Author: Tony Chu

It just makes Zero sense.

Out of the two exhibitions that my group chose, I think that Zero: Countdown to Tomorrow at the Guggenheim was the most memorable of the two.

The building structure of the Guggenheim is amazing. I loved how the building was just one huge spiral with its main exhibition in the center while side exhibitions were in the small rooms on the side. Sadly, the art really didn’t match how awesome the building is.

The art was somewhat dreadful for me. I couldn’t make sense of most of it. Some artworks were just color on a canvas; it was a single shade of red, blue or yellow. I was speechless, not in awe but in confusion. I felt like a three-year-old could spill a can of paint on something and then have it submitted in as art. That was only the beginning.

The next section of the exhibition featured vibrations and movement. When I read the description of it all, I had high hopes thinking that the pieces of art would be better than the single-colored canvases. It wasn’t. Immediately after reading the description, a huge canvas loomed over me. This canvas had what looks like a sheet draped over it. the sheet had four rips in the middle as if a huge cat had slashed it. The piece description stated that this piece was supposed to be a play on 4-D. For some people the effect of a fourth dimension may have been there. Not for me. I just saw a sheet with four rips, put over a sheet. I started at it blankly thinking that it was absurd to consider this as something worthy enough to be put on display.

Although the Guggenheim was filled with confusion for the most part, I did actually understand and like a certain part from the Zero exhibition. I found the pieces that had a play on light to be ingenious. The section consisted of artwork where artists would cut out shapes on a sphere, box, or wheel made out of metal. Light would then have light shone on it or through it while the shape rotated. The patterns and shimmers that the light produced was just so elegant, especially Light Ballet by Otto Piene.

After going through it all I realized one thing. At times art is not supposed to be understood. When art cannot be understood, would it still be called art? Of course.

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A kid half my age discussing about the Opera. #Confused #HowManyOperasHasHeGoneTo? #MetOpera

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What an Experience!

I loved how we, as a class, was given so many possibilities to experience the different types of art. Going to such places such as the Metropolitan Opera and seeing such documentaries like Waste Land by Vik Muniz gave the class different perspectives on art. I feel that because of these opportunities, we now look at art in a new and brighter light.

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Straight White Men!

Straight White Men is a play that is written and directed by Young Jean Lee. This play consists of only four characters. Austin Pendelton plays Ed, the father. James Stanley plays Matt, the oldest child. Gary Wilmes plays Jake, the middle child. Pete Simpson plays Drew, the youngest child. This play was presented by the Public Theater, which can be found at 425 Lafayette Street.

The play addresses the issue of privilege and how privilege is actually problematic in society. Having such an interesting idea at hand, our group (Chris Pun, Elyssa Sur, and Tony Chu) wanted to go see what this was all about.

We were shocked when we walked into the auditorium to be seated. We weren’t surprised by how the theater looked. Instead we were amazed at the vulgar music that was playing. Considering how majority of the audience consisted of elderly Caucasian men and women, it was hard to understand why rap music was being played. The music did play a part as it set the stage for the amount of vulgar language that was used in the play.

The former half of the play was not as serious as we would expect it. The brothers were fooling around with each other. Jokes were made left and right. There was even some childish dancing that made everyone in the audience chortle. The latter half of the play became serious really quickly. Soon Matt was questioned about his employment status and why he was in the situation he was in. Jake starts to explain that there are many privileges that being a straight white man that homosexual people, colored people, and women don’t have. Jake then explains that Matt chooses to not utilize the privileges because he is being the noble sacrifice since not every Caucasian can use their privilege. Ed and Drew question Matt to see if Jake’s theory is correct. Matt however disagrees and displays how he feels like he needs to earn his way up in this world. In the end of it all, the family is torn apart over this issue of privilege.

We found the play to be quite powerful and a lot to take in considering how most of the issues unraveled themselves in the latter half of the play. Although we don’t have our own take on the idea of white privilege, we have come up with some thoughts on the play itself. Ed seemed to acknowledge and respect the fact that he has white privilege and uses it accordingly. Drew, like his father, acknowledges his privilege and feels indifferent to it. Jake abuses the privilege he has and it shows throughout the whole play. Matt despises the fact that he has privilege and rejects it. Matt feels that everything should be earned and because of this his family turned their backs on him.

This play as a whole was well written and almost perfectly executed. Our only criticisms would be that the crude waiting music should be changed along with the fact that the actors shouldn’t over-emphasize certain phrases. We would definitely go see another play by Young Jean Lee.

– Tony with Pun and Elyssa

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Zero: Countdown To Tomorrow

The Guggenheim Museum in New York showcased the exhibition, Zero: Countdown to Tomorrow. The focus of this exhibition was to showcase art that was produced post World War II. The focus of this artwork was to start anew after the war and experiment in different types of art. Upon hearing of it, our group (Chris Pun, Elyssa Sur and Tony Chu) decided to go check it out.

The Guggenheim Museum itself was a sight to see. With its six rotundas combined by gradual spiral walking area, the perfect word to describe its architecture would be: complex. The artwork however, was the complete opposite. We found that the art seemed very minimal and simple. As stated in an earlier post, the Zero artists wanted to begin a new beginning for artwork during this time. Their art focused on color, light, movement and certain mediums such as light and fire.

As a whole, our group was indifferent towards the artwork that was presented. Certain sections of the exhibit, especially where light was used as a medium of focus, interested us and we found it very elegant and beautiful. (Otto Piene’s Light Ballet is the perfect example of something vibrant and elegant.)

On the other hand, there were other sections that we did not find very appealing. Certain sections explored color and consisted of one color painted on a canvas. Other sections experimented with movement and vibrations and we just found that very confusing. There was even one piece where it was just feathers stuck onto a canvas. We had a hard time digesting the fact that it was considered as art.

 

Despite the fact that we didn’t find some of the artwork appealing, it was nice to experience this different take on art. Since the artworks didn’t really have a definite meaning, it allows those who view it to put their own take on it. In our case though, we ended up being confused.

– Tony with Pun and Elyssa

Posted on by Tony Chu