Art and Identity: The Museum of Modern Art

Field Trip #1

             My visit at the Museum Of Modern Art and also at the PS1 Exhibit was so exciting . I was able to see plenty  of  works of art . Some of them were breathless . The main parts of the museum  that I visited were the Contemporary Galleries between 1980 and Now from 2^nd floor , Inventing Abstraction from the 6^th floor and the most important and the one I liked so much was the Painting & Sculpture part from 5^th floor . Also the MOMA PS1 exhibit from Queens was interesting . Every piece of art was different in its own way and made me see what the artist really wanted to say through his piece .

             First of all , paintings are my favorite type of art . I have my favorite artists like Picasso , Van Gogh and Rembrandt van Rijn . My choice of a work of art that embodies individual identity is Picasso’s painting “Bather” from MOMA . The medium used is oil on canvas and was painted in 1908-09 . In the painting we have a nude female after the bath . The background is simplified in 3 colors . I consider this individual identity because shows personal characteristics of somebody . I this case was about Picasso’s subject that is a nude female .  The painting present in the same time different views how is also said in the painting information , “ The bather’s body is broken into discrete parts : her breasts , stomach , and shoulders are hardened into geometric arcs and curves , and her right foot twists unnaturally “ .

           For historical identity I found another painting . I chose “Departure” by Max Beckmann  from MOMA as well . The medium used is oil on canvas and is also a triptych , a three part format . The painting show a king on his departure in the middle piece and on the side are images of sin and salvation . Initially , the german artist said that is no explanation for the painting , but after , “ became to be seen as one of the emblematic artistic responses to Hitler’s Germany “ .  The detail and what was going on back then in Germany gives this painting a powerful historical identity .

          However , for the cultural identity I didn’t choose a painting . I looked for something that represents my culture and I found a great work of art : “ Iconostasis “ by Sammlung Ludwig at MOMA PS1 . The artist used mixed media . There are practically icons on a wall . Traditionally this wall is used in Eastern Christian church to separate the public from its sanctuary . This work of art moved me from the second I stepped in the room . I am an orthodox and my church has this . Living far from home , in a country that doesn’t have that much of your culture , to see I piece of art that warms you little bit is priceless . This piece was finished in two years and the result is fabulous .

         These two trips were useful for my knowledge and for the little artist inside me . New ideas of creativity kicked in . However  , these three examples of identity are just a small part of plenty other pieces of art that soon il will discover  thanks to my art professor . 

Personal Identity                Historical Identity              Cultural Identity 

Pablo Picasso                    Max Beckmann              Sammlung Ludwig

" Bather "                            " Departure "                     "Iconostasis"

Oil on canvas            Oil on canvas , three panels        Mixed media

1908-1909              Frankfurt-1932;Berlin 1933-34         1977-78

Narrative Digital Collage

Digital collage

                These cartoons are a sweet memory of my childhood and this is the island where all the cartoon characters live . Surprisingly , in a sunny day , they found their way  out, inside a bottle . They planned to use the ship to leave the island . Everybody being excited , that they will leave the island soon , they start celebrate and be active around the bottle . You can see how happy is Mickey , the Pink Panther and Popeye . Jack Sparrow is a little scared , but this is how he always has been . But everything is controlled by the great God Zeus . 

Good Art vs. Bad Art

      In my opinion , Art , can be good or bad in so many ways or from so many opinions . But everybody has their own opinion , and mine is that is no bad art . I can be wrong , but this is how i feel . And i will tell you why , but first i will start with GOOD ART :

     I can say I am a fan of ancient Greek and Roman Art . Maybe because also my country , Romania ,  was part of The Roman Empire 1900 years ago , or also that Romania is so close to Greece and we have similarities in art . For me this is Good Art . And this includes sculptures , paintings and architecture . Most of them I was able to see in museums all over the world . But with the architecture , i was amazed to see it with my eyes when i visited Rome 2 years ago . The Colosseum and San Pietro Square are a few extraordinary examples . It moves me how people , 2000 , 3000 years ago , were able to do this fabulous art pieces .

 And i put a picture from NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art to make my point .

        And now i will explain why is no BAD ART for me . I feel like every piece of art tries to transmit us something . And maybe every person can absorb that information in different ways . Good or Bad . Some people label Bad Art , as the Art that they don't like . Or maybe the Art that they can do . That's true , everybody can do Art . That doesn't make it Bad . But if I really have to give you an example of art that I may consider Bad , i have a few pieces . 

     These are Louis Bourgeois pieces of art from NYC Modern Museum Of Art that i may consider them as Bad Art . They don't transmit anything , i can do it , and i don't like them . 

Time to break the ice

                                                     Hello everybody !!! 

     I want to welcome you here and i hope you will enjoy all my posts .  This is my "treasure " . During this fabulous Art class , I will post all my pieces of art , my ideas , feelings and opinions . Stay by !!! This will be a great way of my communication towards you .