1. Critique the logo
Does the logo relate to the architecture, galleries, and collections?
Describe the overall essence/energy?
The Tate Britain logo is displayed with letters that are fuzzy and less focused around the edges. This gives the letters the slight appearance of having been spray painted there, which is a very modern form of art. The font also lends an air of mystery. All letters are out of focus, and the hole in the middle of the “A” can’t be seen. These characteristics therefore feel as if a message is trying to work its way through the paint, although that message might not be crystal clear. This relates to the art found in the galleries, where it often feels as if an emotion is pushing through the art, although the exact message in the work may be up for debate.
2. Ophelia
For members of the Theater class please contrast the depiction of Ophelia’s death in Director Nicholas Hytner’s Hamlet with the visual depiction of John Everett Millais painting. For members not enrolled in the Theater class, discuss why you think this painting is one of the most popular artworks in the collection. Is it part of the fabric of English Literature? Note: it is the highest selling postcard in the museum shop.
The depiction of Ophelia’s death in Director Nocholas Hytner’s Hamlet was quite different from the scene depicted in the painting. For example, in the play Ophelia is taken offstage and killed by an agent of a modern day policed state, whereas the painting is the classical display of Ophelia drowning. However, I’d say possibly the greatest difference between the two depictions is that, in the play, Ophelia’s death is always done offstage, so we never see her die. Thus, the artwork is able to offer a sense of closure to her death, in that we can physically see her on the canvas and we know that she has died. In the painting, there is neither mystery about her death nor room for interpretation, while in the play it is our imagination that must be relied on in order to fill the gap.
3. Display
Compare and contrast the varied display techniques of Gallery 11 and Gallery 9. Discuss the relationship of the sparsely arranged style with the modern art in contrast to the salon style hanging (presented in groups with multiple rows) of the Pre-Raphaelites.
I feel that the Pre-Raphaelite art means to impress visually and powerfully, whereas the modern art works to create feeling through experience. The main differences are readily apparent. In Gallery 9, the paintings were all done with an eye for detail and lush scenery, all of it framed by a large golden frame. They were also all bunched very closely. The modern art, on the other hand, often featured only solid backgrounds with simple geometric shapes in the foreground. They often had no true frame, and there was also a lot of spacing between each painting. The lack of a true frame made the art seem to blend into the wall, and so my emotional reaction was actually based off the room itself rather than on one single piece. In contrast, the Pre-Raphaelite work was made to impress visually, and each piece could be viewed and contemplated on its own for long periods of time. Thus, the modern pieces all worked together to create an emotional ambience, whereas the pre-Raphaelite pieces were independent of one another and expressed their own unique voices.
4. Installation Art
Describe your experience of “The Coral Reef” by Mike Nelson. Elaborate on the odors, navigation, mystery, etc. In your opinion – is this art?
The coral reef was a collaborative maze of various rooms, each representative of a certain lifestyle and decorated accordingly. For example, in one room was a crack pipe and tin foil, whereas the very next one was a sixties style basement, carpeted and featuring hangings of John F. Kennedy. However, most of the rooms shared a common, musty odor, as well as a sense of abandonment, as each room was rather sparse and poorly lit. The gallery was also rather confusing to navigate, as the rooms were arranged in a sort of maze, so that you were rarely walking along the same direction twice, and often didn’t know if a door led to another room or if it would just be locked.
In my opinion, this should definitely be considered art. The main purpose of art is to evoke emotion or thoughtfulness within the observer, and I thought “The Coral Reef” did exactly that. I frequenty felt lost, not simply because the gallery was hard to navigate, but also because of the sense of loneliness those sparsley decorated rooms seemed to evoke so easily. It felt as if I was often intruding on the secret life of some person I did not know, which is the type of mental transformation I always look for in art.
5. Tate Britain
Which museum experience did you find most favorable and why? Items for discussion: architecture, collection, navigation, etc.
I think the Tate Britain was more favorable. I base this not necessarily on navigation, as both museums did a pretty good job with that. More than anything I just enjoyed the work more at the Tate, especially those pieces by Turner featuring vast landscapes and monumental storms at sea. What grabbed me about these works was the scope. He often included a detailed foreground scene, but it always seemed to be overshadowed by the openness of the horizon, evoking a sense of wonder and beauty from the world we know. The V&A just tended to feature a lot of historical artifacts and work, which didn't really move me in the same way (although it was interesting).
6. Object of appreciation
Provide a short description of your favorite object from the collections? Please provide label information such as name, date, origin, etc. Why would you return to this object for greater contemplation?
I would have to say my favorite part of the museum was “The Coral Reef” by Mike Nelson. Walking through that exhibit was one of the only times where I felt that I was actually experiencing art rather than simply observing it. I was completely immersed in a multitude of worlds, and I loved how the loneliness and hopelessness felt almost palpable depending on the room. It was truly an original piece, and I felt completely transported into a world other than the one I know.
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