Category: Reading Responses (Page 1 of 10)

In the play Ching Chong Chinaman, Lauren Yee brings awarness to the issues of cultural identity and assimilation through the use of dark humor as well as ominous topics. The play centers on the Wongs, a Chinese American family whose cultural identity appears to have been lost due to their extreme assimilation into American culture. The play does a good job in ridiculing and mocking the way that people in today’s world go through life without having a clear sense about who they truly are.

In Scene 4, the Wongs sit in front of the kitchen table, as they wait for their Chinese food order to be delivered to their home. Ed begins to ask J (who he refers to as ching chong), questions about how he feels and his thoughts of America. “If you don’t speak his language, don’t talk to him. It’s insulting”, Desdemona tells Ed. I found this to be quite satiric because although the Wong’s are of Chinese descent just like J, the entire family is so out of touch with their roots that they can’t communicate with a person who shares the same culture. Yee incorporated distasteful humor by having the Wong family butcher J’s full name (Jingqiang) and calling him Ching Chong which is an ethnic slur that is often used to imitate the Chinese language. Although It’s a bit odd having such a slur being said by a man who is also Chinese, I believe that Yee purposely does this to really depict how Americanized the Wong’s truly were.

Later in the scene, Grace enters with the takeout they had ordered and unpacks the food onto the kitchen table. “Look! They even gave us chopsticks” Grace states in a shocked manner. Desdemona, who unlike Grace, doesn’t come to a surprise when she sees the chopsticks states that they are always given out with the Chinese food. Grace comes up with the idea that “Ching Chong” could teach the Wong’s how to use the chopsticks correctly. Yee makes this part in the scene absurd and ridiculous because usually people who are of Chinese heritage should know how to use these traditional utensils that are most widely used in the East and SouthEast parts of Asia. The scene points out to the audience how assimilating to a different culture can make you so out of contact and uninformed about your true identity.

Overall, I think that Lauren Yee uses both dark humor and derogatory slurs in order to portray this Americanized Chinese family and how lost they are when it comes to their cultural heritage and their identity.

In my independent museum visit experience, I opted for the Museum of Modern Art on West 53^rd Street. It seems out of all the museums I have had the pleasure to visit, the MoMA takes the crown in providing a new experience every time you visit. This time around, I spent the majority of my time, if not all, playing around and experiencing Chris Giorno’s “Dial-A-Poem” exhibit. 

Located on the 4^th floor of the museum, the exhibit features 6 phones on separate table displays, with a small couch for seating in the middle of the array. Furthermore, in large bold letters, the words “DIAL-A-POEM” with a telephone number underneath is pasted on the wall surrounding the exhibit. The general ambience is quite inviting and offers viewers an interactive experience because the phones on display are meant to be picked up, followed by a random poem playing from the device. I couldn’t get enough of this exhibit. Every time I would pick up a phone, a new poem, story, or concept would be relayed back, and I have never thought something like this could be experienced in a typical museum environment. The overall tone, through the lighting, seating in the middle, and just the array, enabled a satisfying type of feeling every time you picked up a phone and heard something new. This satisfaction tapped into a cultural trend of the now “digital world” in which my generation craves to continuously pick up their technological devices. Although Giorno’s work was created for the “pre-digital world,” this exhibit being experienced by a future generation fueled by social media and smartphones can provide awareness on our reliance on technology. 

Giorno’s use of telephones as a medium to display poetry was a ground-breaking idea when he first explored it in 1968. The array shown in this exhibit stemmed from an earlier idea where Giorno transmitted recordings of poems to millions of callers throughout New York City in an instant, free of charge. These poems, as I mentioned before, were sometimes sounds or stories and diverted from the usual archetype of what a poem is. Giorno has been recorded to say that “Poetry is not, should not, cannot be confined to the printed word.” The inclusion of a variety of spoken word media that he includes in the devices conveys this very idea. He aimed to expand what it meant for something to be poetry and wanted to share this idea with viewers on a large scale. However, when picking up a phone, you are the sole viewer which also retains a sense of intimacy between you and the art you are experiencing. 

Regarding the specific works shown in the exhibit, on the wall surrounding the telephones, there are a multitude of papers that were used in the planning of how audio would be inputted in each respective phone. The documents were derived from the first presentation of “DIAL-A-POEM” in 1970 where Kynaston McShine organized Giorno’s prior work. Similarly, there is a video displayed through a projector that outlines the process of how Giorno prepped these “DIAL-A-POEM” systems on March 1, 1969.These two works in the exhibit show intention, by allowing the viewer to experience behind the scenes Giorno’s artistry and what went into the quality of his production. The scenes in the video and the system layout papers highlight the creation of a medium to convey poetry, while the telephone systems highlight the radical poetry itself. 

However, understanding the nuances of the exhibit and its display is only halfway through the journey of understanding Giorno’s purpose for this artwork. As mentioned earlier, organizing radical poems in these devices in 1970 was an opportunistic decision. Ushered by various social movements including the opposition to the war in Vietnam, Giorno chose to randomize over 200 different poems with three-fourths of those texts seen in the MoMa were from radical poets and political activists of the time. I find it so intriguing that Giorno simply is creating a method for a message to get out and is sending a message to the public by doing so. Giorno also said “what they have to say is so important now… At this point, with the war and the repression and everything, we thought this was a good way for the Movement to reach people.” This was such a bizarre thing to wrap my head around. Giorno didn’t have an agenda to push any media he had created, but instead used the telephones to cast forward a multitude of ideas from cultural movements separate from his production.  

The lesson I have taken away from this museum visit is that an artist does not always require a media production of their own. Giorno has taught me a new aspect of artistry that focuses on amplifying the creations of others through implementing new mediums to experience art.  

I chose to visit the American Museum of Natural History as a means of gaining a deeper appreciation of the scientific world around us. As I continue my day to day activities of going to school or hanging out with friends, it’s easy to lose sight of how far we have come as a society. People have become more focused on their own agendas and have forgotten the scientific world they’re encompassed in. Over the years, people have studied all aspects of the world, and because of this, there’s an abundance of knowledge about earth’s animals, natural gems, and extinct species that’s waiting to be explored in the American Museum of Natural History. 

The exhibit that caught my attention was one of the first exhibits I visited; this exhibit was the Akeley Hall of African Mammals. The centerpiece of this exhibit was the large life size sculptures of elephants that resided in front of the entrance of the exhibit. Surrounding the elephants were various dioramas of different African mammals and their habitats. Though a specific cultural moment wasn’t highlighted by these dioramas, one thing I appreciated was an emphasis of community in each of the dioramas I saw. A trend among all the dioramas was that each mammal represented was accompanied by at least two of its kind. For example, the dioramas of the Greater Koodoo, which was created in 1971 by Carl Akeley using a paper mache method, had three Greater Koodoos within it. The diorama labeled Bongo, which was created by Carl Akeley using the same paper mache method during the 1900s, had two Bongos in it. In the Greater Koodoo diorama and the Bongo diorama, it seems like both species were scouring for food. By having multiple Greater Koodoos or multiple Bongos scourging for food, there was once again this emphasis on community as the mammals were searching for food as a collective. It was significant to find out that the layout of each diagram was a replica of a photo taken by scientists exploring Africa. Knowing that the diorama wasn’t fabricated to show the community made the exhibit seem more authentic. To find out that in their natural habitat, the Greater Koodoos and Bongos naturally ban together to solve problems such as sourcing food makes the theme of community more prevalent in the exhibit.  

Viewing this exhibit helped me realize how important community is. Community encompasses all aspects of life, and to see how different species of animals all encompass community by working together to scourge food, it made me realize the importance of working together with my peers whether it be on assignments or helping each other out with mundane tasks. Hopefully, this message is prevalent when others decide to visit the museum. Apart from that, people should visit the museum because the opportunity to view the unique species in their natural habitat is quite rare. With the advancement of technology, people can easily see the species displayed at the museum online. However, seeing it in person as forms of sculptures is more significant and realistic. Seeing a 3D depiction of these species helps employ more empathy compared to viewing a 2D version of the species and their habitat online. Seeing these animals purely in their natural habitat made me realize humans are not the only people living on earth. With issues of climate change becoming more prevalent in the world, there is more emphasis on visiting the museum. If we are not preserving the planet for our sake, we should at least be preserving the planet to protect these innocent animals and their habitat. This museum should speak to everybody who lives on earth because everybody has an equal responsibility to preserve the earth and ensure its habitants and their habitats are maintained for years. In summary, if not for admiring the sculptures of unique species in their natural habitat, people should visit the museum as a means of realizing the importance of preserving our earth not just for us humans but for the various animal species that also reside on earth. 

Apart from that, I believe the exhibit was effectively organized. The large life size elephants that were created by Carl Akely in 1914 using paper mache effectively helped attract a large audience into the exhibit primarily due to its size and lifelike appearance. As I was walking around the elephant sculpture, my eyes naturally gravitated towards the dioramas surrounding the elephant because the dioramas were lit up compared to the dim lighting of the exhibit. Also, each diorama consisted of complimenting colors that didn’t distract from the main focus of the dioramas, the animals! However, one design flaw was the lack of direct accessibility to the dioramas on the floor above the floor with the elephants. Since the entrance leading to the second floor of the dioramas weren’t very apparent, many might opt out to view the second floor of dioramas. Other than that, I believe the exhibit was neatly and effectively curated to attract audiences to each different diorama. 

I visited the exhibit at MOCA, the Museum of Chinese in America. It was no surprise that the museum was located in Chinatown, but it was not as eye-catching as I expected. Inside, there were many documents of Chinese culture and the struggles that they faced in America.

When you entered the first room of the exhibit, you are greeted with three different components: crystal clear cylinder displays with hanging notes, a wall of significant people at that time with luminous backlit pop-outs, and a wall of different primary sources at the time explaining Chinese roles in American expansionism and the Gold Rush. I was attracted to the crystal-clear display of an opium ball that caused the opium war. This was a reproduction made by the artist, Arlan Huang, made in 2009. At first glance, it just looked like a ball that rolled in a pile of dried rose petals, but up close you can see the intricate details of the opium ball. Forty of these were packed and stored in wooden chests to be sent to the market. This seemingly insignificant object marked the start of the era of unequal treaties with China in which they were forced to concede many of its territorial and sovereignty rights.

In the second room, the relevant theme there was the Chinese Exclusion Act. On the wooden wall, words filled up the middle column, describing the history of the Chinese Exclusion Act. On both sides of the words were a bunch of art portraying the fear and struggles of that period. Beneath those images were drawers filled with writing and small paper-made objects, like the trade cards from the late 1800s. They had an image on one side and business information on the other. The images used frequently illustrated the anti-Chinese imagery in commercial culture. From this specific drawer, I could feel the racism towards the Chinese people. Five cards each one showing weeks one through five laid on the drawer, each one with a Chinese man holding plates. On the first week, he was not holding much and as the weeks progressed, the number of plates he had increased, and by week four, his hands and head were loaded with plates. By the fifth week, the Chinese man is buried under plates. This piece of display demonstrates the social status that Chinese people had and the hatred against them. Something else that I found intriguing in this section was the display of immigration documents. The rejected applications were printed out on red paper while the ones that passed were printed on green. There was more red paper than the green ones. Compared to the red ones, the green papers had examples of some well-written appeals in close-to-perfect English. 

Moving on, the next part of the exhibit walks through “The Eight-Pound Livelihood”, which is when Chinese people were excluded from entering skilled trades so they could only do “traditional women work” which is work in the service trades, especially in the hand laundries industry. On the wall were inscribed verses from “Chinaman, Laundryman” by songwriter Ruth Crawford Seeger in 1932 in both English and Chinese. The verses cry out the voices of Chinese people and how they were cleaning these clothes, but they live in an unclean world where there is hatred and exclusion. On the counter below the poem, there was an actual iron used during the time. When I tried to lift it, I felt how heavy the iron was, I could not imagine how tiring it would be for someone to be lifting this and using it all day long. 

In the last room of the exhibit, more recent events were shown, like the case study of the neighborhood of Sunset Park in Brooklyn. It described how Chinatown in Manhattan was over-packed with immigrants in the 1980s due to the Immigration Reform Act and the end of China’s isolation. A part of it was “Little Fuzhou” which was filled with people from the Fuzhou province. But soon, demand for affordable housing was increasing at a rapid pace, while supply was at its limit with the increasing amount of Fujianese immigrants. This is when they found another place with more spacious and affordable housing in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. It was also convenient because of the subway lines to Manhattan. I can personally relate to this because I am from Fuzhou and the neighborhood of Sunset Park is a big part of daily life. Even though it is a big Chinese community, we still experience a lot of anti-Chinese crimes, racism, and stereotypes.

For too many people, carbon emissions destroying our atmosphere and billions of tons of pollution depriving our oceans of life is a reality that seems impossible to change. Years of corporations telling us to pay attention to our carbon footprint have distracted us from the trail of trampled life they have left behind. As I entered the Poster House museum to see their exhibit, We Tried to Warn You!, I realized I was about to see a front of the battle against humanity’s destructive behavior in a way I had never seen before. Entering the exhibit, a path is made clear, as the first piece I see sets both the mood, and the start of the timeline, for the rest of the exhibit: an unsettling, dark image with a polluted, black landscape, and a side profile of a gray man with no expression, accentuated by his circular beady eyes; besides his head are birds with those same circular and expressionless eyes, circling around the sides of his head, seemingly diving alongside him. This piece, Ecological Seminar, made by Stasys Eidrigevicius in 1989, was a poster created to advertise an ecological seminar taking place in Darlowo, Poland. Several pieces as early as 1961 appear in a similar gloomy style, and as we move through the exhibit, we appear to move through time and place. We are shown posters from all around the world within a single room, and at the center of that room, there is a wall that holds many posters and also helps to guide the viewer around the room. The exhibit’s walls are painted according to the themes of the pieces, making the posters feel like they were made to be in that room, all in the same place. The posters shown all criticized different aspects of the damage we have caused to the environment, whether it be promoting a gathering of some kind, or an image in protest of local issues to the artists in question. The fact that these discussions were had surprised me because I hadn’t known that there was a widespread trend developing around environmental issues. In fact, I assumed that the discussion on these topics was quite low. Nearing the end of the exhibit, the surface mood changes, as the images get more bright and colorful, such as a We’re In This Together ./ExxonMobil, a poster by Winston Tseng created in 2022, depicting former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson facing a child with a thumbs-up, with a background of a dead tree and the world clearly burning. Despite the color change, the messages remain gloomy, pointing out the irony in corporations and their failure to uphold Corporate Social Responsibility. The exhibit made me feel a sense of vindication, and yet, hopelessness. The consequences were not unforeseen, but nothing was done to stop it.

Out of all the pieces that I viewed, one artist caught my attention. For decades, Hans Erni, a Swiss artist and graphic designer, expressed his environmental activism in several different mediums, including posters, where he commented on environmental issues affecting Switzerland. The two pieces presented in the exhibit, Save Our Water and Save Our Air, were made nearly 20 years apart, and yet they were both striking and somewhat disturbing. The moment I saw them, they had me slow to a full stop so that I could appreciate the intricate and artistic realism in these pieces. Save Our Water, created in 1961, was made in response to the pollution and chemical spills that kept infesting the waters, and it does so in an interesting manner. Typically, I always saw this kind of pollution depicted as deadly to the environment. However, Save Our Water made me rethink the water in my own water bottle as it showed the effect it could have on us. It depicts a hand holding a glass of water, appearing similarly to a zoomed-out view of the ocean depths, but in that glass is a skull without teeth, giving it a sharp, terrifying appearance. The shading of the piece only heightens the deathly tone, making me feel like we are responsible for our own undoing. This only adds to the irony in our situation pointed out by the exhibit, as we drink the water that we pollute every single day. Save Our Air, on the other hand, attempts to warn us about something we do every single day: breathing, and the fact that the air we breathe isn’t always safe. This piece once again takes a skull, similarly drawn to the one in his previous piece, however, it is displayed over a dark background with a brown gradient towards the bottom, reminding me of a day in New York City where the air itself turned a brownish color due to wildfires in Canada. It was like the COVID-19 pandemic all over again, as people brandished masks once again, and looking at the skyline from my neighborhood of Sunset Park revealed a city covered in dust. Taking a deep breath in it would surely mess with one’s lungs, and this piece then depicts this anatomy alongside a tangled mess of fleshy tubes wrapping around shrunken lungs and connecting through the opening under the jaw bone. It’s a dark reminder that we aren’t invincible to the effects of air pollution, that underneath the surface we are fleshy machines that can decay and falter like any other machine, and if not taken care of, can fall apart quickly. But it all starts with taking care of the world around us. Much like every other piece in this exhibit, these pieces demonstrate the effects of harming our environment, but specifically point out how it affects us in a grim manner.

This exhibit was genuinely an impactful, and motivating exhibit to me. I have been concerned with our planet for a long time, but felt there was never much I could do, except join the crowd and their uproar. These pieces feel the same, they contribute to growing concern, but their cries are never fully heard. While it successfully addressed the issues at hand, it wasn’t enough. This exhibit speaks to those who have fought for the justice our planet deserves but have not been heard by those who have the power to make change. In fact, it’s been known by companies like ExxonMobil that what they were doing was dangerous, and yet they did nothing. It is exactly the reason why people should come to see this exhibit because it highlights how powerful we are to know what’s going on, but powerless to stop it as individuals. Otherwise, the artists who created these posters, seen by thousands, possibly even millions, would be known for helping to create the world depicted in pieces like The Green New Deal, a reality we have yet to see.

I went to the Poster House museum on 23rd Street and was able to view a variety of poster art pieces throughout the museum. I visited the “We Tried To Warn You! Environmental Crisis Posters, 1970-2020”, which was on the bottom floor of the museum. This exhibit gave an overview of different events throughout history that made an impact on our environment. Within the posters, were depictions of events that shaped our environment to this day and our way of living.

This exhibit shows that caring for the environment is essential to the well-being of the present and future generations, due to the mistakes made in the past. The posters illustrated how the environment provides us with important resources such as clean air, water, and fertile soil that sustain life but we humans are harming this environment. However, protecting these ecosystems ensures a balance in the natural processes that keep our planet healthy. A healthy environment will also contribute to people’s health and reduce the number of diseases related to pollution, leading to a more sustainable life on a “greener” Earth. Climate change is primarily caused by human activities and is a serious threat to global stability, affecting weather patterns, sea levels, and ecosystems. To mitigate these challenges, it is paramount to take concrete steps to address environmental issues such as reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices. After all, protecting the environment is an investment in the future for all of us, it encourages us to live in harmony with nature and guarantees a planet that is better able to meet the diverse needs of all life forms. All in all, this exhibit enables people to have a general understanding of what has happened to our environment, what we are doing to it, and how we can help preserve it for future generations.

One of the several posters that caught my attention and reinforced the idea that we must protect our environment was created by Robert Rauschenberg. This poster was created around the year of 1970. Rauschenberg created his poster to illustrate the importance of Earth Day, which came into existence starting April 22, 1970. He wanted people to see the bald eagle in the epicenter of the poster being surrounded by pollution. Rauschenberg believed in the idea of art being a stimulus that calls for social change. In this case, he wanted his poster to inspire the people of America to strive to create a more healthy and safer environment, to preserve it.

Another poster that I came across was one created by Hans Erni, in 1961. The name of this piece is “Save Our Water”. He created this poster which reflected “his social, political and environmental activism.” This piece was created to gain awareness and attention to the water safety of Switzerland, which was one of the first-ever countries that emphasized the significance of environmental issues on a national scale. This poster provides people with the need to care for the water and ensuring water safety is crucial for the well-being of both our environment and human populations. Water is a finite and essential resource to sustain life on Earth, playing a key role in ecosystems, agriculture, and human consumption. The responsible management of water resources is important to preserve biodiversity, support ecosystems, and protect natural areas. Moreover, saving water is important for human health. Contaminated water can spread disease and harm the well-being of communities. By adopting sustainable water practices such as reducing pollution, conserving water, and implementing appropriate conservation practices, we protect not only our ecosystem but also the health and well-being of current and future generations. Being able to recognize the connection between water and life, we must ensure the protection and security of our water for the future development of our planet. This goes to show why we must care for our environment, which can not only shape the way we currently live but can also alter the lives of the people of the next generations.

Lastly, the organization of this exhibit allowed viewers to get a chance to take in the art pieces as a whole, whether that be from afar or from close. Viewers would be able to take a “round-trip” around the exhibit, viewing posters more extravagant than the previous. This exhibit, being one that illustrates the need to protect our environment, was thoroughly organized so that the audience can smoothly transition from poster to poster to enhance their experiences and convince them to provide care for their environment because it’s now or never.

When I was trying to decide which museum to visit, I decided to pick the Long Island Children’s Muesum. Not only have I been working at the Long Island Children’s Museum for 5 years and have been able to experience the different exhibits that are available to visitors over time, I chose this museum because it showed a different perspective. At the Long Island Children’s Museum, their exhibits are a reflection of what topics that this museum believes are important to teach and convey to children. The LICM has always emphasized the importance of implementing informal education systems as well as creating a space for visitors to have a good time. Even though the LICM is different from traditional museums where they don’t always have specific artists’ works highlighted over time, they do curate exhibits based on trends/themes that they want to highlight at the moment. For example, they had an exhibit last summer that featured the artworks of four Shinnecock artists in order to help teach visitors about Shinnecock traditions as well as share the stories of someone who is part of the Shinnecock nation. The LICM, just like any other museum, curates their exhibits based on a certain theme that they want their visitors to experience.

Recently, an exhibit currently on display is titled “Your House My House.” It is an interactive space where visitors are able to experience while gaining insights about houses and cultures around the world, highlighting different customs and how that is impacted by the environment that surrounds each respective culture. “Your House My House” revolves around the idea of how important it is to educate children about other cultures while also encouraging them to respect those who are different from their own. As kids are still having their minds shaped and constantly curious, the museum created a space that brings familiarity while introducing new things. 

The “Your House My House” exhibit’s careful planning and execution are demonstrated by how well it can depict the subtleties of daily life in many different parts of the world. This methodical approach fosters a greater knowledge of cultural distinctions while simultaneously offering tourists a visual feast of architectural diversity. The creative curation of this exhibit is exemplified by two unique homes: a stilt house from a Malaysian fishing town and a Mongolian herder’s ger. Beyond a simple visual depiction, the exhibit in the Mongolian herder’s ger entails an interactive experience that captures the distinct way of life of a nomadic population. Visitors are taken to the rugged expanses of Mongolia by the artisan curtains that adorn the walls of the ger and the unique pieces that provide a look into the daily lives and customs of Mongolian herders. This meticulous attention to detail not only draws attention to the architectural features but also emphasizes how important handmade goods and cultural artifacts are in defining a community’s identity. Similar to this, a Malaysian fishing village’s stilt house provides guests with a tactile experience by including real props that depict the way of life for those who live in such homes. It also includes a boat where kids are able to ‘fish’, which introduces the main source of income to these villagers that represent the way of life there. The exhibit’s focus on these particular dwellings not only broadens visitors’ perspectives on life around the world, but it also invites reflection on the humanity that unites people from seemingly dissimilar cultures. By providing opportunities for direct interaction with a variety of living situations, “Your House My House” acts  as a starting point for the disassembling of these preconceptions and the development of a respect for the various world cultures.

In a world where diversity is seen everywhere, this exhibit is something that I find significant. Even in the modern world when many different cultures coexist, prejudice toward traditions and rituals that are different from one’s own is still a major problem. Such prejudice frequently results from ingrained attitudes and practices. Exhibitions such as “Your House My House” are essential in questioning and transforming these deeply held beliefs. Through immersive experiences that highlight the diversity of homes and cultures across the globe, these displays hope to foster a tolerance that may not have been taught in other settings, especially to younger generations. It is hoped that these activities will help dismantle preconceived notions and promote a more tolerant and open-minded society by providing personal exploration and exposure to the complexities of global diversity in a space designed for kids.

In the face of injustice, how do New Yorkers react? What issues do we respond to? How do we make sure we’re heard? Is unity possible amidst our countless differences? These are just some questions that are proposed and answered in the exhibit Activist New York at the Museum of the City of New York. Activism has always been an important part of NYC’s history, as it is the grounds for many social justice movements, however, this aspect has been largely ignored in art and film set in the city. This exhibit fills that gap by ensuring that ever-evolving problems in history become a part of collective public memory.

Although the exhibit has been on view for ten years, the way it’s designed has allowed for it to be a timeless exhibit, changing how we interact with the past and the present frequently. Fourteen different moments in activism are highlighted at a time, following seven themes: immigration, gender equality, political and civil rights, religious freedom, environmental advocacy, and economic rights.  It is created to be easily taken apart and replaced, which I think emphasizes the perpetual cycle of injustice that occurs in the world. Each issue has its own booth, which takes on a mixed-media approach with the use of artifacts, documents, images, artwork, and interactive videos from both the past and present. I liked the mixed media, feeling it connects to how everyone in NYC is unique and diverse but is able to come together for common goals. The use of media may be overwhelming to look at first, as everything is begging for your attention, however, it really captures the essence of what responding to inequality is like. Visitors are even asked to upload moments of activism as they leave, inspiring future booths and allowing the exhibit to be from the people. 

I enjoyed the exhibit’s exploration of NYC as a home, starting with two signs in conversation with each other. The first sign says “This is stolen Lenape land” from the Queer Liberation March in 2022, which is an actual sign carried during the protest. The sign itself questions what it means to be queer on stolen land, a land that was deemed to have freedoms for all but the native population. Below it is a sign saying “Our Streets,” one of many posters created by homeless men who temporarily relocated from shelters to hotels in the Upper West Side during the first phase of COVID-19. This was a highly contested move, with many people against this use of higher-end hotels, while others thought it best to minimize the impact of the virus. Amidst all this, the men claimed the streets, asserting their presence as human beings. I thought these two pieces engaged in a silent conversation, nodding to displacement and colonization, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of marginalized communities in times of crisis. This invites us to draw connections between different social justice issues, whether it be reclaiming stolen indigenous land or the ongoing debates on how to handle homelessness. It opens the exploration of power dynamics, social activism, and complexities surrounding issues of justice and equality which are presented in other parts of the exhibit.

In the same section, a small suitcase decorated with stamps and letters on it sits in a glass case. This suitcase was also a part of a larger project, this time by the New Sanctuary Coalition, during a July 2018 protest about deportation. The organization, which is dedicated to aiding immigrants facing deportation or detention, prompted activists to pack a 25-pound suitcase for loved ones who were about to get deported. This interactive experience at a protest allowed participants to engage on a personal level with the emotional weight carried by individuals forced removal from their homes, creating a connection between the protestor and the victims.  The letters pasted on the suitcase are copies of letters by constituents of the New Sanctuary Coalition, filled with their stories, demands, and feedback. I think it’s interesting how although the suitcase is meant for someone being sent away, the words written on it are meant for someone completely different. This is just like how oftentimes, those who contest issues are so far from the reality of experiencing them. The suitcase serves as a tangible link between the broader theme of the exhibition and the lived experiences behind it. Its presence invites viewers to reflect on the human aspects of these struggles and underscores the importance of empathy. All three of these pieces contribute to understanding the multifaceted dimensions of advocacy, and allow the viewer to question who has the authority to decide where someone’s home is.

This exhibit stood out to me due to its ability to spark critical engagement because it prompts us to explore issues, dissect them, and explore their intersections. The contested nature of the presented social movements, despite the unity portrayed, serves as a reminder that the city’s struggles persist, shaped by evolving narratives and ongoing debates. I can’t stop thinking about how as always, we’re curating our history by choosing what should be shared in institutions like this, and excluding the ones that don’t meet certain standards. Depending on who’s in power, the narrative is changed and told differently. Just as the exhibit did, we need to incorporate diverse voices and perspectives in shaping a more inclusive and accurate portrayal of our shared history.

Today, through news outlets; social media; word of mouth; and more, almost everyone is subject to hearing about the losses, fears, and threats, posed to us by climate change on a daily basis. These concerns are often shown to us with an emphasis on the future: What will happen? What will we do about this? When will we see the effects? Much less common, however, is the presentation of current climate change efforts as well as their history where viewers can see how far we’ve come and where we still have to go.

This disparity is offset by the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibit “Emerging Ecologies: Architecture and the Rise of Environmentalism”, a presentation of climate-aware architecture and its development through decades of growing understanding and care towards the global environment. In a time where climate change activists are fighting to shed light on the importance of sustainability and other climate-healthy practices, the Emerging Ecologies exhibit serves as a reminder of the crises and creativity that inspired many of the sustainable practices we depend on today, and how their implementation aids us in preventing a further decline in the health of the earth. Its pieces inspire a feeling of innovation and capability, reminding viewers that where changing technologies have created problems, they also allow for solutions. In doing so, the exhibit touches on the environmentalist movement, encouraging viewers to get involved.

While the exhibit does not limit its audience in any sense, its message targets younger generations, despite it mainly featuring art that followed the 1960s and 1970s. Upon entering the showroom, you are greeted by a message from the museum—one that reminds visitors that MoMA is currently working to decrease its carbon footprint, a necessary step we should all be taking to preserve our earth. With this, I began my experience at the exhibit thinking about our environment and how it requires our action in order to survive. While most would agree global participation would be best to preserve the earth’s health for future generations, this message is felt most by the people who will live to see fallout of climate change if it is left unaddressed. And, as mentioned by MoMA’s message, current building and architectural methods make a large contribution to carbon emissions and unsustainable practices, making them, and their advancements in sustainability, the centerpiece of the exhibit.

Two pieces in particular encapsulate the encouraging message of the exhibit: “Sun Furnace in Your Attic” and the Women’s Environmental Fantasies Scroll. Printed on the cover of Popular Science, the image “Sun Furnace in Your Attic” (1949), illustrated by Ray Pioch, displays solar engineer Maria Telkes’ idea for a home solely dependent on solar energy. While never being successfully executed, Telkes’ design for the solar home was one of the first to be independent of fossil fuels, like oil, which was facing a scarcity problem at the time. This kind of innovation remained persistent, and eventually led to the harnessing of renewable energy sources, like solar, which is used across the world today, providing energy to many buildings, residential and commercial alike. This sentiment is also shown in the Scroll of Women’s Environmental Fantasies, a series of drawings done by six female gradates of architecture school in pen, pencil, and marker on a scroll of paper. The women’s’ drawings involved integrating buildings, particularly their dream houses, into the environment they are built into. One example, “Jenny’s Happy Time Tennis Place”, shows a home built into a tree with lots of open space around it to be used to play and grow with the environment. By working with the environment, instead of against it, architecture could move beyond deforestation and depleting resources, just like the examples presented by Ray Pioch and Jenny, of the architecture school graduates.

Aside from the pieces themselves, the exhibit’s curation draws attention to the message of sustainability and its importance. The exhibit is dark; the walls are a navy blue, which makes the greens and bright earth tones stand out, looking vibrant and lively. As I progressed through the exhibit, I felt that the pieces progressed as well, moving through time, and highlighting the progression of environmental understanding and creation, which also enhances the viewing experience.

In an era when climate awareness is crucial, seeing the Emerging Ecologies exhibit is as well. It opens viewers to the world of innovation surrounding sustainability and reminds them of the importance of keeping the earth as healthy as possible, for years to come. Without this exhibit, and others like it, the importance of environmentalism would be lost on many, making it a must-see.

A stroll around the galleries of a museum can lead to thoughtful and uplifting moments for the community. Museums are vital centers for creative thinking and important conversations about art. They offer a secure environment where guests can engage with a variety of artistic forms, broadening their perspectives and enhancing their sense of awareness of the outside world. I had wanted to pay a visit to the MoMA for a while, but I was unable to make time for it. But because the assignment required me to visit whatever museum I pleased, I chose to visit the MoMA. What is modern art? Are these standards of realism and classical depiction? I was immediately captivated by the different rhythms of an innovative exhibition called “Emerging Ecologies: Architecture and the Rise of Environmentalism” at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which seeks to rethink the basic principles of structure and its connection with the environment. While roaming around the museum, I did hope to learn more about the role that museums play in encouraging new viewpoints and the long-term influence that they can have on knowledge as well as individual growth through this research.

Considering that buildings contribute over 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions each year, this show provides a thorough examination of how architectural ideals are evolving in response to a severe environmental situation.  The idea of “emerging ecologies” comes to existence within the walls of MoMA through challenging artworks that illustrate the changing character of our social, cultural, and natural contexts. Looking around the exhibitions, I note the complicated connection that exists between art and the ever-changing environment around us. The pictures there captured my attention when I went since they depicted increasing environmental issues.  Through a range of mediums and forms of expression, artists shows the connections between different parts and the effects of actions taken by humans in order to capture the essence of changing environmental pollution. The MoMA is showcasing an array of artworks that symbolize the concept of creating ecologies and invite viewers to reflect on how we affect the planet in which we live. These works of art span a variety of mediums, from digital pieces that illustrate climate change and the impact of humans on environments to artworks that examine development and its effects on the natural world. After looking around for a while, I came to the conclusion that it offers an overview of the helpful connection between ecological and architecture in the US, which is crucial given the urgent issues about pollution, climate change, and pollution that are harming the world today. I was immediately captivated by the vast variety of artworks that covered the walls and filled the halls as I walked through the museum. Every piece seems to have a unique story, inviting me to discover more about its history.  A variety of creative works were on show at the museum, including beautiful models that created the impression of proving something different and fascinating artworks that inspired a range of feelings while expressing ideas about the environment and people.

I was shocked to see the reality that every exhibit about ecological problems is a call to action as much as a work of art. The architectural designs and models work as plans for an environmentally friendly future in which buildings support the protection of nature in addition to living peacefully with it. The exhibition’s underlying language conveys the gravity of the climate problem and serves as a major reminder to visitors that the decisions we make now about architecture will have a significant impact on the state of our world. Bangladesh, the nation where I was born and raised, is widely known for its pollution, changing climate, and natural disasters. Nobody in my nation gives any thought to the environment or how we damage it. Bangladesh has industrial emissions to be concerned about in addition to vehicle emissions because of the country’s dense urban areas, which are home to many factories and small local companies. In our nation, natural disasters are like frequent acquaintances. We are cutting down trees, destroying the greenery, and not giving the future any thought. The hazardous greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, is rising and posing a threat to the planet. We are also introducing a new and harmful entity into our lives: COVID-19, which ought to serve as a major warning to us all.

The MoMA has built several models that illustrate the need for us to plant more trees next to our homes and the architectural framework. “Forest Building, Best Products Co. Inc. Showroom, Richmond, Virginia” by James Wines and “Green Poetics” by Emilio Ambasz are the two best examples of artwork that support my arguments regarding pollution and environmental change. James Wines’ major thoughts about this artwork were that we should keep all the trees and make buildings around them so we don’t have to cut any trees for architecture. It was something unusual for people to do because they often cut forests just to make buildings, malls, or houses. But he did something unlike what other people will do: he thought about the trees and beautiful architecture without hurting the environment. I am attaching a video in which he talks about his weird architecture and it is definitely inspiring.  Another amazing architect, Emilio Ambasz, truly made my point more visible. His buildings felt unique and like they were surrounded by vegetation. I had the impression that the greenery was the subject of the structure, which is the king. My perception of the architecture is that the greens were growing because the king was kind to his subjects and the buildings weren’t cruel to the plants, which is eco-friendly.

“Emerging Ecologies” presents an interesting and inspirational opportunity that should not be missed. This exhibition asks us to imagine a future where architecture coordinates with nature, where buildings are not simply constructions but environments in and of themselves, in a time defined by ecological disasters. We must engage with the past to enlighten the present and influence the future because of the urgency of the global warming crisis.

The effect that the artworks I saw in the museum had on me was serious, and it made me think carefully about my own viewpoints. My assumptions and interpretations were called into question by the layers of importance of each artwork I saw. I came to understand the value of asking questions, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and accepting fresh perspectives through the medium of art. A visit to a museum can have a major impact on one’s development as a person, expanding one’s perspective and fostering a closer bond with the complexities of the world we live in. I loved visiting museums, and this visit truly opened my eyes to the unknown beauty of nature and the environment.