Description of What Was Seen
One had the opportunity to visit the Frist Center for the Visual Arts which is located in 919 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee. One of the featured exhibits was the ARTini: Vik Muniz: Garbage Matters which enticed one’s interest due to the artist’s decision to use discarded used materials, more commonly known as junk and garbage, as his medium of artistic expression. Thus, one got to appreciate the Brazilian artist’s various renditions of Pictures of Junk and Pictures of Garbage which were reported to have been created through meticulously gathering, selecting, arranging discarded materials to form aesthetic works of art. Muniz’s interpretation of
The Birth of Venus which was re-created from the original work of Sandro Botticelli was commendable in terms of the sheer similarities in lines, shapes, images, and the natural flow of depicted movement of Venus’ hair, as well as the garments of the images beside her. No one would actually think that this had been created from junk; if no previous information had been provided to the viewers. Another magnificent rendition of Muniz was Jacques Louis David’s The Death of Marat, where his interpretation effectively exhibited the use of garbage and junk, and yet, was still able to vividly create a transformed artistic creation what embodied beauty and surrealism. Still, one marveled at his interpretation of Cephalus and Aurora and Amore and Psyche, which similarly captured the meaning and essence of the messages being relayed by Muniz through effective use of colors, hues, light and shadows, as well as depth and distance to make the images come to life.
Likewise, another set of exhibitions from the Frist Center for the Visual Arts was Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles, which was noted to be “some of the most indispensable cars in automotive history, all in one place - The Wall Street Journal” . Thus, one had the chance to appreciate classic models of automobiles including the 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet in deep vibrant orange; the 1938 Talbot-Lago T-150C-SS Teardrop Coupe in silver and burgundy with exquisite lines and contours; the classic 1934 Edsel Ford’s Model 40 Special Speedster in elegant black; to name a few. A total of 20 automobiles from the 1929 to 1941 were showcased in the exhibit .
Explanation of What Was Learned
One learned that art comes in various forms and genres; where artists get to express personal interpretation of works of art through the medium they prefer. For Muniz, for instance, the artist got to realize and fulfill a rewarding experience through creating art works patterned from famous artists’ work by just simply unusually using junk and garbage. No one could actually believe that aesthetic art works could be generated from a collection of filth.
For the classic automobiles exhibit, one learned that art could be seen from the say cars were designed, especially in the early years. Not only functionality was served through the creation of these automobiles; but more so, one got to appreciate the aesthetic value through the designs, lines, contours, balance in colors, and the magnificent quality that showcased these creations. One learned to appreciate beauty in art through these automobiles which were effectively preserved through time.
Exploration of Personal Responses to These Experiences
One felt an exhilarating emotion as one got to appreciate and view these works of art.
There is the intense feeling of awe and deep respect for the artists who were able to create these innovative art pieces using different forms, medium, and genres. A visit to the museum was therefore realized, not only to be very educational and informative; but more so, it elicits diverse emotions from viewers: elation, awe, inspiration, great appreciation, upliftment, and a realization that art could be created from just about anything, anywhere and anyone through time.
Works Cited
Golden, Alessandra. "Sandro Botticelli The Birth of Venus." 21 November 2011. Portrait Painting. http://portraitpainting2011.blogspot.com/2011/11/sandro-botticelli-birth-of-venus.html. 27 July 2013.
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts. "Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles." 2013. firstcenter.org. http://fristcenter.org/calendar-exhibitions/detail/sensuous-steel. 27 July 2013.
