Saatchi Gallery

1. The Saatchi gallery was definitely the most accessible museum yet in terms of viewing all angles of the objects.  I feel this is necessary for this type of gallery because of the uniqueness of the objects.  A lot of them are not merely 2 dimensional works of art, but are 3 dimensional objects that require multiple views in order to be fully appreciated.  There was also space provided for each individual painting which was beneficial to viewing as well.  This was definitely different from the crowded walls or large, ornate frames of previous museums.

2. The Saatchi gallery had an interesting approach to captioning their work.  Where most museums would provide a little information about the artist and the meaning of the work, this gallery merely provided a small label for the piece.  The tour guide explained to us that this is because the gallery wants viewers to interpret the works for themselves, and I believe with the type of artwork they display, this is a very efficient method.  However, I really enjoyed hearing about how the artwork was obtained and placed in the gallery, and I think this could make a great addition to the small labels placed with each work of art.  Because the artwork is so unique, I feel it would be interesting to viewers to know who created it and how Mr. Saatchi came up on it.

3. I really enjoyed the modern, creative works of art this gallery contained.  I felt the art was much deeper and more meaningful than some works of art I saw in other museums (though I know this feeling is totally subjective).  I felt there was a real presence behind the works, and they were very thought provoking.  Though the tour guide explained some of the works to us, I was able to look at a few on my own and come to my own conclusions as to what the artist was trying to get at the work of art; I am not always able to do this when observing pieces of modern art.  I truly enjoyed Mr. Saatchi's collection and I would love to have a chance to meet him and try to understand why he picks the pieces he does.

Wall Art



This photo was taken on my visit to the East End of London.  It's really a shame that this mural hasn't been kept in better contact.  You can tell that it's really faded and it looks like a few hoodlums have marked over it a bit.  That being said this is a very strong piece to me.  I think it's works like this that seperate the labels of "graffiti" and "wall art"  There's passion in this work and so many lines.  It really delivers a message to the viewer rather than just reps a name.  Also sometimes black on white is as bold as you can get.



  



This photo was another taken on my East End walk.  The only thing that really pops into my head when I look back at this picture is blah.  It seems that multiple people have put little scribbles on it and the paint is practically all chipped away.  Accompanied by poor management one can't even comprehend what this wall is supposed to say or look like.  I would not be happy if when my city gets brought up this is an image that pops into outsiders minds. 

This photo was taken at the train station I visited in Copenhagen, Denmark.  I have to give it to the artists on this one.  Their lines are on point, there are few to no mistakes and it seems in all it was well put together.  But I feel you have to dig a little deeper than that.  Notice how I said I took this photo in Denmark.  This type of graffiti is so common.  I could get 500 shots of this same shit in London, back home in the states, as well as hundreds of other countries.  Also, if I were an artist of this type, an important roll that played into my works would be geographics.  This mural is done on the side wall at a run down train station.  This is where people will stop looking at it as art and start looking at it as vandalism.  I don't know about the artists but I'd pick the first.  



This wall art was some I found in the dorms of my friend's university in Aarhus, Denmark.  This is so cool.  How many university dorms are old and boring with plain white walls?  If I walked into my dorm everyday and got to view great art lining the walls as I did so, I can guarantee there would always be a smile on my face.  Also, this work had to be done by different people who had access to these dorms.  They are leaving their stories behind for the newcomers to see.  You could almost look at this as tradition.  I think it's really great to be able to see all the diversity here.



Anne Frank Huis

This weekend I was in Amsterdam and I had the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank house.  It was definitely an unnerving feeling to see the home where 8 Jewish people hid from the government (and daylight) for years.  Inside the house was even more of an uncomfortable (for lack of better wording) feeling.  All the windows were blackened to imitate how the Franks and their family friends had to live.  I couldn't imagine being locked in such a small area, though the annex was a lot larger than I initially thought, with a small amount of people for such a long time. 

The amazing thing about Anne Frank is, though, no matter how tough and unbearable her living situation was, she was able to see the positive side of things.  She wrote affectionately in her journal for all the people in her annex, and also wrote of her dreams, hopes, and wishes.  To have that positive of an attitude given her circumstances is absolutely amazing to me.  The area in which they stayed was small, dark, and cramped.  The kitchen also served as a living room and dining room, and there was only one bathroom for all 8 people.

Visiting the house was a dream I have had since the first time I read Anne Frank's diary when I was 14 years old.  To actually walk the stairs she walked, duck behind the bookcase into the hidden annex, and see the attic in which she escaped to see blue skies was a dream come true and absolutely disheartening all at once.  It takes your breath away, and I don't think I was prepared.  I wasn't prepared to feel overcome with dread, trying to imagine what life here must have been like.  I wasn't prepared to start to be scared while in hiding, trying to imagine what it would be like to be arrested and killed merely for your genetic background.  There are pages of the actual diary on display, pages from her original diary and the many, many notebooks that served as diaries after she had filled the first.

There was also a display on her sister Margot, and all her dreams and accomplishments.  I had never heard much about Margot, so this was all new to me.  She was smart, driven, and motivated.  Though she was different than Anne in many of her views on things, the two got along very well.  She was an inspiration to Anne, and deserves as much credit for that as she can possibly be given.

Everyone knows that what happened in the Holocaust is an unspeakable tragedy, but being this in-depth made me view everything ten times more in depth.  Anne Frank is a legend and a hero of many young girls for a reason, she is an inspiration to the entire world.

The National Portrait Gallery

1. I like the simple font of the logo.  It is clear-cut and professional looking.  I also think, for this museum, it is appropriate to have a black and white color palette as the museum houses a lot of classical, historical pieces.  However, the type of art displayed in this museum is certainly not contained to only one style.  There are multiple styles, colors, and types of art in this museum; I feel this could be more incorporated into the logo.  The building itself is a little plain, but I I think it suits the logo as well as the type (and variety) of art housed inside.

 

2. Mary Wollstonecraft "Paige Thompson" Shelley

I was having a very difficult time deciding which portrait I thought most represented myself.  I didn't know which approach to take, from which angle I should view this problem.  As I browsed portrait after portrait, I came across Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.  I read that she was one of the first women of all time to partake in scientific research.  That made my decision pretty easy.  My defining article in this portrait is my green laboratory goggles.

3. Queen Catherine "Katie Trokey" of Braganza

This portrait staded that Queen Catherine was well-liked, shy, and solemn.  This reminded me of Katie Trokey, because she is pretty laid-back and easy to be around.  In this photo I drew her defining aspect to be her curly dark brown hair.

4. Queen Elizabeth "Lauren Rosenfeldt" I

I found this portrait and read that Queen Elizabeth was immensely popular before and throughout her reign.  I decided this would be a good opportunity to draw Lauren Rosenfeldt, as she is very popular throughout our group here.  I think her laugh is contagious, and everyone likes to be around it.  Her defining characteristic in this portrait is her red hair.

5. Catherine "Lauren Cantu" Douglas, Duchess of Queensberry

This portrait said style, and immediately made me think of Lauren Cantu.  It went on to say that she was a famous beauty, as well as casual, and full of wit.  Seeing as Lauren is my roommate and gives me all kinds of fashion advice in the mornings, I thought this portait fit her quite well.  Her defining article in this portrait is her long dark brown hair and bright red baret cap.

6. Mary "Lauryn Besasie" of Modena

Mary of Modena was said to be educated and dedicated.  I knew this portrait could fit someone I knew, but I wasn't sure who.  Then, it hit me.  As soon as I saw that Mary had chosen to have her portrait drawn with her dog, I knew she would be most fitting to Lauryn Besasie.  That's why the dog, in the corner, is defining Lauryn in this portrait.