I must admit, I was quite excited when I heard we would be attending a rooftop exhibit in the city. In fact, I recall enthusiastically telling a former classmate about it when he asked about my current course load. However, after arriving at the exhibit, I found myself more captivated with the view than the exhibit itself. Perhaps I would have been able to appreciate the art a bit more if there were explanations for each piece on display. I was interested, however, to learn that Anthony Caro was knighted by the Queen and that his pieces need to be lifted to the roof via crane. This seemed to be a fact that one would want to include in the exhibit, yet I stumbled upon it while conversing with a security guard who wished to remain nameless.
Many of the people who were at the exhibit seemed to be there primarily for the view. Even in this photo I managed to snap, those surrounding the sculpture seemed disinterested in the art. One man stands with a cocktail in hand looking clear past the piece, while a couple on the other side of the sculpture enjoyed their version of a picnic.
While many individuals at the exhibit seemed to be there simply for the experience and the view, it would be unfair for me to generalize all the participants as impartial. I can remember one woman in particular who seemed fascinated with a certain red sculpture. The woman seemed to be taking notes intently as she studied the piece. After seeing this woman, I not only wished that I knew what was going through her mind, but that I could have similar thoughts while viewing Caro’s art. Conversely, I found myself underwhelmed and confused at the function of each piece. Perhaps the pieces didn’t need a purpose. Perhaps that was the art of it. But for me, the true beauty of that night was the view of the Manhattan skyline from a rooftop on Fifth Ave.
