When I saw advance pictures of the new pavilions at Glenstone, opening next week in North Potomac, Maryland, I thought, “It looks like the Getty without the views.” After a press visit, I must admit that my impression was misinformed.
The Getty Museum in Los Angeles perches on a hill, affording vistas out over the valley which are a big part of the experience; so big, in fact, that on both of my two visits there, I spent most of the time outside. The collections are displayed in relatively dark, uninviting spaces, compared to the massing of buildings, gardens, and setting of the exterior. Glenstone could not be more divergent.
One suspects, immediately upon entering the “parking grove,” that Glenstone has taken great pains to provide a unique visitor experience, and they have certainly succeeded in doing so. Every detail has been considered, from the gravel, low walls and rounded black stones defining parking spaces (no painted stripes on asphalt here), to the 10-minute walk to the main pavilions – and that’s just for starters.
First Sight of the Pavilions from Arrival Hall
The Split Rocker Sculpture Looms from Over the Hill
Outside the Pavilions
The minimalism of the architecture is apparent from the visitor’s center to the main pavilions (which is revealed to be one interconnected building, but is always referred to in the plural – a little semantically unsettling). Again, every detail has been considered, from the various “reveals” as the visitor progresses through the exhibit rooms to the hiding of electrical outlets.
Water Court from Inside the Pavilions
Water Court from Inside the Pavilions – Another View
The Big Phrygian Sculpture by Martin Puryear, and Guide in Minimalist Gray
Integration of the built environment with nature has been the lodestone of the enterprise from the project’s inception. Building and landscape architects worked closely with the founders, Emily and Mitchell Rales, to realize the interpenetration of every aspect: buildings, setting, artworks, and consideration of the total visitor experience. To that end, a crew of human guides eagerly engage visitors to answer questions and provide a more elevated level of involvement than merely reading wall text would (one will search the walls in vain for text other than – there’s that word again – the minimal identification data).
Emily Rales
Mitchell Rales
And what art it is! The new museum was built to display more of the Rales’ Modern and contemporary artworks than the older, smaller Gallery could exhibit, and does it ever. A tour of the main room of the pavilions reveals work by Duchamp, Warhol, Stella, Giacometti, and many other world-famous artists. The galleries are flooded with natural light (even on a cloudy day), and visual access to the central water court punctuates and heightens the experience.
Hanging Ruth Asawa Woven Basketry Works
Pictures Being Taken
And my favorite room? That would have to be the one that one of the guides told me they refer to informally as “the kitchen.” It includes the Dieter Roth piece “Herd (Stove),” and a Yayoi Kusama: “Accumulation on Cabinet No. 1,” which looks to me like sweet potatoes and other food-related elements arrayed around a pie safe.
Food-Related Kusama
Outside, sculptures are integrated into the landscape, accessed from walking trails which are engineered to provide a contemplative, holistic experience.
Zigzag Walkway Over Wetlands
And Art! Buried Sinks by Robert Gober
Guide Elijah and Clay Houses Boulder by Andy Goldsworthy
Art by Nature: Flowers and Bumblebee
Here I found and engaged Paul Tukey in conversation. As the Chief Sustainability Officer, he oversees the 230 acres of managed landscape. We happened to be standing in front of a grove of pawpaws. The staff enjoyed the harvest just a week ago. I’m afraid I didn’t hide my envy well.
Paul Tukey Amid the Pawpaws
One trail leads to the café. There, we had lunch, served on hand-made dishes. The chef, Brian Patterson, a former lead instructor at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, confirmed the impression that Charlotte had given me at breakfast (lemon-rosemary cream scones, local honey, Ceremony Coffee) that Glenstone was committed to locally-sourced, seasonal food. He works with farmers and suppliers to provide meals that are delicious, but – and it must be a balancing act for him – do not become a “destination” in themselves, and unbalance the total museum experience. Unlike other institutions around town, Glenstone does not think of the café as a profit center; Chef Brian couldn’t give me a definite price point, but assured me that the cost of lunch would be reasonable.
Cheerful Charlotte at Breakfast in the Arrival Hall
Cafe Interior
Lunch Menu, with Local Food Sources Listed
Soup, Sandwich, Salad, Quick Vegetable Pickles
Chef Brian Patterson
Inside-Outside-Intersection
And here we ran into the limits of minimalism: filled with patrons, the din in the café was so loud as to make conversation uncomfortable. Too many hard surfaces! But, a small quibble. There is also an outdoor patio for food service, which would be delightful in good weather.
Glenstone will be a terrific addition to our museum scene. “Always free,” the Raleses promise. The catch will be securing tickets, as a limited access policy is enforced, and the museum is open only Thursday through Sunday. More information here.
