The Harn: An Aesthetic Experience Chirag Lodha

After going to the Museum of Natural History, my friends and I decided to head to The Harn Museum. Although they were not very keen on visiting it, I convinced them that the art would be unique, if not interesting. I had always had a fascination with art, which is why I would often go to museums such as The Louvre. Upon seeing the interior of the museum, I was quite excited because of the majesty and architecture. After dropping off our bags to security, my group and I proceeded to experience the Harn.

Medium of the Art: I viewed a piece by Audrey Flack called "Islandia, Goddess of the Healing Waters," which I found quite interesting. It was a woman with a gold sheen and angel wings with a light shining on her from above when I entered the exhibit. The reason why the piece stuck out to me was because the artist used polychrome and gilded plaster to construct her work. These materials gave the piece the golden sheen in the picture below. Seeing the work in person gave me a better indication of the size of the work, which was smaller than the average woman. Being able to see it with my own eyes allowed me to see the enthralling color of the medium it was built in. By seeing the work in person, I was able to determine a more personal message that the piece conveyed, which was one of both grace and power. Islandia communicated strength and valor to me, making me feel confident and powerful.

Design of the Museum: One of the most appealing aspects of the museum for me was the entrance. What I loved about this area was that it was quite large and the white color of the interior brought out the light from the entrance. This instantly made me feel happy. The sheer size of the entrance, especially the high ceilings, made me feel astounded by how large the museum was. The wide spacing of all of the elements at the entrance, such as the gift shop and the security booth, only amplified this sensation. Before even entering the main exhibit portion of the museum, I could already feel that the design of the entrance was aesthetically artful, due to its symmetry as well as its modern design. This made me feel quite happy and excited to see what the rest of the museum would bring.

Art and Core Values: One of my core values is tranquility, and the one piece that stuck out to me was a piece by Yvonne Jacquette entitled "Night Light ". The piece showed the night life of a large, bustling metropolis. The large city made me feel as though I were immersed in the piece, giving me a sense of insignificance in comparison to the large city that surrounded me. It appealed to my sense of loss, as I felt lost and alone as I gradually felt myself become a part of the piece. However, the dark background and colors made me feel calm, although I was lost, making it appeal to my sense of tranquility. I tapped into this core value and began to better understand how to feel calm. Through the dark colors used in contrast with the lit roads, I understood that although I felt alone, I could find solace by trusting in myself and living in the moment. This emotion instills confidence in me. It allowed me to better understand how I could stay calm; by living in the moment, which I did by simply looking at the piece.

Art and the Good Life: One piece that appealed to "The Good Life" was the "Scenographer's Mind VIII" by Eija-Liisa Ahtila. It shows a woman tending to a child as well as working as an architect. The Good Life theme present in this work is that of roles. All people have multiple roles in their lives which can range from career to relationships, doctor to grandson. The woman in the piece is both a mother as well as a working architect. The theme is communicated by depicting a child as well as a design. The child's presence implies the role of the woman as a mother, while the architectural design next to it shows the mother's role as a provider/architect. This work adds to my knowledge of the multiplicity of roles theme in the Good Life by epitomizing it through the juxtaposition of the two pictures in the piece. The evident roles that the mother in the picture plays makes me appreciate people for being able to balance multiple roles. For example, my mother is both a provider, pharmacy technician, sister, and the aforementioned mother. The piece points out the multiplicity of roles, making me much more grateful to those who can effortlessly balance these in their daily lives.

Credits:

PC: Chirag Lodha

Made with Adobe Slate

Make your words and images move.

Get Slate

Report Abuse

If you feel that this video content violates the Adobe Terms of Use, you may report this content by filling out this quick form.

To report a Copyright Violation, please follow Section 17 in the Terms of Use.