In class, we had seen pictures of "Old Man's Cloth". In photos, however, the work appeared to be a 2 foot by 1 foot craft that seemed minuscule. However, in person, I realized that this piece of art is probably 100 square feet. It's monstrous. In addition, by seeing this work of art in person I was able to see much more detail. As the description said, the work was made out of "discarded bottle tops and brand-name liquor bottles". in photos, this was not clear. I thought the color of metal and shininess was visually striking. The whole piece has a shine to it. The piece gave a whole new level of meaning to the cliche "one man's trash is another man's treasure" since this was literal trash that was made into a Ghanian cultural item. Overall, this piece made me feel somewhat guilty for being wasteful, but happy that humans have developed so many ways to recycle and re-use items.

Design of the Museum

I thought the asian art section was interesting in regards to architecture, design, and layout. For one, I always have this feeling that I am going to bump into a piece of art when there is no obvious pattern to a wing in a museum. So, being in the asian art section, which was very open, was a relief. In addition, I noticed the symmetry in the room. I, like most humans, are fond of symmetry. The space in the room made me feel comfortable as I grew up in a very rural area. I grew up with a big room, in a big house, and played in a big front yard. So, for me this was a little nostalgic. Lastly, I liked how the section had an outside garden. This added to the "asian-vibe" and was very similar to gardens I had seen in Japan when my family traveled there. In regards to everything, this exhibit made me feel comfortable and not nervous.

Art and Core Values

The artwork shown above appeals to my core value of diversity and acceptance of religions and cultural traditions. This piece of art's color and usage, which was shown in a video, were quite foreign to me. After reading the signs, I was able to understand that these dresses were used for entertainment in masquerades. After understanding that, I was able to make the connection, and see what the Ghanian people see - an entertain outfit when moved swiftly. This artwork did not create any emotion in me. I originally was confused as to what it was, but then eventually felt comfortable with this "culture shock" once I understood its purpose. Art like this helped me understand what I believe or cherish by testing my values. In a way, the art piece tested me to see if I would judge it and attach stigmas to it, however, I did not. This little test reaffirms that I believe in diversity and acceptance of cultural traditions.

Art and the Good Life

The Good Life theme depicted in this piece of art is Social Justice and/or Social Responsibility. This picture of three girls in poverty-stricken Brazil emphasize the political oppression and desperation of their situation. It provokes my thoughts. Are these children? They are children.. Are they happy? No, they are not smiling. Why are they not smiling? It makes me think of fortunate I am to have the things that I have, and that I do not need to worry about finances at all. It also makes me feel bad though that I am not helping these girls, and it makes me think about social responsibility. Am I the one who is supposed to take care of these girls? That's a tough decision there, but then the next question is how do I help them? And, how much should I help them?