Portland Museum of Art

Let me begin by saying an hour at any museum is better than none at all. I went to Portland for a Bachelorette weekend for my gorgeous cousin. I knew I only had about an hour to see as much as possible since we had a jam packed weekend, so escaped the day drinking for some drinking in of paintings. I am so glad that I did because the Portland Museum of Art did not disappoint.

I was afraid due to the time constraint that the visit would feel like a supermarket spree. Instead of a frenzied mad dash, the experience was instead restorative and calming. I might even venture to claim that time slows inside the Portland Museum of Art. Could it be an actual time machine? (I have so many thoughts on Museums as Time Machines).

The painting that helped me to settle in and slow down was Parry Harbor, Tierra del Fuego by Rockwell Kent. (see images below)

Rockwell Kent

Parry Harbor, Tierra del Fuego

circa 1922-25

Oil on canvas

detail of Parry Harbor

Luckily for me the painting was placed on a wall all of its own with a bench nearby. This was a painting that required quite close inspection and absorption - meticulous grid-like eye-strokes traversing and memorizing the canvas. The shadows and reflections appeared mirrored and never ending.

DEPTH.

Stepping back I sat alone in the room facing this painting alone. The silence of the museum turned out to be more of a murmured hum, almost a hush, a rush of water. It could have been Portland’s undeniable proximity to water but as I sat there I began to hear the waves and I saw them move. The waves rolled in towards me and back out simultaneously. Out rolled tears.

This painting was so magnificent it brought me to tears.

Harboring all of the splendid emotions.