Justin’s  Art Gallery

Taking a Trip Through  the Guggenheim and MOMA

My Chosen Theme: Nature/Simplicity

MOMA

Still Life With Three Puppies

Paul Gauguin

1888

        I decided to choose this picture because it represented an illustration of the simplicity of nature. On the top, we have 3 puppies who are drinking out of a bowl. On the bottom, the multiple different fruits represent a different form of life. Each aspect works with one other to maintain this feeling of calmness and tranquility in nature that I really enjoyed.

 

MOMA

Butterflies 

Odilon Redon

1910

        One of the reasons why this painting is included in my gallery is because of the way that the scene is drawn. The butterflies are rising over a field of flowers and into a blue sky, which perfectly encapsulates this theme of nature and also provides a feeling of hope. Even though this was illustrated in 1910, we are still able to relate to this depiction of nature.

 

MOMA

Turning Road at Montgeroult

Paul Cézanne 

1898

        I thought it was very interesting how the town in this painting seemed to be nestled within the nature surrounding it. There are only a few different colors used, but they create a scene that feels alive. Furthermore, no animals or interactions are shown, but the setting still feels like it contains life. Similar to the other still pictures in my collection, this piece stood out to me and I felt that it supported my theme.

 

MOMA

Untitled

Rirkrit Tiranavija 

2011

        Being one of the few modern photographs in my gallery, this picture displays a bustling social interaction between people. The blurred lines almost suggest that they are moving very fast, and conveys a sense of urgency amongst the crowd. This really stood out to me, and I think that the piece can support my theme because social interaction is a part of nature that we see everyday. Amongst all of the other classic paintings and creations, this piece was very distinct.

 

Guggenheim

Woman with Yellow Hair

Pablo Picasso 

1931

        This painting is a portrait of Marie-Thérèse, a woman who Picasso fell in love with. I feel like it supports my theme in that it displays a person in their most natural action, sleeping. It conveys a sense of safety and peacefulness that is aided by the smooth lines and deep colors of the painting. I also picked this because it made Picasso feel more relatable and human through his natural display of love.

 

Guggenheim

Prisoner of Love #2

Glenn Ligon 

1992

        I enjoyed this piece simply because it is a scroll of text, compared to traditional paintings or drawings. I thought it was interesting how the text slowly becomes less legible as it continues, and continuously repeats a phrase that may involve emotional turmoil. I related this confusion and turmoil of being a “prisoner of love” to natural feelings in life. Overall, this artwork was very independent from the others I chose.

 

Guggenheim

YPortfolio

Robert Mapplethorpe

1978

        When looking at this photograph, I am met with a feeling of sadness, but also happiness. The flower fits my theme of nature and almost seems to have emotion in the way that it is positioned. The dark and light contrast of color also really stood out to me, making me think of life and nature as something that is not always filled with happiness and color. Compared to the other choices of my gallery, this one is a direct opposite.

 

MOMA

Still Life with Apples

Paul Cézanne 

1895

        Once again, I felt that this piece of artwork displayed a form of simplicity, which I usually associate with nature. The variety of the fruit and color are prominent compared to the dull, white background of the cloth and table. Nature and fruit in art always seems to stand out from its surroundings, which was also displayed in my first choice for the first gallery. Another reason I liked this painting because it was from over 100 years ago, which shows how various themes have stayed prominent throughout history in art.

 

MOMA

The Starry Night 

Vincent Van Gogh

1889

        Although a very famous painting that has been seen countless numbers of times by so many, I still felt like this would fit my chosen theme for a few different reasons. First, life and nature at its fullest is displayed. The contrast between the bright, swirling stars and the somber, small town filled with people show the different ways that a natural setting can appear. Additionally, I chose this work of art because I felt that it is traditionally viewed as just a “famous painting”, and its true details are never taken into account.

 

MOMA

Grandcamp, Evening

Georges Seurat 

1885

        This art piece became a part of my gallery since it was very unique in the way that it was painted. The brush strokes almost seemed to be dotted, giving the image a very blurry appearance. However, the image became more clear as I looked at it, and perceived a natural image of a pristine ocean by a bustling ocean town in my mind. It really stood out to me just how much a few colors could be combined to create a scene that the viewer could fill in with more details and interpret.