Author Archives: Ayala Magder

Go Away Modern Art!

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Ever since Professor Smaldone’s visit to the Dia Beacon (and the entertainingly heated discussion about modern art that ensued), I have been noticing modern art all around me. From the large concrete balls outside of the Klapper building to the Jackson Pollock copy that hangs in my basement, the debate of modern art’s expertise and value is an ongoing one in my head. In class, many of us were confused as to why some things, such as large sheets of metal, are considered art. To quote Professor Smaldone, Jackson Pollock’s canvases may resemble “the drop cloth of a busy painter!”  Yet these paintings are worth millions of dollars. So what does it take to get your artwork displayed in the MOMA? Before I exploited my six-year-old sister’s artistic skills to become a teenage millionaire, I decided to research America’s response to the extensive collections of abstract sculptures and non-pictorial collections around us. While my research is still in progress, I was highly amused by the condemnatory video I happened upon. CBS’s Andy Rooney explicitly captures the opinion that many of us hold about modern “art.” Irritated by the growing number of unsophisticated sculptures and statues springing up around American cities, he exclaims, “the people looking were better looking than what they were looking at.” See for yourself…

A Comical Typo

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As I sat down at my computer to begin studying for my third midterm, I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty for ignoring a little voice in my head just BEGGING me to walk away from the 16-page review sheet in front of me to go have some fun. The urge to get out and explore the beautiful city around me is too tempting to shrug off. And so I googled a museum I have not visited in a while- the MOMA. Except something happened that would change mankind forever, something revolutionary, something extraordinary; I made a typographical error. That’s right, a typo. Instead of googling “MOMA” my screen showed 15,800,000 results for “MOCCA”. I cannot explain to you why this happened, only my findings.

As I clicked on the first link (and here it is: http://www.moccany.org/), I was instantly thrilled with my mistake. The site is home to New York’s very own Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Located between Houston and Prince, the museum’ s mission is to “educate the public about comic and cartoon art, how it is crafted, and how it reflects history.” If you have ever wondered what comics can reveal about the time period in which they were created, or why certain comics made it big while others didn’t, this is the museum for you. On display is every genre of art, including “animation, anime, cartoons, comic books, comic strips, gag cartoons, humorous illustration, illustration, political illustration, editorial cartoons, caricature, graphic novels, sports cartoons, and computer-generated art.” And if you are a new budding artist yourself, make sure you check out MoCCA’s “MoCCA Fest” (April 28-29), the museum’s annual fundraiser, which allows new artists to submit their work for public viewing.

9/11 memorial cedurhurst

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Just a few days ago, I attended a memorial service in my community for those who perished in the tragic attack on 9/11 just 10 years ago. It was truly a remarkable and moving sight to witness. People of all ages gathered together to commemorate those who lost their lives, while honoring those who risk their lives daily to protect us.

That morning driving in the car, the song “9/11 Heaven” began playing on the radio. It shot right threw my heart, leaving chills all over me. Moments later, I joined the families and individuals who lost their loved ones on that very day 10 years ago. Once again, my hair stood on end as the Chief of Law of the fire department read through a list of names of the deceased. It struck me repeatedly as they rung a bell after each name was called, bringing me back to the feeling I experienced that morning. Tears welded up in my eyes. Looking around at my community, joined as one, left a sense of hope in the air. Even though so many were lost, WE are still here to live on and remember them.

I am posting this video so you can experience how I felt at the moment.