When I first entered the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I saw that the area was quite concentrated with people. I thought that this was going to be an interactive experience where we could converse with others about what they thought about Caro’s artwork. Since I haven’t been to a museum as far as I can remember, I thought that this experience was really going to be memorable. Instead, I felt totally indifferent about the whole exhibit and encountered many pretentious upper class people. All I saw at the exhibit was just a bunch of metal “sculptures” if you may call them that that really had no place with all these upper class rich people and their condescending demeanor.

I thought that the exhibit itself was dull at best. All I really saw was just a bunch of metal pieces welded together without even a description. The only positive thing I could find about Caro’s so-called sculptures was the vivid colors but it could not match up with the unbelievable view. The rooftop scene of the beautiful Manhattan that the Met offered was inarguably more aesthetically pleasing than the other “things” that were on top of it. It seemed that nobody was really paying attention to the sculptures other than our classmates. I definitely felt like I didn’t fit in, as I didn’t have a cocktail in my hand and was sincerely trying to take notes about what I felt. The social environment definitely detracted from Caro’s sculptures. The wealthy elites of Manhattan seemed to be enjoying themselves with their drinks more than the actual exhibit. For them, the artwork acted as an obstacle that was just in the way so they used it as a place to rest their drinks. If perhaps there were less people, the question wouldn’t be “Which flavored martini should I get?” but “Which sculpture do u think is the most aesthetically stimulating?” I don’t really blame these people with their disregard to the sculptures because of the wonderful scenery but their disregard to the others around is what was upsetting. I mean, who would actually be paying attention to the bulks of metal rather than the beautiful scenery from the roof.

Although I spent quite a bit of time just scrutinizing Caro’s sculptures and just trying to see if they had any meaning to me, I just couldn’t come up with anything. I actually spent more time appreciating the scenery rather than the actual artwork from Anthony Caro with no disrespect. After I was done with my observations, I still was not satiated by my visit to the Met and didn’t feel that I would be so I quickly maneuvered through the masses of people, trying not to bump into anyone and dropping their drink (that would be the end of the world).  As I rushed towards the exit, I was stopped in my steps by all these other magnificent paintings. I think took a one hour detour just looking around the museum which I thought was way more stimulating than the sculptures I had seen on the roof. The experience I had with the paintings inside was deeper than experience I had with the sculptures. This face from the Met accurately describes how I feel about the sculptures.

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Stepping onto the roof of the Met to see the Anthony Caro exhibit, I had expected to see something amazing, and much to my expectation, I did. There was a beautiful view of the city, plenty of pleasant people, and lets not forget the drinks! No, actually forget the drinks, they were a bit too pricey for me to be twenty-one that day. Still, I found that the roof of the Met had a lot to offer. But I must admit, there was one exception. What were all these piled groups of scrap metal doing on the roof of the Met? Some were very bright, and others were just… there. Much to my dismay, the scrap metal turned out to be the Anthony Caro exhibit I had been waiting to see.

I’m no big fan of sculpture, much less abstract sculpture. I can appreciate a sculpture if I can draw some kind of meaning or message from examining it, but if there is nothing that speaks to me, then there’s not much I can say or feel about it. None of Caro’s sculptures really spoke to me that evening. I kept asking myself, and others, why? Why did Caro make these sculptures? Why were some of the parts bent in such distinct ways? Why is this sculpture in red? Why is this sculpture in yellow? Why are the drinks so expensive?!  I jest in my last question, but it brings about a serious point. Besides the view and I guess the exhibit, people found themselves drawn quite fervently to the bar. The roof of the Met wasn’t an exhibit (at least not on fridays) but rather, it was a big social gathering for the upper class New Yorkers. I took a closer look at the people who came to the exhibit and I noticed how well dressed they all were, how nicely they spoke, and how many of them were not focusing on the art. Most of the crowd were either too busy looking at the amazing view of the city, or too busy socializing with their friends (both groups, fancily holding martinis in their hands).

As I walked around with my group, I felt that we were lowly outcasts in a rich society. No one paid much attention to what were doing or saying- besides the guards of course, who might have viewed us as silly ruffians. We even talked about people behind their backs… in front of their face so to speak, and they didn’t even notice! With that said, my group and I had decided to have a little fun. My new friends each pulled out their cameras as we waited for the right opportunity to strike. When the guard looked away, I sprung into action! I laid down, belly to the ground, directly beneath the yellow sculpture, and put my arms right along my sides. This my friends was a grade A plank. We would have easily gotten away with it if it weren’t for one curious old passerby who witnessed my plank and immediately burst into an uproar of laughter! Eyes quickly shifted to me as I awkwardly got myself up from the ground. The young security guard nearby had a smile on his face, but following protocol, told me not to plank under the sculpture anymore. I was thrilled by the positive reactions I got! However I was still a little upset because as I was being lightly scolded for planking beneath the art, a couple was right next to me sitting and resting their drinks directly on the sculpture. Talk about fairness!

Needless to say, I happened to have enjoyed the scene more than the exhibit. Now don’t get me wrong here, Anthony Caro must be a brilliant sculptor to have received such acclaim over the years, it’s just that his piece on the roof of the Met was a bit too abstract for my taste. Also, the location for such an exhibit was just poorly chosen. When faced with the option of looking at a beautiful view of New York city or a bunch of scrap metal, which one would you pick? Perhaps if it were in a different location, such as not on a roof, or in a museum dedicated to modern art, the exhibit would fare better. Nevertheless, Caro’s exhibit remains on the roof, and will probably stay there for a while. So if you decide that the Anthony Caro exhibit is the place you want to plank in, make sure to do it with a martini.

             Are you guys starting to appreciate New York City more? I think I just might be seeing the city in a new light. For me the Anthony Caro Exhibit became an excuse for taking a city adventure. I have only gone to the Metropolitan Museum of Art once before but this time I got to see the city from an exciting view. As for the exhibit itself I’d say it was all Location! Location! Location!

            The fact that this exhibit was in one of the most famous museums in New York City already gave it importance. It was not just in the museum. It was on the roof of the museum. Awesome right? Going onto the roof of any building in Manhattan has got to be a treat and which is why I thought Anthony Caro would be a super high class exhibit. Viewing the exhibit and the sculptures might have felt exciting but that soon wore off. Instead of the sculptures I figured out that the view of Manhattan was much more intriguing. From this view you could see the green of Central Park contrast against the industrial architecture of the city beyond. Although colorful, the sculptures seemed to be mere appetizers before the New York City entrée.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m no art critic and I know nothing of how sculptures are created, what they mean, and the hard work that must go into it. Anthony Caro himself must be a respected sculptor who has worked hard to get his work into a famous museum. Mr. Caro himself is living and has lived the life of an artist. His primary objective wouldn’t be to get his stuff in a museum so he could gain fame. I suspect that as an artist he just does what he loves and is able to build a successful career around that. If I was Anthony Caro I would be proud of the work I do whether or not anyone else is interested because I would do it for me. The fact that the museum curators wanted to make an exhibit out of some of his work is an extra that is fortunate. Mr. Caro could have been more concerned with pursuing other work to fulfill his passion.

Oh I almost forgot to discuss my thoughts on why the sculptures were on the roof anyway. They could have been inside the museum and regarded as respected work just as they were outside. When I first saw the sculptures it reminded me of outward-bound day that all of us Macaulay kids were part of. On Governor’s Island there were large iron sculptures in the middle of the field that made the scenery more appealing and gave it a classy touch. They were pieces of art that were durable and not delicate to the outside environment whereas indoor art is delicate to simple things such as flash photography(which I got yelled at for doing one time but maybe he yelled more because my tired little cousin sat on one of those ancient chairs.) I think that similar to the sculptures on Governor’s Island, Caro’s sculptures were also durable and highlighted the roof to make it more visually appealing. No one is going to start yelling “That is totally NOT ALLOWED!! >=|” if you take a bunch of pictures on the roof. The roof was actually a great place for a photo session so all the tourists can take pictures and show all their friends on Facebook how much fun they are having in New York. The scene greatly outstood the artwork itself. If this exhibit wasn’t being displayed in the Met’s roof would anyone of us even know who Anthony Caro was?

Entering the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was expecting to see art… and that is exactly what I received! I viewed sculptures, paintings, ancient architecture, and much more. The inner part of the museum was phenomenal to say the least, and set my expectations quite high for the Anthony Caro exhibit as I took the elevator to the roof of the museum. As I exited the elevator, I was in shock. I literally thought there was a live, interactive acting scene where everyone was supposed to be playing a pompous, wealthy individual. Being a fan of the dramatic arts I couldn’t wait to join the party, but then I read the sign by the front door. Apparently, the invisible, giant metal structures were the actual art in the exhibit. Now I was confused. There was no way the Metropolitan Museum of Art would hold a nightclub on its roof overlooking central park. Unfortunately I was mistaken, and sadly disappointed.

Anthony Caro, I’m sorry to say that your art is being used as giant coasters for outrageously priced alcoholic beverages. I guarantee you that art enthusiasts take an interest in your work if it has the privilege of being put in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or at least on top of it, but I personally don’t see the appeal. I examined a sculpture for a couple of minutes searching for an energy, emotion, idea, message, anything, but all I found was a bunch of scrap metal welded together and then painted over with a single solid color. I’m not going to say your work is not art because it is an expression of human creativity, but I will say that your sculptures may have had a little trouble speaking for themselves. In retrospect, it might have not been your art at all; instead it could have been that I couldn’t hear your art speak over all the gossiping and haughty conversation going on around me.

Now the people on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they were quite a work of art. Never in my life have I seen so many wealthy, obnoxious individuals in one place. I’m not going to lie; I didn’t actually know how rich they were until I saw the price of the alcohol. $8.00 for a beer and $14.00 for a martini! I hope they didn’t have to pay extra for the olive. Now I’m not one to judge people just because they are rich, but when someone has built this idea in their head that they are better than someone else because of the wealth they have had since they were born, all bets are off. Everyone there was drinking, talking, partying, and completely disregarding the art exhibit. I think the only ones who actually acknowledged Caro’s work, were the ones who needed a place to sit their drink on something. Not only was the artwork invisible, but apparently I was too! My friend and I were having a conversation literally in front of the people we were criticizing for their outrageous behavior and we might as well have been ghosts. I felt completely invisible to everyone except for my own classmates, oh and I almost forgot about the security guards.

After that I day on the rooftop, I truly started to believe that money does get you everything, and those without it, simply don’t. Anyone with a drink could use the art however they pleased whether it was a picnic table, a chair, or something to lean on. On the other hand, if one of my fellow classmates was so ever to lay one finger on a sculpture, security was all over them advising them to stay away from the so-called “precious” artwork. Now rich people I can deal with, being invisible sure, but discrimination is where I draw the line! So I decided to be a bit rebellious and take matters into my own hands. Enjoy!

The Caro Exhibit was not was I was expecting. Walking through the ground floor of the museum I saw lots of art that was aged but beautiful. I was excited, it was my first time in the Met and I anticipated that the art on top of the building would be as wonderful as the art inside it. And while the exhibit was… interesting, I didn’t really see where Caro was coming from. His art came across as impersonal; it didn’t really lead to any interesting thoughts or emotional feelings. I felt as if Caro had stuck a few metal scraps together, threw on a few gallons of a solid color, and then thought: “Hey, you know what? This probably belongs in a museum.”

But then again, I can’t say that I scrutinized Caro’s work as much as I was summing up the crowd. The scene was definitely more aesthetically pleasing than the sculptures. I suppose that if all the pompous people and copulating couples were not around to distract me I would have looked at the sculptures some more. However, I doubt that I would gain some sudden appreciation.

The people too, seemed more involved in themselves than the actual art. They were socializing, ordering cocktails, and resting their drinks on the sculptures. A few other students and I questioned a few people on their thoughts on the sculptures. “It’s different,” a man said. “Simple,” his girlfriend added. I myself would call the Caro’s exhibit anything other than “simple,” but the couple they did seem a little bit intoxicated. Not any less tipsy than the rest of the crowd, though.

The first time I ever visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art was also the same day I went to go see the “Anthony Caro on the Roof” Exhibit. I won’t be blunt, my expectations were high. I traveled for two hours, maneuvering my way through a subway system that didn’t have the train I needed running and walking through Central Park. Finally, I found my way to the museum and was amazed at just the exterior. The fountains were amazing, and the people outside just the same.

Eventually, my group made it onto the roof. Before even passing through the doors, the sound of laughter, chatter and pointless conversation filled the air. The first thing I laid eyes on wasn’t even the art. It happened to be the bars perfectly placed at either end of the exhibit. These bars were clamored with adults who would be willing to pay a ridiculously high price for a martini, only to lay it down later on one of the pieces of art. My next image though, was of the outrageously large steel structures that had been placed (randomly, I think) on the roof. These “pieces of art” were supposed to be the focal point of everything that was going on the roof. These pretentious, seemingly-self absorbed people were not at all interested in what was placed there for them to view. Even the beautiful skyline (that was so pretty I had to take a picture of it) wasn’t good enough to hold their interest. There were so many of these characters on the roof that even if I were intrigued by the art, I would not have been able to appreciate it.

The crowd definitely influenced the way I took in the entire exhibit. Rather than interpret the art, I spent most of my time trying to listen to the conversation of these “intellectuals” to see if they were even talking about the art themselves. My conclusion? Absolutely no one was. I heard one couple talk of their trip to a foreign country, and another speak of the work they had to do at the office. Instead of Anthony Caro’s art being viewed, it was being used as a place to “hang out” for the upper-class of NYC. Being there on a Friday night made me feel extremely out of place, and I got my fair share of condescending stares.

Unfortunately, my opinion is that the scene was more interesting than the artwork itself. Maybe had I gone on a Tuesday night as opposed to a Friday, the scene might have been different but there’s no telling now. The artwork was overcome by the wealthy upper class New Yorker’s who, hopefully unintentionally, polluted the roof with their care free, and uninterested regard.