Modernity in a Sea of Green

THE ITINERARY U.S.A. MODERNITY IN A SEA OF GREEN SPREAD ACROss A BUCOLIC OASIS IN MARYLAND, GLENSTONE IS AN UNCONVENTIONALLY MINIMALIST CANVAS OF PRIVATELY-OWNED ART BY CHRISTABEL LOBO riving down Glenstone—a recently a countryside reopened art collection D lane, I look out thought to break the the passenger window, mould of conventional marvelling at how museum tropes. An air each curve in the road of mystery shrouds the reveals a new stretch of car as the country-style undulating hills and lush houses we pass by quickly fields. Quintessentially turn into sprawling American picket fences million-dollar mansions, amble along property each situated down lines, framed by blue skies long, winding driveways and warm sunlight. A slinking away from the mere thirty minutes ago main road. It should personal collection of my friend, and fellow art come as no surprise art from the post World enthusiast, Karla, picked that one of the world’s War II period into 230 me up from Washington largest privately-owned acres of serene nature and D.C., leaving behind the museums shares the same progressive architecture grey commotion of the zip code as one of the that make up their city for greener pastures. most affluent towns in expansive Potomac estate. We’re heading deeper the U.S.A. The Raleses—who live into Potomac, a town across the lawn from the in Maryland that’s MEET THE RALESES museum in a modernist TONE considered a wealthy Founded in 2006 by home designed by Charles S suburb of D.C., to spend husband and wife art Gwathmey—wanted to GLEN an afternoon immersing collector duo, Mitchell create an unconventional ourselves in nature and and Emily Rales, museum that blended Museum-goers approach contemporary art at Glenstone weaves their architecture and art with Glenstone's Pavilions. PHOTO COURTESY: COURTESY: PHOTO 18 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | SEPTEMBER 2019 THE ItiNERARY U.S.A. nature. To help achieve this vision the museum’s visitors. Checking in exhibits and grounds at their own pace, the museum underwent a five year with a museum guide, dressed in a chic several guided tours are also offered $200 million expansion, re-opening monochromatic uniform that seems throughout the day. Given Glenstone in October 2018 to include: a new to perfectly match the greyness of has such a rich pool of modern art, we 2,04,000-square-foot museum building the building, we’re given a map to the opt for a docent-led tour to help explain called the Pavilions, a bookstore, grounds along with a set of guidelines. the underlying thought processes that two cafes, and an arrival hall, along We’re told to stay on the marked paths influenced the artists and their work with 130 acres of landscaped rolling and trails and not to photograph any of on display. Arriving just in time at the meadows, dense woodlands, and the art inside the galleries. meeting point, we join an intimate babbling streams where outdoor Our first preview of what’s to come tour headed to Clay Houses, a trio of sculptures and installations reside. is Michael Heizer’s “Compression cabins built into the property by Andy Line,” a massive outdoor sculpture Goldsworthy, a British sculptor and THE NATURE TrAIL composed of two thin, 75-foot ditches environmentalist. The cabins, titled The sheer size of Glenstone hit us as lined with sheets of steel that blend Boulder, Room, and Holes, are made soon as we got out of the car and began into rust-coloured gravel. A pioneer out of dry-stacked stone and each house to walk down the winding gravel path of the Land Art movement, Heizer’s a different work of art crafted entirely from the parking lot. Surrounded work—which also includes Collapse, from clay excavated on site. According by the green countryside, a zen-like a large-scale sculpture of fifteen steel to the guide, the cabins were specifically atmosphere engulfs us as we casually beams haphazardly placed within commissioned for Glenstone by make our way across a wooden bridge a giant square box carved into the Goldsworthy, who is sometimes known towards the arrival hall, a small ground—uses scale to challenge visitors to use his bare hands, and even his concrete building that serves as the to change their visual perception of art. teeth, when creating his sculptures. beginning and ending point for all of While visitors are free to explore the We stop for a quick latte (more 1 Glenstone offers an eclectic mix of contemporary artists and their work, from Jeff Koons' “Split-Rocker” (1) to Pipilotti Rist's “Ever Is Over All” (2) to Charles Ray's “Horse and Rider” (3). 2 TONE S GLEN PHOTO COURTESY: COURTESY: PHOTO 3 20 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | SEPTEMBER 2019 THE ItiNERARY U.S.A. At the Pavilions, each installation is given its own space. importantly, to rest our legs) and a hallways leading us to the next gallery’s one of America’s most prolific pop delicious scone at the Patio, an informal unexpected art collection have floor- artists, is alive with 24,000 flowering café with pastel green outdoor seating, to-ceiling glass walls that face the plants that have to be replanted each overlooking a lawn that leads into a serene water court. These soothing year. Combining Glenstone’s three thicket of forest. Thoughtful design visual experiences almost act as palate integral worlds of architecture, art, integrating art with the natural cleansers, allowing us visitors a chance and nature, it serves as an appropriate landscape seems to permeate every inch to separate ourselves from the previous choice to end our unconventional of Glenstone, filling me with a sense of artwork, and keep a clean slate for museum adventure. awe. Thanks to a much-needed caffeine what awaits. Some galleries are even boost, we circle back to the Pavilions constructed without a roof, allowing ESSENTIALS where the individual galleries of Cy nature to affect the work on display. Twombly, Charles Ray, Kerry James Other rooms, like Robert Gober’s Timings: Thursday–Sunday 10 Marshall, and On Kawara await. strange, multi-sensory chamber, are a.m.–5 p.m. with visits scheduled entirely devoid of windows resulting in on the half hour until 3.00 p.m. A STREAMLINED ArT EXPERIENCE a totally immersive sensory experience. Reservations: Admission to The Raleses’ collection includes about As a museum enthusiast, I Glenstone, like many of D.C.’s 1,300 works of art from more than 200 immediately notice Glenstone’s lack museums, is free. However, in artists, ranging from renowned mid- of labels explaining the works of art order to keep the experience century artists like Jackson Pollock, and find myself feeling relieved. unhurried, the museum limits Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Louise Reading about hundreds of works of admission to 400 visitors a day by Bourgeois, to contemporaries like art in a single visit can often turn allowing guests to schedule their Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, and what’s meant to be a pleasant visit through Glenstone’s official Keith Haring. I am immediately drawn outing into an arduous task, which website (www.glenstone.org/ to “1949-A, No. 2”, a juxtaposition is something the Raleses took into visit/plan-your-visit). Reservations of crimson, white, grey, and yellow consideration when planning the are released on the first of formations against a large black canvas museum. With a minimal design every month in three-month by abstract expressionist painter aesthetic that doesn’t detract from increments. Families should take Clyfford Still. It’s part of an on-going the artwork, Glenstone hopes to note that only children aged 12 installation featuring 65 works dating be a destination where one seeks and above are allowed to visit from 1943 to 1989, showcasing how art to experience and reflect with Glenstone. functions as social commentary and art, architecture, and the natural how artists can help influence the world. environment. General Information: All Walking through the minimalist Apart from the occasional chirping transactions at Glenstone TONE galleries, I am struck by just how bright bird that flies across the azure sky, it’s a are cashless. Visitors are S the interior spaces appear. Natural quiet walk back to the parking lot. Up also recommended to wear GLEN light streams through laylights and on a domed hill to the left of us emerges comfortable footwear as the clerestories, offering a rare viewing “Split-Rocker” to bid us farewell. Part- museum encompasses over 230 experience that changes according rocking horse, part-toy dinosaur, this acres of landscape. to the time of day and season. The playful 37-foot topiary by Jeff Koons, COURTESY: PHOTO 22 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | SEPTEMBER 2019.

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