The Harn Elizabeth kolody

Selfie with "Yunque I." Elizabeth Kolody, 3/14/17.

Medium

"Overlook Mountain, Wood Stock, New York." Elizabeth Kolody, 3/14/17

Art is best seen and appreciated in person. This is definitely the case when it comes to this piece. It is called "Overlook Mountain, Woodstock, New York," by Ernest Fiene. I spotted it from across the room thanks to the bright colors, but it is so much more upon close inspection. The texture created by the paintbrush strokes are incredible. The morphing of the colors thanks to the artist's technique creates a dreamy, relaxing feel of a fall day in New York. I was memorized by it for a good couple of minutes, lost in the brush strokes. It reminded me of the kind of atmosphere I imagine myself living in when I am older.

Design of the Museum

The Feminist Exhibit. Elizabeth Kolody, 3/14/17.

The Feminist Exhibit was by far my favorite of all the exhibits. When you first enter, as shown above, there are a bunch of posters and articles about how women have been used countless times as subject of art but get left out of museums if they are the artists. I have been to a good amount of art museums in my life and I have yet to see one quite like this, so it really caught my eye. I love how there is the hallway dedicated to explaining why the exhibit exists that then leads to a beautiful, open room full of art by women from all over the world. This exhibit made me feel proud and respected as a woman.

Art and Core Values

"Mama Baby, Tidal Pools, Trinidad, California." Elizabeth Kolody, 2/14/17.

Within the Feminist Exhibit, I found this photograph that caught my attention as one of my core values is supporting feminism. I realized that it is a photograph of women hanging out on the beach together and nursing their babies. I loved this photo because nursing babies is such a natural thing for women to do with their bodies so this photograph just seemed so peaceful and happy and natural. I am very pro-breastfeeding and wish society was more accepting of its mothers and children. This photograph made me hope that one day, breastfeeding will not be so put down by society. The love shown between the mothers and their babies as they are sharing that action of such intimate bonding, while also surrounded by and socializing with other mothers doing the same with their babies was really cool to see.

Art and the Good Life

A Shocking Symbol. Elizabeth Kolody, 3/14/17.

This particular piece of art, found in the Korean Exhibit, was pointed out to me by one of the museum curator's during our discussion about all of the art on display at the Harn. She told me that they had to put up an explanation, as seen in the bottom right hand side of the picture, for why they had a centuries old piece of art with a swastika on it on display in the museum, or how it is even possible that the symbol was used so long ago. Her story of how the explanation came to exist under this ancient piece of art reminded me of our Fighting unit from the past two weeks. Originally, the symbol meant "it is good," and it's still used in that context in many cultures today, but it's crazy thinking about how the symbol evolved in many people's minds to mean something so horrible because of the actions of one evil person. However, instead of making me sad, it gave me hope to see that this symbol was so ancient and used for good for so long, that these horrible events in history may one day stop overshadowing the good in our world. There are so many "good" people fighting for the Good Life in our world and overcoming the evil that tries to ruin us, and it's reassuring to know that "good" has been our goal as a human race for much longer than evil has.

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