THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY Fall 2017 | Baruch College | Macaulay Honors

Photography is essentially a medium for expression. It expresses memories, thoughts, and feelings. But what drives the photographer? What drives the subject? What drives the spectator to take a moment to not only look, but truly see what the lens has captured? This question is one of many that has plagued Roland Barthes about photography. In attempt to describe, or perhaps define, these emotions that photographs conjure, he came up with the concepts off studium and punctum. These words, in Latin because he could not find a French word that would accurately describe what he was trying to convey, explain the relationship between the photographer, photograph and viewer.

When a person views a picture, he automatically has a reaction to it, albeit a detached (detached being the key word here) one. Thus enters the concept of studium: creating an interest in the photograph. During this initial viewing, the spectator enjoys and takes part in the photo, but on a superficial level. The details create what is viewed as a composition, nothing more. The viewer doesn’t absorb the elements of the photograph, he does not gaze at it with a passion. When passion is added, when an attachment (again, key word here) is created, the piqued interest enters introduces the concept of punctum. This concept occurs when there is a part of the image that jumps out and touches the spectator; because of this, punctum is often subjective to who is seeing the photograph. This elevates a photograph from being an interest to having a connection on a personal level. This element is clearly more compelling to a viewer and gives an image a certain quality that is often difficult to articulate.

In theory, the concept is relatively simple to understand; but, how would I find it in practice? Looking around the Sydney Mishkin Gallery at the photos by Marcel Sternberg, one could argue that every picture contained an element of studium. One that I thought was especially interesting was this photograph of Albert Einstein. Clearly, one can understand the use of him as a muse; he was an incredible thinker and contributor to the world of mathematics. The image clearly depicts him in full regalia and bow-tie looking at the camera. But, as I looked at the photograph, something became quite intriguing: the expression in his eyes. As I looked, that expression jumped out to me like an arrow. I know this look, I’ve seen those expressions. Something Sternberg captured in the photograph touched me on a personal level, something attached me to this picture. Although I don’t know exactly what i feel a connection with, perhaps a distant memory, this concept of punctum was developed and it resonated with me quite deeply.

Although in a vastly different way, I believe that this photograph has the same elements as the Einstein portrait. Initially, when I took the picture, and now, when I look it again, the studium of the circumstance is quite clear. My camper had taken a phone and preoccupied himself for an entire bus ride taking selfies. When a person views the photograph, he sees a child looking at himself in the camera. But, when I take time to look at the photograph, I remember why it’s so poignant. My camper had discovered snapchat filters and was doubling over in laughter with shining eyes at himself with the doggie filter. He turned to me and said, “Gracie I look just like you!” Every time I look at this picture I see a smiling heart seeing himself in a different light, I see a connection, I feel an attachment. Of course the concept of punctum is subjective in this photograph. Someone can, correctly, argue that while its a nice photo, nothing jumps out and touches him on a personal level.

Ultimately, like everything we interpret, these concepts of understanding and analyzing a photograph through studium and punctum are subjective. What we see picture behind and visualize through the camera’s lens depends entirely on our personal circumstance. So, who am I to argue that something holds, or doesn’t hold, a connection to the hearts of everyone? 

The only time I’ve ever been to BAM was to tour its architectural grandeur during a season of Open House New York. This was the first time I actually sat in its seats and watched a performance on stage and it was stunning. It is crazy to think that the presence of even just one person on that stage could captivate an audience of hundreds, but I think that is the magic of BAM and the magic of the Rite of Spring itself. Sitting in the theatre of BAM made me feel as though I were in a different world; as if i was actually in touch with the world. I felt disconnected from the world of social media and technology itself. I felt as if I could stay in that theatre and in the world of performances for more than a day. I wanted to feel the feeling of watching something beautiful and magical in its creation in front of me instead of going back to the world where we watch dances and performances through videos on YouTube and Instagram.

I’m not going to lie; the seats were a little crowded and at first, I was perplexed by what the seemingly nonsensical movements of the dancers meant. After a time, however, I began to feel the rhythm and the movement of the performers and the performance itself. Instead of questioning every movement, I allowed myself to just observe and told myself to draw my own conclusions at the end. I allowed myself to simply enjoy the feeling of watching a mystical ballet rather than feeling the pressure to analyze every second of it.

I think the most memorable part of this experience was watching the movements of the dancers and the performers. It amazed me that the human body could tell so much of a story with just its own movements and language. There was not a single uttered word, and yet, there was a whole narrative behind the dances. The visuals were like the pages that this story was written on, and I loved  how prominently said visuals were featured, from the dark chairs to the white dresses.

This experience at BAM made me feel a sense of calmness, as if it were a slight reprieve from a world where we are so plugged into everything that is not present in front of us. At this performance, I watched art appear in front of my eyes and it wasn’t through the screen of my iPhone. It was like a “getaway” that I didn’t know I needed until I received it and I grabbed a pamphlet on my way out because I’d really like to go back to BAM sometime on my own to experience something like this again.

Arriving at the exhibit by Hélio Oiticica, I was immediately taken aback by how immersive the entire exhibit was. The 2D geometric pieces hanging on the wall, and the 3D pieces hanging from the ceiling, were beautiful. The hanging pieces truly emphasized the importance of viewing the artwork from all perspectives. As you walked around the sculptures, you found very different pieces of work. One piece specifically had a mirror hanging below it, which allowed you to have a unique viewpoint that many artistic pieces aren’t able to permit. The most eye catching piece was towards the center of the exhibit, and I couldn’t help but admire the size and vibrant color of it. Shown here: 

The most interesting painting I saw from Oiticica was political (of course). Reading the background behind it, Oiticica was inspired by the political turmoil Brazil had been experiencing, and expressed these feelings in this painting, which translates to English as “Be an Outlaw, Be a Hero“. In the wake of a dictatorship, I feel the intensity of this piece, and identify with the idea that sometimes radical change can only occur through adamant displays of disapproval. The painting is a true work of art in my eyes, due to the aesthetic rawness of it in color scheme as well as the overall message behind it. The most intriguing artwork however, was Tropicalia. I have never before experienced a museum exhibit so fully and with truly all of my senses. The concept of removing our shoes and walking along the sand or waterways, and feeling the things that Oiticica felt in his homeland was inspiring. The sounds of the parrots and the sight of vibrant color and beige beaches, all tied together to create an intense experience that was truly unforgettable. Reading the description, I realized the true meaning behind the piece was to highlight the stereotypes of these tropical places. I feel like as Americans we view places like Brazil as vacation spots, and a paradise. Meanwhile walking through the piece and seeing the torn and tattered books, wood chips littering the floor, and dirty and dingy small places to sleep and live, you begin to realize what life in these places actually is like. I loved this exhibit and I enjoyed having a lot of our classmates there with me! (See group selfie below!)