I drive a 2002 Volkswagen Passat. I love it. This may sound really silly, but one of my favorite things about the car is the dashboard. During the day there isn’t anything that fancy about it. The gauges are circular and trimmed in chrome and the design is really nice. But it’s also pretty typical. During the day the dashboard is everything you would expect from a German-made car…Well designed and practical. But a night, the dashboard really surprises you. I remember being in awe of it the first time I drove my car after dark. I put the key in the ignition, turned on the head lights and suddenly an amazing glow of cerulean blue and day glow red emanated from the dash. Instantly my sensible sedan became chic and cool. That’s why I love the Passat’s dashboard. It’s like it has a fun, hip side that only comes out after dark. Read the rest of this entry »

On Monday morning there were rumors of lines out the door. There were tales of children dressed in gladiator costumes. There was even mention of hundreds of adults walking around with laurel wreaths on their heads. Can this be true? The visitors are coming! The visitors are coming!

I had no doubt that we would get a crowd opening weekend. However, I am surprised at the enthusiasm the visitors have for the exhibition. For art that is over 2,000 years old, it still has an impressive fan base. It’s been really great to see the reaction people have had to the marketing campaign, but more importantly, it has been really nice to see the reaction people have had to the exhibition. People really love it. And the entire IMA staff is breathing a collective sigh of relief after opening weekend. Read the rest of this entry »