Last week I decided to take a trip to a smallish nearby art museum. The museum recently finished a 21.4 million dollar expansion, so I was excited to see the new digs. I went by alone because it was a spur of the moment outing, and there were few other visitors at the museum because it was a weekday, and close to closing time. The first room I went into was just me and the security officer, and it was making me nervous having him follow me around, with his earpiece and uniform and all.
I started to really think about the rules of the museum, since I knew people were watching. Was photography allowed? Could I talk on my phone? Could I text on my phone? Could I have a water bottle with me? I didn't want to do anything wrong! As I stood there in the middle of the room, I decided I wanted a photo and I was going to take it, so I waited until the guard was on the other side of a wall, and took out my camera. I turned it on and pressed the button. The flash went off. I use my flash only on the rarest of occasions, but in my hurry to take a picture without being seen, I didn't notice that my camera was on "scene" mode, doing its own thing. Anyway, the guard came out from around the corner, and informed me that I was not allowed to use my flash in the museum, and asked if I could delete the photo I had taken. I spluttered something about not intending to use the flash, feeling like a bad museum goer. I stayed in the room a while longer, and noticed that the guard did not take his eyes off me - - he did not go around any more corners or behind any walls.
When I went into the major visiting exhibit of Andy Warhol's work, I did not notice any signage to state that this room, unlike the others, prohibited photography. So I started through the room, snapping pictures of Jackie O. and Mao Zedong. Still the only person in the expansive room, I felt a little like I was being shadowed. I tried to take the photos when the guards' backs were turned, perhaps so I would seem as casual as possible. When I wasn't even taking a photo, a guard noticed the camera hanging from my wrist, and came to tell me I was not permitted to take photos, and could I please delete any photos I had taken of the exhibit. Eek!
I moved quickly around the rest of the room, and around the upper floor of the museum, until I heard the announcement that the museum would be closing in 15 minutes. I went down to the gift shop to find some postcards, when I saw one of the guards locking the door I had come in! So I quickly paid for the cards and walked, quite speedily, to the door as he was turn the locks. I guess I looked a little panicked because the man chuckled and said, "I wasn't gonna lock you in, don't worry." Clearly all (most) of the awkwardness was just in my imagination, but being the only focus for the guards' watches did not help. Either way, I felt a little more at ease as I stepped into my car and drove off into the sunset...
0 comments:
Post a Comment