What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

A comfy chair the story that is depicted is the feeling and essence of the warmth and comfort of a mother’s womb

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

You can see the texture popping from the chair and it looks really cool and it gives it a different type of feel

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

The material that is used in this work of art is very unique and deliberately thought out.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

I think they were trying to help us to understand why the artist made these choices about the specificity in the color, material and texture of the chair

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

It’s a waterfall, but it’s also more than that. The waves are rushing as the sun sets or rises. You can see the mist rising from the center of the waterfall. It really accurately depicts what the actual niagra falls looks like.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

You can see the brush strokes when the light hits it a certain way. We can see the cracks in the paint from when the oil paint dried. The horizon is very clear and contrasts the water. You can see the where the sun would be based on the conceptual nature of the light.

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

It is very accurate to niagra falls. Most of us in our group have been, and we agree that the picture captures its essence beautifully.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The painting looms large in a sea of smaller paintings. The fact that it’s from an up close angle that would not be seen in real life seems very purposeful and very poetic.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

We noticed that the scale of this artwork was very big and only used one color: black. Also, the lights from the ceiling brought out the details and the shimmer of the piece which was very captivating. It helps us make sense of the artwork because it displays a style from the rococo period, but with a different color pallet. This piece was made in 2009, so it combines different aesthetics together.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The piece was included in a room with black and white artwork but it’s placed on its own wall by the exhibit’s exit. The wall is the same pitch black as the object which makes it a hidden gem to the individuals who actually notice it.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

I see three different black women that are connected by their intertwining hair. The story being told is the power behind black femininity and how hair is an important part of one's identity.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

We notice the greenery in the women's hair and it's role in beautifying their relationship with their hair, and through that, with each other and themselves. We notice their facial proportions and how they convey a confident expression, particularly through their sharp gaze.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

I see a lot of construction going on, most likely depicting the setting of Bronx. I see sand piles up, along with construction material.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

I see shading, bright construction materials, it’s an oil on canvas medium. There are lines depicting the holes that are dug for construction, leaving a pit.

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

This compares to middle class labor and the skies are dark, showing how the work is really intense. This is the 1900s, but it was pretty intense on the working class, and it reminds me of poems of African American writers and Asian Americans who were put to work during this time, often on heavy duty construction,

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The museum expresses American culture and talks for itself, which is why the museum made the choice to include it.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The museum placed the painting in a room of similar works of art, all containing nudity in some aspect. One thing that is particularly interesting about this piece is that it is one of the only nude males in the room.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

In paintings where George Washington is depicted standing, such as The Lansdowne Portrait by Gilbert Stuart, Washington is often shown in a dignified, authoritative stance. He is typically dressed in formal attire, with one arm extended as if addressing a crowd or giving direction, symbolizing leadership and statesmanship. The setting often includes symbols of governance, like a table with documents or the American flag, reinforcing his role as the nation’s first president. The portrait emphasizes Washington’s strength, resolve, and his pivotal role in shaping the young republic.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

The colors used in the painting are very symbolic and regal like. Symbolizing his position and power.

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

The question next to the painting is intriguing as it brings to light and provokes the viewer to reflect on their previous knowledge of Washington juxtaposed to the reality of his leadership. Is he really as great as a leader as we learned in the past? It brings into question other aspects such as his status as a slave owner and a general that did indeed devastate towns during wartime.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

We were intrigued as we passed by, due to the large scale of painting and the recognizable figure in that the painting depicts.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

This is tranquility. This is peace in a frozen moment of what is otherwise a constant crashing rush, and this is “calm before the storm.” This is a moment of submission to a gigantic wonder, the viewer at the brink of being washed over, but not quite.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

We see the sea. This is technically inaccurate because the painting is of a waterfall, but the grandiosity of it makes it feel all-encompassing, with the water taking up 80% of the canvas, even more than the sky. The colors are pastel and dream-like as a result. The sky is like the negative space and overall there’s a sense of dashing into the distance or in the mist of the waterfall, with the only point of clarity being the small waves before the edge, showing us where the viewer stands both physically and in the story, at the very brink, not knowing and not caring what lies beyond this majestic fall.

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

This style reminds us of the Western Expansion mindset where artists heavily idealized the natural wonders of the United States and subsequently pushed for Americans to move into those areas. We thought about the concept of water as a source of life and how it is put on a pedestal in this painting. Furthermore, especially after seeing the description of the artist contributing to indigenous displacement, we thought about how these sources of life were not shared but rather the center of conflict between different groups, with each viewing the same falls slightly differently but valuing it all the same.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

We’re noticing two kinds of groupings in terms of where this painting is: it compares to the other water-centric paintings on the wall (water is usually used as a medium of travel in these paintings but not in this particular depiction of Niagara Falls), and in Native American art in conflict with forced invasion by the aforementioned settlers. There are Native American pieces with elements of water and waterfowl (e.g., a beaded bag with a swan on it), showing how the same natural subjects were “claimed” by different groups.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

There is a man wearing a block watch vest that is patrolling the block. The other residents of the community are watching the man with fear as they are being pushed away from their community. This reflects xenophobic attacks that were happening due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

Big black letters plastered on a folding chair. Mimics a poster, 3-D like quality to it. Something transported, can be in the street in other places than a museum. Artwork for the people, the masses, the opposite of tge 1%

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

These words a clear straight to the point. Using only 4 words max attention is drawn to the message immediatly. Juxtaposition between the white background/chair and the bold black text.

How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?

Blurring the line between art and protest. In oppositions to the typical idea of art you would see in a museum. Plain woeds on text create a message and perhaps that is the greater art. Its a chair! An object you see everyday turned into something new.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

Choose to lay it flat on the wall as if it was a painting. Also putting it next to a non folded chair reminds us that there can be different functions for everyday things.