Themes

Coming into this class I thought talking about art would come easily, and after the first couple of classes I thought we were sort of done with the topic as a whole. But that was not true. The way we have attacked every angle of how we can view or experience art and still have only scratched the surface of it, has stimulated my mind in to viewing things differently. The solid line that I have mentally had for what is considered art has blurred, and as a result I have taken this mentality outside of the classroom, by noticing the little things that I would, before, dismiss quickly.

While waiting for a computer at the local library I noticed the mural that was painted above the computers. I’ve probably walked past that mural a hundred times? But never once have I taken the time to look at it in such great detail. It’s supposed to show the progression of America from when it was an agricultural society to an industrial society. I didn’t understand why they chose that to paint as the mural in the library, but then I thought maybe that’s when the viewer comes in, to find the connection. This thought process has now, as I’m typing, made me question: What is more important: creating a theme when it comes to art or finding it? Maybe the two of them come hand in hand?

This was especially an underlying question when curating for Snapshot NYC. What common theme can we find in the 400 photos that came from all the Macaulay students from all 5 boroughs? We decided on branches and roots to emphasize the common theme that everyone in this program is from this common seed and we eventually branch out to different parts of NYC that is important to us, whether it be a public space (photo of the skyline) or a private space (photo of the meal they had that day). All in all every photo, even though some weren’t taken in the best quality, meant something to the person who took it. And after being a part of Snapshot NYC I’ve learned to appreciate the process of finding that common theme everyone can connect to.