Field Trip Reaction #1

Jonathan Torres

Introduction to Art

October 1^st, 2013

Field Trip Reaction

Art & Identity – The Museum of Modern Art

During a class trip to the Museum of Modern of Art, my peers and I were asked to record three artworks of our choosing in order to analyze the author's identity in accordance with his or her artwork. Three classifications of “Identities” were introduced to the class for analysis, them being, Personal Identity, Cultural Identity, and Historical Identity. The three artworks I was fascinated by were Evening Star #3 by Georgia O'Keeffe, Woman by Ivan Le Lorraine, and PACMAN by Toru Iwatani.

Georgia O'Keeffe's Abstraction Blue, an oil based painting on canvas done in 1926, is a mystifying piece of work as the color scheme is clearly meticulously composed. The range of colors is very limited but effectively used as different shades and tints of blue are arranged into a shape which emulates a flame. Through the middle of the “flame” is a vertical white line which divides the image into two, unequal parts. There is a subtlety to the image as the colors are layered over one another, yet there are certain key points in the outline of the shape where the colors seem to blend seamlessly. When viewing this artwork I could not help but think of the Cultural Identity prompt. I thought of how O'Keeffe's stylistic influences were evidently communicated through this particular image. The title itself holds the word “abstract” which this image certainly is. O'Keeffe was an artist during the modern era, a cultural movement amongst artist's where the limits of painting, amongst other mediums, were exploited. This image leaves an impression of vagueness, where the artist chose to depict the essence of the subject matter as opposed to an accurate portrayal. These choices could possibly be attributable to the cultural influences of Georgia O'Keeffe.

The artowork entitled Woman by Ivan Le Lorraine, an oil based painting on canvas done in 1928, captured my attention immediatley. An aged human in petty lighting adorning an open, oversized fur coat enthralled me as it was so different from the other artworks. Le Lorraine used to draw for the U.S. Army during World War 2 and experienced firsthand many of the tragedies that come as a result of war. Through the Personal Identity prompt, this image becomes easier to comprehend. Le Lorraine wanted to emulate the imminent stage of life we know as being elderly. The image highlights the wrinkled flesh of the elderly woman as Le Lorraine's intent is successful in depicting the “decay” of the human body.

The final artwork under analysis is Toru Iwatani's Pacman, a video game published by Namco in 1981. This artwork is to be seen through the Historical Identity lens. Iwatani created the game during a time when video games were only beginning to take on prominent appeal in the world. Iwatani created the game with the intent to appeal to a universal audience, an ideal reflective of the progressive mentality of the 20^th century. The characters and layout of the game was meant to appeal to younger audiences as well as females; Iwatani had a stroke of genius as video games (still to this day) tend to appeal to isolated demographics. The medium itself is reflective of the time period.

In conclusion, my trip to the MoMA has influenced me as both an artist and a critic. Now when I review any form of art I understand that it is imperative to inquire as to the reasons why an art work was made. This process of trying to excavate information is effective as viewers (or players) will have a guided thinking process upon interacting with the art. This is not necessarily desirable but it is something which can better aid a viewer into fathoming what an artist was thinking, his or her intent, and much more.