The most notable thing about the Guggenheim Museum is the shape of the museum itself. It is a very popular and well known museum, so I knew how it looked before I arrived on the day of class. As I approached the museum that afternoon however, its striking difference to the rest of the New York City skyline became very apparent. Everything else around the museum and blocks away was shaped as most things are in New York, as tall and sharp rectangular buildings. The Guggenheim however stands out on its own as an oddly shaped circular building standing high on a New York City corner. Then, as you enter the museum, you can truly take in the magnificence of the buying itself. The levels wrap themselves around the walls of the circular building giving a spiraling look as you look up. Also, with the absence of stairs in the museum, you truly just ascend into the next levels of the museum, slowly taking up all of its beauty.
I am not a very artsy person myself and was not expecting to enjoy the museum as much as I did once I arrived. I was expecting to be bored with pieces of art that all had the same look or story being told all thrown up on to a wall. The Guggenheim Museum however gave a totally different feel and told a different story than the one I was expecting to get. The gradual ascent and change in artist as you make your way around the spirals truly gave off an artistic and cultured feel.
I was especially in awe and fascinated by the work of Pablo Picasso on his painting of the woman ironing in France. That painting really stood out to me because it so clearly told a story without the use of any words. The woman was in pain and was holding so much weight on her shoulders. She was clearly not happy with her life and was not enjoying the ironing and labor that she was doing in the painting. This painting showed the true side of France. Not everyone was fulfilling their dreams and living a wonderful life. People were in fact suffering and going through very rough times despite what was being broadcasted to the rest of the world. This painting was so amazing to me in that it lent itself to such a deep but simple interpretation.
If I were to create a museum, I would want it to convey the message of equality and innovation. I would not want a museum that showcases the same themes that all other museums carry or portray all the stereotypical stories of that time. I would want to create a museum that invites controversy and change through art. My museum would be one that would be home to innovative, different art that might be frowned upon by other institutions but would be celebrated and recognized in my own. I welcome difference and change, which is exactly what I want my museum to encompass.
Tags: change, controversy, equality, expression, innovation
I agree with you about the museum being visually, as well as structurally distinct from the rest of NYC, which was an important aspect of the entire experience. I also remember Picasso’s painting of the woman ironing being one of my favorite paintings, with its gloomy mood and slightly exaggerated human characteristics. I appreciate your idea of a museum that invites change and different opinions, as I think it would offer an interesting experience to look at provocative art, unlike the Guggenheim, which although provides insight into modern art, can seem to lack any sort of artwork that incites controversy.