Prompt 2

I’ve never been a “museumgoer”, so I didn’t enter the Palmer Museum with many expectations. Honestly, I was more excited for this visit because I knew we would not have class on Thursday. The Palmer Museum of Art surprised me. I spent a lot of time wandering around and taking everything in. I couldn’t decide on a piece to blog about; there were so many different options! However, I finally settled on a painting that stood out above all the other pieces.

Bibutsu painted by Ed Paschke (1982) stood out above the rest. Painted oil on canvas, this large painting used lots of cool colors. There was no red and very little orange or pink used. It consisted of mostly blues and greens. Close ups of two green men were featured, and both had a faint outline surrounding them. The man on the right fades towards the bottom of the painting, while the man on the left wears a very sharp suit. The green of the men and the white suit contrast the dark blue background. This painting was very abstract, and the artist used a lot of horizontal lines.

In 1982, computers were starting to become household items. Apple had been invented, and IBM computers were fairly popular. At this point in time, televisions had been around for about 30 years. Paschke created this painting in an age where computer usage was rising and technology was becoming more and more important. Using the horizontal lines reflects the age that the painting was created in. The lines give the painting a “technological” feel, almost as if it were a computer or television screen. I think that Paschke was commenting on the era and how the strong usage of computers seemed to be changing the world.

However, while I admired this painting, I certainly did not feel happy, but I didn’t feel sad either. The painting sort of had a gloomy feel towards it. I almost felt like I was watching television or using a computer, so I didn’t feel a truly distinct emotion. This relates to the comment Paschke makes with his painting. Because I didn’t feel a certain negative or positive emotion towards it, it leaves this painting in a limbo. Paschke leaves it up to the audience to decide whether or the new usage of computers changes the world in a good way or a bad way.

Ed Paschke lived in Chicago, Illinois most of his life, and earned both his BFA and his MFA from The School of the Art Institute located there. Later in his life, he became a professor of art at Northwestern University. These facts allow the audience to see Paschke as a credible artist – he had good training and a successful career using his artwork. Many of his works of art are located around the world, including: Art Institute of Chicago, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Hirshorn Museum in Washington D.C., Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA, and Musee d’Art Moderne Nationale in Paris.

Bibutsu makes a claim about the use of technology in the late 20^th century. The title “Bibutsu” means “two buddhas” in Japanese. This is presenting the question of who or what we consider the “buddhas” of our life with the increased usage of technology.

As for my overall experience, I certainly did not expect the Palmer Museum to be like that – it was much larger than I expected and had more artwork than I expected. As I said previously, I am not a museumgoer. Walking around a big room reading signs has never been interesting for me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my first time at the Palmer Museum of Art, though, if I ever went back, I would need a guide to help me along.

Source: Http://www.edpaschke.com