Author: renee waingort

On Wednesday December 5, 2018 our class went to St. Ann’s Warehouse to watch a performance about The Calais Jungle, a refugee camp. Prior to the performance we each read and discussed four readings to familiarize ourselves with what The Jungle is, and to learn about what life in The Jungle was like. Freida, Rachel, Danielle, Esther, and I had a plan from weeks before to attend the performance together. I for one was very excited and interested to see the performance and how it was going to be executed. I was also very curious about what the scenery would look like.

Rachel was driving with an ample amount of time, but of course, with Brooklyn driving you can never know what will happen. There was an accident and we hit crazy traffic. We got to the theater 5 minutes late. We decided not to panic, and continued to walk around to “the glass door” entrance. The theater is in a beautiful area right below the Brooklyn Bridge and near the water, and the theater itself was very pretty. When we entered we were given our tickets and were offered two options. We were either able to wait in the backstage area or leave and come back when it was intermission, which was supposed to be in about 50 minutes. We decided to leave and walk around the area, because the theater was in such a nice place.

After walking around for a bit we returned to find out that we were locked out!! We were told that no one will open the doors for us until intermission, but no one knew when that was!! We didn’t get into the theater until after an hour of waiting outside, and by that time we were only able to see the second half of the performance. The first moment when the second half began, I was hooked. Although it took some time for me to realize what was going on, since I had missed the first half, I was quickly able to follow along and enjoy it. My eyes didn’t steer away from the performance. The emotion from the actors, the scenery, and the way we were seated all played a part in how amazing and well executed I thought the performance was. One specific part of the performance that stood out to me and surprised me was when one of the refugees appeared, holding a gun pointed towards Safi.  All of a sudden, the refugee shot the gun. I was not expecting the gun to make such a loud “BOOM” as it did. I jumped. I found this moment to be very surprising because I never would of thought that any of the refugees would turn on Safi, even if it was for such a short moment. Overall, the performance was really great and emotional, and I’m very glad I got to see at least a little of it. It was definitely an unforgettable night.

Over Vitebsk-Marc Chagall

This painting was made by Marc Chagall in 1915-20. It is an oil painting on canvas. It’s hung in The Jewish Museum on 92nd Street and 5th Ave. The painting is both abstract and carries a political message. Chagall was a Hasidic Jew who grew up in Russia. He moved out of Russia for a while, but returned to bring his remaining belongings and his wife to Paris, where he had been living. He ended up getting stuck in Russia due to the Revolution, but he remained because he was finally granted rights and full citizenship. Chagall did not always have rights like he did after the Revolution, and this can be depicted in his painting. The name of the painting is “Over Vitebsk.” Featured in the painting is a Hasidic Jew flying over what seems to be Chagall’s hometown in Russia. The painting represents the idea of the  “Wandering Jew,” lost without a homeland. The Jew in the picture is depicting the thousands of Jews who had left Russia and Eastern Europe in the days of Chagall’s childhood. Although this painting is abstract and may not be so clear, when I first saw it I knew right away that it had a message. After a few additional minutes of observing it, and reading the placard next to the painting, I was able to see what the message was. Before entering The Jewish Museum I read a brief article about Chagall, “An Art School Started by Marc Chagall that Became a Modernist Wasteland.” From this I knew that life in Eastern Europe was hard for Jews in Chagall’s early years. This helped me create an inference about what the painting was trying to say. I felt that the painting was trying to show how the Jews in Eastern Europe felt, like they didn’t belong. The Jews weren’t always granted equal citizenship, and the painting displays this. The image of the Hasidic Jew fleeing Russia shows that they felt like they didn’t have a place to live; they didn’t have a home. This work is very experimental, because it is sending a major message. It is addressing the issue of the way Jews were being treated in Eastern Europe. I feel that this painting is both a mimesis and abstract. It’s a mimesis in the way that it depicts the Hasidic Jew. I was able to tell right away that the floating figure was a Jew, and I was able to understand what the Jew was representing. Although the painting is a mimesis, it is also abstract because the land is painted in a way that isn’t so clear. I was able infer that the land was Chagall’s hometown in Russia because of the knowledge I had read before, but one wouldn’t be able to tell right away that area the Jew is flying over is in Russia. For me, this painting evoked a lot of emotion. I was able to see that the Hasidic Jew took all of his belongings, got up, and was leaving the place that he grew up in, leaving his home with no destination in mind. I felt upset, sad, and angry that this happens so often in the world. People are constantly being kicked out of their homes, and are being forced to move. This painting was able to send a clear, strong message. I really enjoyed the museum and this piece.

Tuesday morning, November 6. I woke up in the morning like any other Tuesday. My alarm rang at 6:50, and I snoozed it until 7:08. I walked to my high school where I have a morning job. When I got home I decided: “why not get to school early and get some work done.” I didn’t realize how early I would actually get to school. It was cold, dark, and drizzling out. It was definitely not my ideal weather, but I enjoyed the cold because it showed that winter is finally approaching, and the indecisive weather of hot or cold would be over. I decided: “why not take a walk to rest my mind before beginning to do my school work.” I began walking. No destination in my mind, just walking for the sake of walking. The misty drops of rain were getting in my hair and on my jacket. I was beginning to become annoyed. Why am I in the city on such a day like today? All I want to do is to be cuddled under the covers in my cozy bed. Suddenly I started to smell something that didn’t quite agree with me. I looked to my left and saw a Halal food truck. Already making such heavy food so early in the morning? I couldn’t understand. I began wondering, what was the man who owned to food trucks morning like. Did he wake up and come straight here and park his truck, or did he go somewhere before? Will he be here all day? Does he like the food he sells? Is that his only job? My thoughts were interrupted by a homeless man that was to the right of me. My thoughts quickly shifted to him. I could barely walk around in this weather, while he’s been sitting out here for who knows how long? How long has he been homeless for? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? I continued on walking without helping him (looking back I feel bad about it). I walked a couple of more blocks and walked into a Walgreens. I looked through the aisles and picked up some stuff that I realized I had needed. I walked up to the register and I payed with credit card. I then walked out paying no attention to whom I purchased my stuff from. I was then thinking, how can that be? How can I have no idea what the man or woman behind the register looked like? I should start paying more attention to the people, places, and things around me. I continued walking a few more blocks. When I looked up I saw that I was on Fifth Avenue and 22nd. The rain started getting hard, and I was beginning to become uncomfortable. I purchased a  cheap umbrella from a man standing on the corner. I then took my umbrella and made my way back to school. I sat down taking in the morning’s walk. Although, while I was walking, I didn’t quite enjoy it, but after the walk I realized that walking just to walk, no place to go, is actually nice and quite relaxing. I go walking a lot, but I’m either walking to a specific place, or I’m walking to exercise. I should start walking around for the sake of walking more regularly.

I went to the Bellevue Literary Review, an “off the page” reading. It was the fifth year of them doing this reading. The reading was of the book Bon Voyage, Charlie at NYU Langone Hospital. It was given in the Schwartz Lecture Hall. I went with Rachel and Frieda. We entered the massive hospital, not knowing what to expect. Finding the room was no easy task. We walked through hallways and doors, and then we asked a security guard where the Schwartz Lecture Hall is. What we found out was that we have been walking in the totally wrong direction! We went through more doors following signs reading “BLR,” leading us to the room.

We finally found it! When we entered the room we were warmly greeted and given programs. We were offered food and water. We entered the Schwartz Lecture Hall . It was an auditorium. There was a stage and rows upon rows of swivel chairs attached to desks. We were asked to please sit in the front few rows. There was a man and woman sitting on the right side of the stage. A woman stood in the center of the stage in front of podium introducing the program.

I glanced over at the crowd to find that Frieda, Rachel, and I were the only ones under the age of 60. After the woman introduced our first reader, Ryan Duncan, we applauded, but she asked for us not to applaud. After that, the entire audience immediately quieted down. I opened up my program as Ryan made his way to the center of the stage. The program stated some facts about Ryan’s life, but one fact that stood out to me was that he was on Shrek on Broadway. I found this so interesting and was very excited to hear how he would read. He stood up, walked to the podium, and began to read. He read with a loud, booming voice. He seemed very relaxed and comfortable with what he was doing. His hand was in his pocket. He acted while he read, meaning if there was dialogue between characters he would change his voice to act like the character that was talking. He also incorporated the audience. If something was being said he would point at audience. It was like he was talking to us even though he wasn’t! He acknowledged that the audience was there. I liked that, because if someone is talking in front of me I like them to know that I am there. He read very differently from Michael Robbins. Michael was relaxed just like Ryan Duncan but in a different way. Michael read sort of monotone while Ryan read with enthusiasm and energy. The way Ryan read, we were all able to hear and understand him. I loved how he acted, and he would even change his voice into a different accents if needed! This definitely enhanced the reading. The work was not his own, but he read it as if it was. Maybe the fact that he wasn’t reading his own work, where as  Michael was, was what made their executions different. Overall Ryan Duncan read with a lot of passion. I really enjoyed it.

Vivian Maier – The Street Pictures – 1955 – New York, New York

I will never be able to look at a photograph the same way after reading Roland Barthes’s Camera Lucida. In the book we see Barthes struggling to define photography. He finally comes to terms with the fact that he is unable to define it. Instead he splits photography up into two parts; a studium and a punctum. On page 18 in the book Barthes explains how he realized that only some pictures provoked jubilations within him; only some pictures excited him. He says that the excitement came from the punctum, while the studium is just what the picture is capturing. I was searching through Vivian Maier’s (1926-2009)  picture portfolio of The Street Pictures, waiting for one picture to grab me. Suddenly the one above did just that. In Camera Lucida we see that every picture has a studium, but not every picture has a punctum. The image I chose has both. As I looked at the picture not only did it grab me, but it also put excitement within me. I wanted to know why, so I began studying the image. At first I identified what the picture was clearly showing; I identified the studium. The studium in this photograph is a man sitting on the sidewalk in New York City. There is something wrong with his legs. I realized right away that his legs looked a lot skinnier than normal, and as I looked even closer I saw that he is sitting on crutches. As this is happening people are going on about their days; they are walking right past him. As I looked around the photograph more, I found what I was looking for. I found what stood out to me, what grabbed me. I found the punctum. The punctum in this picture is the little girl’s face  who is walking with her mother on the sidewalk. Her mother is walking straight ahead minding her own business, but the little girl can’t seem to look away from the man sitting on the ground. Her face looks as though it is filled with fear. The girl’s face intrigued me, agitated me, and excited me. It instantly changed the view of the image. The photograph went from a simple day in New York to a whole different meaning. When I now look at the photograph I see feelings. I see the fear of the little girl, which might be making the man feel humiliated, embarrassed, and sad. I now see photography in a whole new light, and with a whole new meaning. I now find more enjoyment in photography than I’ve had before.

Painting from The Studio Fine Art Gallery in Brooklyn

When I first walked into the art gallery I was overwhelmed by how many paintings I saw. I began looking around until I saw this painting. In the painting there’s a girl standing on a bridge above water. There are swans in the water. The painting, for the most part, is very bright. It’s a sunny day with blue skies, trees, and colorful houses. The girl on the bridge is wearing a bright red dress. My initial thought of the painting was that it was happy and light; that it was just an image of a girl standing on a bridge looking at the water. This thought changed when I glanced over to the right of the girl. I then saw that one piece of the painting is grey and raining. In this grey area there is a man and women running with an umbrella over the bridge. It looked to me that they were running to find shelter from the rain. Even though they were in the rain, to me, they looked happy. If you look closely at the girl in the red dress face she can look a little upset, as though she is longing for something. I found the painting as a whole to be very interesting. Why would the man and woman in the rain be happy, while the girl in the sun is upset? I took this opportunity to form my very own story. I thought to myself that the girl in the red dress was longing for a companion or a friend, and that’s why, although she is in the sun, she is upset. I loved the painting because it gave enough information, but not too much. It offered an image, but allowed me to create the story. I also enjoyed the fact that it was in a gallery, because then there was no information card about the artist or the piece. This created even more of a mystery to the painting.

The gallery was one small cluttered room with a bunch of paintings all over. I entered the door and there was an old man sitting in the room. He didn’t say a word as I entered. There were paintings on the wall, on the floor, everywhere I looked, and stepped. I asked the old man if the paintings were his and he responded with a  simple no.

At first I didn’t like the environment. I was overwhelmed and found it cluttered. I still decided to give it a chance, and began looking around. I noticed that the paintings were each very different from the next and each so unique. I was able to form a story from each one. The environment of the gallery soon began to change. It began to feel more personal. There was only me, another person, and the old man in the gallery, so I was able to analyze the art almost completely alone. In the end I liked the environment of the gallery. In each painting I saw something similar amongst them. They were all personal and had a story. The paintings around the one I chose, and how small and personal the gallery was, definitely affected my perception of the painting. Instead of just thinking that it’s an image of a girl on a bridge and one part of the painting is grey, I knew there had to be more of a story because of the environment around it.

Public Art from the Art Walls in Coney Island

I was right away drawn to this piece. At first I saw a bunch bright, vivid colors which immediately attracted me. As I stepped closer to take a look I saw a lot of different images in this one large image. This piece of art displayed comic book pictures. When I first glanced at it I saw Superman’s arm throwing a punch and the beginning of the word which I believe is “kapow”. Next I saw a teenage girl who also appears to be in a comic book, because of the way she was painted. Next I saw Superman’s logo. Right next to Superman’s logo there is a hot air balloon that says “Summertime 2017.” This made me smile because my birthday is during the summer and it is my favorite season. Next I saw a lightning bolt which looked like the flash’s symbol. Overall this piece was really fun and young. I enjoyed it a lot.

This public art is seen In coney Island next door to Luna Park. Coney Island has such a fun and relaxed environment. There were a bunch people around, so there was a lot of action, but there weren’t that many people where I was standing. The location of the painting, Coney Island, made me like the painting even more. When I think of Coney Island I think of Luna Park and the boardwalk, all very fun places, and the painting displayed that.

My experience was really enjoyable. I liked how there were a lot of people in Coney Island to create noise and action, but I also enjoyed that in the place where I was standing I was almost completely alone. This enhanced my experience; it allowed me to look at and analyze the art by myself, but also in an environment with the public. It was a new experience for me and it was a good one.

The painting “Lion” was made near Burgos, Spain after the year 1200. The artist of the painting is unknown. The medium that was used is fresco mounted on a canvas, and its dimensions are 10 ft. 11 in. x 11 ft. It is part of “The Cloisters Collection” in The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The painting is an image of a lion standing up tall in front of a colorful background. The lion is showing the viewers that he is superior to everyone, and that he is the “king of the jungle” by standing above everything with great posture. The lion’s face doesn’t quite look like a lion at all. It has human eyes, which shows us it’s from the Medieval time period. It also has pointed ears, a human nose, a mustache, and its’ fur is standing weirdly. By looking at just the face, one would not think it is a lion, but from the rest of the painting and the rest of the body, we can see that it is. The body of the lion is very skinny and the tail is long and curled. The lion is staring intently at something, while his muscles are showing and his fur is pointed. This makes the lion look scary, which is what people expect of it.  The colors of the painting made me feel as though I was in Spain. The colors are calming shades of blue and orange, almost like a sunset. I found it very interesting that the artist put a lion, one of the scariest animals, in front of such a beautiful background. I found this piece very appealing to the eye and great for analysis.