Getty Center Museum

A symbol of nature's wealth

There are two Getty Museums: Getty Center, Brentwood showcases European art amongst modern architecture with its awe-inspiring views of Los Angeles, while Getty Villa north of Santa Monica displays ancient Greek and Roman art in a recreated Roman house. Tom took us to the former.

I imagined it would be a museum like any other. I was wrong.

Firstly, the feeling of unease parking 5 levels underground and learning there were another 2 below that, housing 1200 cars was very curious to me. If the carpark was beneath the artists buildings, what lay beneath the staff office buildings?

From the outset the sheer magnitude of the buildings structure and surroundings required we take a tram 1.21kms uphill to reach them. For those curious, the tram is operated by two cable-driven hovertrains each consisting of three Otis Hovair vehicles.

You may already be aware that the Getty Center’s architect, Richard Meier became the youngest recipient at 49 to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize—the profession’s highest honour. It was soon after that he designed the Getty Center Museum. Meier was known for his geometric designs and predominantly used the colour white. At 86 years of age, he was accused of sexual harassment and assault by five women, four of whom were former employees at the firm at the peak of the #metoo campaign. Maybe the J. Paul Getty curse influenced Meier’s behaviour… more about this to come.

Several times, I lost my sense of direction in the maze of white-walled buildings. The exterior stone, I later learned, was called travertine – it comes from Bagni di Tivoli, Italy and has fossils of leaves, shells and other objects embedded in them… it felt beautiful to touch.

Inside, the paintings and sculptures ranged from 1600 – 1800 and beyond with much mythological storytelling mixed with Christianity. What struck a chord with me was Camille Claudel’s expression for life… despite all of her challenges she had a powerful voice!

As a writer, I could relate to Frans Hals painting of Saint John the Evangelist seated poised to write and glancing upward for the right words – something I do often.

And the glorious gardens were steeped in pure pleasure; I couldn’t resist slipping off my sandals to connect with the fir-like manicured lawn. It amused me that Tom and I both felt the scene before us resembled some form of utopia. Maybe it was the people meandering about the gardens, holding creamy/white umbrellas above their heads to protect them from the sun!

Getting back to the Getty Family’s past, I found it to be an interesting read. Maybe you’ve seen the movie, All the Money in the World – a 2017 biographical crime thriller based on John Pearson's 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. I haven’t seen it and don’t feel drawn to watch it; what remains with me is J. Paul Getty’s appreciation for art and nature and the legacy he has left for people to focus on what’s truly worth anything at all – the ability to create something of exquisite beauty for all to appreciate and celebrate its goodness.

If you’ve read intrepid Soul, Boundless, or Knightsbridge, you’ll already know my experience and thoughts about money and its temptations. What would you offer humanity if you had more money than you knew what to do with?

Thanks so much for reading and journeying with me through my day in LA.

Love in Harmony,

Leanda Michelle ✍️📚

---

---