This semester has been wonderful and I really feel like I’ve learned a lot from the various performances and exhibits I viewed. When I first entered the class I wasn’t really expecting to love the Arts in New York City seminar because I never really had an interest on the subject matter. However as the semester has gone by, I feel a lot more appreciative of the role art plays in our lives. Whether an artist is a social critic, curator of culture, or a political voice, all these roles affect our lives tremendously.
The artwork that that affected me most was Ruined. Ruined was a play that made me look at the lives of so many women around the world differently. I knew that there was some sort of genocide going on in Africa but I never really got to know the details. The news barely covers this topic and it’s barely shown in the media so how is the common person supposed to know about it? It’s pretty sad but unfortunately true. Many of us don’t have the time to research about the numerous issues of the world and all the information we gain is from the square little box sitting in our living rooms. However, Lynn Nottage does an excellent job in bringing this subject into light through the use of art. Many people (including me) wouldn’t have known about the horrors of the African Congo if it weren’t for this play.
From the name of the play, “Ruined”, I knew it was going to be a tough story to digest, but as I read this play, I couldn’t put it down. It was an interesting and engaging story of young women that were practically forced to live as prostitutes. The story was of course distressing, but what made it worse was that it was real. All the disturbing stories of torture and rape, they were real. I still don’t get it. How can humans be so brutal towards one another? We all breathe, live, and have the same needs. We should think of each other as brothers and sisters rather than targets and items. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain that these women have to go through on a daily basis. I feel like Ruined really inspired me to go out and research about the issues of the Congo as I’m sure many other people were. The story might’ve been staged on a play but the tears of the women that live there are most definitely real.
The performance that least affected me was the piece by Ralph Lemon. I mean after discussing it in class and with Lemon, I did appreciate it more, kind of. However, I still can’t forget the feeling I had as I left the show. I felt like it was the worst thing that I had ever watched; it was practically torture at the time. People were walking out and if I had a choice, I probably would’ve as well. I understand Lemon was trying to create something new and groundbreaking but you can’t create pieces of work that your audiences wont understand. It has to have some sort of structure or story. I felt like it was all over the place and just not worth it. Sorry Lemon, this was just not for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Arts in New York City Seminar. I feel like I have learned so much from the different places I visited, the books I’ve read, and the films I’ve watched. I have definitely enjoyed this wonderful Macaulay experience 🙂
