Art and World Reactions

September 11th, 2001 was a very sad and tragic day. New York city on that day lost not only over 3,000 lives but also the most beautiful buildings in the world. All I recall was me being in elementary school at the time and everyone in my classes were being called home, one after another and me not understanding why until later that day.

The first piece of art I pick to talked about is from the 5th floor of the M building at LaGaurdia Community College. It is titled "Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags". This work of art displays two large black body bags that held up vertically represent the World Trade Center. The flaps are open to represent open space in which now the towers are gone. However they also are opened and empty because majority of the bodies that these bags were suppose to hold were all either burned or reduced to rubble. This is a very sad, yet meaningful piece of art that deserves better recognition.

The second piece of art I choose to talk about is from MoMa Ps1. The title to this art work is "Lost and Found 2006". It represents the "If you see something, Say Something" campaign launched by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 2002. This work of art is interesting because all it is, is a black leather brief case place on the floor in a corner of a giant white room. There is a lock on it so that whatever is inside stays inside without anyone, not even the artist having knowledge on what it contains. This is ironic in the way that if we see a suspicious package anywhere in the transit system we are also clueless as to what might be inside, and also might be to scared to check, so we would just inform a cop.

The third and final piece of art I chose to talk about is also from MoMa Ps1. It is basically a news paper article called "Ground Zero 2003" which was posted in the New York Times. It shows an aerial view of ground zero, with the World Trade Center site being covered by green paper in the shape of a trapezoid. Pretty much this artist by the name of Ellsworth Kelly, who is one of Americas leading abstractionist states that he envisions a large green slate of grass covering ground zero in the future as a form of respect to all that dies that die. He also states that no additional building were needed at the site, but just the mound of grass and a museum. It ended with him saying that making art has to do with honesty, back in 1969.

All these works of art I observed and looked at were all very meaningful. They all had different  perspectives as do I about September 11, 2001. However that day was very tragic and frightening for all New Yorkers, and will go down in history as the worst day in New York City. Rest in peace all the innocent lives that we lost that day, and lets all hope that nothing like this ever happens again in the Big Apple.

Cris Cristotaro
"Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags"
September 2001

Lara Favaretto
"Lost and Found 2006"
2006

Ellsworth Kelly
"Ground Zero, 2003"
2003

Bad Art

Good Art

Good Art Bad Art

     I believe that anything can be seen as art, however some can be distinguished by me as good art meaning i like it and others as bad art, meaning i am not too satisfied with it for a reason. Good art to me consists of colors that flow well with each other or even black and white photos. Images that are classified as graffiti, abstract, landscapes, photography and even 3-demensional sculptures to me are all good forms of art because they are all pleasant to look at, as well as give a good look if you have them around your home. Art that uses the technique of hatching is also beautiful art because it consists of just parallel lines on white paper, in which you can make parts of the image light by keeping a little space in between the lines and dark by drawing the lines closer together all while being very simple.
     Bad art however to me consists of stuff that are weird and unusual such as still life paintings, representational, and art that focuses primarily on the use of shapes such as squares and circles. To me these forms of art are not to pleasing because I feel as if there is not enough imagination going on as well as work. They are also a more soft and calm versions of art which i would classify as more feminine, or well liked by the female gender. However in the end, whether to me it is good art or bad art, all art has a bigger meaning behind it which is what truly matters.