A few weeks ago, I had lunch with my dear friend John Phifer Marrs. One of the topics we covered was his recent visit to
John Phifer Marrs at Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern Art
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. John had such a lovely time there that I asked him to tell me more about his experience at the museum so that we could share it with you. (I’m planning my visit as I type this. Maybe we can carpool?) Here’s what he has to say: Long before it was built, I was certainly aware that Alice Walton was building a museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, from stories here and there in the press and from my visits to other museums where I would find a painting labeled “on loan from Crystal Bridges.” A couple of years ago, I drove around Bentonville trying to find the location without any luck. So I was eagerly awaiting my first visit—and I wan’t disappointed.
A winding road meanders through lovely grounds (actually 120 acres) leading to the museum. The building is nestled in a perfect little tree-covered valley. Pools of water surround the buildings—and of course, there’s the Crystal Spring stream that was original to the site. The building is simple, elegant, modern—and yet it’s built of natural concrete, timber, copper, and stone. Most of the materials are native to Arkansas. The structure floats and soars and blends into the natural beauty of the site. Architect Moshe Safdie certainly nailed the placement of the building. Many of the galleries are actually bridges spanning the water, hence the name Crystal Bridges.
It was a warm winter day on my visit. I was torn between wanting to walk the grounds or enter the museum. The museum won out. Admission is free, thanks to Walmart. The friendly greeters welcomed our group and helped us to figure out what to do first. (Our greeter was actually a gal with whom I went to high school!) What a collection it was! Art was divided into different categories (19th century, wonder world, contemporary) and all put together by Alice Walton quite recently. It helps that she has a rather large purse. I loved After the Last Supper. It’s made of spools of thread—it sounds hokey—but it really wasn’t. But my favorite piece was probably Andy Warhol’s Dolly Parton since I watched her as a kid on The Porter Wagoner Show with Grandmother Phifer. Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter was also great. And Asher B. Durand’s Kindred Spirits is a masterpiece! But I also loved a bizarre self portrait by Evan Penny. It features his head and shoulders—a little larger than life-size—and freakishly lifelike.
After touring all the galleries, we finished up with a lovely dinner at Eleven, the museum restaurant. While there, I ran into famous Dallas architect Richard Drummond Davis! He was also checking out the museum. We had a lovely dinner and watched the sun drop behind the trees and reflect on the water outside the glass walls.
Anyway, being born an Arkansan, I am very proud. This museum will definitely put Bentonville on the map. You should plan your visit. It’s only about five hours from Dallas by car or a 55-minute plane ride.
1 comment
Lovely little article. I am very familiar with the drive from DFW to Bentonville (where I live). Exactly 5 hours from the intersection of LBJ and Central to downtown Bentonville if you push it (watch for the speed limit changes and potential traps from the Red River to McAlester, OK. Otherwise, it’s expressway 70 MPH speed limit all the way). The airport (XNA) is very close to Bentonville, just 20 minutes from downtown. But really, by the time you drive to DFW, hassle with the TSA, fly, rent a car in Arkansas, etc., you could be almost to the outskirts of Fort Smith. And for flatlander Texans, the drive up on I-540 (the spurt of I-40 that takes you up the the NW corner of the state), can be very lovely. I especially like making the climb to the tunnel that cuts through Mt. Gaylor area—and you exit onto the northern side and…you’re there! In a little piece of Ozark mountain beauty with very few billboards along the way to spoil the view.
It is a pity that the traveler here missed seeing the site on the first trip to Bentonville while CB was under construction. Can’t imagine someone driving around Bentonville and NOT finding the place. All one had to do was to stop and ask. Bentonville locals are very proud of this addition to the landscape and we are enjoying new types of visitors in town (we have been hosting thousands upon thousands of business people for decades coming in to call on Walmart….nice now to have some tourists in the mix). So to my point, if you come to Bentonville enjoy the museum but do not hesitate to ask questions of locals. We are all eager to suggest other places you can go (like new places to eat or a side trip over to Eureka Springs or down to Fayetteville, the college town with a neat entertainment district. I have been so absolutely put out by writers from the two coasts who have come to town and bemoaned and whined that all there is in NW Arkansas are chain restaurants. Well, heck, you could say the same about Dallas if all you did was look at the signs on the highways. You have to ask locals or hotel employees. There are many old and new independent places to eat in both Benton and Washington Counties. Just had dinner, e.g., Saturday night in Fayetteville at a new Italian place called Vetro 1925. You woulda thought you were eating at some place in NYC! By the way, one of my favorites, for some odd reason, in the museum is Supine Woman, the 1960s piece hung next to Dolly.
Anyway, as Warhol’s Dolly might say….ya’ll come on up now, ya hear?