With the use of a handy magnifying glass found all over the Harn, I was able to get an extremely detailed view of all of the museums sketchs and painting I wished to examine. The morbid nature of this photograph drew my attention, I began to question the artist and his motives. The sketch seems to be a sketch of people who have been infected with and passed away from the black plague. I photographed the main character of the sketch and used the magnifying glass to focus the photograph on him. In person one can examine every angle of sketches like this one. The most striking part of the piece was the subject, or the artist's choice of sketch. The artist's ability to paint a very clear picture using only one color (and the shades of the color) is something I could never imagine doing. The idea of painting an entire scene with nothing but charcoal would be unfathomable for someone of my artistic ability. The subject of the sketch made me uncomfortable, but the author's ability to capture so much emotion and detail with only one color was beautiful.
The Korean Art section of the museum was extraordinary. Personally my bond with the exhibit was due to my slightly above average knowledge of Korean culture due to my 5 years experience in Korean Tae Kwon Do as a child. My "Grandmaster" was a man born in South Korea who migrated to the United States to share his culture with our country. As soon as I saw the word "Korean" I bolted to the exhibit as a form of respect to a man who taught me many lessons as a child. The simplicity of the room was juxtaposed by the immense glass cases that protected the intricate and colorful treasures of Korean History.
This piece spoke to me on a spiritual level. I felt as if the author intentionally lit up the intersection in the middle of the dark city in the shape of a cross. The contrast of light and dark in this painting is an artistic statement in itself. In my eyes, the city is dark because the people are sinning. The intersection is lit up (in the shape of a cross) because it is the path to exiting the dark city. God is shining his light to lead the way to safety out of the dark city. This painting reminds me that no matter how hard life may seem God is always shining light on the right path for us. If we want to succeed in search of the good life we must follow God's path. This does not necessarily mean following the Bible word for word, as much as it means allowing God to light your path.
This photograph of New York City is a representation of "seeking" the Good Life. New York City is a place that embodies the American Dream. Historically men could show up in New York City with nothing but the clothes on their back and a good attitude and end up successful. New York, like America, is the land of opportunities. Should I wake up one day with nothing to my name, I would get to New York as fast as possible. New York City is the place I plan on living after I graduate college; The city is so diverse and alive its inhabitants have no choice but to evolve and find themselves. New York is a city that forces a person to stick to their identity or find a new one, thats why I believe it is a perfect stop on the journey to "seeking" the Good Life.
Credits:
Created with images by pon@jpn - "museum"