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.
