I’ll admit: I thought we were going to be looking at armor, something I have actually done at the Met. But after a bit of research, I learned that the Armory Show was a showcase of the works of current artists during the time. The armor in Armory Show, however, came not from the pieces in the exhibit, but came from the belligerent responses from the audiences who went to see it.

It was a bit difficult to see some of the artwork in a tight crowded space. However, this piece caught my eye:

Georges Braque

This piece particularly caught my eye, the festive colors and how it all blends together really fascinated me and brought an uplifting mood to the painting. The short and frequent strokes of the colors brought a sense of life into the painting but also made the painting more fictitious looking, child-like, and friendly. However, those viewing it for the first time in 1913 would disagree. Viewers and art aficionados found it almost primitive and child-like, not worthy for the elite to view as art.

Georges Braque’s style of art for this painting is considered Fauvism, a style that stems from Impressionism that features bright colorful strokes and distorted figures. At the time, art was meant only for “adults”, or rather, those who could afford artworks in their homes. They felt that this Fauvist-type work was a regression in the name of art and did not require much skill nor talent to make and thus angered many audiences who came to view this painting. Audiences at the time expected artworks to resemble subjects in life as much as possible and for art to depict different themes of nobility, virtuousness, and other romantic ideas. Different types of works that deterred from this was considered trash. However, it is works like this that would lead to Modernism, the next big phase in art history.

The first thoughts that come to mind while walking around Chelsea Piers would not have been art. Sure, the buildings are fancy and hi-tech, the Highline is a fascinating historical treasure in itself, and the Getty Station is eye-popping, but I never truly saw the art in Chelsea. The art world of Chelsea, however, is eminent if one chooses to seek it. It is the inconspicuous nature of the galleries hidden between the office buildings and the stores, that make Chelsea the treasure trove for art lovers everywhere.

At the Yossi Milo Galleries, many South African themed photo by Pieter Hugo were put on display depicting lifestyles and tensions in South Africa, things Hugo was very familiar with. However, this photograph stuck out to me. At first glance, the work reminded me of something seen in Greek or Roman era, where the marble used brought me back to learning about art in prior history classes. However, after taking a closer look, the humans portrayed in the piece did not display the usual theme of white supremacy. Rather, it displayed the complete opposite, where the club-wielding bald African men dominated the bearded white men, who were on the ground with agonized facial expressions. It also shows the tension in South Africa during apartheid and post-apartheid. The photograph most likely depicts some of the emotions and thoughts of Africans who suffered during that time. I particularly love this piece because it shows a perspective of those oppressed, a perspective that is spoken about frequently, in a new and creative light.

Samantha Chiu