Freshman Seminar Fall 17 CRA

At the Whitney Museum

Nestled between the bustling streets and the wisping clouds rests the Whitney Museum, a building with a breathtaking view. The museum is positioned in an urban location surrounded by several New York landmarks, such as the Hudson River, the High Line, and the Sugar Factory. The geographical positioning of the building reflects its structure and visitors: it is of modern design and the flow of museum-goers consistently appears to be made up of fashionable, chic city-dwellers and similarly-mannered tourists. The Whitney Museum boasts a modern design, modern-minded visitors and modern art. One cannot visit the Whitney Museum without being left speechless after experiencing the view from the top floor. After taking an enormous beautiful elevator upstairs and stepping out from the cafe onto the outdoor platform, the visitor is greeted by a jaw-dropping bird’s eye view of the city’s Meatpacking District spread out and around on the street level. Turn to the left, turn to the right, a new sight meets the eye: the Hudson River in all it’s roaring glory, waves rolling against docks, sunlight reflected in the glimmering surface. The museum’s positioning could not better enhance, display, and celebrate New York’s urban beauty. Several of the museum-goers are young adults and elderly people; indeed, the demographic appears to be quite lacking in children. The visitors all appear to be dressed quite nicely, respectful of the building’s glass-cast beauty and adding their own sprinkle of color. Their classy outfits go well with the simple black-and-white color layout of the walls in the building. Some visitors walk slowly, stopping before each piece and regarding it with thoughtful admiration. Others carry around cameras, preferring capturing the art on film and admiring it at a later time. Some even have accents; they may very well be tourists to the city who have chosen the museum as a desirable travel destination. The art comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes. With expansive wall and high ceilings the rooms complement the art and add to the modern feel of the museum. The serious, dark, and taboo exhibition had walls which were pure black, stretching from the floor to the ceiling. The lighter-toned art was hung on walls of the purest white; many of these white-roomed pieces are actually paintings. Several of the pieces displayed are photographs rather than paintings, a nod to the current preference of digital experiences rather than hand-to-canvas connections. The Whitney Museum is a modern creation in a beautiful location.