While In Phoenix, Arizona, Laura and I went to the ASU art museum. We were very impressed with this wall, as we’d never seen anything like it before:

Most museums would segregate this work by century and by country, but here they are mixed together so that you are forced to compare them. You can not take for granted the decision of the artist who, in 1850, decided to paint their wealthy patron in a naturalistic style. That painting is surrounded by paintings where artists chose subjects from other social classes, and chose approaches other than naturalism. One becomes aware how much of a choice these artistic decisions are. One can no longer be duped into thinking there is something automatic about it.

Laura wrote to compliment them and the museum posted her remarks to the musuem blog:

I was most impressed with the permanent exhibit in the Americas Gallery on the Second Floor. It is a very contemporary and bold gesture to juxtapose classic examples of varying eras. I absolutely LOVE that you did this and cannot express enough how rich an experience it was to see these works side by side. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This created a memorable and rich experience. I look forward to returning.