There's something odd about walking through a museum that's not quite ready to open.
The lights are a little dim.
There are cardboard boxes, packing materials, and ladders strewn about.
Hammers and forklifts clang and rumble in the distance.
Blank spaces and taped-on labels hang alongside multi-million-dollar masterpieces as plain-clothed workers rush briskly by, not giving the art a seconds thought.
In some ways, it's the opposite of what an art museum environment is supposed to be; quiet, reverent, stoic, even sterile.
But at the same time, I don't know if I've ever enjoyed a museum visit more. I felt like we had snuck in. Like we had some secret handshake with all the art that hung before us. While this painting may not have been lit perfectly or that sculpture probably wasn't supposed to include a ladder nearby. It felt personal. Instead of seeing a celebrity at their best, we were allowed to have a one-on-one as they wearily awoke.
Catch the entire new collection in all it's ready-to-be-viewed glory at the Grand Re-opening next week.
All photos and text by Daniel Fleming. Make sure to check out any and all of Daniel's work at the following links, or, schedule a visit at his new studio in the Third Ward.
