Ancient or Modern

I went to the Getty Villa this last weekend to see the new exhibit Greeks on the Black Sea. I enjoyed the exhibit and was even intrigued by one particular object, but it was the permanent collection that I grew to love while an employee there that captured my attention. I often tried to pick one object that was my absolute favorite, but could never pick just one. In fact, it was hard to pick just one favorite in each gallery. There are so many objects in the antiquities collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum of significance and beauty.

Most of what you see in the collection is merely fragments of the original piece. One piece that has always stood out to me is the Torso of Actaeon. This Roman sculptural remnant from the second century would have been dynamic even in its entirety. With only the torso remaining though, there is a heightened concentration on the anatomy of the abdomen and excessive folds of the drapery, the two standing in contrast. The subtle changes in surface of stone depicting the flesh and muscles of Actaeon's stomach are smooth and gradual. The drapery he wears is quite the opposite though. It swirls around his shoulders and creates deep crevices. The contrast of flesh and cloth with the asymmetry cause this piece to be more than just a torso fragment. It actually takes on quite a modern appearance, as do many of the other pieces.

The Villa is filled contradictions, especially now with the new architecture. The ancient Roman architecture of the Villa placed against a postmodern, stratified capsule is almost visual overload. Luckily, there is enough simplicity in form of the newest renovations on the exterior, that the original museum is not overshadowed. It's in the variation of materials (color, texture, size/shape) that the potential monotony is broken up. So whether on the grand scale of the entire site, or on the minute of a single piece, this museum of ancient art is a display of modernism.