blughh 4: rubin museum of art

For the most part, I enjoy museums. It gives me the opportunity to learn about different cultures around the world. Most of the art museums I went to focused on European art. I have not really gotten the chance to explore the cultures of Southeast Asia, so I thought that the Rubin Museum was interesting and very eye-opening. The art was very much influenced by the Buddhist religion and it was interesting that the specific positions of the gods had a lot of symbolism. To me, the history of these countries was more fascinating than the physical structures. The most interesting thing I learned on the field trip was about the process of becoming the Dalai Lama. I also really liked how the art evolved over time. At first, the small metal statues were very simple and plain to represent humble living. The details in the figures became more intricate and ornate with jewelry and draped clothing to demonstrate being in touch with the earthly things and being able to reach enlightenment. The trip was overall very educating. Prior to the trip, I did not really care for Asian art, but the museum has really broadened my view.