It was a hot, sticky morning that we met at the Guggenheim. My morning had not started out great, I woke up that morning and had to wear my glasses because I had run out of contacts. I was frustrated because my glasses are an ld prescription so it was going to be hard to see the art. It had been a cool, autumnal weekend and I had planned something nice to wear to the museum, but it ended up being too hot so I just put on some shorts and walked there from my dorm. When I arrived I noticed all of the food and souvenir carts lined up in front of the museum, the verdant abrupt stop of streets that marks Central Park lying just beyond them. I stepped into the museum, it was a lot smaller then I remembered it. The last time that I was there was in middle school on a trip, it had been winter and we just peeked in to look at the architecture, not to actually see the art. I felt like a very different person then I had been back then.
We then met our tour guide, he was wearing a matching collared t-shirt and shorts and tall socks with modern art printed on them. He was an eccentric guy but I really liked the way he spoke and what he had to say about the art. One thing that he said that stuck with me was to not make definitive statements, that it was distasteful. It made me think about how many definitive statements I make and how many of them I truly believe in or could honestly defend. My favorite part of the tour was getting to see the Van Gogh letters that he wrote to his brother. The drawings on them felt so personal because they were so small and sketchy, I could really see each of the individual pen strokes. The technique didn’t feel as intimidating as it does when it’s seen on a big piece of art that’s painted on canvas.
I also liked seeing the paintings of the Italian futurists. I googled the term when I got home, because I hadn’t heard of it before. Futurism was a movement that started in the early 20th century that glorified new technology and the urban burst of the Industrial Revolution. I liked how abstract the pieces were because I could try to figure out what it was supposed to be a painting of, then I could check the description and find out what it was. It was interesting to me to see how these artists interpreted the rush and bustle of modern city life, which often feels ugly and grey, and made art out of it.
Something that I noticed that piqued my interest was that many of these European born artists were listed to have died in various locations in Connecticut. I figured that a quick google search would answer this for me, but no luck. I wonder why so many of these artists ended up in Connecticut?
Also I saw this sweet little boy sketching some art that I thought I’d include in my post.
If I were to create a museum, I would want it to feature only female artists and artists of color from the past. I know that it would be hard to find these paintings, but I think that the people who would own them would want them to show in a museum. I would describe my museum as: a new museum showcasing forgotten works.
I love the idea that you have about how to name your museum. It is a beautiful idea, an all women of color art museum, and I think you might find more art than you think. The part you put about not making definitive statements also struck home as well. It made me too, think over how many times I say things, and only partially believe them, or then end up changing my mind.
Hello! I loved your detailed explanation of your morning before the museum and your thoughts throughout your time there. I think it is important to be conscious of our mental state when viewing art because it will likely effect how we think and analyze the pieces. I appreciate that you googled and tried to solve the unknown details you came across throughout your visit, and the fact that you solved some of your questions is an inspiration to truly learn after a trip to a museum. Finally, the fact that you would want to showcase woman and poc artists from the past is amazing! Shedding light on pieces of art that many people probably rarely get to see is so important to our growth as a society. I love the idea, and hope you actually open a museum one day!