Beacuase I’m too braindead and emotionally/physically exhausted to do an in depth rehash of the day. We went to the Cloisters today though. 

   
                           

-Julie M. 

Thankfully was exactly how I remembered 10 or so years ago. I guess it would be hard to change the Cloisters (there might be a riot/protest if it did happen). It was interesting to learn about the history of the place and the theorized meanings of several of the different decorations/objects on display. I especially liked the treasury room where all of the carved objects are. Lots of bone/ivory carving. The detail that they were able to achieve back then is phenomenal. 

   
                    

 

                 -Julie M.  

Today, the last day of the trip, we visited the Cloisters Museum. An extension of the MET, it is the only museum in the United States that is entirely dedicated to Medieval art. Medieval art to me is usually pretty boring; I can only look at so many images of Christ and Mary before my eyes start to bleed. But we started with a great walking tour with an awesome tour guide that made the whole visit worth it. It really put me in the mood to look at some Medieval art after listening to someone so knowledgable and excited about the subject. He showed us some great artifacts and pieces that I have studied in art history classes and gave really interesting information to us about the institution. I loved looking at all of the rings and the small treasures that they had in the basement. The best part about it was just being outside in a nice park with some green.

The day isn’t quite over but I’m ready for this trip to be winding down. It was an incredible experience and I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of this class. Saw a ton of amazing art, visited one of the most interesting cities in the world, and made some valuable new friends. Perfect start to a productive summer.

-Beaudry Allen

The Brooklyn Art Museum was alright. I don’t know much about Basquiat and his work didn’t really speak to me. I don’t want to pass a judgement or say anything about the work because I’m not as informed on his work, but to me it just seemed like a lot of ideas that never really made it all the way to an interesting piece to look at. What struck me about the exhibit was the curatorial job that was done. To make all of those scratch pieces of paper be the main part of the exhibition and make it interesting I thought was impressive. I didn’t really love much of the other work that I saw there, but I think it was just because I am starting to get burned out on viewing art after 9 days in NY. I did love the KAWS sculpture right in the entrance and that was probably my favorite piece on view. Otherwise, it was a kind of forgettable museum.

-Beaudry Allen

    -Bailey

Excellent bar on 81st and Amsterdam. One of the many amazing perks of staying at the Hostel is that they staff really tries to create an enjoyable and communal experience. Almost every night they do “pub crawls” where they host a large group at a local bar, typically with some kind of deal. By far the best one has been Jake’s Dilemma. If you enjoy having a few, Manhatten can get pricey, so it’s nice to have a place within walking distance where you can get a $1 beer. Everybody there is extremely friendly and the service is amazing, which again, is hard to come by in the city. Every night there is a different special ranging from “$4 you call it” to “$9 buckets”. Additionally all the bars on that corner are owned by the same gentleman, all of which display similar deals on a nightly basis. If your trying to enjoy a night out with out breaking your bank, Jake’s Dillema is right up your alley. Payce.
-Kam

                                                                                         

Yesterday provided a great opportunity to meet up with recent Western BFA recipient, DEBBI KEENOTE. She is in her second year of an MFA at Brooklyn College. Having a discussion in her studio about her past, present, and future was very insightful!

Interlacing the day with the Brooklyn Museum and a phenomenal collection was obviously a big highlight. Finishing-up the last student presentation with Jean-Michel Basquiat was a powerful end point. 
Lunch with SHEILA MOSS, a 25 year veteran of the cityand long time practicing artist, provided an entirely different perspective. Her thoughtfulness, generosity, and valuable advice left everyone with something to think about!

-G&P