Tag: Academic

I have always loved the MET, but this past museum visit was different. I have always been fascinated with ancient artifacts. Ever since I was young I have always loved the ancient Egypt section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibit takes me into a different world. As a child, I would pretend that I was in ancient Egypt and that I could use everything that I saw displayed throughout the section. When I would arrive to the Temple of Dendur I would completely immerse myself in the environment and pretend to be an Egyptian myself. I still get overly enthusiastic when I visit that particular site, I proved that to myself on Friday, but I now see it through a different lens.

I am currently taking Art History and Themes in Global History 1500 B.C.E. at Baruch. They are currently my favorite classes. I was, and I admit that I still am, obsessed with ancient Egyptian and Greek cultures. These classes make me appreciate them at a higher level. Therefore, when I went to the MET three days ago I naturally applied whatever I am learning from those classes to the artifacts. For instance, in Art History on Thursday, Professor Maicuika reviewed the different types of columns and their decent. When I was walking up the MET stairs I unconsciously started to analyze the columns and I identified them to be “Corinthians”. It is that same unconscious analysis that forced me to go to the Greek and Babylonian exhibits.

Some might say that humanities are not useful in a world that is concentrated in the economy, but I think otherwise. The majority of my classes are not based off of my major at all. However, I think that they make me a better thinker, and that is a trait that I can use in future classes and jobs.

I decided to take a trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), George Heye Center. The exhibition I visited was the Infinity of Nations which was located on the same floor as the entrance. As I entered the museum the first thing I noticed was the Rotunda display which was a circular area which depicted a meeting area with benches and lighting posts. To the right of this display was a door leading to the exhibition. The Infinity of Nations exhibition featured artworks and cultural attire from numerous Native American cultures. Each glass case showcased several cultural items corresponding to 10 geographic region where they were found. The artifacts and utensils held in the galleries featured naturalistic images such as animals. Many of the cultural clothing, mostly war attire, were donated to the museum and were once owned by native chiefs. My favorite display was of the artworks of the Shipio and Conibo people originating in the Amazon rainforest. I admired the artworks simplicity and sleekness of the designs. All the artworks displayed in this exhibition were very beautiful and powerful in the way they encompassed the individuality of each Native People’s culture.

Amidst the recent arguments over the celebration of Columbus Day, I felt the urge to learn about the history and cultures of the indigenous people that inhabited the lands of the Americas. The cultures of the indigenous people of this land are often underappreciated and overlooked.  While walking through the exhibition, it was amazing to see the colors of the cultures I vaguely learned about in my early school years come to life. From my observations of the artworks, I felt the pride in the cultures of the native peoples. This experience made me more knowledgeable about the identity of the various groups of indigenous people.