Odd and out of place. Not bad but different.
Those are the first two thoughts that come to my mind when I think of the Guggenheim.
For me, our visit to the museum was simply eye-opening.
From the moment, I laid eyes on the building I was intrigued by it. In a city full of skyscrapers and apartment buildings, the white, circular Guggenheim sticks out like a sore thumb.
A fact, I find to be apropos.
Upon entrance to the museum, one is ushered into an open space. At first, it doesn’t seem like much – a big room with a crowd of other people. But then I looked up. I looked up and saw the most beautiful skylight.
To me, that is the single most spectacular thing about the Guggenheim – all the natural light. This is going to sound strange, but it makes the museum feel alive.
Walking from ramp to ramp, looking at all the different artwork, I felt something. I felt the history of each piece. I felt the emotions of each artist.
I also noticed something. I noticed that even though people were looking at the same painting they all had different expressions on their faces. They all saw different things. In my opinion, that’s truly amazing.
What I saw and what I felt when looking at Kandinsky’s Black Lines differs from what another person could have seen and felt.
Art is individual in that sense.
For our first blog post, we were asked to define art. I wrote that art is subjective and therefore not subject to limitation. I believe that I saw this in action at the museum.
The Guggenheim, in its entirety, demands attention.
Architecturally, it is one of the most attractive buildings in New York City. Externally and internally. In regards to artwork, the beauty of the museum’s collection is its diversity. From Pollock to Picasso and Kandinsky to Monet, there are so many different styles, techniques, and disciplines showcased.
If I were to open my own museum, it would be similar to the Guggenheim, in the fact that different styles would be displayed. However, I think I would make the exhibits more interactive. Instead of canvases being hung from plain white walls, I would put the canvases on easels. I would paint the walls of the museum different colors. I would have a café inside. There would be more benches and maybe a waterfall or two. I think I would even like to have an area for people to create their own art, to leave their individual mark. My goal would be to just create a fun, open, and inclusive space for anyone to use. A space where artists could display their work as well as create it.
Tags: Colorful, Fun, Inclusive, Interactive, Open
The idea of a museum where all visitors are encouraged to contribute to the art on display is incredibly innovative and just what our city needs. People have such differing and unique perspectives and to bring all of them together in an artistic way would be beautiful and revolutionary. I hope that maybe one day you can bring this idea to life!
Your interpretation that the museum itself is a piece of art is something I strongly agree with. You wrote that art is subjective and should be without limitation which is a very beautiful idea. I agree with this thought completely and think that the museum encompasses the theme exactly. Your reflection was very insightful and I enjoyed it very much!
Wow, your reflection was truly amazing. I was also intrigued by the skylight. I think Frank Lloyd Wright’s idea for the natural light to enhance the artwork really adds to the museum as a whole. I agree with your statement that “the Guggenheim, in its entirety, demands attention”. Between the architecture of the building, the prime location, and the artwork inside, what’s not to be awed by? I like your idea of having an interactive museum. Having people leave their individual mark is a cool concept for a museum that’s never been done before. Looking forward to seeing you make it happen! Great work!
“Odd and out of place.” This line gave me the chills and I absolutely loved it. I cannot stress enough with how similarly I feel. Eye opening, indeed and the Guggenheim was definitely one of the more attractive buildings in NYC. Reading your review on the Guggenheim and your experience as a whole has me missing it more and more by the second. Absolutely spot on!