Journal 4: Effervescent East Side

      It is the third day of our New York Gotham Experience and I am starting to get use to walking the streets of the city and falling in love with it. We finally stepped foot into the famous borough of Manhattan. After meeting in Penn Station, we took the uptown 6 train to 82nd street where we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also sometimes known as The Met. It is the largest museum in the world and houses the largest Egyptian collection in the world. It is 1.5 million square feet and it has about a collection of 2 million objects from around the world (BG p. 326). The moment we entered the museum, it is hard not to be taken aback. There were many people and countless things to see. We headed over to the museum's modern art collection where there were pieces by many New York artists working after World War II. Some of these artists include Jackson Pollock and his style of abstract expressionism. We were able to see the progression of his work and the impact that alcoholism had on his life through his two works, Pasiphae (1943) and Autumn Rhythm (1950). Autumn Rhythm is a painting that uses the technique of dribbled, splashed, an poured paint. It is considered one of Pollock's most important works and is admired for its balance of control and spontaneity (BG p. 336). We also explored the works of Color Field painters, one of whom was Clyfford Still. Still also contributed to the abstract expressionist movement by expressing anger and emotion in his art through the use of jagged, torn forms. We also explored works by Mark Rothko, another Color Field painter who explored an art style called minimalism. In addition, we were introduced to pop art as seen in Jasper Johns' piece, White Flag. This piece is made out of wax and it is the largest of Johns' flag paintings. It is also the first one painted mono-chromatically (BG p.336). We also became acquainted with the piece, Canyon. by Robert Rauschenberg. He used "combines", which is a technique that combines actual objects in his artwork, such as a stuffed eagle.

     After exploring the Modern and Contemporary Art gallery, we then proceeded to the Andy Warhol exhibit, which consisted of paintings, sculptures, and films by the man himself. We had learned that Warhol had an enormous impact on contemporary art. Warhol's artworks mainly focused on advertisement and celebrities. For instance, we became acquainted with the piece, Ethel Scull 36 times, which was acrylic and silkscreen on canvas. We were given a few minutes to take a look around the exhibit ourselves. I came across a piece called Green Coca-Cola Bottles. It was silkscreen, acrylic, and grafite on canvas. This piece exemplifies Warhol's reproductive ease and use of mass media and products, such as the soup cans and bottles. I enjoyed the Warhol exhibit very much and felt that we were very lucky to be in the presence of such magnificent artwork. .

     

     

     

After the Warhol exhibit, we were given time to wander about the museum and explore. A few of my friends and I found ourselves in the South and Southeast Asian Art wing. Here we saw a beautiful temple called, Jain Temple. This temple was a meeting hall during the16th century in Gujarat (BG p. 36). It was a beautiful carved wooden dome with a supporting structure. Inside the dome, there are elaborate carvings that are suppose to represent the splendors of the heavenly realms. In the front of the dome, is a seated enlightened being called, tirthankara (BG p. 361). We were able to climb the stairs and look at the intricate details of the dome. It was simply breathtaking. 

    After getting the most out of our Met experience, we walked our way over to the beautiful and well-known Central Park. Central Park is 843 acres of land and is used as a source of recreation for New Yorkers and visitors. The park is man-made and was based on the designs of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The design of Central Park was based on the belief for a common green space that was accessible to all (BG p.284). Once we entered Central Park we headed over to the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, where people were gathered enjoying the view, simply lounging, and taking pictures. The Bethesda Fountain was simple in its beauty. It had a statue at the center of the fountain called the Angel of the Waters, by Emma Stebbins. The statue is suppose to depict the biblical angel who stirred the waters of the Bethesda pool in Jerusalem (BG p. 290). On our way to Strawberry Fields, we stopped and took pictures on the enormous statue of Alice in Wonderland. When we got to Strawberry Fields we were told that it was called this, in honor of the songwriter, singer, and member of The Beatles, John Lennon. He was assassinated in the  courtyard of the Dakota Apartments, which was across the street from Strawberry Fields. As I tried to get through the crowd of people, I was able to see the black and white "Imagine" mosaic that was based on another famous song by John Lennon. Seated on the mosaic, we were also able to see a Japanese woman perform a harmonious traditional Japanese tea ceremony. As we left Strawberry Fields, we passed by the Dakota Apartmets, where Yoko Ono, John Lennon's widow, still lives. 

      After heading for lunch at a nearby sushi restaurant on the Westside, we headed towards fashionable Fifth Avenue. Fifth Avenue is considered a famous promenade in the city for its route of grand processions and grander stores (BG p.211). "Grand" is definitely the word, for we passed by stores such as Tiffany's, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. We were even given a few minutes to stop by the FAO Schwarz Toy Store, where we were greeted by a toy soldier. This toy store has an incredible selection of toys for every age, it is simply incomparable to other toy stores. After leaving toy heaven, we then passed by St. Patrick's Cathedral, where we admired its style of Gothic architecture. It is a famous city landmark and a symbol of success for New York Irish and Catholic immigrants (BG p.254). Although the cathedral is very grand and glorious, it can still be a place of comfort and peace for the busy life of New Yorkers. A prayer away, we then headed to the Plaza Hotel. Not only is it known for being the setting of Home Alone 2 and Eloise at the Plaza, it is also known for its famous guests who have stayed there, such as Mr and Mrs Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Mark Twain, Groucho Marx, and the Beatles. Its architect was Henry J. Hardenberg, who was admired for his skills of French Renaissance design (BG p.273). We also stopped by the busy Grand Central Terminal, which was on Park Avenue and 42nd St. Although it may look visually less exciting on the outside, inside is the site of marvel engineering and urban planning. Our last stop was then The New York Public Library. As we walked towards the front of the library, we became acquainted with the two marble lions, name Patience and Fortitude. They were by Edward C. Potter, and were named by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in order to emphasize the virtues that New Yorkers should have during the difficult economic times of the Depression. Although, we were not able to go in and see the Main Reading Room, which houses a shelf collection of about 30,000 reference books, I will make sure to come by and visit next time! Now, time to go back to Fifth Avenue and do some retail damage!