Julie Heffernan Self portrait as Wunderkabinett
Museum visit assignment The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC is a timeless building and a work of art itself. The building was designed with a contemporary style and is an outward expression of its artistic, belongings inside. I visited the Museum on Tuesday, July 02, 2013, at around 2 in the afternoon. I was within the museum for about 2 ½ hours, observing the exhibits. The building itself exceeded my expectations, but the inside took my breath away. Every detail within was elaborate and intended with thought; from the glass windows, to the straight lines of the architecture, to the overlooked design of the staircases. The museum was not extremely busy. The museum was occupied with an adequate amount of people, creating a comfortable, quiet, atmosphere to enjoy the art. I was able to enter the museum without feeling bombarded, compared to most popular attractions. The displays were prearranged for pleasant viewing, easy to maneuver around, and located suitably by collection and design. The ambiance and setting was much more peaceful than I expected. I particularly enjoyed the visit to the Mint Museum and am now encouraged to visit other art museums! Julie Heffernan commissioned the painting, Self Portrait as Wunderkabinett, in 2003. This piece of art particularly stood out to me above all the paintings exhibited at the Mint Museum. The artist produced the painting on canvas with oil paints. The self portrait depicts a whimsical and fantastical setting of what appears to be one woman, multiplied into several bodies. The women are gathered within a grand ballroom, surrounded by past paintings by the artist, fashioned in a 16th century setting. The women are fashioned with vast skirts, constructed of fruits and flowers. The ceiling contains a beautiful and lavish ceiling canvas along with intricate details of the
Bibliography: Wood, S. (n.d.). Retrieved from Art Slant: http://www.artslant.com/ny/artists/rackroom/5764 Zeka, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from Mark Moore Gallery: http://prod-images.exhibit-e.com/www_markmooregallery_com/Statements_Julie_Heffernan_low_res.pdf