Seminar One: Arts in New York CitySheriff Akanmu

My first time going to the Met

The first place we were assigned to visit was the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I had no idea how huge it would be. There always seems to be about a hundred people sitting outside on the steps.

Getting lost.. The Met is a lot bigger on the inside than it originally

appears on the outside. This makes getting lost a horrifying experience. On the bright side I found these amazing paintings that ironically became my favorites.

???Unfortunately I didn’t get the name of this painting

The Belated Party on Mansfield Mountain by Jerome B. Thompson

Arriving to my destination

After about an hour of wandering the American Wing of the Met, I asked for directions and arrived to my destination, the Everyday Epiphanies Exhibition.

The Everyday Epiphanies Exhibition was my favorite. It proves that an artist doesn’t need a picture of a grand structure or landmark to make an amazing scene.

The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi The rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum is home to a

beautifully painted garden. This garden was painted by Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi. The garden represents how tragedy can bring growth to new life.

Ona

The sculpture, Ona, standing outside the Barclays Center is a sight to behold. Although it is a fantastic sculpture, one may not notice its beauty when it competes with the commotion and breathtaking architecture of the Barclays.

Ona, also known as “she”, is the work of Ursula von Rydingsvard

“She”

Some people say that the elegant Ona, also known as She, is the start of Brooklyn’s transition from “scrappy upstart to polished cultural leader.”

Wonder how it got there?

Situated right in the center of a round arch structure, Ona looks like a pillar brought down from the sky by some sort of otherworldly force.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Seeing the play for the first time I didn’t know exactly what to expect

When I first saw the poster art I thought that would be Bottom when he is transformed from a man to an ass.

Black box Theatre?

Julie Taymor takes advantage of the black box theatre using many different visual effects

Being a black box theater it was possible for us to get nice, close up seats

The whole idea of a black box theater was completely foreign to me. It was a great experience getting to see a performance in one

Not quite what I expected

Julie Taymor’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream put a daring twist on a classic play.

Not quite what anyone expected

With many new elements at play, Julie Taymor really does create A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Pulling it all together

Professor Miller’s Seminar 1 class not only challenged students to go places they probably wouldn’t otherwise, but it challenged them to look at things in ways they previously may have not.

One thing all three of these selections have in common is that they were all new to me. These allowed me to see New York City a new light.

With so many new places explored over the semester Seminar did a great job of making me feel like a tourist in my own city.