On September 18th, the Macaulay class of 2021 held their Night at the Brooklyn Museum event. When we were released into the museum, a vast array of exhibits were made available to us.
One of the exhibits was a whole floor dedicated to American art; pieces from all periods of the land’s history from a variety of cultures. The gallery contained artifacts and artworks that are associated with life and death, as well as the transition between these states of being, from Native American tribes and other ancient American peoples. There was one piece in this American gallery that caught my group’s eye. It was an untitled painting of an American flag in grayscale that spanned two large vertical frames. My group interpreted this in several ways, from a symbol of remembrance of the horrors of 9/11 to the division of Americans into one of two general political ideologies.
There was also an interesting display of various film clips from director Sergei Eisenstein in a circular form, meant to be viewed from the center. This panopticon viewing style gives you the sense that these films surround and occur simultaneously all around you.
These are just a few of the interesting experiences from the Brooklyn Museum Night. It was a fun experience, exploring the museum with my fellow Macaulay students and interpreting and truly appreciating the artwork that the museum had to offer.
