![The Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpiece](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4577/2014/12/16050851/3262512-470x140.jpg)
Last week, I took my first ever trip to the Guggenheim Museum to see “Time Temple”, an installation by Wang Jianwei. This was, by far, my favorite experience at a museum ever in my life. It was not the installation that I loved, but the architecture of the building itself.
To start, I’ve always had an interest for interesting architecture and the Guggenheim definitely sparked that interest once again. The strange shape that the building had that was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright was a great touch to the surrounding, block-like, high-rise buildings. Another thing that was interesting about the architecture that was noted by our amazing tour guide Rafael is that the Guggenheim has very few windows so the art is the major focus rather than the outside world distracting its guests. Another thing that was noticed was that all the windows were facing Central Park and all of its natural beauty.
Another thing about the building that was interesting to me was the way that the floor was laid out. One thing that is special about the layout was that there is not stairs that take you to the next floor but rather a spiraling floor that seems to not have an incline or decline. It is interesting because it allows you to continue walking all the way up the museum without stopping to take the elevator or stairs. Another thing that was discussed with Rafael was that this continuous open layout that allowed you to see nearly the entire museum anywhere you were was so you could see a “preview” of what was to come.
It was quite interesting the way that this museum was designed, as there are none other like it. Frank Lloyd Wright created a true piece of art that now houses both permanent and temporary installations that draw people to come and see them from all around the world.
![A Visit to Cornell University](https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/eversleyarts14/wp-content/themes/oxygen/images/archive-thumbnail-placeholder.gif)
Last weekend, I went to visit my friend who is attending Cornell University. During my stay on the campus, it was impossible not to notice the extraordinary architecture for which the university is known, such as the physical science building, and the McGraw tower, which was designed by William Henry Miller and currently serves as Cornell’s most prominent landmark. As seen in this picture, it is a highly impressive structure, and in real life, it is even more remarkable.
However, Cornell does not only have amazing architectural structures, but also amazing dance teams. On one of the days, my friend and I went to watch a dance show that was put up by the numerous dance teams that the university has. The dance was performed in Bailey Hall, which is also a beautiful building that was perfectly appropriate for this performance.
From the very first moment, I was really impressed with the number of people that came to see the show. No seats were left empty, and as seen in the picture below, there are MANY seats in Bailey Hall!
Once the show began, I was captivated by the costumes that each group of dancers had. Each set of costumes matched the theme and mood of the dance, and it was evident that much effort was put into them.
There were different types of dances performed, such as belly dancing, hip-hop, contemporary, Latin, ballroom, Indian, and tap dancing among others. The dancers were very talented, though I especially noticed a few particular dancers. These dancers were so talented to the extent that they were able to not just dance for the sake of dancing, but also to become actors and get into the character that the dance was supposed to represent.
As we have also seen in the contemporary dance show Complexions, dance is a form of art that appeals to its audience with no words, and sometimes even with no music. Body language can be so powerful that it can tell us a whole story through the portrayal of emotions and different types of movements. Undoubtedly, the dancers of Cornell were able to do just that!
Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take videos, but I was able to take a few pictures, though their quality is not the best.
![20141122_154917](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4577/2014/12/16050900/20141122_154917-300x168.jpg)
Belly Dancing
It is needleless to say that I had really enjoyed watching this two-hour dance performance!
![Guggenheim Museum](https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/eversleyarts14/wp-content/themes/oxygen/images/archive-thumbnail-placeholder.gif)
This was my favorite outing to have gone to since the start of this class. Its so sad that its ending already I’m used to being in class with the same people the entire school year not just half of it. Its alright because these memories stay with us for years. My tour guide was very helpful by offering us answers like, “I don’t know either”, “it could very well be”. This may not seem like the answer you were looking for but it was really inspirational. The fact that it was completely up to our representation of what made it the art that was exhibited. We were also told that Jianwei did not come into the museum with pre made pieces of art rather, he created it there tirelessly around the room itself. He even incorporated certain details like the blue line that went through the room into his art work. The yellow and green painting there was a microscopic representation of a cell with very geometric shapes, it struck me that this artist is actually very well educated and meticulous about his art projects. I also asked why he had rubber placed on some of the pieces of wood when others didn’t. I came to a conclusion that it was the blend between nature and artificiality much like the guggenheim itself. Its meant to adapt by blending in with its surroundings. It can be argued that this is the same reason why he places steel coiled on some of the wood, and rubber underneath some of the wood. It doesn’t matter where the pieces are arranged but how they blend into the environment. Overall, it was a really inspiring idea to me, i might be wrong but no one can claim to know
![Complexions](https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/eversleyarts14/wp-content/themes/oxygen/images/archive-thumbnail-placeholder.gif)
The little desolate theater known as the Joyce Theater managed to get me to walk through the howling bitter cold wind, just to watch a cliche ballet. It was completely worth it. It was engaging, fun, elaborate and sensational. The dancers physique was graceful and sturdy. I myself enjoy going to the gym as often as i can. However, the kind of flexibility and muscle that these performers had to acquire is truly inspirational. While i am on the topic of physical attributes, the odd thing about this display was how often the dancers changed their body’s direction. It gave the audience views from all orientations. It wasn’t one conformed performance that one can see every christmas season. No it was free and contemporary and that was what i think people wanted to see now. The underlying engager during the performance was the music. It started slow and naturally graceful and ended up reaching an upbeat, fast and aggressive tone that was very empowering helping deliver the message of the dance theme. The emotional experience is exacerbated by the music and the performers wanted you to feel the theme in all of its rawness. Its not enough to just focus on the show but on the performers movements and emotions as well. When the audience feels the same emotions that the dancer does, then the dancer can rest knowing the audience has felt the theme.
Overall, this was an unforgettable experience that i will have no regrets for walking through the bitter cold to watch. I plan on returning to watch more modern ballet.
![Wang Jianwei and the Guggenheim](https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/eversleyarts14/wp-content/themes/oxygen/images/archive-thumbnail-placeholder.gif)
The Guggenheim Museum was definitely a very new and unique experience. The building itself was astonishing because it really allows one to get insights into many prospectives all at the same time. Standing in one spot and being able to see many things from that one position really is an eye-opener.
I imagine Wang Jianwei had a similar experience in the museum. He said himself how the structure of the Guggenheim inspired much of his exhibition. The set of four paintings that depicted different “stills” as time went on is one way I feel Jianwei used the Guggenheim. Just like the Guggenheim, the paintings were all part of one another. As our tour guide astutely pointed out, in order to get the whole picture, one would have had to walk back and forth to take all four paintings in. Plus, each painting depended on the ones that came before or after. Just like this, the Guggenheim also requires people to walk back and forth, up the ramps, in order to get the whole picture of the museum. All of the “floors” are connected and provide unique views for the individual.
Another interesting fact about the exhibition was the fact that Wang Jianwei testifies that each piece can be taken for themselves and still “make sense”. For me, that held very true; so much so that I actually felt like I “understood”—however little or much I actually did—the pieces more separate rather than all together. Each piece separately meant more to me than the whole exhibition.
The video installation inspired by Kafka’s Metamorphosis was very…ambiguous. All of the events were relatively easy to understand, but I didn’t really understand the reason of making it 50 minutes long when it could have easily been explained in a lot less. The theme of time did poke through, though, so I do think this video installation was very much a part of the whole exhibition.
All in all, I’m glad to have experienced yet another “adventure” of sorts, getting to know the city I live in. The Guggenheim Museum is definitely a place to go as a tourist attraction and for a casual, yet enriching visit.
![The Guggenheim: Wang Jianwei's Time Temple](https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/eversleyarts14/wp-content/themes/oxygen/images/archive-thumbnail-placeholder.gif)
Before going into my experience with Wang Jianwei’s time temple, I would like to touch up the Guggenheim in general. In the summer that just passed, I was coming to terms with going to school in the city, which was the one place I said I wouldn’t go near. The thought then crossed my mind that people come from all over the world to come to school here, so there must be something worthwhile it had to offer. I took the time and decided to experience the city I was raised in through new eyes. This began my cultural exploration of the famous New York City. From free movie screenings, to museum visits, and food tastings, my summer played out well. One of the places many people, including my father, encouraged me to visit was the Guggenheim. Although I didn’t get the chance to go over summer, I must say, this is one of the greatest museums I’ve ever set foot in. The beauty and hard work that was put into the architecture of the building cannot go unnoticed. The circular structure is a brilliant set up and is all the more appreciated since they didn’t have the technology and tools we have today.
Now more specifically, seeing Jianwei’s exhibit sparked my interest. I think it is important to point out the way this exhibit was made. Jianwei was asked to make this exhibit for the space he was provided specifically. Our tour guide pointed out two things that stood out to me. Firstly, the exhibit room itself influenced the painting he made (the painting of the conference). After Wang came into the room he decided to imitate it within the painting. Secondly, he told us that each part of the sculpture could be placed on its own or in a different location in the room if it needed be. This was extremely interesting to me because most exhibits have a sense of precision that Jianwei refused to adopt. All in all, this was an amazing experience that I am grateful to have.
![Wang Jianwei's Time Temple Review](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4577/2014/11/16050915/D2332BEA-C94E-C02A-C401660C8A0525E8-470x140.jpg)
Today was my first trip to the Guggenheim museum, and after this experience, I think it is safe to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the Guggenheim to be a refreshing museum experience- not only because of its architecture, but also its experimental, avant garde exhibits, and of course, Wang Jianwei’s Time Temple.
As we were walking towards the Guggenheim, my first impressions of it were, “It’s a little small for such a famous museum.” However, once inside, I realized that I was wrong, and that Frank Lloyd Wright was an architectural genius- the spiral shape allowed the museum to be far more, or at least appear to be, expansive. Not only that, it was really cool to walk around all the way up without any stairs, and it was interesting that all the actual exhibits were behind the spiral (Fun fact- our tour guide told our group that it was specifically designed this way, so that people could not see any of the artwork from the ground floor.).
Wang Jianwei’s Time Temple was one of my favorite art pieces that we saw this year, besides Tom Smith’s Heavenly Bodies at the Rox Gallery. Maybe it was because of all the previous exposure to abstract art this year, but this installation was the first time I was able to “see something” about the art that made sense. I cannot describe how, but I was somehow able to link the sculptures and physical installations to the painting of the meeting, seeing the wooden sculptures as physical representations of the painted table. Whether or not this was Wang Jianwei’s intention, I felt a lot less confused about this installation than other works of art that we saw this year.
Another thing that I liked about Wang Jianwei’s exhibit was the use of space. Our tour guide told us that Wang Jianwei literally came the day before the show was supposed to open and created the exhibit there. For example, in the painting there is a blue line that runs where the ceiling meets the floor in the painting. This is supposed to be a representation of the way the wall that the painting is hung on meets the floor.
In addition, once we walk into the room, we become a part of the exhibit- we can get so close to the wood sculptures that nothing is stopping us from touching them except for watchful museum guards. I enjoyed walking between the two large sculptures and feeling awkward and unsettled, almost as if I was supposed to do that but not do that. The painting of the cell was also interesting because of the use of his colors. The tour guide also explained that the yellow color was meant to represented indecision when we looked at the portrait- when we look at traffic lights, yellow is when you have to decide whether to speed up to beat the light or slow down.
Besides Time Temple, I had the opportunity to walk around the museum and explore other exhibits. I found them to be very unique- they made me feel as though I was walking among showcases at a World’s Fair, even though I’ve never been to one. For example one of the pieces, done by Klein was empty- the original art featured him standing there smoking, letting the smoke take on ephemeral shapes and then disappear.
All in all, I am very appreciative of the fact that our last trip turned out to be such a pleasant experience, and one where I feel that I have finally begun to grasp the idea and abstractions of contemporary art. I will really miss outings, and am very thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to go and experience the arts of New York City.
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