Blog #2

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11
Sep 17

A Trip to the Guggenheim

The Guggenheim is listed as one of the “must-see!” locations in all of New York City on virtually every New York City tourism site. This isn’t done in vain, because the Guggenheim is truly one a work of art in itself. The architectural feat that is the Guggenheim is breathtaking, both to a tourist and a New York City native who has visited the museum several times.

I’ve always felt that the Guggenheim provides a comfort and private feeling that no other museum in New York City can quite achieve. Perhaps it is the encompassing landscape of white that greets you from both the exterior and when you step through the glass doors. Perhaps it is the smooth upward slopes that double as stairs. Or perhaps it is the private little alcoves nestles within the rougher outer circles of displays. Whatever it is, the Guggenheim can always provide me the feeling of having a private viewing of artwork whether I am alone or whether I am with a large group of college students.

Although I’ve visited the Guggenheim before, both as a young child and as of just a few months ago, this was the first time I think I truly appreciated both the Guggenheim itself and what it had to offer. I’ve always left the artwork to my own wandering interpretation, but with a guided tour, I was able to peek into perspectives I know I would never have fathomed on my own- and it was brilliant. I was fascinated with the rich and passionate way our tour guide introduced us to each piece of artwork. There was something about the way he spoke; it was as if he was introducing a dear friend to a stranger. Our tour guide peeled back the layers of each painting; of each portrait; of each sketch and he guided us into the minds of the artists themselves.

Anything or anyone who can cause one to delve deeper into themselves, past limits and preconceived notions stored in the mind has always been a great addiction of mine. It is like skies of possibilities opening up. The remarks of the guides and the challenge to see the work in a different light brought to me new expectations for broadening my perspectives and expanding my lines of judgement.

If I had the privilege of creating my own museum, I would choose to display work that reflected my deepest thoughts, my purest emotions, my most meaningful moments. The works displayed in my gallery would reflect who I truly am; unabashed, unashamed and untethered.

My artwork defines who I am and it gives me a clarity that I can find no where else about myself.

There would be snapshots from my life.

Photographs I fell in love with in its creation.

The pieces displayed would be recognitions of the people I love the most in my life.

In essence, I want my museum to reflect this quote I spotted on the walls of the Guggenheim upon our visit:

The pieces I display in my museum will reflect the pictures, the paintings, the sketches and the memories that have lived with me because I, felt them so deeply.

I want my museum to tell the narrative of who I am. I want my museum to be unashamedly personal. To be thought-provoking upon oneself. To be full of pure and raw emotion. To be truthful. To be eye-opening and sympathetic.

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11
Sep 17

Visiting The Guggenheim

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.

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10
Sep 17

Museum Story-Guggenheim

Walking to the Guggenheim, to be brutally honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve never been much of an art person, or a museum person for that matter, and so I didn’t have the highest expectations. I was heading up 5^th Avenue wondering if I would know which building it was when I saw it, and then this huge, white bee hive like structure appears, with my classmates waiting out front; that answered that. As we were waiting outside, I wasn’t paying much attention to the building, but kind of just spacing out and waiting for the signal to go inside. Upon entering the museum, I wasn’t yet struck with the magnificence of the structure; sure, the lobby seemed clean and spacious, but I still didn’t pay too much attention to the layout of all the exhibits.

After meeting our tour guide, Phillip, and seeing his exuberance and passion for the Guggenheim, I became more excited to see what the museum had in store. We started with Kandinsky, who was a creator of quintessential modern art, and the painting we started with is exactly what one might think of when hearing the phrase “modern art”. Our tour guide mentioned that many people dismiss Kandinsky and his art saying that it takes no skill to make, and even non-artists are capable of creating it. Admittedly, I’ve thought that kind of sentiment myself. But Phillip had a perspective that I haven’t heard before; he said that it may be true that the average person would have the skill to make that, the difference is that they don’t.

After talking by that first piece of art for a while, we start making our way up, stopping by some other paintings on the way. At this point I finally see exactly how the museum is laid out-it’s just one big unwound slinky of continuous art, all the way up to the top. Not shockingly, this is a not a layout I’ve ever seen before, whether in a museum or otherwise. I thought it was so cool that someone could walk the entire length of the museum and see all the exhibits without ever stopping, turning, or even moving through different rooms.

The work of art that had the most effect on me was “Woman Ironing” by Pablo Picasso. I just felt like it conveyed so much emotion, even though it is basically all grey. The woman’s posture, her facial expression, and how her eyes were shaded over all told me details of this woman’s life, and made it feel as though she were a real, dynamic person.

After the tour ended, I continued to walk around the museum myself, to see the rest of the art. But again, the architecture of the building that housed the art seemed to strike me more than the art itself (the art was cool too though). I think overall, visiting the Guggenheim was a great experience; individually I found meaning in the architecture, and with the help of our tour guide Phillip, I found meaning in the art too.

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10
Sep 17

The Guggenheim

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.

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10
Sep 17

Museum Narrative

Grasping my father’s hand as a child while dancing through the crowds of New York City tourists brought me joy. My father was often very adamant about visiting museums in Manhattan on his days off with me, knowing it was one of my favorite things to do. Through these countless trips to the MET, MoMa, and, our personal favorite, The Whitney, I came to appreciate all different types of art at a young age. I grew an extraordinary interest in my now favorite artist, Edward Hopper, due to the stories each of his paintings tell. Each museum we encountered left a mark on us.

As I entered the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, I was taken back by the overall architecture of the building. It was my first time visiting the Guggenheim and I was excited to learn what it was all about. My neck strained as I walked into the front doors, trying to capture all of the beauty of the interior of the building. As we began to congregate for our tours, I noticed a man wearing vibrant abstract art socks, who ended up being our tour guide. Our group followed this energetic man up the continuous, windy ramp, of which the museum consisted of. He began to narrate the story of the Guggenheim, how it was constructed and the people that made it happen. He put emphasis on the revolutionism of the Guggenheim itself, and how influential a handful of artists were towards the expansion and appreciation of abstract and surreal art.

We stopped at the first painting, Vasily Kandinsky’s Landscape with Red Spots, No. 2. The tour guide began to explain how influential Kandinsky was towards the revolution of abstract art. He detailed the artist’s life, putting emphasis on certain aspects, allowing the observer to understand the piece and the artist’s intentions to another level. The guide mentioned that Kandinsky studied law in order to work as an advocate for other abstract and surreal artists. Compared to the small label next to the painting itself, the tour guide was able to personalize the artists and help me understand the meaning behind the painting and the gallery as a whole. Without the help of the guide, I wouldn’t have understood how revolutionary this art was at that time.

Understanding the meaning behind a painting, sculpture, or even an entire museum itself, is almost impossible without some sort of narrative. Whether it’s that little plaque on the wall that gives you a brief summary of the work of art or if it’s an actual tour guide with unlimited amount of knowledge on the subject, a museum needs description. If I were to create a museum, the collection of works would have to flow together. The collection would tell a meaningful story, each piece adding onto it, as the Guggenheim did so effortlessly. My museum’s narrative would be interactive, allowing the observer to understand and question the artist’s intentions. All of my favorite museums left me understanding something that I didn’t before, and all of my favorite artists have opened up their own world to me through their creations.

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10
Sep 17

The Guggenheim

The Guggenheim was one of the most intricate and diverse museums I have ever been too and I knew it had something to do with the founder, Solomon G. Guggenheim. Solomon Guggenheim was originally a businessman who just happened to have a love for collecting art. Eventually, Solomon wanted to show his art to people so he began presenting them in small showrooms. There came a time when he just had too many paintings and needed a larger venue. Solomon wanted a “temple” that reflected the thoughts of the people when looking at the artwork.

Finding the museum was not difficult since it does stand on one of the most famous streets in New York City, adjacent to Central Park, Museum Mile. The architecture of the museum was nothing to ignore. The obscure white outside wrap around makes practically everyone on the street stop to observe, thanks to Frank Lloyd Wright who was able to come up with such a unique architectural design. The extensive security and bag check seemed to differ from other museums since most don’t have such a strict process. The best part of the museum experience was walking in, and looking up. The spatial, white, open arrangement of the museum was astounding and unexpected.

One piece in particular sparked my interest during the tour. The painting was titled “Before The Mirror” by Edouard Manet. What I enjoyed about the tour was that the guide gave us two minutes to scrutinize the painting and reflect on our own personal thoughts. The rapid movements of the artists brush made the painting very vague and unpredictable. When you look at the mirror particularly, you cannot even see her facial expression. From the way she is dressed, to the pleasant pastel shades Manet used, I inferred she is from some sort of a bourgeoisie class. If you walk around the floor and look at the painting from across the floor, it is interpreted differently. From a far, the painting looks put together without much to question or interpret which I think makes this one of the most fascinating contemporary pieces I looked at while at the Guggenheim.

Walking through the museum, I realized Solomon’s goal was to let everyone construe the art in completely different ways. There was no right or wrong answer in the museum and the bright open architectural design helps one think and reflect on the art peacefully. If I were to create a museum, I would want the overall theme of the museum to resemble one of serenity. I would want one to feel untroubled and at peace with themselves when stepping foot into the museum. Instead of bright white like Solomon, I would go for a more neutral tone approach with calm waterfalls or sitting areas throughout the museum. The Guggenheim truly showed how paintings that were hundreds of years old, are still viewed and interpreted by people differently each day. As the years went on, the thoughts of Americans varied and dispersed.

Karina Karazhbey

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10
Sep 17

The Guggenheim Experience

Throughout my tour of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, it became apparent that the institution was a microcosm of the modern art movement of the twentieth century. It highlights the transition from classical periods of art history where artists took inspiration from the past and largely focused on idealism, to the era of modern art, where recent innovations in artistry promoted the depiction of everyday struggles among other commonplace human sensations in artwork. Having the opportunity to observe several pieces from the collections of Hilla Rebay, Vasily Kandinsky as well as Justin K. Thannhauser and others, it was clear that the museum’s objective was to capture the essence of abstract artistry in one experience.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim is found on fifth avenue, conveniently located in front of one of New York City’s most popular tourist attractions: Central Park. The museum structure itself is an intricate architectural work complimented by an entrance decorated with vibrant fields of grass. Upon entry, after going through several stages of security, I entered a spatial first floor, which was where my group was introduced to one of the guides who would lead us throughout the spiraling floors of the exhibition called “Visionaries: Creating a Modern Guggenheim.” Though we did not fully engage in each art display, our guide stopped by several works that showcased the most visible textures and technical attributes of modernism.

Walking around the museum, I came to the conclusion that the Guggenheim in itself was a work of art that embodied the main premise of modernism; abstractionism. From the coiling floors which act like individual layers of the museum, but really constitute one continuous circular floor that revolves around itself as you progress, to the occasional cubicle divisions that highlight the works of particular artists, the Guggenheim as a structural work is it’s own exhibit to be appreciated as an extension of the contents of the museum. As we observed different exhibits, particularly several landscapes in ink by Vincent Van Gogh, our guide pointed out the stylistic traits, as well as a semantic interpretation, particularly of the piece titled “Two Trees.” I was intrigued when I discovered that Gogh had created this piece of art during his time at an asylum. However, after some light research into modernism, I realized that Gogh’s piece may have been instrumental in the development of modern art. Being in an asylum may have been a driving force in his creating such ambiguous, yet emotionally saturated pieces of art, that expressed many of his mental health struggles.

I also found it interesting when our guide would explicitly criticize certain aspects of a painting, or completely discredit it as the artist’s way of “making ends meet,” since he had displayed such passion for the institution and seemed to emphasize the importance of each work. Though I found it peculiar, I realized that although not every piece may have had an identical significance, each display was influenced by the cultural, or even political circumstances of its time, and plays a role in not only making different periods of art tangible, but also telling a different side of history that may not be visible from merely reading a textbook.

Ronald Osherov

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10
Sep 17

Museum Stories

My favorite part of the experience was the location of the Guggenheim. Its located in a beautiful area so the walk to the museum is very pleasant and relaxing. Once I got to the museum, the first thing I noticed was the dome shaped windows behind a small white cement rise. The domes were surrounded by all kinds of bright green plants. As I walked through the doors, my bag was searched and a man in a suit scanned my body with a metal detector. I began to think back o other museums I visited in NYC and couldn’t think of the last time I went through that kind of security. Once I walked in, I was confused to see such an open interior design. Standing from the bottom as I looked up to the spiral ramp, I could see a lot of the paintings on display. As my eyes reached the top, I noticed that although windows covered the whole dome shaped ceiling, there wasn’t much light coming into the museum. Quickly I remembered the dome windows outside that looked like exact mini replicas of the ceiling right above me. Reverting my attention back to the building I took notice of each level. The building kind of looked like a ramp but at the same time each level flowed so perfectly into the next, and so they all looked as if they would be divided by stairs. At the beginning of the tour, I quickly realized that the whole building was in fact a ramp. Once we began to explore the art and their connection I saw that the windows all over the building seemed to be taped over. The tour guide explained that sunlight deteriorates paintings and they installed light fixtures to mimic the sun ray. I thought it was very interesting that all of the artwork was so spread apart. Each time you looked at a piece of art, there was no other distraction. It was very easy to spend a lot of time on one piece because you weren’t getting pulled into all of the other pieces of art. The only pieces that were grouped together were usually by the same artist in the same era and style. A lot of the pieces and artists that we saw, were somehow connected to either each other or the building itself. As you walk up the ramp each piece transitions flawlessly into the next.

I think my favorite piece of art was the oil painting of the woman. Looking close up, the piece was blurry and used colors that didn’t really look natural (like greens in her hair). The woman was looking into a mirror but her reflection didn’t show any specific features. Because of the blurriness of the piece, it didn’t look very realistic, but as you walked back, farther away from where the painting was hanging, the picture became more clear. It eventually looked like it could be a photograph. All of the details that were once a blur, now made sense because of our limiting eyesight.

I think if I were to create my own museum, it would be a sculpture museum. I would maybe build the interior into a sort maze and give each sculpture its own little corner. I also would probably have hanging lights that focus on each piece of art from above. In addition, I’d like to have some music playing around the museum, maybe from each era of each piece so the museum includes other senses besides sight. I also like opulent things, and I would like for the sculptures and designs in my museum to almost me overwhelming. My museum would try to include as many undiscovered artists (that fit into the theme) as possible. It’s always interesting to see beautiful work produced by undiscovered talent.

Key words:

maze like
modern
undiscovered artists
opulent
extravagant
huge
overwhelming

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10
Sep 17

Guggenheim – Loaded With Emotion but Devoid of Life

Walking to the Guggenheim museum was a wonderful experience. The sun was warm and bright on my skin. The flowers I passed, like the ones below, were in full bloom, still had the morning dew on them, with various bees buzzing around them. I felt as if mother nature herself was trying to give me a glimpse of her personal art. Walking up to the museum to find I was not the only early one, was a gift as well. When we were all together and finally got into the museum, there was no wait, and everything moved along smoothly, which is definitely unexpected considering how popular the museum apparently is. Though I appreciated the aesthetics of the spiral building, it was not what I am used to. There also was not much art, although I guess the purpose of the museum is selectivity.

The tour guide was very enthusiastic, and you can tell he felt a deep connection to the museum. Hearing about the art, from someone who clearly loves it, was a great way to really get a proper feel of the museum. I enjoyed looking at the art through his eyes, as well as the way he encouraged us to, so to speak, bring our perspectives the table. One of the last pieces we saw as a group (pictured to the left and below), I felt I really connected with. I shared a thought about how the subject of the picture was soulless in its expression but the picture itself was full of emotion.This was one of the few modern art pieces I really connected with. Another being the picture shown below. I loved the color of this piece and the way that everything seemed to pop out. I also enjoyed the way that, no matter how long I looked at it, there seemed to be an endless amount of things to discover in it.

Following a theme set by the first two pictures I enjoyed, most of the art in the museum that spoke to me was realistic in nature. I am not one to usually enjoy modern art, and while the visit to the Guggenheim made me appreciate it a bit more, I still enjoy historical and realistic art more. I am a painter myself( I included some of my pieces down below), using mediums of acrylic and oil paints interchangeably. I am a more realistic painter, and so I guess that it was an art form I enjoy more, as I can connect to it. I saw one piece where it was just two lines painted in an X shape across a canvas. and personally, I cannot see how that would be considered art, but it is in a famous museum so I guess enough people consider it art.

All in all, II felt the Guggenheim told a very intriguing story of artists struggling to get the world to accept their perspective of art. Which is a concept I feel will never end, as there will always be new art forms, and many people to debate what makes something “more art” than another thing. And, so, in a museum of my making, I would also, as the Guggenheim did, have a varied collection, from different collectors. It would be mostly historical art and if I did include modern art, it would be of a more realistic caliber. It would be in an easily accessible place, that would be open to everyone. I would also include a lot of teen artist because I feel there are not enough places for teenagers to display their art unless they get taken under the wing of a professional.

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10
Sep 17

The Guggenheim Rollercoaster

On a sunny Tuesday morning, I arrived early to the first museum of many I will be attending this year as a part of my Macaulay class. As a result of my promptness, I had time to spare before entering the Guggenheim to meet with my fellow classmates. So, I walked across the street to Central Park and sat on a bench and read a book. In my opinion, Central Park was the first museum I stepped into that day. The park is full of foliage, peace and natural beauty. When time came to enter the Guggenheim, I looked up at the museum and was amazed at its beautifully unique structure. The architecture of the museum was remarkable and upon entering the museum, I appreciated how the natural sunlight seeped from the top of the building as the spiral ramp hugged the surrounding walls that overflowed with art. The first topic of discussion initiated by the tour guide was the elephant in the room, the architecture. Who created it? And why did the architect build the museum like this?

The docent informed the class that the Guggenheim was built by the renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, in1959. Wright had intentional motives for all the details of the museum. The location of the Guggenheim is right next to Central Park, thus, Wright built big glass windows facing the park. Wright purposely built these windows to escape the noise, distraction and congestion of the city while providing inspiration from nature. I wholeheartedly agree and experienced this isolation and inspiration when I arrived early to the museum. Additionally, the exposed rotunda presented the onlookers the special opportunity to view the art from different levels simultaneously. For example, as I walked up the ramp, the tour guide pointed down to a painting from on a lower level that we had seen earlier. When observing it from a farther and higher angle the painting became fascinatingly clearer.

Walking through the Guggenheim made me wonder how the museum choose its art and the frames that surround them? Is it the name of the artist or the artists’ followers that make the paintings grant entry into the museum? I was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the Guggenheim, that I never got answers to these questions. I hope on my next visit to a museum I explore these questions further.

I began to think as to why my grandma’s work is not hanging in the Guggenheim? My personal experience with art growing up were these beautiful landscapes water color paintings my grandmother made. Her artwork always drew my attention and my support. When looking at Pablo Picasso’s painting, arguably the most famous painter of the 20^th century, I thought about how, if I were to open a museum or gallery, my grandma’s work deserved to be displayed next to Picasso’s The Poet.