The Politics of Art & Authenticity

This is probably the most sentimental post I’ve had to write yet. So here goes.

Arts Seminar 1 has been the best class of my entire college career so far. I know that’s not saying much because I’ve only had six classes.. but I do believe that when it’s time to graduate, I’ll look back on Professor Davis’s class and remember so many things because it was just that impressionable.

I was exposed to many mediums and styles of art that I never would have even given a shot if it weren’t for the curriculum of this class (Ahem, “Swim.”). Thanks to Macaulay, it didn’t even cost me that much. We frequented the MoMa, the film festival, the Metropolita Opera, and so many other events. It’s hard to even recall the first one. I was given the opportunity to visit the Public Theater, BAM, and even our own Baruch Theater that I would probably never have tried exploring. Arts Seminar 1 put my foot in the door in many different ways. I am proud to say that I am going to have a cultured life.

The class itself always  fostered a positive environment. As you all know, I love to talk in class. I don’t think I have ever held back on anything and that was due to two things: our great class dynamic and Professor Davis. I believe that everyone’s opinion counted and listened to and I think that was what reinforced the attention and interest that we had in the art that we were seeing at the time.

Stevie and I in a library study room attempting to do the Spike Jonze project. As you can see, we were very productive.

Aside from the obvious (Oh boy, here comes the cheesy parts..) like the curriculum and how much I enjoyed class, I am happy to say that being in Arts Seminar helped me grow in relationships and friendships with people, in independence in exploring new things, and in creativity. I cannot even lie, I loved making that last project. “The Secret” was my baby, my shining moment. Even though I know I started a bit late (as always…ugh) I think that even the rush of it all contributed to how proud I am to have accomplished it.

It surprised me to find out how easily people would open up to if prodded just a tiny bit. (Not everyone, of course, I was shut down and rejected A Lot). But honestly, I am proud to have met the people who did. First came Alan. He was the hipster photographer in his 40’s to 50’s who only agreed to the interview in exchange for a portrait shot of me with  his incredibly large Nikon. He has been married twice and had a lot to say. He was the best motivator. I hadn’t had the best of luck before I talked to him but he said that I could do it. I had a, “friendly face,” he assured me.

I visited more tourist spots thinking that people would be relaxed and on vacation. Everywhere else people were always rushing to work. And in Bryant Park, I found the best vacationing couple. I first saw Mack and Sandy (53 years married) comparing and examining little gift trinkets from some shelf. I hurried over to the store since they had not gone in all the way yet and quickly asked them if they could answer a question for a school project. (Saying “hello, how are you’s, and are you busy’s” led to my demise earlier so I changed my strategies so that people would not have time to brush me off). Anyway, back to Mack and Sandy. They just finished watching the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (which they thought was fantastic) and were just shopping around before they headed back on a bus to good l’ Pennsylvania. When Mack told me how much his marriage, family, and wife meant to him he began to tear up. For some reason I wanted to as well. (hehe cheeseball.) The two were eager to ask about who I was and where I went to school and what the project was all about. Then they urged me to go to Rockefeller Center because they saw many old couples getting off of buses from elsewhere like themselves who would be in a great mood after watching that show. Later on in the day, they saw me again on the other side and hurried to check up on me. Was I alright, they asked. Did I get any more interviews? Right after that I laughed when I found the local park cops, Elijah and Raj, and how all the answers of the young ones were so much different than the honest ones of the older people. H.K.’s answers (62 years married) were funny and long. He seemed at ease with me because I reminded him of his granddaughter. He thought I went to Stuyvesant High School with the granddaughter too.

Rockefeller Center lead me to Jodie and Steve, the enthusiastic couple from Jersey. I hooked those two because I approached them asking if they wanted me to take a picture of the both of them together since I observed them taking each other’s. When I was giving back the camera, I asked them The Question. And I think I basically pinned them to doing it since I did them a favor. (hehe, slick.)  Those two ended up being so accommodating and they took so much time out of their schedule to talk to me about their blended family. They even elaborated on problems like how Jodie’s biological son Todd is seven years older than her step-daughter Molly and so she gives Todd more lenience and independence. Molly thought this as ridiculous and blamed it on the fact that she was the step-daughter. “You treat your son differently.” They then proceeded to talk to me for a good twenty-minutes about their marriage. I raised the camera three times because they had so much to say. “Turn the camera here because the sun’s facing this way. It’s better exposure.” Hah, Steve was very funny. They each hugged me saying that I was the highlight of their visit when I had to leave.

Doing that last project pushed me into doing things I normally would not have. I have Arts Seminar 1 to thank for that and everything else I’ve previously mentioned.

I’d take this class again in a heartbeat.