Everybody sing along!
Next picture in 3…2…1…
Tuesday afternoon, summer.
Oh Vienna! Today is not going according to plan. The sun hides behind the grey overcast skies. The rain falls lightly, making everything damp. I hold my bag with one hand and an umbrella with the other. And my camera? It’s in the other hand – yes the one grappling with the bag.
It takes nearly half an hour before I conclude that my efforts will be better applied in an indoor setting. The weather report suggests the rain will subside.
Several hours later, I have now made my way across the city, from Belvedere Palace to the Museum Quartier. On foot. The rain has stopped, the sun seems to giggle as it shines intermittently through the clouds.
I climb the stairs and enter the imposing stone clad building that houses the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien (Museum of Modern Art Foundation Ludwig, Vienna), more simply known as MUMOK.
MUMOK, with its sprawling collection of modern and contemporary art works including major works from Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso, is my playground for the next two hours.
Oh yes!
A friendly member of staff inspects my ticket and suggests that I should ride the elevator/lift to the top floor and work my way down through the various exhibitions.
Modern art is fascinating.
It follows no rules.
(Except, of course, the rules that it chooses to make up along the way)
It is best absorbed – and even enjoyed – by adopting a state of mind that is open and free from preconceptions, expectations and notions. One must suspend judgement and embrace nothing and everything, leaving reason behind.
I am greeted by Heinrich Dunst’s giant pink letterforms in the corner.
DA.
I hear the sound echo through the chambers of my mind – confident, unabashed, unapologetic, defiant.
(Look at the image again and you might understand what I mean)
Simply marvellous!
I stand there for nearly a minute before I bring the camera to my eye, adjust for the lower light levels, set to f/2.4, 1/125, ISO-1000.
And soon it is time to leave.
Back in London, I change the white balance, re-frame the image, perform the final composition check and complete post-production editing.
The image itself provides its title.
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(Repeat)