The Harn Museum encompasses the history, culture, and ideas of the future throughout the world. My experience allowed me to both understand and question the work of artists, while exploring my personal interpretations and their meanings.
Frank Stella’s Zandvoort is a depiction of racing and uses material employed by railroad draftsmen to illustrate his view of the tracks and the emotions evoked when racing. Seeing the piece in person allowed me to explore the different dimensions and conceptualize the idea that racing, and life in general, is unpredictable. I find the various textures, bright colors, and multiple dimensions of the artwork fascinating because it communicates pure chaos and highlights how dynamic life can be at times.
An exhibit that appealed to me was the Frida Kahlo exhibit because the floor plan was organized in a way that I could walk through the timeline of her life. Across the walls, artists share pictures of her family, her accomplishments, and periods in which she struggles. Aside from my genuine fascination over her story, the film provides an in depth explanation of her choices, the reasoning for them, and the consequences she faced throughout her life, allowing me to understand her in a deeper context. Throughout the exhibit, I came across pieces of art that made me challenge her beliefs, sympathize during her times of weakness, and develop a sense of admiration for her strength.
A concept I value is work ethic. I think that investing my hard work benefits me emotionally, financially, and mentally because I challenge myself to grow as an individual. In Boardman Robinson’s Excavation, the men are illustrated as the working class developing the foundation for future progress. This artwork reminded me that we will not always be recognized for our hard work, which is why we perform our best to prove to ourselves what we are capable of. I believe that regardless of the circumstances, expressing passion and effort in our work gives us a reason to be prideful.
St. Jean’s Bay by Leon Kroll expresses the celebration of the good life. I think the artwork is doing so by showing individuals who are adventurous with their curiosity. By dedicating time to explore our interests and fully enjoy the moment, we can learn to admire the world and our connection to nature. St. Jean’s Bay makes me appreciate the days in which I can experience new things because we all have excuses as to why we cannot do something. Whereas in this artwork, the soft colors and relaxed setting remind us why we should simply live life to the fullest.