Romare Bearden at the Met and the Whitney. Good stuff -- go see it.

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The Met has the wonderful The Block (1971), but the Whitney's exhibit is much larger and spans more of Bearden's career.

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Do you ever think about what is the appropriate amount of time to spend in front of a work of art? With a few exceptions (I spent about 30 minutes looking at a single Eugene Smith print last month), I tend to zoom through museums and galleries. I'll return to a few pieces for a longer look, but most get little more than a glance.

With a huge place like the Met, where another wonderful thing is always "just over there," it is difficult to stop for any period of time.

How long should one give to a single piece?