Art Matters

The Arts at Baruch workshop that I attended was a gallery tour of the work of Mercedes Matter. The workshop was a popular one, but whether it was because of the work or because we needed workshops to attend is up to you to decide. The line to get in was quite long, and there was a bit of a wait to get in since space in the gallery was limited. Once we were in, the tour guide showed us Matter’s work chronologically, allowing us to see how her work changed throughout her lifetime. The artwork tended to get more abstract as her life went on, which left it a lot more open to interpretation. And interpret we did. The guide left time for us to observe, discuss, and ask questions before moving to the next piece, and at the end, some time was given for us to wander freely. Ideally, this is what any tour of a gallery would be like. We have the insight given by the guide combined with freedom to walk around, and the sum is a good learning experience that introduced us to art we probably would not have seen elsewhere. The large crowd that gathered for this workshop made the right decision; this was a worthwhile experience that I’m glad to have attended.