Rachel Wolf – ARTS IN NYC

Pubic art is seen everywhere in NYC. However, the works of art that people notice are generally in popular areas like the East Village, not small residential areas in Brooklyn such as Midwood. And so, when stepping off the Q train onto the Avenue J platform, one does not expect to see art. Instead, one anticipates to simply walk down the platform towards the exit, go down the steps and continue on with their day. Yet, if one would tilt their head they would see a portrayal of opportunity and freedom; they would see a work of craftsmanship. For many years I held the mindset that my area of Brooklyn would not have art to offer. And so, like so many others, I have walked past art without even realizing it. By doing so, I had missed what was right before me: the large mosaic wall running alongside the steps up to the Avenue J platform.

The wall was commissioned in 2011 by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) as part of their Arts and Design program. This program strives to enhance the commuter experience by employing various artists to decorate MTA stations throughout all five boroughs of New York City. These artist come from all walks of life and are both famous and emerging. This particular piece of art at the Avenue J train station is a mosaic titled Bird Laid Bare by Rita MacDonald, a New York based artist. It depicts a layer of tiled wall that seems to peel off so as to reveal a scene of vibrant red birds perched atop vines connected to bright yellow flowers. Further down the wall, a lone bird with open wings prepares to leap out and ascend in flight out into the world beyond the confines of its wall.

The birds, that are seemingly escaping their confined space on the wall, are inspiring and metaphorical. Their expanded wings indicate their eagerness to fly away, just like the wheels of the subway cart that can guide you to a different destination. Their red color symbolizes the valor and strength of the people that use these tracks. And, the uncovering of the tiled wall represents what is yet to be discovered in so many people. The people that you pass by on a day to day basis may seem mundane and basic, but if you peel off a layer, something beautiful can be revealed.

To some, this mosaic may seem out of place. The little local stop is not one that is expected to receive such special attention. But, the artist has made the station unique by adding her work to it. Even if it is overlooked by many, it is no longer overlooked by me. The walls are a constant reminder to explore, uncover, and discover new places and new people.

Sierra Burgess is a Loser

“Sierra Burgess is a Loser”, directed by Ian Samuels, opens up to a scene of a girl stepping out of a shower, set to sound of the other side by Betty Who. She then walks over to a mirror and pronounces: “you are a magnificent beast”. This girl is Sierra Burgess, played by Shannon Purser. Sierra is a confident, funny, and smart girl that is big boned and not supposed to be seen as beautiful, even though Pursers looks don’t exactly portray unsightliness. Nevertheless, Sierras doubt in herself due to her appearance leads her to commit a crime that can not be overlooked by the audience; cat-fishing the good looking jock, Jamie, played by Noah Centineo.

Shannon Purser got her fame playing Barbara on the Netflix series “Stranger Things”. After her character was killed off, many fans complained due to the fact that Barbara was a very relatable character that was sensible and not complacent doing things that movies tend to portray as what teenagers like doing for fun. Due to her role in “Stranger Things” she was nominated for an Emmy award and chosen to play Sierra, another girl that is seemingly relatable.

However, pretty quick into the movie, Sierra as a character is no longer likable and can not win the audience’s sympathy. This is due to her pretending to be Veronica, a cheerleader that Jamie believes he is speaking to. Her deception goes so far as to get Veronica involved and make her facetime Jamie and go on pretend dates as well. One person’s bad actions lead to another’s and the movie makes you want to scream at the characters, similarly to how one wants to scream at characters in a horror movie. But, in this movie, instead of walking down the basement steps into assured death, Sierra is talking her way down the path of fatal social situation.

She has placed herself in an ethical dilemma. Pretending to be someone is wrong, but would you be noticed for your personality if you don’t look a certain way? And, the answer is probably not. Although Sierra is prepped by her mother, that says things like “leave your insecurities in the bathroom mirror” and “open yourself up to rejection”, she is a teenage girl that is incapable of implementing these mantras in her life.

Purser’s portrayal of her character is spot on, and executed well. As, is the cinematography. Each scene is set perfectly to match the dialogue. The shots are taken from interesting angles such as from a birds eye view, when Veronica and Sierra are laying down in a bed. Or, from far away and peeking in through a window, when Sierra is starting to do things that the audience would not expect, like a keg stand. But, the great angles and acting do not make up for the bad plot.

The movie is supposed to send a message that one should be confident in themselves and not judge a person by their looks. It is sparked by many campaigns of inclusion and the general shift in the beauty industry to try and make beauty standards more realistic. This is evident with the rise of supermodels such as Ashley Graham and Precious Victoria Lee. However, the message is lost as Sierra becomes a deceiving liar that eventually wrongs all her friends in one way or another. Despite being a great character in the beginning, the new persona taken on by Sierra is no longer relatable. This is apparent in the last line spoken by Veronica: “You think I’m mean, well you should check the mirror because your looks aren’t the most ugly thing about you”.

The deception goes on for way too long which leaves just a small amount of time for an ending that gets the audience back on Sierra’s side. Thus, the climax of the movie comes way too close to the end, with only twenty minutes left, and does not allow everything to be worked out. And so, the denouement is lacking and altogether resolved too easily. It leaves one thinking that the creators are saying that cat-fishing isn’t that bad.

The take away from the movie is not to conform to societal standards of beauty and that it’s best to be yourself. But, it was executed in a way that doesn’t have the audience convinced. For, in the end, if it wasn’t for her pretending to be someone else, Sierra would never get the guy of her dreams.