The Arts in NYC Fall 2012

It was the first time I had stepped into the MoMA in my life. I took art as my major in middle school and always had a knack for drawing but I never really took the time to analyze art. Nor did I really want to take the time to meticulously examine art work. I used to think going to art museums was boring. Every now and then I would glance at a painting that caught my eye, but I never really understood what I was looking at and why it was so revered. Even famous paintings couldn’t hold my attention. Quite frankly, they usually left me unsatisfied.

For some weird reason, I was actually looking forward to exploring the MoMA. With all of the knowledge I’ve gained about different artists and art movements through class and my own research, I wanted to visit the museum. As I was making my way around the fourth floor to find some artwork by Jackson Pollock, I encountered one of the most provocative and absurd pictures I had ever seen. It was Bruce Nauman’s “Punch and Judy II, Birth and Life and Sex and Death.” I was surprised that it was even allowed to be on display where little children would be present. But I guess that is art at its finest, breaking the rules and making people think.

Yves Tanguy. His artwork captured my attention the moment I walked by it. I’m not really sure what fascinated me about his work, but I just couldn’t take my eyes off of it. The Furniture of Time transpired a dreamy feeling, but seemed so realistic at the same time. Even though it was a little creepy and had a desolate landscape/background, the different colors enticed me. I believe the effect of his painting is more apparent in person.

Finally, I found a piece of Jackson Pollock’s artwork! After researching abstract expressionism and learning about his techniques, I was thrilled to see one of his paintings in real life. Initially I just glanced at the piece of work and let my thoughts run through my mind. It was intriguing to see the “drip” technique and how he used all of the canvas. I imagined the movements he was making with his utensils as different patterns were formed. The colors he used also blended well together and kept my attention.

On my exit path, I decided to venture up to the fifth floor to see if any paintings were worthwhile to view. I found a Georges Seurat painting titled, “The Channel at Gravelines.” I learned about his pointillism techniques in middle school, but never saw a real painting of his. Pointillism is interesting because when you look closely it is literally just a bunch of dots and points, but as you step away from the picture it forms a beautiful image. I enjoyed his painting because it depicted a cliché evening sunset at the beach, a scene that can be striking for everyone.  Hopefully I visit the MoMA again soon, and can show off my knowledge of art to a lovely lady!