Day three was a lot to take in. We went to four major institutions and saw a lot of very famous artwork and my eyes were bleeding by the end of it. First we went to the Guggenheim where I gave my presentation on Doris Salcedo’s Plegaria Muda. Her work is so moving and I probably had the most emotional response to an art piece that I have ever had in front her Flor de Piel. I stared at that thing for nearly twenty minutes and had a really hard time walking away. Pictures don’t do it justice but here it is.
The Neue Gallery was my least favorite place that we have visited so far. The people there were rude, including the staff, the art wasn’t much to look at and it was really small. Maybe I was just hungry, but the best part about the gallery was leaving it. Adele Bloch-Bauer was pretty cool. We couldn’t take any pictures there either so I don’t have anything to show for it.
The Frick Collection was really cool but we only had about 45 minutes to go through it. I saw some awesome works though and it’s crazy to think that it used to be someones actual house. That’s me when I grow up. I saw some van Eyke, Velasquez, and Rembrandt along with many other artists that I have studied. Unfortunately photos weren’t allowed in there either so I can’t take any of it home with me but it was a lot of fun and I hope I can go back.
Lastly we went to the MoMA and that place was absolutely massive. I saw some really great work their and saw all of the super famous pieces from Warhol’s Campbell Soup Cans to Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon to Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Actually I didn’t really get to see Starry Night that well because there was at least 60 people crowding it. My favorite exhibit there was on the very top floor and it was showing Latin American architecture from the 1950’s-80’s. There was some really great photos and models of buildings there that were very inspiring. A good looking building really does it for me. Here is a photos by Leonardo Finotti of a building by Jesus Tenreiro-Degwitz that I thought was particularly beautiful.
Today was a long day but I think it was the best one yet. I’m getting used to the city and seeing all this art is making me anxious to do some more research when I get home and start making stuff.
-Beaudry Allen