The Arts in NYC Fall 2012

(Click on the photo)

While in middle school, I was always taught that art was primarily developed using mediums and images on canvases. So when I first learned about Kenneth’s project “Terms and Conditions,” I was a bit confused. I was not sure how he would be able portray his message without using a gallery at a prestigious museum. But it seems that artists must adjust to life and be willing to take unique steps to get their work discovered.

I was at the High Line on Sunday with some family and I had a flashback to a couple of weeks ago when I was there for Kenneth’s project. It was an awesome feeling to know that I was participating in an exhibition created by an artist who I had only met a day before. When I first showed up I relaxed for a few minutes and took in the amazing view the skyline had to offer. Then I went off to find Kenneth, say what’s up, and ask him if I could wear one of his t-shirts. He immediately said yes and handed me a shirt to wear.

Privilege. This was the phrase I was given. For the first few minutes I felt a little self-conscious because the shirt had such a bold saying and some people stared as I walked on by. Sadly, no one had the courage to come up and ask me why I was wearing the shirt or what it meant (even though the meaning was pretty obvious). I was really looking forward to telling someone about Kenneth’s project and what it was all about, but some dreams don’t always have a happy ending. During my walk, however, I was provided with striking views of the Hudson and the setting sun. Definitely a nice spot to take a date 😉 .

Taking part in Kenneth’s project made me realize that art doesn’t always have to hang in a museum or gallery. It showed me that an artist can take his or her art anywhere and make it known to people. And hopefully the people will be intrigued by new things and ideas and ask questions about the work they see. I really enjoyed being involved in Kenneth’s project and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

From the moment Kenneth Pietrobono explained his new project, ‘Terms And Conditions,’ in class on 9/4 it immediately struck me as innovative, intriguing, and intellectual. I was fascinated by whether or not it would be possible for Kenneth to successfully bring attention to his project by blending itself in with the audience rather than make it known as an art project. I then proceeded to wonder why he would not just tell his audience that this is his art – just like a museum does by creating exhibitions – instead of leaving it up to the people around to notice what he was trying to accomplish and why he was displaying his art so casually at a public space, namely the High Line.

To facilitate my critique and experience as a part of this captivating venture, I have copied and pasted Kenneth’s explanation of what ‘Terms and Conditions’ is from his website below as a starting point. He says:

For 30 days, the artist wears 30 shirts displaying economic, political or social ‘terms and conditions.’ The selected language is used to acknowledge the principles which organize and structure our culture while little thought is given to their understanding or legitimacy, including the artist’s own.

By simply acknowledging that which cannot be conceptualized or communicated clearly, the landscape and those in it are challenged to consider the confusing and often contradictory notions that shape our lives and interactions.

Selecting the High Line for a location for the gallery was an excellent choice because of the diverse population it attracts. Not only were there native dozens of New Yorkers and foreigners traveling in New York City or here for a visit, there was a widely ranged group of people in terms of age. From elementary school aged children at the High Line with their parents to college students on dates and adults simply taking in the breathtaking views the site offers, this was one of the perfect places to potentially influence many people. Because one can only go one of two directions on the High Line itself, the dilemma of an audience too scattered not take notice of the art is not an issue. Moreover, the views of the surrounding neighborhood, the greenery, restaurants, and other people are well places throughout the park so they do not overwhelm visitors and make Kenneth’s art visible at any moment and in any part of the park.

Getting noticed while taking pictures

Initially, our IDC 1001H class strolled up and down the High Line in one large group of about 7 people until a friend of Kenneth’s, Justin, joined us and encouraged us to split into two groups and walk in opposite directions. This clever idea enabled more people to see our black, gray, and white t-shirts which featured the slogans ‘Games We Can’t All win,’ ‘Human Capital,’ ‘Protect Me From Disappointment,’ ‘Opportunity Cost,’ ‘The Sum of My Debts,’ and ‘Terms and Conditions.’ Whether one large group or two smaller ones, however, our problem was the same: we received many stares, nods, and quizzical looks, but very little verbal comments or questions. Part of this was most likely our hesitation to speak to strangers and adequately explain Kenneth’s project or the meanings of the phrases plastered across our chests, but it received attention and that was a start.

By asking people to take pictures for us, speaking to visitors also taking pictures, and merely making eye contact with passer-bys, we soon were speaking to mothers and fathers, fellow young artists, and friendly people. Justin, Damla, and Eleni were quick to make conversation with people around us and that most definitely increased the comfort level for us all. I am quite glad that they were there with me. Thus, I did not have to alter my personality in any way. All I had to do was be myself and open myself up to communicating with others just as our audience had to open itself up to the art surrounding it.

Ironically, one man thought we were all part of a business school program before we explained ‘Terms and Conditions’ to him and another man caught us off guard when he questioned what the meanings of our slogans were – particularly ‘Division of Labor.’ I realized that just as Kenneth explained, these words come out of our mouths all the time, but we have no idea what they indicate or represent. While we could not give this particular man an answer, I feel we remained true to the integrity of Kenneth’s mission which was to challenge people to question how these terms and actual practices affect us and what they mean for us all.

Adventures

Kenneth later explained that this expression, ‘Division of Labor,’ is determined by the elite just as many of the other phrases are. All of the labels are decided for the people who make up these terms without having any say themselves.

We strolled through the High Line for nearly three hours, spoke with many, and encouraged some people to speak to Kenneth as the sun set, sky changed from a pale blue to a fusion of pink, purple, orange, and navy, and as people came an went.

On my subway ride home, I was incredibly happy to have been a part of such a unique expression of art. As I mentioned in class, I would never consider this to be a form of art because of its accessibility to everyone, in terms of viewing it, but it requires a major understanding of how our society and world works to acknowledge the significance of simply making these terms visible to people of all social classes, ethnic/racial backgrounds, and age. Furthermore, these messages were each interpreted by the viewer differently – depending on their own experiences and identities as people – fulfilling one of my standards for art.

The beauty of the High Line

Art does not have to be in a museum or studio or sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars for it to be recognized and appreciated as such. Kenneth Pietrobono enabled me to become familiar with all this and to respect all types of artistic expression. Although I wish we had spoken to more people, I can genuinely conclude that Kenneth’s installation was exceedingly successful, effective, and provocative. He used New York City’s distinctiveness to his advantage and brought an entirely new meaning, for me, to the phrase ‘Arts in New York City.’ I applaud you Kenneth and eagerly look forward to your future works! – Salma M.

P.S. A special thanks to Maham for e-mailing me the pictures she took because I didn’t have my camera. All credit for these photos go to her.

Instead of doing a critique I decided to simply explain what significance the event had for me.

This was my first time taking part in a publicly viewed art “gallery” in such a way, not to mention the art itself was purposefully made as a form of social commentary. Basically, it was a totally new experience for me, especially since it was also my first time being on the High Line. It was strange, for me at least, to an extent. We were told to just act normally, but that’s hard when you are attempting to express and pass on a message to people on the street. My idea of acting normally also doesn’t include talking to random strangers, which was actually pretty fun. Well, I said it was fun but at first, when people just started approaching us, I felt like an abandoned soldier, who was left behind to act as a decoy while the others escaped, since the other three people I was with refused to speak.

When our group got larger, though, it became easier to comfortably speak to questioning and curious onlookers. Even though I became accustomed to answering questions the whole experience was still a bit strange. Part of me wanted to act normally, another part wanted me to initiate conversations with people who seemed curious, and another part kept distracting me by debating whether I should get another expensive treat or not (I had bought an expensive popsicle earlier that day).

But the event definitely made me realize something about communicating with others. I always knew this but I never really acknowledged it, that judging a person based on their appearance can count as a form of communication. By wearing certain clothing or having a certain hair style, or even just looking the way you do sends a message to people who see you. It often isn’t a message sent on purpose and is definitely not something that can be controlled. The message received totally depends on the person on the receiving end. They decide how they will interpret your appearance and then decide what their first impressions of you are. I realized this after a person came up and said, “I thought that you were all from a business school for a mixer or welcoming event.” He had judged us based on what we were wearing – business terms.

It was also strange to realize how my style of communication changed so quickly and abruptly depending on who I was speaking to, and by communication, in this case, I mean in the form of speech. One moment I was my usual self speaking about whatever was on my mind with my friends, and then the next I was explaining the shirts to people who asked us about them. I switched back and forth between a very casual way of speaking to a more formal way of addressing someone instantaneously.

It made me wonder if maybe I was deceiving the people who approached and questioned us by pretending to act like someone I wasn’t, or maybe if that is just another part of me that I don’t often show. To answer this question would require more introspection, and frankly I’m too lazy to do something like that at the moment.

I also began to think about how else we communicate with others because I wanted, we wanted to get more people to approach us and ask questions. I realized what makes us seem approachable or not was our body language, facial expressions and even who we were with and how many our group consisted of. So much is encompassed by word “communication” and so many factors influence it, it’s no wonder how misunderstandings arise so easily between humans.

I just thought this was interesting because these ideas were always somewhere at the back of my mind but I never really understood their significance until that day.

Lately I’ve been thinking an awful lot about what it means to be a Macaulay student.

We all know the major perks — the stipend to study abroad, the free Macbook, and the obviously the scholarship that covers four years of our undergraduate tuition. But surely there’s more to it than that.

I’ll be honest, the idea of taking an art-oriented seminar made me extremely nervous at first. I’ve never really had a strong tie to the arts — and in fact I avoided museums until I absolutely had to go the Met for project in high school. And even then, I still felt a bit alienated by the whole experience. I sat and stared at the The Death of Socrates (1787) for an entire hour, trying to make sense of it. The kid next to me – who was doing a similar project – kept trying to talk to me about the painter’s use of orange and the composition of light. But it was a fairly one-sided conversation, considering I didn’t say anything other than “Yeah, totally!”

Anyway, what I’m trying to get at is that I’ve had a lifelong aversion to art, museums, and artistic discussions. I realize that I’m coming off as a bit melodramatic, but it’s just — I don’t like feeling stupid. I like to understand things, but looking at art always makes me feel like I’m missing something.

But, I am willing to be cautiously optimistic for the sake of being a good Macaulay student.

Okay, that got pretty ramble-y pretty quick. So let me cut to the chase here.

Last Friday, I took part in an art installation called Terms and Conditions. The artist himself, Kenneth Pietrobono invited our small class plus a number of others to invade The High Line for a couple of hours.

I’d never been to the High Line before, so I was excited. It’s gorgeous, by the way, and if you’ve never been you should totally go while the weather’s still nice. (But if you’re planning on eating there, I suggest you pack a picnic from home, ’cause the food is crazy expensive. But I digress.)

Kenneth set up home base at 14th, so we met him there.

He gave us shirts that had economic/business terms on them. (Mine, for example, said “OPPORTUNITY COST” on it.) He also gave us a stack of his cards, and encouraged us to interact with the crowds.

I ended up meeting up with a handful of kids from our class, and we wandered around in a large group for awhile before splitting up into threes.

While walking around, I took note of all the architectural contrast outside of the park itself. I saw a lot of modern buildings — all glass and steel and clean edges. But I also saw a lot of rustic-looking brick buildings, so I guess you could say that those were a lot more classic in their structures.

Most of the people who noticed our shirts didn’t approach us. Rather, they stared at us as we walked by or took pictures. Those that did come up to and ask us about it, however, were given a card and and a brief explanation. Everyone we spoke to seemed really interested and intrigued by the central idea. And even though I have a tendency towards introversion, it was really cool to talk to so many people. I found that I really enjoyed being a part of something so interactive.

My personal favorite interaction was taking a picture with these two dudes and their stuffed dog. (It’s not as weird as it sounds.) These two guys were carrying a medium-sized stuff dog with them, and taking pictures with it. Naturally, we went up to them and took a picture with it too. So that was fun.

We met Kenneth to return the shirts a little while after the sun set.

All in all, it was a really enjoyable experience! Kenneth, if you’re reading this, thanks for letting us be a part of it. The interactive nature of your project made me less anxious about my progression into the world of art. And by the way, I went back and watched all of that Karen Finley video you recommended and it really clicked for me. She’s wicked cool, and I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

So as Macaulay students, we’re supposed to have strong foundations in art and the humanities and we’re supposed to be in sync with all the goings-on in the city. I think, now, that I can probably do that with little to no trepidation. It almost seems kind of…fun? And totally not scary. I am totally down to discuss power structures, any time.

In fact, maybe I’ll go back to the Met and talk to someone about The Death of Socrates this weekend.

Onwards and upwards, guys!

P.S. Sorry about the Instagram filters on all the pictures. I couldn’t resist.

P.P.S. Uh, I have no idea how to format this post so it doesn’t look totally weird. Sorry!

– damla

Hi Everybody!

Kenneth Pietrobono told me that some of you made it to the High Line last Friday.  Here’s a picture from his “Terms and Conditions.”  What do you think?

And here’s a photo with some of you: