9/11 Memorial

This picture shows people gathered around the 9/11 Memorial Plaza's south pool. Apparent is the involvement of those pictured with the open space, atmosphere, and engraved names pictured. On the right, we can peek at the water falling as the infamous Twin Towers once fell. The reflections emerging from the building windows mirror the urbanity around the site and so do the eclectic faces of those who attend. 

Here are the names of the deceased on September 11, 2001. There are African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Middle Eastern, and Caucasian names and it mimics those who visit the site daily showing how the attacks on the World Trade Center affected the entire world.

My class " Art in NY " on top of all the things going on around this city. "Cheese"

The Museum of the American Indian

This picture was taken at the Museum of the American Indian and was one of the many  pieces I enjoyed viewing. Here there is art from 'Indian' tribes from both American continents. There are artifacts from the Central American Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Caribbean Taino sculptures and South American Mapuche carvings. As well as American and Canadian Inuit, Yuit and Navajo tribes of more recent and contemporary societies.

Above, you can appreciate my favorite painting in the exhibition and although I was yelled at by a security guard for taking this picture in a restricted area, it was totally worth it. A poem on the lower left side reads: "Note Well: Contain any force that you might possess, you never know when they'll be needed". I like the four rectangles at the top which I like to think, show a little side of the artist. The fluttering wing on the left side above the poem, show the force the artist is referring to being released at its precise time. It was totally worth it. Don't you agree?

Also pictured above: 

Taino water vessel, Dominican Republic, ca. A.D. 1200-1500 (Clay) 

Maya ritual blade, Belize, ca. A.D. 700 (flint)

Hupa apron and skirt, California, ca. 1900 (Hide, plant fiber, pine nuts, bear grass, abalone shell,brass thimbles, glass and seed beads)

@ The United Nations: Design With The Other 90%

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

NYC Boroughs Art

Breakfast Still Life

 I started this piece by placing three eggs in a small bowl where sunlight could hit it. It was early morning when I started so I took advantage of the sunlight. Afterwards, I arranged complimentary items beside the eggs which I used to make my eggs-in-a-bowl more believable. I incorporated a loaf of Italian bread, a bottle of orange juice and a small glass filled with it, and a 'lucky bamboo' plant I have at home. Some of the items that I normally see around breakfast time. I intentionally left out the brand of orange juice assuring I don't patronize any particular brand, (No matter how much I use it.) 

I used titanium white and mars and ivory blacks to vary the closer warmth and the distant coolness of the shapes. I varied the intensity of the grays to reflect optical hue changes. The orange bottle cap and the green bamboo for example, are much grayer than the neutral shades of the see through surfaces, the bowl, and the bread.

I continued to the second phase of my piece which involved collage. Initially, I wanted to vary between the polish of the surfaces, but circumstances made me stick to matte print. I cut paper accordingly and arranged it around the previously painted items to fill the negative spaces and create an eclectic table cloth. 

I enjoyed painting and designing this piece mainly because I was able to craft and explore two of my favorite manifestations.

September 11 @ MoMA PS1

 This was one of my favorite pieces because it displays the bright colors of our precocious nation.

Now Showing @ Moma PS1 through January 9th, 2012

 

George Segal - American artist - 1924-2000 

'Woman on a park Bench' 1998 (bronze w/ white patina & metal bench)

         

In the room seen above one could reminisce about September 11th 2011, as we see various pieces incorporated into a brightly-lit room. There is a woman seated carelessly on a bench minding her own business. She holds dearly to her purse and seems as if she were about to smile, but not quite. There is material scattered along the center of the floor which resembles ashes done by Roger Hiorns a British artist born in 1978. It is an 'atomized passenger aircraft engine' and he left his work Untitled. In addition, the theme from Patriot (a solo by Mark O'Connor) can be heard playing in the background to add to the mood. The audio is 6:40 minutes long and it was incorporated by John Williams an American artist born in 1932.

 Filmmaker Jem Cohen's addition to the show is in the form of a 6:00 minute video with sound & in black and white. Little Flags (1991-2000) is an excerpt of a film made by Cohen who was recording a parade that was lead along Broadway to celebrate the end of the Golf War. In the film we can observe the crowd maneuvering around lower Manhattan in a sward of paper. Looking at the picture above (from the film) we can see the similarities between the film and the city on that September 11, 2001 morning.


Another piece (not shown) is a canopy of black bunting which welcomes the visitors to the 2nd floor of the museum. It was created in 2001 by Fiona Banner an English artist born in 1966 by using vinyl and rope. Black Bunting (2008) can be interpreted as a touch of celebration to this one-decade-after tribute without robbing from the mourning sensation implied by the color black.