Category: Reading Responses (Page 2 of 10)

During my visit to the MOMA in Midtown Manhattan, I was able to appreciate contemporary expression of art, ingenuity, and innovation. I spent some time exploring The Phillip Johnson Galleries, where I came across Emerging Ecologies: Architecture and the Rise of Environmentalism.

This exhibit was curated in exploration of the ways in which the American architects of the 1960s and 1970s reacted to the environmental challenges of the time, marked by growing worries about escalating pollution and unsustainable resource consumption. Considering buildings contribute to nearly half of the world’s carbon emissions, this curation delves into the extensive activism for the preservation of the natural world through architecture during this period. By charting the imaginative, unconventional, and bold initiatives proposed by architects as environmental concerns gained momentum, the exhibit narrates a distinct architectural history. This narrative spotlights designers who, as environmentalism gained prominence, chose to place the natural world at the core of their professional endeavors.

I found it especially interesting that this exhibit placed weight on the future instead of the past. The curators were able to share their pursuit of “green over gray” by depicting an innovative future that could bring health back to our earth, instead of condemning humanity for what we have already done. While many environmentalists use guilt to inject pathos into their activism, the art displayed in Emerging Ecologies solely proposes a better future, where the environment is placed at the forefront of our forward movements. I find this to be an inspiring form of education for viewers, as the poetic practice of reintegrating humankind with it’s surrounding ecology evokes curiosity of tomorrow’s potential. For this reason, I believe this exhibit is very much worth visiting. It introduces an entirely novel and daring perspective that challenges our traditional views on architecture and innovation. Though very different, the curators are able to picture a world in which humans and nature are able to simultaneously thrive—where one doesn’t have to destroy the other to grow.

I found two pieces in the exhibit that I felt portrayed this notion very well. Gaetano Pesce’s design (left), titled “Church of Solitude Project,” pictures a church built in an excavated lot amid a heavily developed metropolis. Interestingly, Pesce created this piece in response to his experience of New York City, where he felt a lack of serenity and soul. Thus, to design a tranquil space, which he found necessary for self-reflection, he concealed the church beneath an empty lot amidst the towering structures of the city. This quiet sanctuary included compact individual cells, offering an additional escape from the corporate and institutional atmosphere of the urban environment. For Pesce, the excavated landscape represented an underappreciated area capable of meeting the future needs of individuals—one that reconnected a human soul to the placid nature we began with. Pesce used watercolor and graphite pencil to sketch this hypothetical, which I think pays respect to earth and her natural recourses, as the art itself is meant to promote a life closer to ourselves and the natural world. He also captured the city only lightly in the background, creating a feeling of disconnect to the busy world while the focus remains on the isolated church. This contrast in shades and darkness shows how much stronger an earthly foundation could be than the one that stands above it. The photo is also void of bright colors, which highlights the importance of dirt and ground in this structure, as the idea is not about looking appealing or exciting. It is meant to evoke calm, natural feelings in a structure that rejects society’s constant desire to impress and improve at the expense of the earth.

Malcom Wells’ piece (right) titled “Earth-sheltered suburb” also utilized watercolor on paper to share his similar sentiments. The inefficiency of the construction sector was a central focus of his perspective; he exclusively engaged in projects that returned land to nature by incorporating berming (the addition of earth around or on top of a structure) and constructing underground. He also lived what he preached, as he successfully developed nature homes and offices throughout his career, earning recognition as one of the most iconic architects. These designs promote energy efficiency and a reduction in pollution and waste. The idea is to return control of the land to the earth and allow for us to thrive in harmony. Like the rest of the exhibit, Wells’ work demonstrated a departure from traditional architectural norms, challenging conventional ideas about the structural world and bringing to light a potential future. His heavy use of bright green returns the world to it’s initial lively and vivid nature, one that makes our current living state feel rather dull and unnatural. He depicts a society that is still able to function without the extravagant exteriors we’ve built at the expense of nature—one that consists of brown dirt and green grass just as it began.

A walk through this exhibit is able to enlighten a viewer about the potential of environmental movements and a different future. Through art, the curators are able to inspire and share untraditional ideas in an almost scientifically fictional way that pictures a more natural and respected earth.

For this independent visit, I chose to go to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and one exhibit that caught my attention was ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN. If anyone is interested in visiting, it’s available until January 13, 2024.

Ed Ruscha was an American artist, who produced work primarily from the mid-1900s to the late-1900s. A lot of his inspiration came from his journey from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles along Route 66 in 1956, while some just came from his thoughts. With over 200 pieces, this exhibit highlights Ruscha’s great level of intricacy in his life work and is the embodiment of the pop art movement. It includes popular post-war pieces with the obvious, title-recognized theme of past vs. present, as well as pieces simply reminiscent of the culture at the time.

Self

In 1967, Ruscha created Self, a pastel and gunpowder on paper artwork. Upon further research, Ruscha had gunpowder pellets in his studio that he soaked and evaporated to turn into a powdered drawing material. He used the pastel and gunpowder combination to create a smoky shading behind the cursive, ribbon-like “Self.” This gives the illusion that “Self” is another element on top of the paper and brings the word to life by giving it shape and body. It encourages introspection and questioning of your role in society, which definitely occurred in the 1960s, specifically in students with the rise of student protest movements. Reflecting on the use of gunpowder, I think it’s interesting that Ruscha chose to use this unique edition when he probably could’ve substituted it for another medium. However, I think it speaks to his attention to detail and care put into his artwork. Overall, it’s very intriguing to explore an artist’s stylistic choices and how they contributed to the piece as a whole.

Blue Collar Tech-Chem and The Old Tech-Chem Building

In 1992, Ruscha created the Blue Collar Tech-Chem, an oil on canvas artwork. Everything is painted in black or shades of gray, and the only things visible in this painting are two, plain walls of a building with “TECH-CHEM” printed on the side and the dark-colored sky in the background. This is painted from the perspective as if you’re driving down the highway looking at this from the window. From the title, we can decipher that this building is labor or industrialization-related, and the dark-colored sky could be a result of industrial emissions. The lack of activity and color gives the piece a very ominous, depressing feel and a sense of isolation. In 2003, Ruscha created its counterpart, The Old Tech-Chem Building. In this artwork, the isolated perspective remains, but the dark sky has been primarily replaced by bold red hues. There are added gaps in the plain wall, depicted by these gray rectangular shapes. Although it’s unclear if these are windows or a different architectural feature, it seems the once industrial building has turned into a different, corporate-style building. Most notably, you can see remnants of the “TECH-CHEM” logo, which has been replaced by a red “FAT BOY” logo on the front of the building. “FAT BOY” references the bombs dropped over Japan during World War 2, which were known as “Fat Man and Little Boy,” with the red sky showing the effects of the explosions, signifying danger and violence. I interpreted this as the evolution of American society, but our evolution is only built upon its cruel history, which can’t be erased. I also found myself thinking that while we may think that we’re constantly advancing our architecture, technology, etc. in reality, are we just creating more problems atop past ones?

When you enter the ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN exhibit, you’re surrounded by simpler, more typical pop art pieces, such as Self, which contain logos or single words. As you progress through, unusual pieces, such as Blue Collar Tech-Chem and The Old Tech-Chem Building, which contain landscapes, everyday objects, and seemingly confusing sayings are incorporated as well. The exhibit organization gives insight into an artist’s thought process–art begins as an opportunity to showcase personal eccentricity but as you mature, you find freedom in art as a way to express your political and cultural opinions. As I moved throughout the exhibit, I shifted from briefly stopping to observe and admire, to standing in front of pieces in a state of confusion and somewhat frustration from trying to make sense of them. I realized that although this exhibit is partially called NOW THEN, these are all significant, timeless artworks. These logos are still recognizable today, these words are embedded into the English language, and themes of self-reflection, historical darkness, etc. can be applied to any person or time period. Art can transform anything into a creative masterpiece for all generations.

The streets of New York have always been agents of social change, not just within the United States but for the world at large. These streets embody a profound narrative—where New Yorkers rally, celebrate, and live their lives while shaping the course of history. They were influential during the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the 19th century, the Civil Rights Movement in the 20th century, and they continue to be significant today in Immigrant Rights and DACA Advocacy, as well as Climate Change activism. The Museum of the City of New York aims to capture NYC’s multifaceted role as a global city in their exhibit Activist New York. From pins to posters, videos to audios, the exhibit delves into thematic categories focusing on immigration, gender equality, political and civil rights, religious freedom, environmental advocacy, global issues and economic rights through mixed mediums. 

A particular section that captured my attention focused on the advocacy for disability rights. Among the various movements highlighted in the exhibit, this specific cause stood out as one which I possessed the least knowledge of. Despite having watched the documentary Crip Camp, which, much like the play Ching Chong Chinaman we explored in class, seeks to reclaim and transform a derogatory term, I realized the limited awareness surrounding this movement in most history classes compared to other rights movements at the time. The first act of civil disobedience against disability discrimination was organized by the League of the Physically Handicapped as a response to the lack of employment opportunities created by the New Deal for individuals with disability during the Great Depression. Decades later, and Judith Heumann was still fighting the barriers to employment, having been denied a teaching license solely for her inability to walk. Pictured above is her Identification Card for Long Island University where she trained during the late 1960s in the hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher. She played a key role in what are known as the 504 sit-ins, which brought awareness to the government’s failure to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This act was the first time it was legally acknowledged that inaccessibility is not a personal matter but the responsibility of the society to address.

Another major concern of the disability rights movement was transportation. It’s easy to overlook how inaccessible New York City really is to this day. Despite the visible presence of elevators in some MTA stations and priority seating in buses, the reality is that only 126 out of its total 472 stations accommodate individuals with disabilities. The picture below is of a 1990s campaign flyer detailing the information of a demonstration spotlighting MTA’s consistent failure to provide adequate accessibility for individuals using wheelchairs on buses. The bus operators often cited reasons such as a lack of access keys or malfunctioning equipment as excuses for their inability to operate bus lifts. Growing tired of hearing the same excuses and being stranded for hours at bus stops, Carr Massi acquired a copy of the key (seen below the poster) and presented it to the bus drivers whenever they claimed they couldn’t operate the lift for her to enter the bus. The accessibility struggle is in many ways still ongoing and does not only pertain to transport and employment but many other areas of life for many New Yorkers. 

Preceding the exhibit was a mural titled Raise Your Voice by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya depicting 2 powerful activists of their time: Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama. Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya has been a prominent activist for many Asian American and Pacific Islander communities during the pandemic when many acts of violence and anti-Asian hate in NY were on the rise. Her artworks have been featured on Times Square billboards, bus stops, subway stations, buildings, and the cover of TIME Magazine. Her mural featured at the museum also poses the viewer instigating questions: How are you using your voice? What is your legacy? What do you stand for? Who will you protect? Why are you here? Unlike the exhibit, the mural puts the viewer in the spotlight, probing them to find their own role in present day activism and one day be part of the history contained in the evolving exhibit. Placing the mural in front of the exhibit really solidified that artwork can be just as much of a form of protest; although silent, its message is loud and clear. 

Activism has undeniably changed over the past century, incurring more and more ways to include everyone’s voice through different mediums. Today, many people employ social media to spark social change and mobilize movements on a global scale. As activism continues to evolve with society, we gain increasing power to become major players in dictating our future and what movements will one day be contained in the exhibit. 

Upon visiting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the current exhibit Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility presents a wide array of topics to be discussed under the umbrella of darkness. This includes, but is not limited to the literal interpretation of darkness with the absence of color and light. By intentionally concealing essential aspects of the photos, more attention ends up being placed onto those exact areas out of curiosity. The pieces also draw to dark emotions, spaces, and represent hardships which people are faced with. The emotions that the artists wished to evoke out of the audience were often very clear and bold, if not quite unsettling. It was this overall experience which was targeted by the artists themselves. This theme was often achieved through means other than color schemes, yet the message was clear and cohesive nonetheless.

This exhibit features the work of 28 artists, all of whom obscure the images in order to create an element of mystery while simultaneously relaying their message rather openly. This leaves the viewer with a lingering thought of what could be hidden, thus fostering a personal connection to the piece itself. The main idea surrounding the curation of these works within the exhibit is to be on the “edge of visibility”, which was executed very well. While in many of the images, the main subject of the photo is fully present and in frame, the subject’s face or an aspect which one would typically look for is intentionally concealed. This adds a layer of depth to the piece, no matter how simple or complex the photograph is because it easily sparks an emotional connection between the art and the audience.

This first photograph on the left by Farah Al Qasimi from 2017 titled “It’s Not Easy being Seen 2” is a true representation of the “edge of visibility” that is modeled by the exhibit. While the entire shot is vibrant, in focus, and in frame, all of that detail that is typically looked for by people is left to the imagination. Not only is the woman’s entire face completely concealed, her hands are too, which elevates the level of mystery within the piece. While the entirety of the image is visible to the reader, almost nothing is visible at the same time. Despite all of this, it can be deduced that the subject feels confined and hidden, which are very dark topics to consider. This piece is a testament to the fact that art can be an experience, which goes beyond the physical work that is being analyzed. 

In a similar way, another photo that stood out to me was Stephanie Syjuco’s portrait from 2017 titled “Total Transparency Filter”. This image also clearly focuses on the subject in a way that grants the viewer plenty of space to form their own interpretation. Although the entire subject is clearly visible, there is not an overwhelming amount of emotion that would initially hit the audience. Instead it is the presence of this empty feeling which, in turn, adds to the experience. The greyscale color scheme also takes away from the potential of a lively atmosphere. However, this piece was also louder with its theme in the way that the transparency layer was covering the person who was intended to be the subject of the photo. This essentially would erase this person from the image, sparking a deeper conversation surrounding the topic of darkness on the internet.

There is also an undeniable element of tension between the images in the Going Dark exhibit and the viewer. The best a person can do is believe that they have an understanding of the artist’s vision, but they will always be left with the curiosity of wanting to know more. Refusing to give into this unsettling feeling feeds into the dark theme of the exhibit itself. We are often spoiled with the pleasure of having full access and information to an art piece, which leaves the sense of satisfaction that was omitted by many of these works. Aside from the obvious interpretation of darkness with a corresponding color scheme, these images were able to achieve these emotions even with a bright or loud color scheme. Through the use of angles, positioning of the subject, and clothing in order to effectively conceal the part which the artist wants the audience to focus on, the emptiness is exactly what is supposed to be conveyed. On a non-physical level, emptiness is a very dark feeling in itself, which is how many of these pieces tied into the exhibit’s theme successfully.

During my visit to the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), I saw many pieces of historical photographs, documents, and objects that told the stories of Chinese Americans. When you walk through the museum, it details the history of Chinese Americans from the mid-1800s during the California Gold Rush to the present day.

During the California Gold Rush, tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants came to the United States in hopes of finding gold. It was then that California got the name “gau gam saan,” which means “Old Gold Mountain,” since California was where gold was discovered. The name is also commonly used as a reference to San Francisco, California. After the gold rush, many Chinese immigrants worked to construct the transcontinental railroad. In the photo of the last spike ceremony shown in the museum, despite Chinese workers significantly contributing to the construction of the railroad, they were not featured in the famous photo. In another story highlighted by the museum, the Chinese miners developed a water management system that diverted streams and helped to flush out gold from second-hand mining deposits, which aided gold mining during the time. A lot of the efforts by these Chinese workers were overlooked, and Chinese workers were seen as threats to the job security of American whites. Seeing Chinese immigrants as a threat, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882 to ban the entry of Chinese immigrants and stop existing immigrants from obtaining American citizenship.

The passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act caused anti-Chinese riots to escalate. Chinese Americans faced a lot of violence, and it became even more difficult for them to find jobs. The “Eight-Pound Livelihood” was a section in the museum that talked about how the Chinese Exclusion Act caused many Chinese Americans to open laundromats for a living. Since washing clothes was considered a low-capital job, hand washing clothes was the job that Chinese Americans could obtain without provoking protests. In order to make a living, Chinese Americans worked long hours and used eight-pound irons to press their customers’ clothes. The museum had an eight-pound iron on display for viewers to interact with. The iron was so heavy that it was difficult to lift with one hand. I could only imagine how difficult it was for them to press clothes with that iron for hours while it was hot.

On the wall, a quote states, “We are a mystery to them and they seek to imagine us as perpetual foreigners./Yet, are we not all the same under Heaven?” This quote from the section “Imagined and Intimate” challenges the view of Chinese immigrants being foreigners who are vastly different from Americans. This exhibit highlights that despite the differences in appearance, Chinese Americans are Americans who work hard and deserve to be seen equally. The idea of Chinese Americans being a “mystery” is due to the lack of understanding of their culture and stories. When you understand the stories of people, you will likely find them much more similar to yourself than you would think.

The museum walks the viewers through the struggles of Chinese Americans throughout American history. From having a lack of representation to experiencing hate crimes, it shows us that Chinese Americans are a historically underrepresented group that faces inequality and hardships even to this day. However, these hardships did not stop them from working towards the “American Dream” and working hard to create their livelihoods. Despite all the difficulties, Chinese Americans found ways to preserve their culture and traditions through examples like Cantonese Opera and the celebration of the Lunar New Year. In the museum, you can see a beautiful traditional Cantonese Opera costume worn during opera shows performed to both Chinese and non-Chinese audiences. MOCA also has an interactive section where viewers can learn about the twelve Chinese zodiac signs and the celebration of Lunar New Year. The mix of historically based documents and engaging interactive displays allows the viewers to see and physically experience the stories of Chinese Americans.

Chinese Americans still face issues of racism and injustice today. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Americans faced many anti-Asian hate crimes that targeted elders. The museum shines a light on the injustice faced by Chinese Americans and questions whether Chinese Americans are any less human or American than others. For the contributions and efforts Chinese Americans made towards improving our economy and society, they should be able to receive fair and equal treatment. As a historically overlooked minority group, the stories of Chinese Americans involve immense hardship and injustice, and they deserve to be seen equally. MOCA helps the viewers to develop a fuller and more in-depth American narrative by highlighting the untold stories of Chinese immigrants and showcasing politically conscious issues.

I visited Poster house located at 119 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011 a 14 minute walk from baruch making it very accessible for students who would like to visit. The exhibit has heavy environment/smoking and car/plane themed pieces on display and is created for viewers to walk through and see the chronological development of Art Deco.

Brief History 
Art Deco finds its roots in a captivating blend of influences that shaped a design language with enduring appeal that is an influential style of impressionism that influences everything from fine art to film and fashion. This exhibition guides us through the genesis, zenith, and eventual decline of Art Deco, showcasing its evolution from regional modernism to the first truly international design movement. Before the term “Art Deco” was fully established in the 1960s, the style existed under various names, reflecting regional nuances of Modernism. Influences from the Ballets Russes in Paris and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, post World War I, technological advancements jazz age, etc. triggered the emergence of Art Deco, with the 1925 Paris Exhibition solidifying its identity. France, aiming to reclaim its artistic reputation post World War I it set the stage for a new era, establishing space for only the new and modern to be displayed. The Paris Exhibition of 1925 drawing over 16 million visitors, marked the glamorization of industry and postwar reconstruction. This event resonated globally, inspiring subsequent international exhibitions and establishing Art Deco as a truly global design style. The 1930s saw the decline of Art Deco amid the Great Depression and rising global tensions. Fascist regimes notably Mussolni in Italy  criticized it and found it to be degenerate, and its last major showcase was at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York symbolizing a optimism post world war II. 

Larrañaga, 1929 by Jean Carlu

Carlu’s transformation of a cigar into a monocled admiral in the Larrañaga poster is a masterful blend of commercial intent and artistic ingenuity. Originally crafted for the French tobacco monopoly, service d’exploitation industrielle des tabacs (SEIT), the poster showcases how Art Deco seamlessly merged with commerce and advertisement. The use of a monocled admiral conveys a sense of sophistication, appealing to a consumer base that associated smoking with a certain refined lifestyle; it also communicates a sense of authority and strength tapping into the cultural zeitgeist of the times.. It was rejected by SEIT and later presented to the British importer of Larranaga, a prestigious cigar brand. This rejection by SEIT and subsequent adoption by a British importer adds layers to its significance; having crossed cultural boundaries it underscores the international nature and appeal of Art Deco. The global appeal of the Larrañaga poster demonstrates how Art Deco transcended national borders, “In the wake of the paris exhibition, art deco became the first truly international style” (Arnold Schwartzman). In contemporary context, the piece prompts reflections on societal attitudes toward smoking, health implications, and the economic interests tied to the tobacco industry highlighting how marketing strategies can transcend cultural boundaries. In the present day, this resonates with discussions about the promotion of products that may have adverse health effects, and the potential for misleading advertising.

XVe Salon de L’Aviation, 1936 by Dolbeau

Dolbeau’s poster for the Paris Air Show in 1936 is a testament to the evolving aesthetic of Art Deco in the 1930s. The increasing minimalism in the design reflects the era’s embrace of streamlined forms and simplicity. This aligns with Art Deco’s shift from the elaborate ornamentation of the 1920s towards cleaner, more modern aesthetics.  The incorporation of avant-garde elements like Orphism, offshoot of Cubism that focused on pure abstraction and bright colors,  and Futurism highlights the poster’s connection to the prevailing cultural and political sentiments of the time. The focus on promoting national strength and innovation through aviation resonates with the era’s fascination with commitment to technological progress and the anticipation of wartime developments. The merging of art and advertisement in this work aligns with  A.M. Cassandre’s quote “the poster is not a painting but a machine to advertise”. And so Dolbeau’s aviation poster not only reflects the aesthetics of Art Deco but also provides a lens into the societal values and political climate of the 1930s. In a contemporary context, this artwork resonates with discussions surrounding the military-industrial complex. The poster’s emphasis on aviation as a symbol of national strength raises questions about the modern-day implications of the military-industrial complex, with discussions on the technological advancements in military capabilities and pursuit of military strength this dual nature also makes us contemplate the consequences of war when thinking about current day conflicts.

I decided to visit an art gallery called, The Hole, where certain exhibits are highlighted for a few months. When I went, Andy Dixon’s Exhibit, “Joy”, was being presented, who is a self taught contemporary Canadian artist. Dixon’s purpose was to reshuffle the original classic tropes of Greek mythology in which it portrays the taboo relationship between fine art, luxury, decadence, and patronage to demonstrate the entanglement between art and commerce. These artworks Dixon created may seem to reflect art history in Ancient Greece, but they actually curate our relationship with art history. He explores the question of what is art and what is expensive and how money distorts the history behind the painting. 

This is well presented in his artwork of four hugely painted on shirts called, Moschino Zip-up (2021), Hermes Blouse (2021), Versace Shirt (2019), and Versace Blouse (2021). Dixon uses bright and contrasting colors overlapping one another to highlight the main aspects of the shirts. By using expensive brands and painting over them, he underlines the connection between art and wealth. Artists want to try to make their painting luxurious so that they can have buyers and make a profit off of what they created. Therefore, Dixon believes that the second an artist makes an artwork to get money from it, the artwork is no longer pure. The desire to have a connection or possibility of being wealthy corrupts the artist, as well as the aspect of what really makes art, art. The purpose of art is to experience your ideals and values to show others what you think, and allow them to interpret them the way they want to as well, but when artists are rewarded for what they create, does that painting have a meaning anymore. They start to simply create just to make something that will get them money. Making an artwork that only a few elites would enjoy is dissolute to the majority of regular people who want to envision the art and resonate with it. This is well described by Dixon in which he states, “You don’t like it? Well that’s just because the work is too complex for the average person to understand…”. When art becomes an object of simply making profit, then the vision behind the art is lost. 

Furthermore, Dixon also emphasizes the idea of making everyday scenarios comedic whilst showing the truth behind wealth and privilege. He uses bright, flamboyant colors to exaggerate the visuals to show irony behind it. This additionally reminds me of the cultural movement during the Baroque era where there was an intense use of imagery and dramatic styles being used to demonstrate realism. An example of this would be his artwork “Yolo 🙂 (2023)” which illustrates mythological baby angels dancing around, and then “Yolo 🙁 (2023)“ which shows the dark reality of what happened through the use of memento mori skulls in replace of the angels. These artworks paired together represent the ignorance of wealthy artists and the desire to die famous. They can party and exploit the money they receive but in the end, it won’t be worth it. This reminds me of Vincent Van Gogh who never cared about parties or was arrogant about his work. He simply wanted the attention and love from a girl but he was unable to get it because he never was able to sell any paintings. Even though he died in poverty, he was able to become one of the most famous artists in the whole world. Pablo Picasso was also painting during this era and was highly famous but he never achieved a lot. He was always famous and able to sell his paintings but what Van Gogh achieved in his short career is astonishing. He was able to turn his pain and suffering into something beautiful and did not care to go down in history as a famous artist, even though that is what happened. Picasso’s art, based on the themes of Dixon’s paintings, has little meaning because it was painted to simply get money. 

This exhibit was highly enlightening once I was able to read about what each of the paintings suggested and what Dixons main goal was. The exhibit, Joy, provided free Andy Dixon postcards with his artwork, as well as a sheet of paper that provided his reasoning behind his paintings. The Hole art gallery is an interesting place to visit since it only highlights one specific artist at a time so I was able to gather which paintings were his. The exhibit was well curated because each wall had one of his paintings and the walls matched the color scheme of his artworks. There also was a separate room for his humongous jackets which I was not expecting once I walked in. This exhibit was educational because I have never heard about an artist who discusses the issues between art and money and how when it’s correlated, it diminishes the meanings behind the artist’s visions. I would definitely go again to see what other small business artists have in mind since this experience made me rethink what popular artists had in mind for their art. 

In being encouraged to visit a museum, I first wanted to explore what a museum is. During the Night at the Museum, we were taught that a museum is defined as being a place where we are encouraged not just to look but also to see. We were encouraged to enter the conversations that the pieces of art on display are having with themselves.

In my trip to a museum, I decided to visit the Greenwood Cemetery. The Greenwood Cemetery’s official site describes its institution as the following:

Green-Wood of today is also a cultural institution, an outdoor museum that tells the history and evokes the cultures of the borough, the city and the nation. Today, Green-Wood’s 478 acres serve as the final resting place for over 570,000 permanent residents.

This is an eerie way to describe a cemetery: a burial site and arboretum that serves as the “permanent” home to many well-known figures. The monuments and landscape is designed to resemble Gilded Age life of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Gilded Age was a time when it seemed like America was prospering because of a thin layer of wealth that glimmered in the hands of the most wealthy while many others lived deep in property. This cemetery was built in 1838 as a rural cemetery to accommodate the many deaths of New York City people who died due to a disease outbreak that was believed to have stemmed from drinking dirty water. People were normally buried in churchyards until a widespread increase in death tolls in New York City led to a reimagining of the way that cemeteries and burying people worked. A new style of cemetery was created and people were buried in rural areas. This design was carried into New York and reflected in the Green Wood Cemetery.

Although it was progressive in the nature of its art and burial sites, I found it interesting that the burial sites had been initially segregated. People were separated as much in death as they were in life. The Freedom Lots include many soldiers from the Civil War, people who were enslaved, children of people who were enslaved, and freed before their deaths but were never able to truly escape the world they lived in even after dying. Their lots were neglected, built with no foundations, which eventually caused them to cave in, and were not properly labeled. John Munroe, for instance, was a sergeant that served in a Civil War regiment shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. This relates to the movie that we watched in class about the Civil War. The number of Black soldiers fighting in the Civil War after the Emancipation Proclamation skyrocketed, according to the site, and also became an important stepping stone towards citizenship and a sense of equality in a new way.

A restoration project by high school interns has allowed for them to recover some of the bodies and memorials and to rename the lots to become known as the “freedom” lots instead of being known as the “colored” lots, which made me reflect on the impact that we, even as youth, can have on our communities. This was an initiative that began as the result of young students, not the institution, not the managers, not the directors. When the displays that we are shown and the information that we are presented with depend on the people that choose them, it is important to have a voice and bring light to what we find important.

The Greenwood Cemetery also includes many fallen soldiers from World War I, many of whom were soldiers or nurses who died in Europe and had family that brought them back home or died near Greenwood. Among these soliders, committing suicide on the way home after the war was not uncommon. One such instance are the Cromwell sisters. They were born into a wealthy family, descendants of the British Oliver Cromwell, and Gladys and Dorothea Cromwell decided to volunteer in France as nurses during the war. On their way back to their family that was urging them to come home, the two sisters headed out onto the deck of the ship before parting ways and each jumping off of the rails into the icy water beneath them. Although they were both buried in France, they have a memorial plaque in Greenwood Cemetery and many of the members from their family are buried here in Greenwood.

When we learn about wars in school, we always focus on the statistics of how many casualties occurred and how many deaths occurred on each side, on every acre of land, or in each battlefield. Many commemorate the soldiers that came home and those that didn’t. Nurses, teachers, and families are often overlooked and forgotten when it comes to these numbers and statistics about those who were harmed during the war. The pain that the Cromwell sisters exhibited is just one example of such a story.

Their memorial plaque is a beautiful tribute to the sisters’ lives, especially in the autumn as the leaves fall and nature decays. As the world around us crumbles and we are surrounded by the stories of everyone who came before us, there is an ironic enlivening feeling that reminds us that we are no greater than sky or the trees, which is perhaps a reason why Greenwood Cemetery is known as the “living” cemetery.

The image above is not one that I took, I didn’t find it respectful to take pictures of the cemetery. However, this is an image that I believe captured the autumn I described above.

I went to visit the exhibit titled Emerging Ecologies, located on the third floor Museum of Modern Art. This exhibit focuses on the usage of art, photography, and especially architecture, and how it can be used to help protect the environment and spread awareness for environmental protection and conservation. The exhibit features different photographs and videos showcasing how humans have used architecture over the years to spread important messages on conservation. It also shows different building designs and concepts that use the environment and surroundings to their advantage instead of wasting materials, and are protecting the environment while also looking chic.

The exhibit is a very significant topic and continues to get more important as we step into the future. The more and more humans build up and pollute, the more resources are drained from the earth. This can be seen through global warming and pollution. Especially in cities such as New York City, where smoke is heavily released into the air from buildings and the energy is being used by light, as well as the water and other resources, conservation and smart allocation of natural resources is very important. Because buildings are one of the most draining ways of using resources, architecture can be a very significant way to go about protecting the environment, and I was excited to see an exhibit at such a popular museum showcasing such an important topic, especially in a city where conservation is needed.

One collection of works from the exhibit that really caught my eye were the architectural designs by artist Emilio Ambasz. Ambasz is an Argentinian born architect who prioritizes energy conservation in many of his works. The photographs of his different home concepts were taken from all over the world, including Japan, Spain, and the United States. One of the designs I really liked was this building which looked like it was in the center of a large city. What brought my attention to this building specifically was the its slanted shape and appearance. It was amazing to me to see plants growing almost flat on the side of a building! This is also such a smart way to balance the natural environment with the city lifestyle. Plants help to keep the air clean, something needed all over due to air pollution, but especially in cities. I am happy this piece was included in an exhibit in Manhattan, so that hopefully it inspires someone to create a similar building here. Not only is Ambasz protecting environments all around the world with his architecture, but his work is also unique and eye-catching, which brings attention to his designs and helps to spread the message on the importance of protecting the environment. Ambasz is able to masterfully combine energy conservation with the beauty, creativity, and craftsmanship that goes into art and architecture.

Another part of the exhibit that stood out to me was a large photograph located in the center of the room. As soon as you walked into the exhibit this photograph caught your attention. The black-and-white photo depicts a man taking a picture of a group of protesters who were arguing against deforestation and building on protected land. This was a great way to be introduced to the exhibit because it really highlights the show’s central theme. I liked being able to see actual people fighting for conservation. There is art in the photograph as well, although you might not automatically think of it. The signs the protestors are holding are actually spreading important messages and would be considered art. I think this photograph also bridges the connection between architecture and conservation. Architecture is those artists’ way of protesting against resource wasting and fighting for sustainable energy usage.

The exhibit was curated very nicely. I liked how the introduced the topic, with a small blurb on the wall as well as a timeline with some important dates surrounding architecture, and then the large photograph in the center of the room. You then walkover to a wall which has some short films about the concept, so that when you walk over to see the actual designs you have a better idea of the concept. I appreciated that they had miniature versions of the buildings as well as photographs so you could see the designs from different points of view. Overall, I thought the exhibit did a really nice job of organizing the displays in such a way that a viewer unfamiliar with the topic or with architecture itself could also enjoy and understand the exhibit. The curate definitely enhanced the exhibit and I would love to visit the museum again.

Lauren Yee’s play “Ching Chong Chinaman,” utilizes comedy, specifically dark humor, to highlight the experiences of a Chinese family who’s been living in America for generations. One of the family conflicts that raises larger issues related to the immigrant experience is the tension between assimilation and cultural identity within the Wong family. The family seems to have lost their cultural identity due to extreme assimilation, yet they grasp at a chance to understand their roots. This conflict can be seen as a reflection of the broader struggle of many immigrants who want to achieve the American Dream, and feel like being “American” is a part of that. 

The Wong family in the play intentionally defies stereotypes of Chinese Americans, which is a direct response to the pressures and expectations they face as immigrants. Throughout the text, I was reminded of the phenomenon of the “model minority,” which is prominently associated with Asian Americans. According to the American Psychological Association, this means Asian Americans are characterized as being “…successful, well-educated, prosperous and healthy—resulting in a lack of scientific research on the effects of racism, discrimination and marginalization on their psychological and physical health.” (American Psychological Association.)

This myth is particularly manifested in Desdemona, the daughter in the play, who both conforms to and rejects traditional expectations of her Chinese identity. Desdemona aspires to get into Princeton, and is really well qualified. In Scene 7, she says “Mom, I’m an Asian American female with a 2340 and a 4.42 GPA at an elite public high school. That’s like the worst thing in the world. Nobody’s going to want me.” (Yee, 29.) To the average reader, she must sound spoiled, as she has a status that most students struggle to achieve. However, she has a personal struggle of ego and recognizing her success. Throughout the play, Yee shows her trying to find ways to set herself apart, going to extremes to reject the average Chinese identity, eventually doing an ancestry test. This desire to break free from stereotypes and embrace individuality is a personal struggle many children of immigrants face, leading to problems such as imposter syndrome.

In the play, the Wong family’s irreverent and satirical approach to their identity mirrors the broader issues faced by Asian Americans and other minority groups.The tension between cultural identity and the pursuit of the American Dream raises questions about acceptance, success, and dynamics of cultural diversity in contemporary society. The concept of the “model minority” is harmful as it completely erases the struggles and pushes immigrant children to extreme measures in their pursuit to succeed. This prompts us to consider the broader issues of identity, representation, and the toxic culture of the “American Dream,” transcending the specific experiences of this particular family in the play.

Citations 

Sliwa, Jim. “Asian Americans: Model or marginalized minority?” American Psychological Association. August 19, 2021. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/08/asian-americans-model-marginalized

Yee, Lauren. Ching Chong Chinaman. Samuel French, 2011.