Kai Altoff’s exhibition in MoMa is a well-executed portal into the artist’s life. Altoff designed the exhibition as a fully immersed experience, stimulating our sight, scent, and hearing. Although not in chronological order, it tells the story of his life. Full of dark emotions, he explores the definition of masculinity of post-war Germany. Perhaps the most intriguing displays were of the glass-covered mattress and the record label with a man’s face in black and white.

The destroyed mattress covered in shattered glass symbolizes all the pain and agony that have taken away the comfort in his life. The mattress represents comfort, a place of assuagement after a long day. Yet when laid down upon, the glass scattered over it causes sharp pain.

The man’s face, perhaps Kai’s, is black and white. However, it is wrapped in a yellow scarf and covered in an orange hat. . We see here how Kai struggles with the identity of masculinity. Men serving in WWI and WWII are usually pictured covered soot, blood, and sweat. Moving forward to the post-war era, Kai wants to bring in new life, consisting of sharper contrast and brighter hues. The image symbolizes the transition between the masculine figures during wartime to the post-war masculine figure.

Igor walked down my steps to my automobile, dark as the night, dark as today’s morning. As he walked with his hands full, Igor thought, “My coffee better not spill.” Bringing all the necessary items for the day resembles the circus: books, chargers, computer, water. Its all overwhelming yet plays an important role in the performance. Passing the speed camera, he couldn’t believe that it was still up. Everyone and their mother know that it’s there. “How does the city still make money off of it?” he asked himself. Driving through darkness, Igor thought to himself that the coming of winter extends the darkness in the morning. Yet, it is contradicted by the weather. It is quite warm this morning, going up to a high of seventy degrees. On the Long Island Expressway, Igor listened to 1010 Wins to hear his morning brief before the sun rises. Two police officers ambushed and killed in Iowa, no suspect found yet. A new tragedy happens everyday, slowly making him numb and accustomed. As he merged onto Lexington Avenue, he noticed Jean, a traffic officer directing the flow of cars out of the tunnel. As he tried to squeeze through the light, Jean gave Igor a deadly look, as if the intersection was his home and he was a burglar. The officer’s face flared up with anger, wondering how this was possible. There was no way he can let this go, yet his duty calls to prevent the city from gridlock so he must return to his duty. However, if Jean tried to give out tickets for these kinds of violations, he would be out of orange envelopes within an hour.

Is the Tyger supposed to represent ambition and drive or be an “animal” that should be feared?

Wordsworth describes a six-year old boy as the “Mighty Prophet.”

Is knowledge a symbol of power or is a clear mind, an open slate, a symbol of power?

If the endless chain of death and rebirth exists, why do we as humans make the same mistakes that the generations before us have made?