Final Reflection

        The three most significant responses I wrote were the Exit Through the Gift Shop, the McColl Center, and the Bechtler Museum. I’ll talk about each independently then pull them all together at the end about why exactly they balance each other out as my choices. 

        Chronologically, we watched Exit Through the Gift Shop before we went to the Bechtler or the Mint. That documentary was important this semester to me because I knew thoroughly Banksy’s work and knew of Shepard Fairey from clothing worlds. Having that movie set in the contexts largely between those two, I enjoyed it just hearing what they had to say in person about those things. 

         However it more importantly helped me describe the difference between what I think is art and what I don’t consider art. In my essay, I defined art specifically as “anything that is expression or application of human skill, imagination, or message.” But that’s just my textbook definition of art for the purposes of that response. I feel that while that definition is necessary, I’d like to add something to it in context. My personal definition of art is “if it is something that one can excel at, then one can make an art out of it.” Very loose and easily misinterpreted alone, it is how I define art because there is no real concrete way to do it. 

         Personally I believe anything from landscaping to painting is an art. Whether it is landscaping people’s personal yards, stock trading, playing football, to more the traditionally accepted painting, architecture, and making music. I have a friend who is in culinary school and she makes the most beautiful (and delicious) looking food. I can’t restrict my definition to things that seem traditionally artsy, because even people who design things like chairs can use knowledge and skill to be creative and make something truly beautiful. That’s what my Exit Through the Gift Shop response taught me. 

          The second museum response that was important to me this semester was the McColl center. I think the entire movement of supporting current art and not just art that is historic is important. Although there isn’t a big theme or movement of art currently (I feel like we’re on the backside of the Modern Art movement) the support of current artists and allowing them to create is very important. 

          In a larger context, I think the lack of a new movement is our current nostalgia on the past. Whether that becomes a new movement or not, everywhere I turn there is some sort of underlying fear to move on. However a place for current artists to create and feel free to devote fully to art is very important. 

          The Bechtler Museum was by far my favorite museum. Between the British art, the range of the collection, and the Lichtensteins, I enjoyed every second of that museum. It also really displayed art in the context of culture. I had a music teacher that stressed all art is a reflection of culture. At certain times, culture influenced art. At others, art influenced culture, it swings back and forth like a pendulum. However it was easy to see world events that were influenced by culture, like wars and comic books. However some of the sketches seemed vaguely like they were John Lennon’s sketches and others seemed to pre-date some of the major outdoor art by a good decade or two, showing the influence and movements of art. 

            In that same mindset as well, it can influence as well as give a voice to certain social issues. There was a set of drawings that looked like disfigured humans, which were influenced by those hiding in the trains of London during the bombings of WWII. Similarly at the Harvey B Gantt Center there were pieces that tried to give a voice to many different social issues, even the museum itself was working toward preserving the art and history of African-Americans. 

            At the Rowe Gallery, Amuletic Spine by Mary Tuma gave a voice to that culture and traditions. Even though there is the highest concentrations of concentrations of churches and people who identify as religious in Caribbean countries, there is a strong belief of tradition and remembering those who came before us, something that should be a widely accepted motion that isn’t. To add another example, Banksy’s work is very politically motivated and although sometimes deemed “offensive,” really just points out things that people don’t want to acknowledge, whether those things are racial in origin or just things that are becoming social norms. 

           I think these were significant to me this semester because these were all representations of things I knew were important to art and then became realizations of those things. Knowing exactly how to explain how I see art, art needs to be constantly created, and knowing art has a definite context in history, not matter what type of art. 

           For as long as I remember, I have been doing art. So in all honesty it was more meaningful to me that I related the art I saw to the art I created. On the website, I had a small description to how they connected to what I saw, but a lot of art I make I feel like is just mine. Not that it’s just for me, because I don’t think then it’s really art. I mean when I do stuff I have to sit with it and really make sure it’s mine. So I think just as a larger point I try to make sure my art is my art and to see other’s who make their own art and see aspects of things I do in them was very meaningful. 

            This semester was really great as far as art went because I haven’t had an in-depth art study in four or five years. Later in high school I fell off of it a bit but art is always a dance to me. I can’t always be around art and be making it at the same time or my art will be very similar to the art I’m around. In a way I think that’s human nature, but when I get around art a fair amount I don’t make art and when I’m not around art much I do make art that’s more personal and my own. The same goes for music, it’s a constant dance. 

             I did feel most connected to art this semester at the Bechtler Museum. There isn’t a thing about that place that isn’t artistic in some way. The layout is so well done, the lighting is perfect, the capabilities of the entire building is so open to possibilities and the art there is an amazing collection that is so big, varied, and personal that it really is what a museum should be. Although it wasn’t an art piece or a movement, it was seeing everything about that place together at one time that I felt connected to art. 

            I enjoyed this class a whole lot. It got me back into the classical side of arts as well as the current art scene in Charlotte.