Rent:
The movie Rent successfully depicts the Bohemian lifestyle of New York City and provided a visualization of the reading Scenes From the Latin Quarter by Henri Murger. Overall, the movie captures many themes of Bohemian life, such as unity, discrimination, and love. 

The movie opens with a dramatic performance of the Bohemians on the cusp of being evicted because they have not paid rent. This scene parallels the reading, as the Bohemian characters were evicted because their work in art did not secrete enough money to pay for rent. Although, through this problem, the characters stayed and struggled together. They devoted themselves to art, regardless if it was at the expense of their home. For instance, in the movie, Maureen puts on her protest against Benny (the landlord), and through the musical scenes it becomes evident how passionate the Bohemians are for standing up against poverty whilst keeping staying true to art. As this scene unravels, the police violently try to dismantle the protest, also conveying themes of police brutality that happened in New York during the eighties. 

Additionally, the movie displays the theme of equality through its diverse characters, sexualities, and relationships. These aspects work to show that love can be universally experienced no matter the gender. More specifically, the movie also dives into the events of the AIDS outbreak in the eighties, raising awareness to the devastating challenges many gay couples faced. The death of Angel captures the emotional loss of those who passed with AIDS, as his death affected not only his partner, Collins, but his group of friends who supported him.  

As for my viewing experience, I sometimes did find it hard to decipher the exact plot that was going on. I think the themes of the movie make sense to be a musical, but sometimes the musical scenes diverged from what was happening and were too long. Maybe this is because I don’t particularly like musicals, so my argument may be a little biased. 

Opera:
Watching the opera lecture taught me the evolution of opera geographically and through history, and how opera often reflected the time period it came from. For example, the Bel Canto period from the 1780s-1850s expanded storylines in the opera; they shifted away from monarchs and religion and dived into the themes of love and passion. Additionally, I enjoyed listening to the example opera performances, and you can truly feel the emotions opera encapsulates. Also, the speaker did an amazing job of dissecting the musical composition of opera in a clear and understandable manner. 

Sidenote: the speaker was very talented! Her performance was breathtaking and I was amused by her captivating and strong voice. 

I had a fun time listening to Rich’s experience as a musician in the punk rock scene in New York. I love listening to a range of music genres, and punk rock is usually one I stray away from. Therefore, because I am so unaccustomed to it, I enjoyed learning about the genre, listening to the music, and I was able to put myself into the punk rock era of the eighties and nineties. Listening to Rich’s experience helped shine light on a rather misunderstood genre. 

I was particularly amused by the amount of effort it took not only to produce the music, but to distribute it and raise awareness. By doing this, spreading punk rock music created a subculture/aesthetic in the era solely through the music. For example, the band would gain attendance at performances simply by spreading flyers through a community, a much more difficult way than modern day, where accessing a community of consumers can be done so quickly via the internet. Rich also introduced the concept of “zines”, which were magazines that he personally made which focused on the punk rock genre. This showed that a successful musician combines art and business. Also, as a record collector, I loved being able to physically see the records — a direct time capsule from Rich’s band. These records were also distributed, at such a low price, to bring awareness to punk rock music. This also shows how different gaining a music platform was, as less people could listen to the music anywhere at any time from the internet. 

Finally, I found Rich’s personal stories about being in a punk rock band quite amusing. For example, he shared that punk rock concerts were often chaotic, bold, and loud, which broke societal norms through music. People were letting everything out and could confide in the music. Thus, Rich helped enlighten to me that punk rock was not only a genre, but a movement. 

 

Before coming into the city, I had mixed feelings about the play The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits by Stephen Gracia. While reading it, I was disturbed by the outcome of events and had never read something that made me feel so uncomfortable. Each page became progressively more erratic, ranging from the birth of the rabbit to the horrible treatment the wife endured during such a traumatic time. Due to my discomfort while reading, I came into the city mostly curious about the mastermind behind the play, particularly why such a crazy story was crafted to show the harsh circumstances of gender roles in past society.

Upon arriving at the Macaulay building, I initially thought we were attending a simple reading of the play. However, I was mistaken and impressed with the actors and their roles. They read their lines well, in character, and even made some gestures while sitting down. Additionally, they were all very talented, and therefore, instead of feeling disturbed when listening to the play for the second time as I was during the initial reading, the actors made the play engaging and entertaining. I think I had a more positive outlook while listening to the play instead of reading it because I was able to hear the story as the director, writer, and actors intended it to be portrayed, rather than how my own mind might have altered it. For example, when Mary and Joshua talked about their relationship at the end of the script, it was clear that she was being sexually abused and used to fulfill Joshua’s desires of having a son, as she repeatedly expressed reluctance toward the act of conception. The actors’ arguments and emotions as these characters were compelling, further highlighting the harsh theme of gender roles. Thus, this theme and the overall purpose of the play were more evident than in my first reading, where my confusion about the chaotic story often obscured the symbolism of the gruesome birth. After learning that it was based on a (somewhat) true story, I was also less focused on dissecting how the story came about and more on why it was written and the larger message it implies.

Another aspect of the trip I enjoyed was hearing all about the actors’ lives; being able to actually speak with artists firsthand helped give insight into the art industry we have learned about all semester. Most strikingly, I found it remarkably sad that all the actors had another job to support themselves. This connects to what we have discussed in class about whether Americans respect their artists—and it was evident that all these actors demonstrated that we, as a society, collectively fail to. They expressed that they love creating art and the art of performing, but all had separate jobs, with some of these jobs not in the arts field at all. The actors, just from the short snippet I witnessed, were all very talented and passionate but could not do what they love solely to survive. Their similar situations reflect that we don’t truly appreciate our artists, a flaw in our society. Americans are constant consumers of art but fail to compensate artists fairly for their work.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the trip to the Macaulay building over the weekend. It was a unique experience to discuss a play with the playwright directly and to have questions answered about what initially seemed like such an odd story.

 

My time at the Night at the Museum trip was a really fun and unique experience; being in a museum closed off to the public, free to wander and observe many pieces in a short amount of time with peers, was very enjoyable. My favorite part of this opportunity, aside from viewing the many beautiful pieces on display, was being surrounded by diverse minds that I could hear and involve myself with in discussion, proving to me that art is truly subjective and that everyone has a different interpretation.

Upon entering the fifth floor, I was surrounded by protest art, especially many works depicting protests relevant to the United States and even New York City (which, from bias, was my favorite). For example, my group gravitated toward the large painting labeled Shifting the Gaze. This painting appeared to be painted over in thick white strokes, covering its initial beauty. However, it was done in a strategic and rather symbolic manner. The White family members’ bodies were covered, leaving the Black boy, the family’s servant, completely uncovered and thus the new focal point of the painting. This made it so the audience focused on the commonly overlooked subject, which was originally camouflaged. The history of this art fascinated me, especially since it was done to make light of the underrepresented community rather than hiding them. 

     

Additionally, I found that this museum was most fitting for embodying the many types of art we have learned about in class. For example, many oil paintings often depict noble persons and possessions as repetitively indicated by John Berger. Being able to see these many oil paintings extremely up close made light how realistic and textured these paintings truly feel. Another display I have not yet experienced was the art storage room. Although to me it seemed like a small-scale Ikea at first, it actually had quite an impressive assortment of art pieces, varying from furniture to canvases, which struck my interest. I was left curious as to why these many pieces were in storage, as to me it appeared random. I did enjoy this randomness, however, it was entertaining jumping from one thing to the next.

Overall, on the Macaulay Night at the Museum trip, I had a fun time looking at the extremely versatile displays together with my friends. The trip has also opened my eyes to methods of art I have learned about but have not viewed yet first-hand.

 

Art Display:
          Upon entering the Art Lab at Snug Harbor, there were many unique paintings filling the halls that surrounded us. Ranging from sculptures, cartoon paintings, to paper collages made by kids, I was amused by the diverse selections they had on display. What particularly struck me was how community-oriented these paintings were; they were mainly completed by Staten Island artists, and even depicted famous Staten Island “monuments”, such as the Ferry. Additionally, because these paintings were being sold, I noticed that a lot of them were emphasizing beauty, rather than a deeper meaning. This was probably because, as commonly noted by John Berger in “Ways of Seeing”, people love to hang art that is beautiful, shows their possessions, or can be used as decoration.

 

 

 

 

Oil Painting Class:
          After looking at the many pieces arranged, I walked into a room where I could participate in a live oil-painting class. I was excited to try oil painting for the first time, especially right after our discussion of oil paintings in Seminar! This was a really nice experience considering we had not paid anything and basically got a free art class and supplies, truly being an affordable access to art. Also, there were a lot of other Macaulay kids here too, so it was fun to complete this class together. I was assigned two pumpkins to paint— one white and one orange.
         First, I started off with a “sketch” in blue oil paint. Initially, I found it difficult to create the original sketch, especially because of the enormous brush I had to work with. However, after some trial and error and patience, I was slowly able to get a sketch, to the best of my talent, of what best replicated the pumpkins that laid before me. After the sketch, I was given a multitude of colors of oil paint to start layering the sketch into completion. This was my favorite part. Mixing the colors to mirror those of the real pumpkins and constantly transferring my sight into my hands was a fun process. I have never copied a real life object onto a painting, and surprisingly it was less difficult than I had thought it would be.
———Although my pumpkins are not fully realistic to the real ones, I am still content with the final product. Also, I enjoyed seeing everyone else’s final products. Everyone used a different technique, and it was fascinating how the interpretation of the same object can be depicted differently on their final canvas. After finishing the oil painting, we were able to take them home. It impressed me that it takes a week to fully dry, but now seeing it after the drying process, I can appreciate that you can see the layers of oil paint, further giving it dimension.

 

 

 

Conclusion:
          My time spent at the Snug Harbor Art Lab was my favorite Seminar trip so far. Instead of just looking at the art, which unfortunately can be boring at times to my wandering mind,  I was also able to interact with it and be an artist for a day. After the Art Lab, I further spent the day at the Botanical Gardens and had a fun time looking at nature’s art as well.

 

 

     My trip to The Counter play at the Roundabout Theatre started with a fun bus ride with friends into the city. We talked about our expectations for the play, and we had some collected doubts about it. After hearing it was in its beginning stages, and that it was based on conversations amongst only two characters, I had premeditated my opinion that the play would be quite boring or not up my alley. After watching the play and finally giving it a chance, I was proved wrong. 

    Upon walking into the theater, I was shocked at how small and stagnant the stage was. Even during the play, the set did not change, so this was something I was not used to on a visual aspect. I actually quite enjoyed this, because I was able to focus on the story development rather than filler chaos happening in the background. Also, it felt like I was watching a vintage TV show; the stage was carefully oriented, almost 2-D appearing. Additionally, I was impressed with the unique storyline and the development of the plot and characters. The execution of the bond between two opposing characters of different genders, ages, and life experiences was impressive. The story taught me that no matter how different the people you meet in life are, they all have a background and are living life for the first time just as every other human is; human connection can go beyond having common interests. I especially loved the full circle resolution– Paul finally got a life surprise, not by death, but by forming a friendship with Katie. I found this ending cute and creative, a fun happy ending.

     Overall, The Counter was a beautiful story about life’s tributes and human connection and I enjoyed my time watching it and spending the day with peers!

This piece of artwork painted in 1865, during the American civil war, depicts a rather emotional scene of a Confederate soldier accompanying a Union soldier during his death. The history of the piece, also indicted by part of the title “recognition”, is that upon the death of the opposing Union soldier, the Confederate soldier recognizes that he had killed his own brother. Thus, this deeper story serves to advocate that the Civil War was truly immoral, and no national problem is so important to bring people’s lives against each other. Nonetheless, even though the art was a protest account of a war many years ago, the theme of war being against humanity still resonates with many to speak against disputes happening today.

     My trip to the Rubin Museum of Art was overall very peaceful and unique. I have never been to a museum unveiling the diversity of Asian art, and I enjoyed the atmosphere and unifying displays centered around this theme. As for my personal connection with the art,  initially, and with full honesty, a lot of the art did not necessarily speak to me and I struggled to find direct “communication”. Each piece felt more like a history lesson as opposed to communicating a deeper meaning. Maybe this was because of the repetitive nature of the pieces, or because of my preexisting bias of NYC art museums. However, as I gave the museum a chance, some pieces did insight thought and particularly grasped my attention. Through trial and error with different artwork, I was reminded how eye opening it is to feel a connection to cultures outside of your own. Below I have listed a few works held in the museum most memorable to my experience!     

1) LUKHANG TEMPLE MURALS
      By far, my favorite piece from the Rubin trip were the Lukhang Temple Murals. From a distance, especially if you have bad vision like me, it seemed like there was a lot going on the canvas, a scattered array of people and objects. However, as you got closer, the detail put into these works could really be appreciated. For example, my favorite snippet of the vast figures was of the cycle of life, displaying the inevitable experience of birth and death. What I enjoyed most about this was that it was evident that the artist was trying to convey the cycle of life, despite using a random assortment of symbols. I did not have to stand anxiously pondering about the meaning, and it was rather clear and easy to appreciate. More specifically, the lovers in bed represent the conception of life, the organs being the development of a fetus, and the children being the end result. Additionally, overarching these images, is a rather gory cluster of detached body parts, most likely portraying death. Thus, this whole section particularly spoke to me, as I love seeing how the simple theme of life is perceived and expressed by artists in endless ways.

 

 

 

 

 

2) MALE GUARDIAN DOG and FEMALE GUARDIAN DOG by SHUSHANK SHRESTHA
     This display is by far the best representation of a “history lesson” I took part in during my visit. Upon initial glance at these statues, I remember finding them to be silly-looking and I got a good chuckle from their exotic body structure. After reading the description, it turns out that these dogs are a small part of Nepal’s culture which I was, evidently, rather unaccustomed to. The dogs are actually replicas of lions, which are deemed to represent protection and power. The artist combined this symbol from Kathmandu, his homeland, and used his own two pet dogs as the foundation of the sculpture to embody this time enduring symbol. I am still left a little confused, though, how such a meaningful, powerful entity was created into such an unserious cartoon dog. As for the art style, despite being made only last year, it was consistent with the South Asian art style and culture depicted across the museum.

 

 

 

 

3) COMPASSION by JASMINE RAJBHANDARI
     Finally, for the last painting of the few that have resonated with me most of my visit, is the work titled Compassion, which my feelings upon it adapted as I took in the entirety of the piece. At first glance, it was uneasy to look at, at least in my opinion, due to the dominant use of primary colors and the alignment of 2D shapes on a flat, bright yellow background. But contrastingly, staring through this discomfort, the painting was quite alluring in the aspect that it shows the themes of health and healing, something I am interested in. Also, even though I do not necessarily relate to the religious intentions of the painting (the Buddhist gods shown), I was still able to admire its connections to human tragedies in war. The philosophy of how humans are entirely capable of both destruction and mending has always been a fascination of mine.

     

Nonetheless, my visit to the Rubin was a fun trip and it introduced me to a new culture of art. Through experimentation with the many art pieces that were displayed, I was able to learn more about myself and the way I individually decipher what makes something art. I also enjoyed the hands-on interactivity in the museum. My favorite of the few experiences was when I was offered to color a tapestry to be hung outside the museum for its closure next month. I guess now I can forever brag that my art (whether or not it being art can maybe be debated in class) was (sort of) hung up at a museum!