What was once astonishing and scandalous for the population of 1913 can now be considered a brilliant form of expression. In 1913, the nation was at the end of the Progressive Era. They were developing socially, politically, and scientifically. Of course, with change comes the transformation of art. The Armory Show is a representation of that change. Until then, art was realistic. Most works of art were focused on everyday life. The Armory Show was revolutionary in the fact that it displayed modern art: art that had hardly ever been shown before. It focused on Fauvism, Cubism, and Futurism.

This can be shown in Paul Gaugin’s painting, “Parau na te Varua ino” (Words of the Devil).

This painting portrays a belief in Tahitian culture of a devil that can paralyze a woman by fear. This painting was very controversial, one teacher even calling it “nasty, obscene, indecent, immoral, lewd, and demoralizing.” Others saw this painting as great symbolism. This mixed review exemplifies the gradual and hesitant progression of society towards modern art.

Another controversial piece is the infamous “Nude Descending a Staircase ” by Marcel Duchamp. The nude, once a customary subject, had been turned into an abstract piece. Not only was there much debate about the painting, there were also many parodies to follow. One parody was named “Rude Descending a Staircase (Rush Hour at the Subway)”.

This piece is a mockery not only of ”Nude Descending a Staircase”, but also Cubist art as a whole.

Trying to educate instead of shock the viewers, Chavannes showed a more traditional type of painting, “Le Verger, Les Enfants au verger, L’Automne”.

Shown are children gathering fruit in front of their mother. Both conservative and modern artists admired his work. His painting allowed the more traditional artists to have a taste of modern art without scaring them away.

Even though this work was astonishing to the viewers of 1913, it has become revolutionary to the ways in which art is understood today. Only 100 years after The Armory Show, we have come to the point where we can be open to the constantly changing world of art. Even though we are still progressing, the Progressive movement definitely helped us move forward into a new era of expression.

I was extremely excited to come to Chelsea to see art from many different types artists. Little did I know that I would find this within the first few minutes in Chelsea. As soon as I met the High Line, I was in awe. The feeling of being thirty feet above ground in the city fascinated me. There was a sense of isolation on the High Line. New York City in one of the most active cities in the world, yet the High Line remained peaceful and calm.

This was first shown through the greenery. As I walked through the High Line, I examined the flowers and patches of grass. There was a garden coming up from beneath a railroad. The contrast between the metal and the railroad was very intense, and gave me the idea that beauty can grow out of anything.

As I walked on, I saw a statue created by George Condo titled “The Liquor Store Attendant”. This was a statue of a mans face, yet it did not look like a regular human being. This statue’s distorted face was no different than the artist’s usual work that examines human psychology. It urged me to think of the ways in which I perceive a “regular” human.

I also came across a piece entitled “The Broken Bridge”. It was a three dimensional work of art placed on a building. This is the artist, El Anatsui’s, biggest art piece to date. It shows a wave of pattern made of recycled tin and mirrors. Through the tin the piece reflects the High Line, and depending on your angle, also parts of the sky. I thought about the fact that everything used in this piece would usually be wasted, yet this artist was able to make beautiful art out of the seemingly useless materiel.

As I walked on, I took many pictures to look at and study at a later time. Even though I only could spend a small amount of time on the High Line, I had the chance to appreciate many different forms of art. I hope to come back to the High Line to explore more of its intriguing and captivating pieces.