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

In this work of art, we see a cutout of President Abraham Lincoln’s head. Within this cutout, there is a menu from Dooky Chase, a Black-owned restaurant famous for hosting Civil Rights-era meetings in New Orleans. This work depicts the story of many enslaved Black Americans at the time with the opposing positions on enslavement held by Lincoln. Lincoln was known for supporting the abolition of slavery and the government of Louisiana was a prominent center of chattel system. Fein uses the menu prices to substitute for humans that were being bought and sold at the time. It is a deep choice as both food and humans were considered commodities in Southern states during slavery.

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 main driving force of the understanding of this art piece lies in the use of a cardboard cutout of Lincoln’s head as the background of the art piece. The use of the dollar signs and prices helps us understand the idea that people were being bought and sold like regular commodities at the time in Southern states. The prices literally represent the prices of goods, but metaphorically represent the value of an enslaved American.

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

This object’s stories and meaning comes out more naturally and draws your eyes and heart in as it is more obvious and deep than the other landscapes displayed in the museum. At first glance, the piece just looks like a cardboard silhouette of a familiar face in American History. But, it is not until you look deeper and take into context the time period that Lincoln was president that you realize that the piece is about the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement.

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

The Museum made an important choice in hanging the piece up as it catches your attention from afar and draws you in.

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

There are two naked people, one presumably male and female. Their genitalia is exposed. They seem to be partners or somewhat sensual and comfortable with one another.

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?

There is different work of angles, lines, colors, circles that help accentuate the figures in the painting, It helps bring to light where the two figures stand, their relationship, and more.

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

It displays naked and raw bodies like other pieces in the section, but it also touches upon gender and gender expression in a way that other pieces don’t. It is definitely bigger than other pieces, too, designed to stand out.

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

The museum might have made the choice to display this object in order to create a certain story about comfort in bodies, and the importance of storytelling and expression within one’s body in certain cultures. It helps to create a story around gender, expression, and culture.

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

I see a lot going on in this beautiful work of art. For example, the skies portray a contrast between light and dark, with dark clouds on the bottom and the bright sunshine in the sky at the top. I see brightness in the valley on top of the lake as well as darkness. In contrast, I see horses running around in the bottom from the light areas of the mountain to the dark, and I see grand depictions of a towering mountain range surrounding the valley.

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?

This artwork portrays a great variety of scale, showcasing massive mountain ranges surrounding the valley bathed in sunlight while also coating the valley in darkness, accentuating the tiny nature of the trees in comparison to all else.

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

The piece is connected to many artworks in a similar time period that aimed to glorify the American natural lands

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

There are some elements of symbolism and meaning from the art on the chest. The front has centered gates, the whole chest has Egyptian style decorations and eagle wings on the top. There are also stars near the top on all four sides. All of it depicts what we believe to be an acsension beyond life.

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 artwork on the box has near complete symmetry, heavy use of lines and shapes, and the box itself has a rectangular proportion.

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

The object is similar in the context of most mourning rituals in other cultures with removal of organs that the chest itself stored and preparation for laying the body to rest.

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

The chest is set upon a pedestal behind a glass cube to preserve its current state at a viewable distance.

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

There’s 5 figures depicted (plus a dog), 4 of the figures are white and there’s a black child near the middle of the painting

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 white figures in the painting are occluded by white paint leaving just the black child in clear site. This helps draw the viewers eye to the child.

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

This reframes the story about how black figures in history were erased and covered up in paintings. Also the overlooked role of black domestic servants or salves in American history is called out my the painting. The effects is white colonialism is and the eraser of black history is flipped, the black figure being the only visible person in the painting is very ironic.

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

The painting is not set in a frame and is just the canvas which is less distraction from the painted subjects.

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

We see a sunset with a very obvious split of light and dark, sort of like a field. The warm colors from the “Sun” seem to be merging and dripping down into the fields. Giving the sense and made us think about how all of nature is reliant on the Sun and its energy/warmth.

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?

There are tons of visible splatter lines, as well as a very obvious tone shift from warm and bright colors on the top of the piece to dark brown on the bottom. They helped us make sense by quite honestly painting the picture (although very abstract) clearly, sort of as if it were jumping out to us!

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

We both decided that we have a love for taking pictures of sunrises and sunsets as they always make us feel grounded in the moment and appreciate the beauty of the world shifting around us every day. Seeing it on such a grand scale painting in a museum just made our niche love for these natural beauty moments all the more special.

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

All work of this artist is a mix of sunrises and sunsets therefore it makes sense for them to be next to each other. Although to us it was very obvious was the art was trying to communicate it makes sense to put it in the “abstract” exhibit/portion of the museum. We think they made an excellent choice ?

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

Picture of one man with the two halves of his face maintained differently, representing his mixed 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?

It’s a black and white image, representing the two components of his identity and how they merge together to form one.

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

We have seen pieces of art representing mixed people, but this piece of art shows a stark contrast between the different parts of an identity.

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

By placing this piece in an exhibition in the middle of the exhibition, it commands attention to it.

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

I picked this art piece since I feel like it represent my culture very well. It kinda reminds me of family and tradition values. Moreover the process of creating it was very diligent and there were a lot of minute details. The colors kinda remind me of a less flamboyant peacock.

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?

There are a myriad of different techniques used, like I saw a painting that was abstractly painting a portrait of the painter, but used geometric shapes that still somehow made sense in my head as a person. There are also gallery rooms with different wallpapers that also contribute to the vibe of the paintings and rooms, there’s a gothic like one, there’s a bright blue and warm color room, there’s a purple lavender room, etc which all give a backdrop to the experience that we take in when viewing the paintings and art work.

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

I think one of the objects this compares to is actually my carpet, which has patterns which are really familiar to this. It also looks a lot like other porcelain dishes like china from estate sales that I have attended. It also reminds me the idea of fractals where mathematical image that continues indefinitely, and it forms a similar pattern that looks very aesthetic like this.

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

Displaying a wide range of cultural work seemed to be a key goal of the museum which they accomplished greatly.

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?

There are many different visual elements that are seen, especially the central light of the sun in the middle which contrasts heavily from the cool colors of the water at the bottom. There are many different types of brush strokes, we see each stroke and carving and there is a heavy focus on each stroke which evokes many feelings. There is a lot of gravity, movement, and realism to the artwork, almost helping us hear exactly what is going on in the artwork.

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

This painting by Thomas Moran evokes the same enchantment as Transcendentalist paintings, their focus on and romanticization of nature, and their use of light. It reminds us of paintings at the time of Manifest Destiny, except instead of the west as a focus it has the ocean – a different kind of frontier.

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

We think that this foot is from the Statue next to it. Prior to death, this person probably asked for his foot to be sacrificed as a religious symbol.

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?

It has the beige and off white tone to the skin of the foot, so it gives ancient vibes

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

There are certain beliefs that people follow where they sacrifice certain things before they die or after they die. They strictly follow their religious or certain beliefs that are thrown at them after their birth.

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

They made it pretty minimalistic. They made it very easy to understand the sculpture