I felt that that the display of concrete and steel structures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Anthony Caro was best art I’ve seen over the duration of the art seminar…NOT!
Over the past semester, I saw New York City in all shades of gray. I was taken everywhere from New York City’s brightest aspects to its darkest corners. New York City is one of the largest cities in the world, which means the range of human interpretations is boundless. Some people see New York as a means of fulfilling their dreams, a sort of sanctuary, and a place filled with hope; others perceive New York to be an urban nightmare, with hellish features, and filled with nothing but despair. So over the past couple of months I felt that I got a good taste of the various views New Yorkers have to offer.
Despite all of the point of views I witnessed, the rich, the poor, the hopeless, the racist, the selfish, the selfless, the immoral, the ethical, and even the crazy, there was one point of view that seemed to stand out among the rest… the world through the eyes of an immigrant. Now I know a majority of students loved the immigrant unit, but it’s for a good reason! Unless you were an actual immigrant who traveled long distances to live in New York City, you probably never took the time to stick yourself in their shoes and try to understand the lives they live everyday. Not all immigrants come to America poverty stricken—some are actually very well off before they come to New York City—but let’s just focus on those who migrate to New York for a better life for themselves. Carlo Alban, for example, delves into his life as an illegal alien living the false identity of an American citizen. Never in my life, have I thought about the physical, emotional, and psychological hardships that someone like Carlo goes through as they try to make a life for themselves in America. Not to mention that immigrants like Carlo work at least twice as hard as any other person born with the right to be an American citizen. If anyone deserves citizenship, it’s these men and women who work day and night for a citizenship that countless people take for granted. Intríngulis was, without a doubt, the most influential performance I’ve seen this year. However A View from the Bridge, Maria Full of Grace, and even In America, all also conveyed a perspective that brought out a feeling of sympathy and, more importantly, an understanding of what it’s like to be a foreigner in a big city.
Although my favorite unit was the immigrant unit, and the most influential piece I saw was Intríngulis with Carlo Alban, it doesn’t mean that it was my favorite work. In fact, my favorite work was Asuncíon. Why? Simply, because I found it the most entertaining. Now I know this sounds shallow and juvenile, but among all the art works out there, I am one who finds the most entertaining to be the most enjoyable. Honestly, who doesn’t like to sit down to a performance with some friends and have a good laugh? Yes, the message might have been lost among all the comedy, but it doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it. Asuncíon was the funniest performance I have ever seen and I had the most fun watching it out of all the performances. Not to mention that I got to meet not only one, but two famous celebrities in one night. I mean come on, who else can say that they met Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Bartha on the same night and got autographs and pictures to prove it. To take it all in at once, the feeling was surreal. This will be a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
So as you can see, I learned a lot about New York City over time we spent together as an arts seminar class. I learned that I could go to the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to be surrounded by pompous jerks (to put it lightly) and dull sculptures, the opera to put myself through three hours of torture, the Brooklyn Academy of Music to watch a terrifying yet interesting performance to say the least, where to find the world’s greatest cannoli, and to never watch the Bald Soprano again. But in all honesty I had a lot fun. I was happy to be exposed to the vast world of art found within the streets of New York City that I didn’t even know existed. From now on I will appreciate the value the art brings to this city. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll take a risk and try to watch a performance outside of my comfort zone just because I can. It’s just one more reason why I love being a New Yorker.
Thanks everyone for a great semester and enjoy winter break! 😀
New York City wouldn't be the city it is today without the Twin Towers.
