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DAY THREE Sunday 08/05/2011

We woke up a little late as my alarm didn't go off so we quickly got our act together and ran to breakfast. Today was planned as 'Art day' but after how chilled we decided to take it we didn't trek across town and see de Young and the Golden Gate park.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts, however, was incredible...surprising actually. there were a few paintings that I'd drooled over in art class and was now able to see in person. I saw my first Duchamp, my first Andy Warhol and a whole lot of other artworks that were worth every dollar of the fare. We walked through an exhibition which displayed a whole lot of West American photographs from the 19th century. They were a really insightful reflections of American back during the industrial times, when all the buildings we see now were being built...architecture at its' best in my view.

I've always loved walking through an old city and seeing how differently people saw the places they wanted as their homes. So elegant, detailed and yet somehow simple.

Seeing Duchamp was quite intense. I hate to say it but it was somewhat incredible to see that piece of art, the concept that changed the entire direction of Art and how we perceive it today. The actual piece, however, makes me really angry. I understand that the urinal and all it stands for mocks and devalues the meaning of art and it is really clever what Duchamp did, but....eugh, did he really have to?

This portrayal of his 'genius mind' is arrogant and irritating... not even making a huge and significant contribution to world- only to the artworld... and can we say that it was a positive contribution?

There lies a massive argument. In one sense Duchamp altered peoples' perception of Art, allowing people to see other ways in which they can approach the means of expression. In another, and for me a more evident sense, it has enabled, in a way given permission, for artists to be arrogant- to present anything as a piece of art, merely because they are artists and according to Duchamps' new and exciting theory ANYTHING CAN BE ART.

Anyway, discussing Art is not the point of this blog... I shall move on.

After the gallery we wandered over to Starbucks, giving ourselves a bit of a food break after hours of standing and intense concentration (hah). Our Starbucks was just on the corner so we sat and enjoyed the delights of 3pm-5pm Happy Hour- 1/2 price Frappuccinos!! It was packed, something that was quite scary for me to consider because I'd seen about 14 more Starbucks along the same road. Were they ALL packed? I hoped, for the sake of small businesses in America (which I actually hadn't seen anywhere), that they weren't.

We were able to go back to the gallery and say a proper goodbye to the cute boy at the entrance when I realised I dropped my scarf in the gallery. Putting us in a smiley mood Sam and I walked across the road to a park filled with young people...yay!

It was everything I'd seen in movies, trimmed grass, maintained, with people reading and playing ball with one another. To the left was a fountain and after I was attacked by finches which I'd just been discussing with Sam, we went to investigate.

The water fell over the side of the level above the ground and there was a walk way underneath, beside the water, dedicated to Martin Luther King. Poignant quotes were engraved into marble and I let them settle on my skin like the gentle water, which had been picked up by the breeze and was spraying me.

Not knowing where to go next and so we aimlessly walked. Getting asked for directions and eventually deciding it was time for home.

We walked by a small gallery and walked in, all local artists displaying their works. They were gorgeous, and I was happy to finally see locals NOT painting the harbour bridge or images I'd become so accustomed to.

We hung in the lounge of the hostel, watching a huge group of French people laughing and going out for a cigarette. I can't wait till we meet people.