Although we did negatively critique the efforts of the museum and its curators in the putting together of this exhibit, I see it from a different perspective. This was my first time to the MOMA. It was my first official exposure to any form of modern art. I have- until last week- managed to stay away from anything to do with that word, ‘Modern art’. It’s not that I hate or despise it, it’s just that I never wanted to be in a situation where I had to judge it. Its always been very subjective and comes down to taste. You either love it, or you hate it. Yet it is almost satirical that I am in a situation where I am writing a review on an ironic exhibition at the MOMA, the haven for Modern art enthusiasts..
In regards to the exhibition I was able to enjoy myself. It did provide contrast to the other floors and rooms I had to pass to get there. Despite the fact that many loathed the way the generation of Punk Rock-with its discord, and anti-establishment subculture- was presented, I did not. I actually had very little criticism towards the methods the curators took to present it. I understand that many believed that the order of the exhibition was totally opposite of what Punk Rock stood for, and that the presentation techniques were way off. The class discussed the polite and ‘dainty’ manner the curators took to organize the wall of magazine clippings, newspapers, and posters, as well as the short ‘cute’ recordings on Sony headphones and television. Many mentioned that the exhibition could not even be mildly compared to the loudness of the generation. The exhibition was looked at and seen as a shortcoming of the curators to present the dirty, nonconforming, noisy, and protesting scene of the 70s, but I hardly do. To me there was no lacking aspect of rebellion, or more space to fill, or a display that needed more of a ‘garage’ look.
The exhibition was small, but it did include artifacts from the period. It included many visuals and audio recordings that gave samples of what the era was like. There was a glass case of old newspapers, announcements, ticket stubs, and photographs that were authentic and not copies of them. There was authenticity to the publicity given to the New York City scene of Punk Rock. Overall, I like to think the exhibition could be summed up by the title of one famous Punk Rock Song, ” Live Fast Die Young”. The Exhibition was fast. It displayed everything in about two rooms, but it was a lot of information. What we first see is a wall covered in clippings from the era. This was the highlight of the exhibition for me. Although they were just pieces of what occurred, there was variety and history in the pictures. There was not a space of white wall on this wall, and this did create the loudness of the subculture for me. If one actually took the time and put yourself into the pictures, you could probably gain more from them.What the wall did was create a sense of busyness for the spectator. I did see people a lot of time looking at the wall, but no one saw the entire wall! There was too much going on. There were bands playing on the same nights at different locales, bands getting famous nationally, while others were rising in the streets of New York. Everything was happening at once on the wall. This was how the Punk Rocker lived. Life was fast and expected to be short.
Although some complain about how this exhibition didn’t capture the ideology of Punk Rock, we have to remember we are in a museum. There are some things that are impossible to recreate. Jazz is a another genre of music that exhibitions take on. Do we really think the lifestyle of the people living during the time of ragtime, swing, or bebop is captured in a museum exhibition? Jazz Clubs even try to recapture how the scene was, but can always come short of what it really was like. When we see an exhibition on the evolution of man, it’s extremely hard to portray exactly what the caveman ‘culture’ was like or stood for. The main goal was survival, do we leave such an exhibition nodding and saying to ourselves, “That exhibition made me understand that survival was the main focus of that era”? How do you display what these eras represented? With artifacts, possibly photographs, recreations, etc. This exhibition had all of that. If you really want to experience Punk Rock, don’t go to a museum and complain that it didn’t leave you feeling the Punk Rock atmosphere or weren’t ‘taken back’. If you want that ‘garage’ feel, find a garage band and go to their garage .
Only a few of us are left to remember it anyway – haha! bring out your dead! your lovely corpses. Punk rock was the greatest thing to ever happen! It was teenage angst and rebellion at it’s finest – it was a cry out – we’re tired of being disadvantaged, subject to drugged up hippies who love to cop feels and dose drinks, tired of the anger of poverty and perversion,we just tried to convert it into a “fun” energy. Mosh pits used to be full of “love” and comradry. Punk has love just like everyone else, it’s just a bit bitter and intense. For all of you who think punk is for “angry” and “mean” people, you are freakin wrong! It was merely an oulet, an escape from miserable, repressed, perverted, and delusional homes. Not all of them were middle class brats, they were a wide range of kids and twentysomethings who were tired of being told they “needed” all those things they couldn’t afford in order to be accepted into “society” – the rat race, the miserable parents(mad, pervy,depressed,etc.) and their loathed jobs, the debt, i owe, i owe – the government will help you if you sell your soul. Punk was the original cry from the “ghetto” before everyone else jumped on the bitchwagon – only they didnt scream “racism”, they just said “i’m tired of this shit, working for nothing, playing the game of never get ahead no matter how hard i try.”…..
Hugs to the boys!
Tracy L.
Great Post, Well written.
The difficulty for a museum curator is to be able to overcome the visual perspective. How does one convey sound and smell?
As to the idea of “Modern”, it has become a synonym for “new”. We think of “Modernity”as a term to describe a better technology, or just a fresh idea. Artifacts once displayed in a museum are no longer living in the “Here” and “Now”. Something to think about.
Please go to the MoMa, the Guggenheim and the Whitney and see for yourself, find what you like and what inspire you. What will be modern is your reaction, your approach to what you see.