The Peggy Guggenheim

The narrow alleyway which leads to the small but rather beautiful entrance of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum is typically Venetian. The wonderful courtyard garden where she is buried, the restaurant, building and artwork seems less a celebration of Modern Art, rather a show of affluence and excess. How is it, one is left to ponder, that some possess so much wealth; too much wealth; unimaginable wealth?

Besides the main galleries there was a special exhibition of mostly Surrealist work from the private collection of another rich faceless Swiss couple. Dali, Magritte, Ernst, Tanguy and even Arcimboldo and Bruegel were enough to delight...but again it seemed more a show of greed rather than connoisseurship.

The main collection to be fair, has it all. A marvellous range of Pollocks, Futurists, Cubists, more Surrealists...you name it and she's bought it. Scattered throughout the gallery are pictures of Peggy in her bedroom with art, Peggy in her dining room with art, Peggy in her...well we get the message and we are I suppose expected to be grateful. Yet considering the cost of entrance, the catalogue and restaurant (I think they picked a figure for each and then thought, it's Venice so lets double it), one is left thinking, 'for some, excess is simply the norm'.