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| Natural Bridge, Virginia, 2019 |
The East Wing's most current form dated to 1942. It was built over a bunker - the Presidential EOC. The two floors housed the offices of the first lady as well as the staff calligraphers, social secretarial staff and the visitors entrance. Off one hallway was a family theater.
Sorry. Just a mid-century Americanist over here, thinking about a building and what the (great, I'll wager) bones of it are like, what was once preserved and what had already changed in the course of 83 years' needs for modernization. I wonder about the records of those things, the documentation.I have never visited that building, despite being a Virginia citizen who had PLENTY of school field trips to numerous historical homes, government buildings, museums and monuments.
*Full confession: I couldn't bring myself to replace the sash-weighted windows of my tiny 1950 house when the siding had to be replaced. I loved the mid-century fan built into the wall above my probably-manufactured-in-the-1980s-but-still-working-perfectly electric stove. I appreciate old things. Maybe to a fault?*
I can also recall my visit to the National Gallery in the 1990s, on my way to see the subject of my master's research, wandering rooms with my Canon AE-1 slung around my neck. I was stopped by a tall, imposing security guard.
He asked me what kind of film I had in my camera.
Leaping to the wrong conclusion, I identified the film but hastily explained that I wasn't taking pictures at that time...see? My lens cap is on. I'm not breaking any picture-taking rules.
He asked me if I HAD taken any pictures.
Again, with slight panic, I stated that I wasn't taking any pictures.
He asked: why not?
I sputtered. Unintelligible. What?
He said: why aren't you taking pictures? This is YOUR ART.
Sorry. Just a mid-century Americanist over here, with some meandering prose.
There is a thread in it, though.
I can't talk about that rose garden, so please don't bring it up, but I recall seeing the old b&w footage of Jackie, speaking in that long, slow moneyed drawl, endeavoring to acquaint the American public with their house and the depth of its history. It was a novel idea, at the time. Romantic, but not frivolous.
I can also recall my visit to the National Gallery in the 1990s, on my way to see the subject of my master's research, wandering rooms with my Canon AE-1 slung around my neck. I was stopped by a tall, imposing security guard.
He asked me what kind of film I had in my camera.
Leaping to the wrong conclusion, I identified the film but hastily explained that I wasn't taking pictures at that time...see? My lens cap is on. I'm not breaking any picture-taking rules.
He asked me if I HAD taken any pictures.
Again, with slight panic, I stated that I wasn't taking any pictures.
He asked: why not?
I sputtered. Unintelligible. What?
He said: why aren't you taking pictures? This is YOUR ART.
Sorry. Just a mid-century Americanist over here, with some meandering prose.
There is a thread in it, though.
