New Britain Museum of American Art.

Mladen Curakovic
New Britain Museum of American Art.

New Britain Museum of American Art. This museum was founded in 1903 and it was the first institution in this country devoted to collecting and exhibiting American art. Each of the paintings that I have looked at while at the museum represents a different style of major development from 1750-1950. This museum contains over eight thousand works and it is expanding in an effort to reflect our ever-evolving culture. The outside of the museum one will discover numerous sculptures that overlook the beautiful Walnut Hill park that is designed in the 19870s.
During my visit to the museum the current exhibits that are on display are: The Great American Watercolor, Meticulous Masterpieces: Contemporary Art by Dalton Ghetti, Les Lourigan and Jennifer Maestre, Ruthie Davis Shoes: Couture, Futuristic Design, NEW/NOW: Kwabena Slaughter, Hudson River Paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lisa Hoke: The Gravity of Color,
From the moment I entered the museum I was taken away by the Art that was on display. The design of the museum its self is art and eco friendly. On the first floor I looked trough the Hudson river paintings but was not allowed to take pictures. The detail and the way artist painted these paintings were amazing. In the hall toward the second floor there ware several of my all time favorite paintings that I have looked at in class and had to learn about. Such as Norman Rockwell paintings. I was surprised to see the actual paintings and not only remember them from a textbook. The detail and the way he depicts American life is amazing and great.
Further down the hall I saw paintings of tarazan and couple other comic books paintings that were originals that were used for the book covers. Right above the second floor a huge Glass blown chandelier hangs in front of the wall display called gravity of color which was stunning because the artist used plastic cups that she poured color in and arranged them in such a way that it is soothing to the eyes.
On the second floor I looked at the early modernism exhibits. One exhibit that caught my eye the most was the 911 portraits. When I got to this painting I just froze in my spot. The painting is done in such a way that one looking at it takes at least twenty minutes to absorb everything in and the message it is sending. The artist that painted this is Graydon Parrish, the painting expresses the setting as a desolate landscape crowded by shallow rivers, on the horizon clouds and billowing smoke obscure the city skyline. A great mass of paper and debris flowers and votive candles weave between the figures in the background. Resonates which symbolism the passage of time the loss of love and the brevity and frailty of life. This painting was one that took me the most time to look at and I was so impressed by it and remained of all of the lives lost in the tragedy that has happened.
The second exhibit that I found truly amazing and when talking about detail and patience this one wins with hands down. Maticulous Masterpieces., is sculpted pencils visionary alphabets, unusual media, and painstaking attention to detail are all elements that the art work of Dalton M. Ghetti, Les Lourigan and Jeninffer Mastre have in common. The work of these three artists gives the viewer an exciting and inspiring glimpse of the art world beyond traditional definitions.

Other painters such as Andy Warhol Chuck close, Roberto Bernardi. I was struck when I saw chuck closes painting. Learning about him and his style in my Art history class was even more amazing when I came across his painting. The detail and vivid colors were just the beginning. From far away the painting speak one thing but when you move close you realize that it is a well placement of vivid colors in a circular motion. Knowing that even though he became paralyzed from the waist down and being limited to his production of art and the style he u se to paint in he himself created a totally new and if not better style of painting that he does today as well. He wakes up every morning goes to his art studio and paints until sunsets and just enjoy doing it.
The entire museum experience was such that I can’t explain it. The thing that I did not know before taking this class is that by just going to a museum and not knowing what you will see there that you know and love is a shock and the best feeling. For example when I saw the 911 painting and famous chuck close painting and Norman Rockwell paintings I was lost for words. The whole idea of the style of paintings and time periods and the movements make a lot more sense to me now that have seen these paintings in person and have observed them and seen the differences in them. Even when this class is over and I have more time I will continue to go and visit museums just to see these amazing pieces of art work that were created now or thousands years ago and now we can see them right in front of our eyes.