A Trip To The Met...

Ok, first I’ll admit that I will be referencing another “field” trip that I took almost a year ago to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’ll also admit that in this particular portion of this assignment, I will reference 2 examples of how the art of the lighting, and architecture of certain exhibits in the museum struck a chord with me, as well as highlighting one particular piece of art. I do this because I find that what really makes a museum interesting is the form and function that is created in the environment that the art is placed in. 

 







Instrument Gallery - In the Met’s Andre Merterns Gallery I encountered a various categories of instruments from different areas of the world. What struck me the most was the way that the combination of color and lighting fit the aesthetics of what one may think of the regions of southeast Asia to have. The deep tones of red (seen through my camera with more of a orangish hue) mimic that of the region’s historical heritage.

Art of Asia Gallery - In this particular gallery, many pieces of art from Asia were on display. If you notice, some of the works were gargantuan in size, mirroring the importance of east Asian countries like China, and Japan. The aesthetics of the space also accomodated the pieces with the wooden beams supporting the lighting of the pieces evoking Asian interior design.

 

Picasso’s Madolin, Fruit Bowl, and Plaster Arm - In this case, I go against my initial statement on my approach to this assignment, and did pick out a piece of art. Most will recognize the cubist style here of Picasso. Through this piece however, the sharp red of the tablecloth is juxtaposed nicely with the overwhelming grays, browns, and even the touch of blue in the bowl. 

Each of these works, away from being notable for being exhibited in the prestigous Metropolitan Mueseum of Art, evoke very strong messages. In the first two examples that I selected, the total astectic of a gallery were noted. In them, not only was the art evaluated, but also the lighting and the archetcure around the pieces of art. They make powerful statements on society’s view of art itself when all placed in the same context.

 

 

It is also interesting to note that right beside the visual aspects of these galleries and pieces of art, is the idea of the type of material used around the pieces, whether they be of stone, canvas, or otherwise, they help to create the asthetic, that then influences the experience of the visitor. Each of the galleries that I chose to highlight above were all created with plasterboard walls and carpets on the floor. Both of these materials dampen sound that travels in the spaces created, creating a more reflective environment for the visitor. In the musical instruments gallery, I could stand and almost hear the tones of the instruments on display in my head, as I marveled at their craftsmanship and age. The same rings true in parts of the Eastern Asian gallery. I could hear the shamisan being plucked, as I marveled at some of the smaller pieces in the low-lit gallery. 

Through this trip, I was able to once again marvel at the ways that the creation of environments through the use of different materials can transform the perception of a space, and more particularly, the perception of a piece of art. This particular amazement is not particularly new to me, as I have visited many other art galleries here in Washington, DC and other areas, and have marveled at the various architectural styles, building material, and mixed media all work together to create the experience for the visitor. This sometimes has trumped my actual viewing of the art. Each experience that I have had in these spaces has not as much changed my view of art, as it has added a new lens through which I may view the world. I many times will walk through various buildings and spaces, and think to myself how the aesthetic of the space would change with a different style of lighting, and different material, a different type of sound created by the materials or the inhabitants. It is within that mode of thinking that the idea of “art” is transposed to more than just a mueseum.