Vienna, for me, means art

I took myself to the Museumsquartier in Vienna today. Of the several museums that are housed there, I chose to visit the Leopold Museum. It was quiet there this afternoon. Most likely since the weather was so beautiful most people would rather be outside enjoying it! 

The majority of the collection focuses on the works of Austrian artists like Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Hoermann. The thing that made the biggest impression on me was that seeing an art piece in person is so very far removed from seeing it in a book or on a coffee mug. The colors and textures hit you in a different way. Also, the way in which the pieces are situated in relationship to one another also helps to tell their story or convey a mood or feeling. 

On one of the floors of the Leopold, they were hosting a temporary exhibit called Wolken (clouds). Monday is the last day for the exhibit, so I'm so lucky that I was able to see it. It was intriguing to see how the museum curators mixed the pieces together. For example, they used a very modern piece from Andy Warhol and another that used a Nintendo game along with French Impressionists to tell a story how about humans see a part of their world. I like this kind of right-brain thinking and would like to incorporate it more into my teaching.

The whole afternoon gave me so much inspiration for activities/lessons that I can use in the classroom.

1. Find a piece of art from an artist from the German-speaking realm. Write a short story in German inspired by that piece. 

2. Design an art exhibit that focuses on a particular theme. Create a brochure that describes and advertises the exhibit. 

3. Find a German poem that matches up with a piece of art from an Austrian artist. Present the poem and the art piece to the class.

Without a doubt, art has inspired me today. I'm so grateful for my afternoon at the Leopold Museum.