A Very Moire Afternoon

There is a quiet window seat in the museum, looking out on to the changing cityscape. Very lovely, peaceful, interesting shapes. Then I realize that I am seeing some wild patterns in camera. Not in real life, not even like some of the paintings in the very next room, but only on the screen—psychedelic swirls and far out colors. It has something to do with the mesh sunscreen covering the window, but I can’t figure it out. Nor should I have to. The Extra shows reality. Or does it?

We are at SF MOMA at the Magritte exhibit, a delightful surprising witty collection of paintings from his later days.