McNay Art Museum