#carolinefahey

Diane Arbus Show:

Immediately after exiting the elevator, pillars upon pillars stacked in rows, shape the entirety of the room, each one featuring an image. Deciding where to start becomes unclear, as there is no direct path or order to follow within the tall and large, yet confined room. As each column stands with only one picture and its descriptive title, people start to either crowd around, or keep moving past the images. The spacing and choice not to organize the columns by subject or date lets the viewer choose their own path and direction to view the exhibition. The freedom to move around in any direction lets each user have a personal, up close and unique experience with Arbus’s work. In ways the columns look somewhat similar to a memorial—their tall and slender shape, emphasize each one of the images and the brief but notable text descriptions. The open space between the columns lets each viewer study and admire each the photograph directly in front of them, creating an intimate and careful study of Arbus’s imagery.

Kerry James Marshall, Mastry

After much anticipation seeing Kerry James Marshall’s show, Mastry, at the Met Bruer, I am happy to say that it lived up to all my expectations. The two-floor retrospective is a collection of all of his work that discusses black daily life that encompasses contemporary issues, mixed with historical reference through painting landscapes, scenes, and environmental portraits.  His life size paintings are full of details that also can be looked at as codes and symbols, adding layers of context into his work. Marshall’s bold colors, thick brushstrokes, and miniature details draw your eyes inward. It is easy to stare at his work, and come across new, revealing visual codes.

Seeing all fifty years of Conner’s career in one of the most giant exhibitions spaces I’ve been in, was nothing less than overwhelming. Personally it was too much work for me to process—I mostly was just interested in the videos and intricate ink drawings that seemed to have no end. While my eyes were completely overwhelmed by a curatorial standpoint, seeing how much work Conner produced, and how his styles, mediums, and concepts changed over time was highly impressive and inspiring.