Visiting the World Trade Memorial site created a roller coaster of emotions. The memorial itself exhibits a respectful display of names and falling water creating a peaceful environment for group or personal reflection. Inside the museum provided a much different experience. I found the historical and architectural backgrounds of the Two Towers to be very informational and fascinating considering that they were at the time, modern feats in engineering. It wasn’t until I reached the lower level where my emotions began to collide. Seeing images, belongings, and biographies of all the people lost during the attacks was overwhelming, upsetting, and a bit aggravating. I am still processing the information and trying to decide whether or not the display and possibly fictional stories were respectful or insulting to the victims, not to say that each individual is not important. In fact some of the stories were incredibly touching and over all I felt that reading the short biographies was the only way I could fathom the amount of people that lost their lives. The part I found to be the most unnecessary part of the whole museum were objects such as firetrucks and ambulances kept on display as if they were movie props. Over all, I learned a lot from the exhibit and was able to experience the event from a different perspective, and from a different age, helping me form my own opinions. -MAX

– Dia Beacon was an artists heaven. What touched me most however was the Richard Serra installation. The sculptures were positioned in succession, in a room naturally lit by enormous windows. Walking through the inside gave me a feeling of complete seclusion. The circular nature of Serra’s walls representational of imagery that was nostalgic to me personally. I felt as if I was hiking through a canyon, but also traveling through space. The forms created by shadows and the color of steel were very autonomous, and helped me transcend reality and time. Robert Simthsons pieces were also visually stimulating. His collection of glass created a tension in me that I could have only fixed by sweeping it up, and his volcano with mirrors created an interesting illusion. -MAX

The Noguchi exhibit was exquisite. Around every corner lie a piece just as cohesive as the last. The sculptures were tranquil, and looked smooth and natural to the touch as if they were formed by weather. They were also arranged in a way that fit the artists over arching vision. Outside every window were bamboo and aspen leaves, and let in light to create shadows that stretched across the floors of the gallery. The cafe was also beautiful exhibiting chairs, tables, and lanterns designed by Noguchi himself. After our excursion we visited the Gothic Cathedral of St. John Divine for reflection which is enormous and enlightening. Their were elaborate and enormous stained glass windows that lined the walls, and the ceiling was so tall it was out of sight. At the end of the day we ate KFC chicken in a park and all was good. Look forward for what tomorrow has to offer. -MAX

Started the day with some ping pong. Went to the New Museum and enjoyed one of the best views in New York City. Saw photography by Sarah Charlesworth which was incredible, enlightening, and original. From there we journeyed to China Town which was filled with a wide range of odd and delicious aromas and enjoyed a filling lunch. The Drawing Center exhibited phenomenal sketches and renderings of artists current and past including a beautiful Matisse. We ended the day with the Gay and Lesbian Art Museum also filled with original artwork and artists that I have never seen before. Getting home was a slight struggle but made it back after walking from Harlem through a hurricane. Excited for tomorrow. -Max

Today I awoke abruptly to a 1/4 hangover, but that did not discourage me. After a shower and quick coffee injection we began our long and arduous adventure. Our first stop was the Guggenheim which due to it’s beautiful design was a very enjoyable experience, beside the fact that the Kandinsky gallery was closed. We then moved onward to the Neue Gallerie which was quite a treat. I saw work that was incredibly moving such as Gustav Klimts portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer and the paintings of the German group The Blue Rider. We then moved on to the Frick which was overwhelming. Everything was gold encrusted and decorated with floral patterns. The paintings of Gainsborough were incredibly captivating, life-sized, and lit perfectly. From there we went to the MoMA which was even more overwhelming. There were more people than Disney Land and the shear size was amazing. Andy Warhols exhibit was my favorite section and was the first time I saw his portraits of Marilyn. It was a good day and I look forward too tomorrow.