Animals in Our Lives

                Upon a recent trip to the MoMA, I took the role of a curator and attempted to put together an exhibition based on animals from all over the world, since the artwork I would be using was from artists all over the world. I used artworks from different departments of the museum, such as the Media and Performance department, the Prints and Illustrated Books department, the Painting and Sculpture department, and also the Drawing department.

                The first piece that I came across that captured my attention was "She-Goat" by Pablo Picasso from the Painting and Sculpture department. This specific piece caught my attention because of the dark-colored bronze it was made of. I feel the bronze of this piece helps depict some of the details such as the protruding udders of the goat that also help define the femininity of the piece. Being the first piece that captured my attention, it also gave me an idea of what to look for specifically in the rest of the pieces  I would include in my6 exhibition. This piece helped me decide that I would use not only animals as we humans see them, but also as they are seen through artist's perspective.

                "Baboon Bride" by Chris Finley is another excellent example of seeing an animal through an artist's perspective. This work of art, part of the Drawing department of the museum, gives a great, almost humorous tone. The whaling baboon in the wedding dress immediately makes me think of women who become beast-like during the planning of their weddings. The way the gowned baboon is sitting in this drawing also immediately makes me think that it is in the middle of a very loud tantrum. It makes me wonder if Finley's intentions were to spark up thoughts much like mine. To me, it is a brilliant piece and I would definitely use this piece.

                On a more realistic note however, the film "Cat" by Roman Signer from the Media and Performance Art department, I feel would also be a great addition to the collection I was putting together. This is because I feel by creating a tie between realistic artworks and those from the imaginations of artists, we can really learn to appreciate the beauty of the animals around us, whether they be household pets or animals from exotic lands. The film, which is nothing out of the ordinary, really fits in with the other realistic pieces I have chosen.

                As mentioned before, the tie between both realistic and surreal pieces for my collection really helps enhance the beauty of the nature in the animals of each piece. They also help highlight the similarities between humans and animals, creating a mental bond that really gets your gears working. The overall experience of becoming a curator, actually made me consider it as a career choice. I wouldn't mind choosing pieces that would really get into the minds of audiences around me for a living.

Pablo Picasso

"She-Goat"

1950

Bronze

Chris Finley

"Baboon Bride"

2002

Charcoal and colored pencil o0n colored paper

Roman Signer

"Cat"

1979

Super 8 film transferred to video (Color, silent).