When I first entered the Guggenheim and looked at the structure of the interior of the building I realized that the building itself was a work of art itself. The Zero exhibit itself was a very interesting array of pieces ranging from minimalistic paintings to complex, industrial, moving displays. There was a few common themes I noticed running through the various layers of the museum, including minimalism, bright colors, recycled materials, and clever use of light and motors. It all conveyed the ideals of the original members of Zero which was to begin anew and start from scratch so to speak in the aftermath of WWII. Though some the work may seem experimental (such as the pieces which incorporate burning) it all goes along with the effort to redefine art as it existed in that time period.

Genesis was such an impressive collection of photographs, there was something sort of enchanting about each one. Salgado manages to truly draw you in and examine each detail of his photographs. His landscape photography was stunning and his use of light/black and white was reminiscent of some of Ansel Adams work. Salgado captures the pure natural beauty left in the world as well as distant cultures which strike a stark contrast to much of modern society which has become very distanced from nature. The name Genesis is a very suiting name in my opinion. Genesis, meaning the beginning of something or the roots, greatly reflects on what Salgado is trying to express and accomplish with this collection. The collection is not only a reminder of the natural beauty from which the earth roots its origins, before humans transformed the planet, but it is also the possible beginning of a movement to preserve and restore the planet. Here are some of my favorites from the collection.

I’m extremely glad that we switched our exhibition to the ICP, because Salgado’s photography has shown me an entirely new meaning to how powerful one photo, or in his case, over 200 photos can be. Salgado captures a collection of images that shows us a perspective of nature, animals, and indigenous peoples that we would never have even dreamt of seeing with our own eyes, even though everything he has captured is present at this very moment. There were countless photos where it makes you wonder how in the world was he able to take a photo from an angle like that? But I discovered that in order take many of his photos, he travelled by light aircraft, seagoing vessels, canoes, and balloons, which I think that in it of itself is pretty amazing. The compilation of his Genesis project took 8 years to capture and select the photos displayed at the ICP now and so many of them are simply just breathtaking.

I truly recommend you guys to stop by the ICP before Salgado’s exhibition ends, because it’s really worth seeing the world through a perspective you’ve never seen before. Also, it’s free with your Macaulay Passport!

It was my first time being at the Guggenheim and I really like how the interior is structured. There are six rotundas but they aren’t separated by stairs, but rather it’s all connected by a gradual spiral of walking area from the bottom to the top. As you’re walking around, gradually going up from rotunda to rotunda and observing the different types and forms of art displayed, once you reach the top, it’s almost surprising that you’ve already reached the top when you’re not keeping track of time.

The exhibition itself was for the most part, pretty interesting to see. They created art through methods of lights/shadows, colors, sculptures, vibrations, kinetic energy, slashing & burning, and several others. Some of the art seemed extremely simple to create, such as certain solid colors on a canvas. Although it was simple however, it stuck to their theme of redefining and rediscovering art post World War II which was definitely enjoyable to observe. Each floor had its own sort of theme for the art displayed as the artists progressed in redefining it in their own way. One of the best parts of the exhibitions was the way they used light to manipulate certain objects and create art with a balance of lights and shadows. Other pieces of art that stood out to me were the ones involving fire and vibrations despite how simple it seemed, because well, I never thought of doing something like that.

The first exhibit my group had gone to had been Zero Tolerance at MoMa PS1.  Coming in with mixed expectations I had left quite pleased.  Due to the nature of the exhibit I was shocked that it had carried the same message that I am finding very prevalent today: governments imposing laws and doctrines that oppress their people.  Much of the exhibit were different documentaries showing major protests and public gatherings.  Even in America where we are promised freedom and complete autonomy over our own lives, we are met with unscrupulous businesses that collect and sell our information and a government that spies on its own people.  The exhibit had made me reflect on the novel “1984” by George Orwell in which the masses of people do not realize fully what the government is imposing upon them.  In summary of the exhibit (picture provided), it is stated that these governments mask draconian laws in the guise of some form of public service or help.

The exhibit displays heavily the public outcry against these governments.  There was one room, with T.V.s situated all around the walls with different public gatherings and if you stand in the center of the room, you can hear bits and pieces of everything, all of it creating an overall chaotic atmosphere.  Then the room after, focused heavily on Russia and the nation under a ex-KGB president.  There had been one song made by “Pussy Riot” that went against Putin’s declaration against secularism.  If you want to check out the song and music video just follow this link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPDkJbTQRCY . One of the strangest and most interesting things within the exhibit had been the work of  Voina in “Operation: Kiss Garbage.”  It had been a video depicting their work to demean and humiliate people of power.  In it, women would go up to policewomen and kiss them on the lips with absolutely no notice.  The public art, not only challenges the power of government but also goes against Putin’s views on homosexuality.

The exhibit overall had been great, and if you want to see more pictures of the exhibit just look below!

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