Over the weekend as a continuation of my arts crusade, I decided to “museum-hop” throughout the city- visiting the MoMA, Guggeinheim, and the Metropolitan.
A few highlights of the trip included these memorable exhibits:
"American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity" exhibit at the Met.
I guess my sociological instincts kicked in- as the exhibit centered around fashion for women from the 1890s to the present day, displaying the subtle evolution of the way American women were perceived and conceived in society. (Something I noticed was as the years increased, the mannequins became thinner) It certainly was interesting as such a minute detail in how we dress is itself a mini-social commentary on the roles of the sexes, but this discussion will be saved for another appropriate time- such as a lunch table discussion at Bates!
The next exhibit was also indeed impressionable. Titled “Hipsters, Hustlers, and Handball Players” in a series of photographs by Leon Levinstein, it’s certainly instilled a sense of nostalgia I’ve had growing up in New York City and a reminder in contrast to the “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity”, things haven’t really changed- regardless of now having lived in 3 out of 5 boroughs.
"Hipsters, Hustlers, and Handball Players: Leon Levinstein's New York Photographs, 1950–1980": Met exhibit.
The final show-stopper was the “Haunted” exhibit at the Guggeinheim, starting with an eclectic melting pot of photography, sculptures, paintings, sketches ranging from all eras- as you work your way up through the spiral floors from “Earth to Earth”, “Ashes to Ashes” and “Dust to Dust” and culminate at the top with video stills of noted choreographer Merce Cunningham.
At the end of the journey, it’s phenomenal how much insight I’ve gained not only on my personal life, but externally as well- excavating what have “haunted” me as both a New Yorker and woman into my transformation as a Maine bobcat today.
It seems that I’ve also definitely become a museum addict, and I only have Bates to thank for it!
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