Finding parking in downtown is not easy, we know, so we decide to use the same parking we used the day before when visiting the Farmers Market. The Art Museum is not that far and we can enjoy the older buildings along this stretch and even birdwatch.
The museum is quite expensive but we think we have enough time to visit it all and in we go. At the entrance there is a mix of modern and more traditional art as it is a section dedicated to some temporary exhibits.
We find the Japanese section fascinating, there are a few art objects with some detailed descriptions that we really admire as we pass through the exhibits.
There are of course also paintings in Japanese style both traditional and more modern both beautiful in their own way.
The permanent collection is reasonably good with a lot of the classic painters and sculptors with even a Brancusi exhibited amid the more modern era.
We always like the very modern section, the paintings and the art can be psychedelic and sometimes you don’t know if it is art or just something that was thrown there or a sign leading you out the building.
One of the more interesting objects of art in this section is a painting/photo that just shows the American flag and the full image appears only when using flash, quite innovative.
We also like the shoes made of money, probably it has a deeper meaning but we simply like how they look.
There is also a temporary exhibit about the BLM protests in Portland which were some of the longest and violent. It is quite interesting to see the photographs and descriptions on how the protests started and morphed in the next days. And then we go to the gift shop about 15 minutes before closing and buy a few more souvenirs, including a beautiful red-breasted sapsucker made out of wood. As the museum closes we exit and return to the car and then back to our accomodation as tomorrow is another work day for us.
