Introduction:
The Harn Museum holds a variety of exhibits and wings that show art from around the world. The art transfers and shows the different cultures that are present in the world we live in without having to go and visit these different countries. Being at the Harn Museum opened up a new side to art that I have not seen before because it showed me how differently some cultures convey the same message through art.
Medium of the Art
This piece of art by John Chamberlain stood out out to me as medium art that seemed different in person because of the multitude of details that one misses out on in a simple picture. There is not a single part of this piece of art that is identical. It is a sphere shape, but the grooves of the aluminum, the paint, and the shape are all different. When I walked into this exhibit, this piece was the first one that stood out to me because of its oddity. The more I looked at it, the more I started to see that this colored sphere of aluminum reminded me a stone. A large, sturdy sone that resembled strength and stability. We all want to have sturdy lives where our lives are not tested, but often times we find ourselves weak in positions of difficulty. This sphere was in the middle of the room which affirmed by thoughts about how this resembled a stone that is balanced, much like how we need balance in our lives with a sturdy character and personality.
Design of the Museum
This picture was taken in the African wing of the art museum. I liked how the design of the museum guided me to this exhibit and then onto more exhibits that were from different cultures. In essence, the museum was showing me around the world of the cultures that had art exhibits. I was being guided to see the variety of art that was offered, and it if had not been for this type of guiding hand then I may not have visited that part of the museum because I was not initially attracted to it. The lighting inside of this exhibit also showed emphasis on some great pieces of art on the wall behind the costume. I felt as if I was traveling through a tour of different people from Africa and their history of story telling through their art.
Art and Core Values
I chose this piece as one that ignited my core value of love. Love of religion because this art comes from my home, Puerto Rico. Zoilo Cajigas, the artist, made this wooden saint because Puerto Rico has a devotion to the saints. It has been a while since I last visited the island, and seeing this piece of art brought me back to my religious culture where everyone is in unison about our beliefs. This is the Virgin of Montserrat, which is one of the most revered images from my culture. I love this piece; it brings me a sense of home.
Art and the Good Life
This piece called "Three Men at Union Square" by Isabel Bishop jumped out to me when it comes to the Good Life because it shows a story. It shows a time in New York when social stigmas were very real in the 1930's. These three men are probably talking about their days', sports, daily local news, or whatever there was to talk about at the time. As the man in the white shirt carries on conversation, the two men in front of him are looking left at the woman dressed up for work. She is going up the stairs carrying on with her busy day, showing the significance of how difficult it was for women to compete in a male working society at that time. This piece tells me a story of the struggle that women have had to endure as they still continue to struggle for rights in the workplace. It embodies the ideal that everyone is entitled to the Good Life; we all must work for it equally.
Credits:
Created with images by jared422_80 - "Gainesville - Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art"