I had never visited the Brooklyn Museum before this trip so I had only a vague idea of what it might be like. I was also a bit confused as to why we were supposed to be there in the first place, but I was content knowing that I wouldn’t have to commute there myself. 

The contemporary art on the 5th floor turned out to be much more interesting than I had anticipated. The gallery had a mix of all sorts of different styles and mediums; it was influenced by dozens of different cultures. My initial thought was that the mix of all of these different styles was disorganized and visually overwhelming, but I came to realize that the gallery itself is a reflection of the melting pot of cultures in NYC. One piece in particular that stood out to my group was The Arm Wrestle of Chip & Spike; aka: Star-Makers by Oscar Yi Hou.

This abstract artwork created with vibrant oil pastels greatly contrasted the traditional earthy-toned oil paintings surrounding it. The piece also stood out in its lack of a physical frame compared to its neighbors. Instead its frame is part of the painting. The greater realism and detail in the faces of the two subjects draws the viewer’s attention to their somewhat worn expressions, while the background is much more vibrant and surreal.

Aside from the artwork, I’m glad I got to catch up with some of my friends from high school who are in Macaulay at Brooklyn College. Also, my group accidentally ran into the videographer about 7 times that night, and he kept following us around to shoot b-roll 😭😭 

Nevertheless, being able to visit a museum with my classmates is an opportunity that I rarely get and I’m glad that I got to be there to experience it. However, I was less glad to be waking up for my 8 AM class the next day…