It’s over. 

  The high ceilinged room is large, accommodating hundreds. You enter from the back through two separate openings. On the side walls a few dozen forgettable fifteenth and sixteenth century paintings hang. They’ve erected a huge temporary wall at the far end behind which is the exit. And on the temporary wall is arguably the most famous painting in the world. 

  But it’s over. 

  The visitors mill about snapping photos, taking videos and of course selfies, listening all the while to art experts on headphones educating them on this or that in countless tongues. The idea is you push your way through the jostling straining gawking crowd to the front for your moment with Her and Her enigmatic smile and then having had your audience with Her you thread your way behind the screen and out. 

  And then it’s over. 

  But Truth be known it was over before you even entered the room. 

  Or descended beneath the incongruous glass pyramid. 

  Has She known all along? 

Thoughts, observations or questions on the place of art in our lives today? Let’s have some fun with it at omphaloscafe@gmail.com!