Art of the Seasons

As the year progresses, different seasons emerge and therefore possess many different qualities particular to that time of year.  As I sit outside of my dorm, I am noticing all of the changes in this new environment.  Trees no longer appear quite as decorative as they loose their leaves, and they also lack color as the conclusion of the previous season draws to an end.  I am also noticing how the darker skies earlier on in the day affect my perception of the world around me.  Sometimes, everything just looks so much more different just because of a simple thing called lighting.  Even though all of these changes are taking place, I still find the world that you and I live in to be beautiful-just in a different kind of way.       

High Museum of Art

The High Museum of art offers a little bit of something for everybody.  There is both the traditional art as well as the contemporary art.  Some pieces will force you to question what the artist was thinking upon the time of creation while others may appear boring and unstimulating.  The museum design is done in such a way as to create some sort of narrative in order to guide the viewer through what may seem to be an overwhelming experience.  In most cases, there is a reason as to why a painting was completed in the manner that it was, and there is a reason for why it was displayed in a certain fashion.  The answer to these questions cannot always be explained, but it is, in most instances, justified.   

   

Science Museum in London

The science museum in London does not have an entrance fee, so many are not completely sure whether it is public or private art.  I believe that it can be both.  The science museum, while educational and informative, has a whimsical atmosphere that makes it that much more wonderful.  The exhibits are not simply for educational purposes.  They are examples of art made out of many different materials in many creative ways.  One of my favorite displays of art showed the inside of the human brain.  I think I might want to become a neurologist, so I found this brain to be informative and aesthetically pleasing.      

Orsay Museum

The Musée d'Orsay is the typical museum.  It possesses all of the qualities that one expects a museum to possess.  There are high ceilings, a lot of intricate details created from rich materials, and the walls are covered in awe-inspiring works that date back for many many years.  The museum can be more than just a building with a bunch of famous works within it though.  In fact, my brother found it quite entertaining to “pose” as if he was a part of the works in order to liven up the experience.  Private art can be a great experience, so we shouldn’t think of it as dull.  Instead, we should look for those particular museums that offer something more-something extraordinary.           

National Gallery

The National Gallery in London is not only beautiful on the inside, but it is also beautiful from the outside.  It is the perfect example of both private and public art.  A lot of museums today do not have an entrance fee, so does that mean that its contents are private or public art?  The inside of the museum is filled with a lot of art.  The walls are hardly bare, and the décor is hardly unadorned.  I remember not focusing solely on the art but on the building as a whole.  There was so much to take in that I find it difficult to even recall my favorite things about the museum.  So I am faced with the question: is it better for a museum to possess a lot-possibly too much or for a museum to possess a little-leaving the viewer wanting more?    

Notes on the Gallery Space

“The ideal gallery subtracts from the artwork all cues that interfere with the fact that it is art.  The work is isolated from everything that would detract from its own evaluation of itself.”  Recently I have noted that a lot of museums will display the artwork in an open space on an open wall.  This allows the viewer to asses the art for what it is without other distractions, other paintings, which may interfere.  Simplicity seems to be the “new thing” in terms of how and why a museum’s art is presented in a particular fashion.  I personally like this form of exhibition because it forces me to take a good hard look at the painting or sculpture without all of these other distractions.         

Museum Art

Individuals often perceive the art that is located in museums as boring and/or uninspiring.  I do not believe that it has to be considered in this way.  While the purpose of museums is often to educate and inform, it can also be a place where people come to see that which is beautiful and creative.  Over the years, when my family went to Europe, we spent a lot of time in and out of museums.  In my younger years, I had a very hard time appreciating the works of art, but I think I might have just been too young to understand them.  This past summer, I visited additional museums, and I looked at the content within them with a new set of eyes.  For the first time, I looked at the paintings as more than just paintings.  For the first time, I was mature enough to go to multiple museums in a day while still loving the experience.  Therefore, museum art--while different from public art--can be fun and exciting, interesting and rewarding.