Medium of the Art: This Japanese piece below would be a different experience if I had seen a picture versus seeing it in person. By seeing it in person, I was able to see the texture and the the intricacy of the stone work. By looking at it in a picture I would've deduced that it was wood due to its color and its lighting; however, it turns out to be stoneware. Being that it was stoneware, particularly struck me since that must've been very hard to construct and to chisel away at. Knowing that it was stoneware gave me a higher sense of appreciation for the work of art. Overall, the art work made me feel powerful since it was such a big piece of work, spanning at a whopping 14 feet! Also, it showed me that perception is key since initially I thought it was made out wood but as I got closer I realized that it was stoneware.

Design of the museum: Overall, I thought the museum was very well planned and laid out with distinct wings for the different works of art and the different cultures. My favorite wing of the museum was definitely the Asian wing since it had the most to offer as a wing. It had a various amounts of art work from the various Asian countries spanning from Japan to Korea to India. It showed me that, even though they are all asian works of art, they can still be different in their own manner. My favorite part of the wing itself though was the outdoor garden that the Asian wing offered. I thought that, that was a unique characteristic to that wing. Also, the garden gave me a sense of peace and tranquility which was one of the few times that I got to experience that within the museum. The arrangement of the artwork was also beautifully done since the art work was organized by region which made it easy to follow and at the same time be able to draw connections between the different art works and countries.

Art and Core Values: Sticking with the Asian wing, I found a depiction of a Hindu God, Ganesh, which relates to the religion that I practice, Hinduism. Hinduism is something that I was clearly exposed to since I was a young kid especially since I used to go to the temple every week and even visit pretty often so it gave me a sense of appreciation to see something that I worship every day considered as a work of art. The art work helped me better understand what Ganesh looks likes and some of the things that he is told to be carrying within his arms. Growing up, I heard stories of what Ganesh must look like but never really saw a 3D model of him until now at the museum and I was able to examine the art work and see that the stories that I was told draw parallel to the piece. This experience for sure helps me cherish my culture and religion more since it shows me that more people have an understanding for my religion and culture and gives me more confidence that people will at least be able to sympathize my lifestyle.

Art and the God Life: The most evident connection to the good life was also found in the Asian wing of the museum with the Buddha statue. The Buddha statue was actually located right next to the Ganesh statue within the wing and depicted Buddha in a calm and serene state of being. This statue clearly can be connected to Siddhartha because not only is The Buddha in the story but also because they both experienced similar paths to reach their enlightenments. In the book, Siddhartha went through personal struggles both physically and mentally to overcome and achieve nirvana which is similar to the actual buddha. The statue of buddha also helps me appreciate the theme that solitude can be achieved through perseverance and going through the struggle since his pose shows calmness by being seated instead of standing. Also his facial expression shows a sense of peace since he has a soft smile.