Edmond Life and Leisure - June 20, 2024

The many attractions of nearby Bentonville

By Elaine Warner

Stepping out of the elevator, I encountered a four-foot tall penguin. Loose from the zoo? Nope, this impressive specimen was one of a flock of 15 lime-green birds which move mysteriously around the Bentonville 21c Museum Hotel. This was just the first of a number of surprises I found in this Arkansas town.

In times past, Bentonville was identified primarily as the home of Walmart. The company is still really big business in town, but with the opening of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (thanks to Alice Walton), the city is now a mecca for art lovers, food lovers, portable penguin lovers and cutting-edge innovators. And it’s become a major tourist destination.

I was recently on a press trip entitled “Art and Adventure in Arkansas,” sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

A visit to Crystal Bridges was a prime target on the itinerary. This was my fourth visit and, like earlier trips, concentrated on the galleries. I saw a number of familiar favorite pieces but exhibits change and even the attitude toward display has evolved.

Originally, the museum was organized chronologically beginning with art on canvas by white men – American painters like John Singleton Copley and Charles Willson Peale. Understanding that American art is much more than just the European-influenced artists, the museum now incorporates works by indigenous artists into the historical timeline.

Not only is admission to the museum free, but there are numerous drop-in tours which are free. We were fortunate to have Fran Taylor for our tour of the museum – such a knowledgeable and engaging guide.

Descriptions beside many of the paintings tell stories about the works but Ms. Taylor added an extra detail to “Kindred Spirits,” a painting by Asher Durand. Durand had been a student of artist Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School. In this painting, Cole, who had died, is pictured with his friend, poet William Cullen Bryant. The setting is a classic Hudson River-style landscape. What I would have missed in Durand’s painting are the names of the two men carved into one of the trees.

Works of art range from realistic and representational to avant-garde – in a variety of genres. And all these wonderful works are housed in an architecturally exceptional building. The entire complex covers 120 acres with several miles of paths, multiple outdoor sculptures and even a classic Usonian house created by Frank Lloyd Wright.

I’ll visit Crystal Bridges again – and again – and I’m sure I still won’t see all of it.

The Momentary, an affiliate of Crystal Bridges, features contemporary art, performances, concerts and a variety of non-traditional artistic experiences. The building itself is a surprise – a repurposed cheese factory. Exhibitions change frequently – so you won’t see what we saw here. During our visit, the featured exhibition was Enduring Amazon: Life and Afterlife in the Rainforest. The story was told through still photography, huge-screen videos, live samples of fish and plants and more. Expect the unexpected at the Momentary.

Back at the hotel, we had time to explore the art on display there. First, more about the penguins. Every 21c has a flock; each location has its own color for the birds. Easily moveable, they can appear anywhere. Depending on the sense of humor of your traveling companions, you might even find one in your bed or your shower.

Some of the art items in the hotel are permanent and site specific. The restaurant, The Hive, features Buzz Kill by artist Johnston Foster. The work incorporates such varied materials as aluminum siding, garden hose, melted plastic table cloth, Styrofoam and lots more. All these elements are combined to create dripping honeycomb, twining kudzu and swarms of bees.

Another permanent piece sits outside the museum. Called Making Change, it is a coin-covered 1962 Fleetwood Cadillac limousine. The car was built the same year Walmart was founded and the coins reference Walton’s original Five and Dime store.

The current temporary exhibition (these change about once a year) is called Fragile Figures, Beings and Times. Extensive documentation explains the selection and rationale behind the creations and their relationship to each other and to earlier art works.

You’ll also find lots of murals, sculptures and neon art around town. I particularly liked the artwork on the restaurant where we had dinner –Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico.

Named after family patriarch Don “Yeyo,” it was founded by Rafael Rios, executive chef (and James Beard semi-finalist), and is run by members of the Rios family. The menu features recipes redolent of Mexican street food and the name means “soul of

Mexico.” Everything is made from scratch and much of the produce comes from the Rios Family Farm. Whatever you order will be good –especially washed down with a Mexican Coke.

If history is your thing, there are two museums you shouldn’t miss.

The Walmart Museum Heritage Lab is located two blocks from the town square in the Ledger, the world’s first bikeable building, A big hit here is a visit with AI-aided Sam Walton. Exhibits include lots of memorabilia from early Walmart stores and information about Walmart around the world.

The other attraction is the Museum of Native American History. Founded by David Bogle, the basis of the museum is his personal collection of art and artifacts, which started

with a collection of arrowheads. Today the collection consists of over 10,000 items ranging from the Paleoindian Period (12,000 to 10,000 years ago) to the 1930s and ‘40s. Well-documented and artfully displayed, exhibits in this museum are a real treat – and the gift shop has many beautiful Native Americanmade items.

Our press tour covered all these places in one day. But we missed a number of other attractions – historic homes, gardens, hiking trails, and mountain biking opportunities, cultural events, and more interesting restaurants than you can shake a stick at. About a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Edmond, Bentonville makes a good weekend getaway –and an even better three or four day stay.

The Museum of Native American History encompasses centuries of indigenous arts and crafts including these Mississippian head pots produced between 1200 and 1500 AD.

Mural art and culinary art blend sight and taste at Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico,

Yvette Mayorga’s fanciful figures hang from the ceiling in the main gallery at the Bentonville 21c Hotel.

Kindred Spirits by Asher Durand pays homage to his mentor Thomas Cole