Another Art Review: Small is Beautiful

Now in NYC (2023)

One of my favorite tiny displays (GPG)

We thought it might be another one of the ubiquitous immersive experiences that are popping up in empty storefronts all over, but I wanted to see the “Small is Beautiful” in NYC. I thought it might be like the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, which I LOVED as a child.

If you have time for ONLY one museum in Chicago, I recommend the Art Institute. Head directly to the 2nd floor and say hello to “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette”. Then visit the Van Goghs, the Monets and a host of other beauties. Maybe find American Gothic and the Chagall wall, but then, head straight downstairs to the Thorne Rooms — each one is a tiny, exquisite re-creation of a moment in history.

Don’t worry, it’s in the public domain, or Trader Joe’s wouldn’t have been able to use it! (GPG)

Much to our surprise and delight, the “Small is Beautiful” exhibit in NYC was equally astonishing and delightful! It was perhaps even more wondrous because of the breadth of mediums and the wide range of ideas, stories, and visions. These were artists whose imagination and wit were transformed into tiny paintings, doll house like structures, cardboard (but you’d never know it was that) creatures, and an assortment of wonders, including an entire world made of candy.

Not my favorite display, but there were several children who stood and admired it at length. (GPG)

There was even a scavenger hunt for children, to keep them engaged in looking carefully at the displays. It was more than just entertaining — it was thought provoking. Well done, whoever created it, and I hope all the artists are either making money or getting recognition.

How does an artist decide that everything he/she makes is going to be miniscule, and some things are going to be weird or other-worldly? And how do artists get the idea of carving the lead on a pencil into a distinct mother and child, drawing a picture that requires a magnifying glass to see, or imagining the bathroom of a famous fictional character after his death?

And the tiny men having a tug of war with a 5 Euro bill portrayed at the beginning of this essay? Ingenious. I think the exhibit started in London last year., but don’t know the details except to say that I loved it and hope it gets a more permanent space.

I recommend that they move the whole thing to Chicago — we’re nicer here and our city is cleaner. And we already have an appreciation for tiny art. Sorry, London and NYC.