Yeah, Van Gogh Was Okay. But The Guy Who Draws Pokemon? Now There's Real Talent.

Recently Rigel and I decided that our lives were in need of a cultural boost. Nothing drastic - a museum here, a concert there - anything to get our right-brains out of the house and away from the TV. While we have no intention of turning into art snobs, we feel some sort of intervention is in order when you hear your daughter using 'Hilary Duff' and 'musical genius' in the same sentence. Also, we were starting to worry that their cultural deficiencies would end up haunting the girls after they were grown. "Why yes, warden, I'm certain that my inability to appreciate 18th century vase painting is what led me to hijack that plane."

Before the girls were born, and even for a short time when they were younger, we spent a lot of time going to museums and galleries, but nowadays the most we can muster is a trip to the Getty Center a couple of times a year. We rarely make it to any of the exhibits, though - most of our visit is spent roaming their gardens and having lunch in the museum café. I admit it does get a little embarrassing when anyone asks us afterwards, "Oh, did you enjoy the Renaissance exhibit?" and I am forced to answer "No, but the corn chowder and caesar combo was excellent."

On Sunday we went to see ashes and snow. I highly recommend it to anyone, even if you are not, like us, desperately trying to rescue your family from the cultural abyss. The structure it's housed in is amazing in itself; boxcars that have been stacked in a checkerboard pattern and connected by fabric-like material to form a huge structure that is 56 feet tall. The show consists of photographs and short films by a Canadian artist and shows the natural interaction between humans and animals. Animals! Surely it was the hook that would draw in our two little pop-culture addicts.



What was made clear to us was the vast differences in our two daughters and, while only two years apart, their varying abilities to appreciate what they were seeing. Kira was drawn to the photographs and was excited that she could identify some of the wild cats in a few of the pieces. While she was pointing out the cheetahs and meerkats to Rigel a small crowd started to gather. By the time I made my way through to her she was just ending with, "...and in conclusion: let not the looming extinction of the lynx be traced back to your bloodied elitist hands. Thank you for your time."

Meanwhile Kiyomi could be heard snickering 'boobies' and 'butt' as she moved through the exhibit, walking backwards and with one eye closed, just for fun. I tried my best to get her involved in the experience, but have you ever tried to explain the photographic process to a seven year old? She had a look on her face that I've only seen on Rigel when I've tried to explain the difference between a maxi pad and a panty liner. At one point she looked deeply engrossed in a photo and motioned me over. Expecting to hear her version of an artistic epiphany I leaned in and she whispered, "Seriously, if I don't get something to drink I'm going to die." This came only after we had been there fifteen minutes so I knew that leaving wasn't an option, but it did suddenly remind me that I hadn't yet had my afternoon cappuccino. And it got me thinking: Would a tastefully designed food kiosk have been so out of place here? Nothing fancy - coffee, mixed nuts, maybe some corn dogs. After all, don't snooty art patrons have to eat sometime too?

I'm looking forward to the next leg of Operation Enlightement in spite of the mixed reviews that ashes and snow got from our girls. When Rigel asked Kiyomi what her favorite part was she replied, "Right before we went inside" and Kira, while enthusing over some of the images she had seen, made it a point to express her disappointment in the caliber of the gift shop. So, yes we have a ways to go, but we already have plans to see this next month. And the best part? According to their website, they definitely have a snack bar.

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