Introduction:

On Thursday, February 23 2017, I visited the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art. Upon arriving, I checked in at the front desk and opted to do the self-guided tour. I received an instructions sheet and was left to explore the museum on my own.

Medium of the Art/Technique of the Artist:

During my visit to the Harn Museum, a particular piece stood out to me. This piece was "City Blocks" by Bertram Hartman, and "Kenilworth Castle-Aerial View" by Albert Gallatin.

This work by Albert Gallatin is oil on canvas. I think that this piece stood out to me because it combined the styles simplicity and complex perspective. The piece is very minimal, using only a fraction of the entire canvas, but it gives the perspective as if the castle takes up the entire canvas space. I also think that this piece stood out to me because of its use of contrasting, vibrant colors, which coincidentally, happens to be the UF colors.

Design of the Museum:

The Harn Museum was very organized; it was divided into different sections, with one section leading you to the next. The Museum did not feel like a maze which branched out into different sections, but rather had a layout which was fluid for the casual visitor. For example, after entering the Modern Art collection and walking through the section, you would end up at the entrance to the Ceramic collection. This fluid layout made my visit to the museum much easier. My favorite section of the Harn was the Ceramic collection, which is pictured below. I liked the open space in the room, and the lighting was very warm. I also liked the wooden flooring in the room, which gave a more homely feeling to the section.

Art and Core Values:

One of the pieces that I saw was "City Blocks" by Bertram Hartman. This piece was also a very cool piece to look at. I really enjoyed the perspective that this piece gave the viewer. The use of lines going in different directions for the buildings gave a perspective that made it seem like the viewer was on a high-rise building, which is what the artist intended. I also really enjoy the medium of oil in particular, because it gives the painting a vintage feeling, as if the work is very old, while in reality it is less than 100 years old. This painting evoked sorrow in myself. The piece uses very dark colors, and gives a downwards perspective from a high vantage point, similar to how people look down when they feel sorrow. Although I don't believe that all art can help appeal to your core values, I do think that art can instill emotion in you by transferring the emotion of the artist to you via the art itself.

Art and the Good Life

One of the themes of the Good Life is the theme of simplicity. This theme was particularly explored in Hesse's Siddhartha, in which the character Siddhartha tried different methods of reaching Nirvana. Many of these methods included living a life of simplicity, and living only off of basic necessities. In this piece by Richard Anuszkiewicz, the theme of simplicity is apparent. Using only two colors and simple patterns, the artist has created an artwork that is pleasing to the eye. This piece of artwork makes me appreciate the theme of simplicity in that simplicity can lead to achievement, such as how this piece of art became as prestigious as it is.

Conclusion:

This visit to the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art was a pleasant experience. It was very relaxing and allowed me to appreciate art much more. I would recommend this museum to future students and visitors.