My identity mask shows headphones because I listen to a lot of music. The headphones have Hello Kitty stickers as I have loved Hello Kitty all my life and own a lot of HK merchandise. The mask also has eyeliner because I wear it a lot, and eye bags because I never go to sleep on time due to saving my schoolwork for the last second.
I have a few speech bubbles which are meant to be indicative of the fact that I yap a lot, especially to my friends and my brother. There are post it’s all over because I am extremely forgetful and scatterbrained so I have to have constant reminders for myself.
The brain shows what I think inside my head. There is Donkey Kong because I have always felt kinship towards him due to us having the same initials, and because I like to play video games. There is a guy chasing money because when school makes me apathetic money is the best motivator. There is a sewing machine because I like to sew, and I used to do it occasionally my grandmother. Cooking Mama on the top because I loved Cooking Mama as a kid and I like to cook now. There are musical notes because I am a music addict. There is also a pirate ship because I always liked pirates conceptually, I was obsessed with them as a kid, and my parents hometown in southern Montenegro was a piracy den until the 17th century, though I do not endorse piracy.
This Saturday, when we went to watch La Boheme, I found it to be a pleasant experience. The cast was incredibly talented, the costume design and set design were exceptional, and I was truly shocked when they brought out live animals. I also really loved the second act, because it was so crazy seeing so many people on the stage, and all of them were doing their own thing. I lost track of the main characters sometimes because I was so focused on watching what the background characters were doing. However, I found the plot to be quite uninteresting, and I was not incredibly invested in the relationship between Mimi and Rodolfo.
By contrast, the plot of Rent was far more dynamic, and I enjoyed how the characters appeared to be layered, like how Rents Mimi suffered from a drug addiction and HIV, rather than TB, and we could actually see her struggle. I also found that the extended cast aside from Mimi and Rodolfo in La Boheme was entirely forgettable, while in Rent characters appear to actually all have storylines. The storylines were emotionally impactful too, unlike La Boheme. For example, I was actually invested in the relationship between Tom Collins and Angel, and was sad when Angel died. My annoyance for Maureen and her scandalous ways was also very real. I think as a person, Maureen’s counterpart in La Boheme was preferable, but Maureen was a better written character nonetheless. In La Boheme, I was not incredibly moved by Mimi’s death, because her character was mostly bland, and didn’t really show me much of her personality. However, Mimi’s survival in Rent was more impactful because I was actually concerned with whether she will live or die, and Angels death was far sadder than Mimi’s in La Boheme, even though Mimi was a main character. I also enjoyed that we could see how the depths of the characters passions for what they do, and how it motivates them to continue even when they are in absolute poverty, rather than in La Boheme where we don’t see much of the casts work. All in all, I preferred Rent, but I do want to say I thought Angel being named Angel was kind of on the nose.
Rich Stremme’s presentation on tattooing was extremely insightful, as history is something which interests me, and seeing the link between the inception of tattooing, and how it evolved into modern tattooing was incredibly informative. I liked learning interesting facts, such as how many of the wives of the first tattoo artists used their bodies as advertisements for their partners abilities. His presentation was also easily digestible, and included photos which didn’t crowd anything and were quite informative. I enjoyed his personal stories, some of them were entertaining, but the one about his friend who was killed was extremely tragic, and very eye opening to the fact that many are quick to judge people based off appearance.
This Tuesday, all of the Macaulay students attended the Night at the Museum event at Brooklyn museum. I had a very pleasant experience before the event even started, waiting for the bus in the Macaulay lounge and eating pizza while chatting. Even being on the bus, I enjoyed sitting with friends and talking while we waited to get to the museum.
All in all, I think the actual museum experience was mostly positive. However, once we were told to put our belongings in the bin, I had a constant nagging feeling that on the way out someone may carelessly throw around my book bag with my laptop in it as they reached for their own things at the bottom of the bin. Nonetheless, I managed to mostly repress this feeling and enjoy the night. While the presentation at the beginning was having some technical difficulties, I thought it was more memorable for it, and made it more engaging to watch. At first, I was nervous that the presentation may cut into the time we had to view all of the museum pieces, but realized once we were released that the floor we were designated was relatively small so it was not an issue. It was nice to see people who attend other campuses that I haven’t yet seen since orientation, as well as look at art with other CSI students. Admittedly, I was a little bit disappointed that only one floor was open and we didn’t get to see more exhibits. Hearing that normally, there are more exhibitions available for the students made me a little sad that we did not have the full experience, but the things that were on display for us were not bad. It was a little crowded as well but not overwhelmingly so. Notably, I enjoyed the short film on doors, and spent a lot of time in that room, but I was annoyed it would flip between clips so often because just as I was getting interested in the plot and setting it would switch, though I believe that was part of the purpose.
On the way back to the bins I cringed as I saw my bag on the floor next to the bin, worried that my fears about my laptop had come true but my Mac seems to be okay fortunately. The actual bus ride back was nice, and I started to feel a little bit tired, but regrettably had to do homework once I got home. Regardless, all in all I would consider it a positive experience.
For our trip to the Joyce theater this Sunday, I found all 4 shows we watched extremely interesting, though I did not enjoy them all equally. I sat extremely close to the center in the second row, so it was almost as though I was in the front. It was nice being close to the front because I had a very clear view of the performances, but I was nervous about sweat from the dancers landing on me so I kept drawing back into my seat every time they came close.
The first show was my favorite. I have never witnessed any sort of live ballet, so while it was a relatively traditional performance, it was still very engaging to me. Also, it included my favorite costumes. Though there were some stumbles in the beginning, I found this performance to be the most fluid.
The second performance was my least favorite but simultaneously interesting. I found the overtness funny, but I think the ending was slightly overkill. Regardless, the dancers and cello player were extremely talented, and I was never bored. Even though it was not my favorite, I found it entertaining and I had fun discussing it with my peers afterward.
The third performance my favorite aesthetically, I loved what they did with the stage, and how for this performance, the woman’s hair had been down, I thought it was styled really nicely, and added to the underwater/mystical vibes, making her seem ethereal. However, I think the costumes were kind of bland compared to the rest of the performance, which was really good.
The fourth performance was my second favorite and very fun to watch, I liked seeing a lot of people on stage and the music for this one was my favorite. The costumes for this performance were a little underwhelming, but I felt like this one had the most interesting plot which made up for it.
I also had a lot of fun on the ferry trip back to Staten Island, as those of us who remained sat together and chatted a little, which was a pleasant end to a pleasant day.
In summary, I found the trip to the Arpino Dance Festival to be a worthwhile endeavor, and a fond memory to look back on, though originally I was a little apprehensive.
Guernica by Pablo Picasso was created in 1937, in the aftermath of the Nazi bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica. It acted as an anti-war symbol, and depicts the shock, horror, and death (particularly among civilians) involved in war.
Even almost a century later, this mural is still relevant. Despite the only certainty in war being its devastation, to this day, humanity is constantly at odds with itself. Despite centuries of violence, and countless deaths, war will never cease to exist. Today, this art is applicable to people who suffer from the effects of war, such as the citizens of Ukraine who suffer similar bombings relentlessly. The shock expressed on the faces of the caricatures shows the natural human reaction to violence and destruction, and is something which will never change regardless of how much time passes.
This art piece reflects how the victims of war are the masses, while those who orchestrate it often suffer little consequences comparatively, which holds true until today. Political figures who embroil nations/regions in war seldom suffer the personal loss of ordinary civilians, as depicted by the throng of people fleeing and dying in Guernica. In our own nation, we see the effects of this as people emigrate from their nations and seek refuge in the U.S.A as a means of survival, struggling with adapting to a new culture, making money, and in many cases leaving behind loved ones, while wealthy leaders who can flee at anytime enjoy cushy lifestyles.
Furthermore, the lightbulb in this mural, which many interpret as either the bombing itself or the eyes of God reflects how in both interpretations, average people are unable to prevent tragedy. Humanity is unable to protect itself when outside forces are at play, and is at the mercy of higher powers/those in power.
This Saturday, I went to Snug Harbor, arriving before 11:00 AM to ensure I would make it in time for their demo classes. Upon my arrival, I met with a classmate and we explored while we waited for other students of the seminar to fill in. Once more people began to enter, we began to loiter around the stalls while the vendors set up. I was interested in looking at one stall with very beautiful handmade bracelets, though I wasn’t actually interested in buying anything. However, the woman running the stall began to tell me about the bracelets, and we got into a conversation, so I felt like I should buy something after our chat. I just bought a kids bracelet because it was cheaper, and I thought it was cute.
Once I bought the bracelet, it was nearly time for the classes to begin so we made our way into the building with the demos. The first class we entered was ceramics, and it was different from my expectations. Normally, I’ve only ever painted ceramics, but this class was sculpting them from clay. I didn’t like this class very much because it was really messy, and my little bowl came out badly. I only really enjoyed throwing the clay, but it got on my clothes and tote bag which I was disappointed about. I found the sculpting to be a little monotonous, and disappointing once I saw how poorly I had sculpted my bowl. Also, they told us we had to go the men’s bathroom to use the slop sink so I felt a little awkward being in there, but persevered nonetheless.
Upon exiting the first class, I wandered into another demo room where I saw other classmates. I wasn’t extremely interested in this class, I had only really entered in order to see what it was. The class was still life, and I can’t draw or paint, but once the woman running the class asked which subject I wanted to paint, and with which material, I felt it would’ve been rude of me to say I wasn’t interested. So, I told her oil paint because I like oil paintings, and I chose to paint the bust as I thought it would be the most interesting.
Once I began to sketch the bust, I didn’t take it too seriously as I know my limits when it comes to my creative abilities. Furthermore, I thought I should leave as soon as possible so someone who is more interested can take my place, and I could go to a class which would be more fun for me. So, I put minimal effort into my sketch and just put something together that was good enough that she would allow me to paint and be on my way to the next class.
So, with approval to begin painting, I started by attempting to put black splotches where I saw darker shadows on the bust. However, once the instructor introduced white paint, I immediately regretted my actions. I realized quickly that painting with intention was actually quite fun, and with multiple colors, it was actually less difficult than expected to try and recreate the depth of the statue. Unfortunately, I realized too late to fix my initial sketch so the best I could do was attempt to make it less abrasive and blend in the black splotches, leading to a muddled blob face.
My final painting looked like this, and I was regretful of my initial disregard which prevented it from looking more proportional and composed. However, I am thankful to have had the experience, and I am interested in oil painting again in the future!
This Sunday, I went to the Metropolitan museum of art. The tickets are free for residents of New York, so I chose to donate 5 dollars, which I contemplated whether I should have done, as I only had 20 dollar bills left in my wallet.
This piece was memorable to me as I felt as though the left and right photo frames were painted as windows, and I was looking in on the lives of the caricatures. The people in the center seemed to live a very relaxed, eccentric lifestyle, while those on the right seemed strict, and classical. I wondered if these themes were inspired by an apartment complex, given the array of people in a condensed area. I further questioned whether the setting may have been inspired by New York, given that it is a culturally diverse place, and I was at the Metropolitan, located in Manhattan.
This piece was interesting to me as I liked the composition of it. The woman is in a drab room, but gazes at a colorful picture. Furthermore, I think her outfit is very pretty and I like how it matches the tiles in the floor and the flower in her hand. I find her posture and gloved hand very elegant, and I like how the whites of her eyes are much brighter compared to all other whites used in the painting.
This piece captured my attention for some of the same reasons as the previous piece. Her dress is very lovely, and I liked the ruffles and color. I thought her seemingly annoyed expression contrasted with her otherwise elegant appearance. This piece made me consider the irony that artists put painstaking effort into creating elaborate scenes, often involving beautiful people in luxurious garments, to be looked upon by average people who come into the museum wearing whatever they please. I believe this shows that art is for all to enjoy, and should not be restricted to any social class.
Ultimately, I found the MET to be a very enjoyable experience! I was more interested in historical pieces than artwork, but found the art worth seeing. In the end, I no longer considered my previous contemplation of my 5 dollar donation, and wholeheartedly felt it was a worthwhile expenditure.
I commemorated the experience by purchasing a magnet for my collection.
