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THE MET ART MUSEUM AND JEWISH MUSEUM

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date December 7, 2023



On our last day in the city, we visited the Met Art Museum and the Jewish
Museum. We saw work from Cecily Brown’s Death And The Maid exhibit at the Met.
Cecily Brown’s art is also abstract, with this one being more like a collage of
colors. Memento Mori I interested me the most out of all the pieces. I felt
called to it as someone who made a piece called Memento Mori. Using colors as it
is smeared across the canvas creates a disturbingly beautiful scene. The white
reminds me of flowers, but also reminds me of angels. The way the strokes are
painted feels like feathers, reminding me of the biblically accurate angel
memes. In the bottom corner, there is a bit of red that looks like someone
crying out in agony to me. Something feels off when you look at this piece. It’s
as if you were not meant to see it, or your brain is alerting you of oncoming
danger. Perhaps that was her intention with this piece, to make us feel fear as
we stare at it longer. Or perhaps the piece is meant to be about honoring death,
with the angels symbolizing heaven. Maybe it means something else entirely.
Another piece of hers gives off the same effect. Blood, Water, Fruit, and
Corpses feel threatening the longer you look at them. The danger is present in
the sea, like blue and black, becoming choppier and sharper the longer you look
at it. The artist depicts ships, but I see someone drowning, waving their arms
around frantically as they try to catch someone’s attention. The person is
dying, and we are just stuck helplessly watching. 

I went to the Greek and Roman section when we split off to look at the Met
ourselves. Sadly, I have no photos because I ran behind schedule, but while it
is not contemporary art, it is still an experience everyone should go to. There
may be a chance for it to become contemporary art if someone is inspired by it. 
At the Jewish Museum, we saw Arte! Arte! Arte!. The exhibit showcases Marta
Minujin’s art throughout her career. We got to see pieces similar to the ones we
saw at Times Square Arts and new ones. There is one in particular I wish to
highlight, which is The Parthenon of Books. Comprised of books banned by the
world, it was placed in Friedrichsplatz, specifically on the nazi book burning
site. There is something to be said about banning books and why they are banned,
especially in our modern world. The piece featured modern banned books in Ziploc
bags on the wall, with books like Drama or Red, White, & Royal Blue being
featured. We now live in a world where Anne Frank’s diary is banned by schools
and was seen on that wall. We are in a world where a book can be banned because
the son of the president of the United States dates the Prince of the U.K. I
have always been against banned books in schools as the reasons behind some were
just based on what others think we should all follow. By banning books, we
essentially lose another form of art and knowledge. Marta’s piece felt like a
call to action to me, as well as the ability to share knowledge. These books are
banned, but now people can see and read them. People will continue to read these
books, even as groups or schools ban them. This felt like a compelling ending to
the semester and left me wanting to read every one of those books and reread the
ones I already have.
Thank you for such an amazing semester.



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SHARPE-WALLENTAS AND SMACK MELON

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date November 23, 2023



We visited three artists in the Sharpe-Wallentas Studio Program in the last
class. I will focus this journal mainly on Jesse Greenberg and Miu Yim. Jessie
Greenberg is the type of artist I want to be whenever I grow up. Jessie utilizes
cheap and repurposed materials for his art, something I found remarkable. He is
going to illegal landfills and picking up stuff. He is going to the highway and
picking up abandoned car pieces. He then makes it into something new, showing
off art that gives off a retro vibe. I’d argue that what he is doing is helping
protect our environment. Most importantly, he saves money on materials, which
will always be a plus. Jesse also mentioned not wanting to be stuck by an
artist’s statement, which I resonate with. I had difficulty writing an artist
statement, finding it would limit me to something I didn’t want. Jesse felt the
same way, avoiding writing an artist statement for the residency. He also said
that he felt like he didn’t know what his art was anymore and allowed himself to
lose himself with his art. Most importantly, he follows what he makes through
materials instead of intention. Everything else falls into place after that. I
fell in love with a piece Jesse was working on, making a note to include it as
part of my final project. It deserves to be featured in an exhibition, and I can
not wait to see it fully finished. I find Jesse incredibly interesting and have
started doing my own individual research on him.
Miu Yim is another artist who interested me, changing her art over the years.
Initially, Miu Yim focused on fuzzy bears as the center of her paintings. Her
paintings were cute and gave off a warm feeling. However, recently, Miu has
changed her entire art entirely. Now, Miu focuses on dream-like abstracts. While
some paintings that we saw referred to her original animal paintings, they
mainly served as their own thing. She included her identity as an Asian
immigrant in her works, which I felt was well shown throughout. Yim also focused
on making drawings during the pandemic that utilize her abstract art. Yim paints
with acrylics, focusing on making brush strokes first. Her brush strokes are
precise and show a range, with some being small and some being large. She is
experienced with her brush, showing confidence in her work as she paints. Her
work feels like a fantasy, the dreams being beautifully confusing. She has
freedom with her art and leans into it, showing how much she loves her process.
Miu Yim’s art shows her years of experience and love of her career. She deserves
more recognition in the art world, and I hope her time at the residency allows
her to make even more incredible paintings. 

We also visited Smack Melon, which was an exciting experience. I was slightly
uncomfortable by it, but that was the point. I was meant to feel uncomfortable
as I observed what I saw at the gallery. Nude images and oil being used in an
erotic sense is what I was expecting to see in there, but it is what we found.
Jessica Segall’s Human Energy was made to depict humanity’s relationship with
oil, and it did. It showed how humans care about oil a little too much, maybe
not as erotically as portrayed in the gallery. 
We rode the carousel as well. It’s not as important to the art world, but I
wanted to mention it as it made me happy and helped me calm down after Human
Energy. It was a great exhibit, but it was very uncomfortable to watch.



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TIMES SQUARE ARTS AND JAPAN SOCIETY

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date November 16, 2023



In the last class, we met Jean Cooney, director of Times Square Arts, and saw
Out of Bonds at the Japan Society. 

Times Square Arts was interesting to me as some of the elements behind it were
elements I was already familiar with. They are the people behind Midnight
Moment, and learning the process was an experience. Before this meeting, I did
not know that the billboards in Times Square were owned by whoever ran the
building it was on. I also didn’t know they could approve or reject anything
displayed on those billboards. Hearing how Midnight Moment had to avoid politics
was interesting, mainly because it could cause a brand not to promote its image.
Hearing how Disney didn’t display the Midnight Moment one time made sense to an
extent. The mouse is tough to please, but what was shocking was how Times Square
Arts had to adapt. The group has had to reject proposals based on the terms set
by the brands. Some didn’t want the pieces to be too dark, while others didn’t
want anything that could anger people. There was also the struggle of picking a
different theme each month, You can’t have a water-based art after a previous
water-based art as it will get too repetitive. There is much more behind the
scenes than we know, with the long and tedious process. Times Square Arts also
specializes in concerts in the summer, showing musical talents on top of art
exhibitions.   I was also pleased to know that they are responsible for the
sculptures in Times Square, with one of the pieces they helped put on display
being Rumors of War by Kehinde Wiley. Rumors of War was used in my art history
class, so seeing it mentioned captivated me. It was based on Civil War general
statutes and now currently resides in Richmond, VA. We also got to see a piece
by Marta Minujin and were able to walk through it. The giant piece was an
inflatable with various amount of colors. The Sculpture of Dreams showed a
different type of art with an interactive element. Walking through it gave the
viewer a unique perspective of the art and allowed us to see it from a new
angle. 

At the Japan Society, we saw Out of Bonds, which allowed us to learn about
artists like Takako Saito. There were interactive elements, like playing chess
and moving cubes. All of this may not seem like art, but it was. Boxes,
trinkets, and more were all part of the art world in this exhibit. The use of
these objects was unique to the art. Yoko Ono, Takako Saito, Shigeko Kubota, and
Mieko Shiomi demonstrated a unique art form. Yoko Ono’s art in particular,
showed off performance art, with pieces like Bag Piece. The art in this
exhibition was shown off in a way that moved organically, and each moment was as
impactful as the next. The Japan Society did a fantastic job connecting the
pieces together as a whole. 



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MATTHEW RONAY AND ADDA ART SHOW

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date November 9, 2023



We visited Matthew Ronay’s studio and the ADAA art show in the last class. First
and foremost, I would like to appreciate Ronay as his art process involved
processes similar to mine. Unfortunately, I cannot share images of his work, but
I recommend anyone reading this to take the time to look him up. Ronay mentioned
an influence from the kink lifestyle, especially the leather community. This is
a community that I don’t see talked about often, and the fact that it inspired
someone’s art is phenomenal. The Leather community is a massive part of LGBTQ+
history and the community, so seeing someone portray it in a more public setting
is heartwarming. At the same time, it doesn’t surprise me as there is a
psychological element to kinks, and Ronay is inspired by psychology. 

Ronay’s art gave me the same feeling Shelia Pepe’s art did: I felt seen. As a
psychology major, I find that psychology is underappreciated in art. Yes, we
have movements like Surrealism, but in the contemporary art scene, psychology
doesn’t seem to have a presence. Ronay’s entire practice feels inspired by
Psychology, with his preparation stage revolving around psychology. He
prioritizes breathing exercises and keeping a clear mind. He sees abstraction as
the study of nature, researching everything before he makes his pieces. He draws
his sketches quickly and doesn’t care about shame, going with whatever makes the
most sense. Getting to know him and his art was a pleasure, and I look forward
to seeing more. 

The ADAA art show was a one-of-a-kind experience. I got to see many different
artists as well as learn more about pricing when it comes to the art world. The
show allowed me to learn more about an artist named Sonja Sekula. Sekula
suffered from mental health issues, taking her life in 1963. In recent years,
her art has gained more popularity. I’m grateful I got to see the display, but I
am even more grateful to have learned about Sekula. Her life story and her art
need to be shared more, showing how important mental health is. Regrettably, I
didn’t have the time to take a picture of Sekula’s works. However, I will say
that they were the most beautiful abstract pieces I have seen. Her use of color
and forum stood out to me the most as it stood the test of time, remaining as
vibrant as ever. On my own time, I will research Sekula and, hopefully, one day,
see more of her work, whether through a gallery or hopefully being able to
afford it. The show put into perspective the importance of the art community and
how it brings people together in appreciation of art. The dealers make sure the
art is sold at the price set, and the people who buy it are the ones who will
appreciate it. The art dealers are another essential part of this process as
they work to ensure the artist gets paid and the art gets sold. They know how to
spot someone with money and are tasked with knowing who’s who in the art
community. They know everything about these individuals, and seeing that in
person was scary. However, I enjoyed my experience and learned a lot more about
the community by observing them. 





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CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date November 2, 2023

For my art review, I decided to write about the New York Times review of Ed
Ruscha’s Now Then, written by Jason Farago. The article, The Deadpan Laureate of
American Art, goes into detail about select pieces of the exhibit and Ed
Ruscha’s life, jumping between the two as he progresses through Ruscha’s
history. Jason also notes the setup of the gallery and states his opinions of
some pieces while also going in-depth about them. Jason’s way of talking about
the work follows a timeline of Rushca’s life and the relevant artwork to that
decade, for example, mentioning The End while discussing Ruscha’s work with
spray guns in the 1980s. Similar to the gallery, it essentially is a timeline of
American history, it’s just that this time someone is adding their own opinion
to it. 

Jason’s opinions in the review itself provide a new perspective on the art
pieces but also fall more into his personal opinions rather than a more neutral
perspective. For example, saying, “I have very little patience for recent works
like ‘Our Flag’” (Farago, 2023) doesn’t feel like something that should be found
in an art review. Jason did include before that his more recent works lack a key
element of his work, which are Ruscha’s phrases, something that feels like it
belongs in an art review. While yes, art reviews are supposed to include the
reviewer’s opinions, including something as personal as the word patience felt
like this wasn’t as professional as it should be. It should also be pointed out
that the review ends abruptly while discussing a written work by Ruscha called
The Information Man. While it was a great paragraph and it provided more of a
look into what Information Man is, that shouldn’t have been where it ended.
Perhaps that’s where Jason thought it should end and perhaps he didn’t mean for
it to come off as weak as it did, but it is how it came out. 

Jumping back to the placement of the review, the placement of the photos helps
extensively with the progression of it. This not only allows the viewers to
physically see the pieces, but it also allows them to understand what Jason is
saying. This is something that also provides the viewers with a glimpse into the
exhibit and allows them to decide if they want to see it or not after reading
about it. The selection of pieces is limited, not including every single piece
of the collection, indicating an understanding of which pieces are the most
important ones. The other pieces are ones that people can experience in person,
but the ones listed by Jason are meant to be the ones that stand out or at the
very least the ones the reviewer believes are meant to stand out. However, most
importantly, some of the photos include more than one work, optimizing the space
provided. This allows the viewer to experience the gallery set-up Jason noted,
including how different the chocolate room was in comparison to the organized
nature of the rest of the gallery. Physically showing the viewers what he is
trying to convey aids the viewers in understanding his review more. 

This leads to the most important part, his viewers. The intended audience of
this review is most likely art critics, artists, gallery-goers, and those who
run exhibits like these. This is something meant for people with an art
background instead of someone who may enjoy sports. As such, it is crafted to
reflect that, especially in Jason’s words about the pieces. Using words like
artificial and mundane to describe the pieces helps in a deeper analysis of the
art as a whole for the viewer. Outside of this, the review itself serves as a
great asset to art history as a whole. Due to how detailed the review is of Ed
Ruscha’s artistic career, it allows future generations to have a better
understanding of this artist as well as contemporary art. It serves as something
that someone in a year or ten years can look back upon to get a better
understanding of the artistic scene of 2023. Art is constantly evolving and
Jason’s review provided a way to learn from it. 

As a critical review, Jason’s writing has some weaker points, but ultimately
still serves its purpose. While some phrasing or lines should have been cut out,
it does get its point across and serves as a critical analysis of the gallery as
a whole. It is understandable as to why the New York Times gave it the New York
Times Critics Pick. It should also be noted that the New York Times fixed a
mistake in the article, which was the wrong birth year for Ed Ruscha. NYT and
Jason are both making sure to have the best and most accurate review out there,
something one can admire.  Overall, Jason Farago’s review may not be a personal
favorite, but it is a well-thought-out review and reflects upon MoMA’s Now Then
in a critical, but artistic way. Jason’s other reviews should be also discussed
as they may help the class learn more about the New York art scene as well as
provide other galleries and exhibits to explore. The review could help out a
growing artist as well as help an established one understand more about the
artistic world around them and how it grows and changes.





References

Farago, Jason. “The Deadpan Laureate of American Art.” The New York Times, The
New York Times, 7 Sept. 2023,
www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/arts/design/ed-ruscha-retrospective-moma.html.



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CHELSEA GALLERIES

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date November 2, 2023

In last week’s class, we once again explored different Chelsea art galleries.
One that we visited was Evidence of Theatre by Helen Marten. This exhibit was
something I absolutely adored as it incorporated psychology with art. As a psych
major and as someone who is trying to do the same with her senior studio
project, this was a great opportunity for me. First and foremost, there is an
imagery of cornflakes throughout the pieces as well as what seems to be a
magazine article discussing split personalities and other psychological terms.
The pieces themselves are sculptures almost of everyday items, like chess pieces
or even a hat. They are all contorted in a way that makes it its unique piece of
art. Something like this has been seen before, but not with the involvement of
psychology. Call me crazy, but the use of psychology is what ties this all
together and makes it the evidence of theatre. It feels like they are all
playing a part in a play about psychology and cornflakes. Cornflakes are also a
unique choice, especially knowing the history behind their creation and the
brand itself. A pamphlet that I received at the gallery described the man
holding it as Freud-like, something that feels deliberate. Going back to the
point on cornflakes, they were made as a way to kill someone’s sex drive, which
is a simple way to put it. Sex, specifically sexuality, was one of the many
things Freud studied during his life so to me, putting the two together feels
hilarious. It is something that many might not get, but if you do, it is
something that you can’t forget. Like I said, I loved how it incorporated
psychology and I think this is something that the contemporary art scene should
explore more. Art and psychology are something that comes hand in hand in my
opinion. A lot of art movements were built upon Freud’s theories and art therapy
is something that utilizes art as a way of healing. Perhaps if more artists were
to explore topics like these, the art movement could take a whole different
direction.  Another gallery we explored was Keltie Ferris’ dOubTsWISHes. This I
believe also has a psychological element to it as one of the pieces, The
Traumatics, utilizes colors with oil paint, powdered pigment, and vinyl paint.
Vinyl paint is something that stood out to me, mostly because I know someone who
works with vinyl. That type of paint is used mainly for interiors or to help a
color stick to a vinyl strip. Seeing it in use for art made me a bit happy as it
gave a new purpose to this painting. Now, the use of reds and blues in the piece
already provides quite the contrast, but it’s the fact that they utilize blots
that stands out the most. This is also why I believe that there is a
psychological element involved as the ink-blocky nature is reminiscent of
psychological evaluations using the inkblot test. To me, anyone could try to
come up with a story as to why it is called the traumatics. I see a fight almost
between the colors, but someone else might see figures. It is a unique
experience for each person and that’s what I love the most about it. Again, this
is a type of art that should be explored more as it allows artists to utilize
the human brain and our interpretation of things for their art. It allows a
story to be told that elicits specific emotions without us realizing it. There
is beauty to this kind of art and I look forward to seeing more of it.



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THE MCCOY’S AND PS1

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date October 26, 2023



This past Friday, we visited Jennifer and Kevin McCoy as well as saw MoMA PS1.
While I am someone who sees NFTS as something that damages the artist community
and the environment, being able to meet with the creator helped in my
understanding of how it got to that point. Jennifer and Kevin McCoy certainly
are two artists who are adapting to a more digital art world. Seeing the gallery
they run known as Auxiliary Projects as well as their studio in Greenpoint gave
perspective into their lives as artists. Their art, especially Our First Date,
utilizes modern technology. Our First Date utilized miniatures on a platform and
video editing to make a loop of their first date. This of course doesn’t go into
their NFTS, which were made as a way to help artists profit off of their art.
Their NFTs utilize code and math as well as generated algorithms with
cryptocurrency, something I am not going to pretend to understand. Of course,
with any NFT discussion, comes the talk of what it has become. While Kevin is an
idealist, he does acknowledge how some NFTS are a scam but says every NFT art
has value to it. He did provide me with his opinion on art theft in the NFT
world when I asked as well. In the NFT world, a lot of art can be easily stolen
and made into NFTs without the artist knowing or benefiting from it. In the
digital world as of late, sites like DeviantArt had to implement software that
notifies artists if their art has been made into an NFT on the site. Many
artists have started putting out disclaimers or warnings that they do not permit
NFTs of their art. While Kevin said it is a problem, just like how art theft is
a problem in the non-NFT world, it is harder to get rid of the NFT as it can’t
be as easily copyrighted or taken down as regular art can. I remember him
mentioning something along the lines of that might be the last leg he has on
NFTS before he may potentially give up on them as once again, he is an idealist.
However, in my opinion, it still doesn’t address the fact that NFTs have become
a source of harm for artists, even if it wasn’t intended to be that way. We also
visited PS1, something that felt underwhelming, largely because a good number of
the exhibits were closed that day. Our only options for the interactive elements
were ping pong and videos that were a part of Rirkit Tiravanija’s A Lot of
People. The exhibit was of course still breathtaking, even without some of the
interactive elements. While we were not able to enjoy the Turkish coffee in
Untitled 1993(café deutschland), we could still read the story behind it.
Learning about how it was made in response to the xenophobic attacks on the
Turkish community in Germany made the piece more compelling as it shows a sense
of home, even during the darkest of times. There was also Untitled 2017 (super
8) which was a film of 47 shorts. I don’t know who was the lady that was in the
video when I walked in, but there was something about the way she was recorded
that made me cry. Perhaps it was the way it captured her emotions or maybe it
was cause it looked like something someone would record in the moment. All I
know is that I fell in love with that short and what it meant to me. The feeling
of being in front of a person I will never meet, but somehow I know everything
about. Maybe she had dreams or was an artist like me. I’ll never know this
woman, but I can make up something off of what I saw. It was like the beauty of
humanity was captured in that moment. It simulated human connection, giving an
interactive experience I don’t think you could find anywhere else.



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POWERHOUSE ARTS AND ORTEGA Y GASSET

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date October 19, 2023



In last Friday’s class, we visited Powerhouse Arts and Ortega y Gasset, located
in Brooklyn, NY. First and foremost, Powerhouse Arts was one of the most
interesting places we have gone to. From the history behind the building to the
workshops we visited, Powerhouse Arts is the first of its kind, providing a
place for all artists to work. The building was beautiful and I adored the fact
that they kept the graffiti on the walls in certain areas, like their Grand
Hall, for example. It shows the building’s history while also keeping up an
underappreciated form of art. 

Now, I would like to acknowledge the fabrication workshops we saw at Powerhouse.
First and foremost, we learned that it is rare for a solo artist to exist as
most have a team of people making the art for them, partially because of
audience demands. Artists come to Powerhouse with an idea and budget in mind,
with Powerhouse working towards that idea and budget with their team. These
workshops serve as a way for the artist and team to make the idea possible,
allowing them a space that many may not have access to on their own. Powerhouse
also stories this art and helps keep it in shape for transportation as many of
these works are constantly on the go. This is a large part of the process with
people constantly working on making sure these pieces are well preserved for
their next location or when they deinstall it. Powerhouse and the artist also
work with engineers to make sure the piece is safe for the public. This includes
things like chemicals the public may be exposed to or what the public may expose
the piece to. Of course, these aren’t the only ways Powerhouse works on these
pieces as many of the workshops have access to technology that aids in the
process, like a CNC router, which is programmed to cut by a computer. They also
have access to a water jet cutter, also operated by a computer. 

While in these workshops, we also learned more about what goes into these art
pieces. For example, when we went to the ceramic studio, we learned about slip
casting, which is 5 different molds slipped together to make pieces faster. The
ceramic studio also contained both a gas and electric klin, something that they
informed us is very rare. Powerhouse also has a printmaking workshop, where we
got to see printmaking live, which featured them making the same image in
various types of colors to reach the final product. These are not the only shops
of course as Powerhouse features a community shop and an unused jewelry shop,
allowing for all types of art to be worked on there. 

Ortega y Gasset was an interesting gallery as it allowed us to learn more about
how a gallery is run. This one is run as a non-profit, getting its funding from
grants. Their main focus is working without the idea of commercial profit,
differing from other galleries. These are mainly done to uplift underrepresented
artists instead of selling an artist’s art. Eric Hibit, who met with us,
provided us with a unique perspective on the life of an artist, something many
don’t talk about. He informed us that he never had a full-time job and never had
full-on colleagues. The work of an artist is largely different than someone with
a 9-5 and instead jumping between jobs, never really knowing what is in store
next. I appreciated hearing this as I have dealt with this fear that I was not
doing enough due to not having a traditional job like some of my friends or how
my family expects. Knowing that art is different and that you can do whatever
you want with it helped me. Knowing that galleries like this one were put
together via a Zoom meeting, emails, texts, voting, etc. on a Tuesday, made me
feel better about my art. While yes, everyone needs money and a profit, Ortega y
Gasset felt like a reminder that not all art needed to be made for a monetary
gain and that being able to uplift underrepresented artists is what matters
most. 



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NEIGHBOR’S GARDEN AND THE MORGAN

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date October 12, 2023



In class, we saw My Neighbor’s Garden by Shelia Pepe and the Bridget Riley
Drawings at the Morgan Library. We also had the opportunity to learn about the
Morgan as a whole and how they handle their prints. 

I first want to start this off with a recognition to Shelia Pepe. In all the
days of this class, I don’t think I have been as fascinated with an artist as I
was with Shelia. Shelia has become a very important artist to me and I am
forever grateful this class allowed me to be able to see her work and get to
meet her. Her installation is one that I felt truly connected with as it felt
like it told her life story. The medium of crochet gave the sensation of being
home, something I only feel in NJ. Shelia talked about talking to people about
their lives and how art is always a conversation, never its own thing. This
wasn’t the only wisdom she imparted to all of us, even mentioning how some art
was meant to be unfinished. While it may not seem like much, it was important to
me as I feel like you could see this in her art. The poles placed down to help
keep it up, which had to be done carefully in order to not disturb the tree
roots, remind me of knitting needles. It’s something that may not be
intentional, but it adds to the piece as a whole. The use of red yarn was
something else that stood out, especially in how it remains vibrant no matter
the weather. It is remarkable that the piece is able to stay together during the
toughest weather. Perhaps it is the cause of the web-like structure or what was
used, but the piece stands tall even during the worst days in NYC. However,
something else should be noted about the piece: the importance of the family
bond behind it. Shelia was taught by her mother to crochet, something that a lot
of women experience. Crochet is shared in cultures and experiences, the only
thing that differs is the technique. Shelia mentioned that there was a lot of
her mom’s crochet, which is something that makes the piece stand out more. The
webs feel like a generational story and the passing down of techniques or even
the culture behind the practice. It’s feminism at its finest as it lifts up
women and their stories. 

At the Morgan, we were lectured by Jessica Ludwig and taught about the history
behind the place. Made by Pierpoint Morgan, the building served as his personal
library and home, storing many different documents like Van Gogh’s letters.
There is a wide collection, including some Mesopotamian collections and music
transcripts. The exhibit we went to was the Bridget Riley Drawings: From the
Artist’s Studio. Bridget Riley’s works mainly focus on abstract, but there were
some landscapes included from when she was younger. Her abstract works are like
optical illusions, with Study for Entice feeling like it was moving as I walked
by. Another one, Red, Green, and Blue Twisted Curves moved like water almost as
I walked by it. It was truly a spectacle to be held and showed a mastery of
Abstract. This of course could be best seen with The River at Molecey’s Mill,
which was done in wax crayon and inspired by the countryside as well as the
sensations from it. The piece utilizes the strokes of the wax crayon in order to
give the sensation of water and trees. There is a flow to it that gives it a
sense of movement as if it was captured in the middle of a windy day. Going back
to the strokes, it is very important to note how one can see the individual
strokes. I also appreciate the use of greens and how they don’t muddle into each
other, the white in between them serving as a way to separate each moment and
each stroke. Bridget’s art feels like one could touch it without touching it
like one could be in the environment the abstract makes and experience it
without actually being there. I look forward to one day seeing more of her art
and getting to experience it. 



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Categories
Journals


STORM KING AND DIA BEACON

 * Post author By Selena Adrianzen
 * Post date September 28, 2023



During our most recent class in New York semester, we visited Storm King Art
Center as well as Dia Beacon. There we saw numerous sculptures and art pieces as
well as learned the meaning behind them. At Storm King Art Center, the sculpture
The Sun and The Moon by Ugo Rondinone interested me the most. Upon first glance,
the sculpture just looks like two bronze circles formed by what looks like logs
with branches coming out. These large sculptures may not seem like much to some
viewers, but I was immediately drawn in. It reminded me of a solar eclipse or
perhaps even a lunar eclipse depending on which side you face. The rings stand
separate, but when you stand at just the right angle, they look like they are
one. I feel like this was important to note, especially in regard to the meaning
behind the sculpture. This sculpture reflects the natural world, especially the
idea of the sun and the moon. Rondinone included the notion of the two being
binoculars apart, but they become one together. The use of nature is something
that Rondinone has used before, largely due to the fact that he turned to it
after the death of his partner during the AIDS crisis. I think this is something
that comes through in his art, as there is something beautiful about the way he
portrays nature. His sculpture feels like it came from his heart and soul. One
can tell his passion for his craft just by looking at it. 

Another piece that interested me at Storm King Art Center was Mirror Fence by
Alyson Shotz. Shotz’s piece is similar to modern-day fences with the exception
of it being a mirror. I particularly find this one interesting as I don’t think
it will ever be the same piece of art every day. The mirror serves as a way to
reflect the world around it, incorporating it as a part of the art. Every day is
a unique new perspective of the piece as its surroundings change from the
seasons or people passing by. If anything, I’d argue that this piece best
represents American life. Not everything is the same white picket fence, but
rather an ever-changing world with new possibilities every day. While there were
many pieces on display at Dia: Beacon, very few stuck out to me as a viewer.
Keeping this in mind, there is one particular artist I would like to feature.
Melvin Edwards’ work is not done via traditional means, but rather barbed wire.
Three of his works, We Know The Way, Gonogo, and Equal Memories, are featured
involving barbed wire as well as a chain on the floor. While it may not seem
like much, something should be said about the beauty of using the barbed wire.
Barbed wire is something that isn’t usually associated with art. To me, barbed
wire has a negative connotation of pain and usually keeps something away from
everything else. However, in this context, the barbed wire is something that is
seen as possibly welcoming. Displaying it as art gives it a new meaning as
Edwards uses geometry to help it take form. We Know The Way utilizes barbed wire
in a way that serves as a wall, however, it personally reminded me of a
waterfall. The way the knots are placed feels like a flow of movement, something
that is seen commonly in water. This wouldn’t have been possible without the
barbed wire being used in a nontraditional way.





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