The Grand Rapids Art Museum

Elizabeth S Leave a comment

Besides midterms, this past week has been full of discussing spring break plans. I’m planning on spending half of my time in Michigan and the other half visiting my sister in Cleveland (I know, Ohio, gross). Anyways, while it might not be Europe (*ahem* to the girl who sits next to me in Sociology), Michigan is full of awesome things to do. As such, this post reflects on my adventures in Michigan during winter break, since the beloved mitten state has decided that winter needed a comeback.

Right before second semester started, I soaked up the last few days of freedom by taking a trip to Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids wasn’t any warmer or less snowy than my hometown, but a different setting was certainly nice. There, I enthusiastically attempted to ice skate, ate a colossal loaf of french toast at Anna’s House, and visited the expansive Frederik Meijer Gardens (which I definitely recommend). One last adventure was a trip to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, or the GRAM.

Now, maybe I’m just a huge nerd, but I LOVE visiting museums. In downtown Grand Rapids, the GRAM is a beautiful building right by Rosa Parks Circle. According to the website, it is “internationally known for its distinguished design.” Inside the building, the works of art were equally impressive during my visit. Art on display ranged from Renaissance to modern art; I also really enjoyed the  contemporary art on display, though the impressionist paintings were also nice. I’d say the way the museum was set up overall was tastefully done.

I may not not always understand art, but I appreciate its creation and the opportunity to see it. With over 5,000 works of art in its collection, the museum allowed me to do just that. In addition to permanent pieces, it also featured temporary exhibitions such as Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things and Worth a Thousand Words: Storytelling with GRAM’s Collection. Worth a Thousand Words consisted of permanent works in GRAM’s collection which were organized to create an imaginative, emotion-evoking display. As a creative writer, I enjoyed the hands-on activities the museum had for guests, in which they could start from scratch or use provided prompts to craft their own narratives regarding the art on display. Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things, on the other hand, featured large and small-scale sculptures by Michigan’s late Billy Mayer. Besides the collection of 440 skulls, my favorite piece in this exhibition was a 1987 piece entitled “Writer’s Block,” which, like the name, captures a mundane element of everyday life that can be monumental to those it impacts. The personal connection I had with the piece of course inspired a picture.

Another exhibition was David Wiesner & The Art of Wordless Storytelling. The exhibition featured 70 original watercolors from some of Wiesner’s most famous books. His books, like Tuesday and Mr. Wuffles, communicate stories through rich imagery rather than text. It was very cool to see his original paintings and sketchbooks, which allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for the meticulous process required for creating works like his.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at the GRAM and hope to return to it one day. If you plan to make a trip to Grand Rapids and its art museum anytime soon, be sure to note “Meijer Free Days.” On Tuesdays, there is free general admission from 10 am – 5 pm, and on Thursdays, there is free general admission from 5 pm – 9 pm.

For more information about the Grand Rapids Art Museum, please click this link.

Stephanie Shih: Ceramics, Sriracha, and Nostalgia

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The other day, my friend pointed me towards the work of ceramic artist Stephanie H. Shih. I was immediately enamored by her handiwork,  ceramic sculptures of popular foods found in Asian grocery stores such as sriracha, lao gan ma, and large bags of rice. If you’re a fan of Lucy Sparrow’s felt pieces, you will surely enjoy feasting your eyes upon Stephanie Shih’s colorful handmade ceramics.

As an Asian American artist myself, I had also explored familiar ideas in my work–how everyday items can connect a diaspora of first generation Americans. The foods that Shih highlights serve as a cultural connection between Asian Americans and their immigrant parents.

Shih describes her own work as “a pantry from the ‘80s——filled with with fingerprinted surfaces and shakily painted labels——that looks at once familiar and hazy, like an old memory.” For me, running my eyes over the bumpy textures and vibrant labels of Shih’s sculptures brings a wave of nostalgia, taking me back to running through aisles of my hometown grocery store, feet stepping on dark concrete, smells of fresh fish and fried pork and candy wafting through the building. Perhaps I’ll be fortunate enough to have one of her works perched on a shelf in my living room someday.

Thoughts on Animated Movies

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My relationship with animated movies has been fairly odd over the years, and it was only recently that I started sorting out my feelings toward the genre. I watched a lot of movies as a kid, but I remember early on thinking that animated movies were childish. I don’t think this was helped by my parents dislike for them; my mom enjoys horror movies and thrillers, while my dad rarely watches whole movies, so to them a lot of the animated movies I watched as a kid seemed obnoxious and shallow. They both share a dislike of musicals as well, which they were largely successful in passing down to me (La La Land is about my only exception), leading me to stay away from a lot of animated Disney musicals. In the end, I had a bias against animated movies, which I gradually realized and have since overcome. So now I want to talk about some of my favorites, point out what makes them such great works of art, and reveal why the animated genre is a lot more complex than it seems.

CoralineThe movie that made me first question my relationship with animated movies was Coraline. It’s a stop motion animated horror movie released in 2009 that is way too scary for children, contrary to the intended audience of the film. It has somewhat of an infamous reputation for scaring children to death and being overly creepy and disturbing, which is what originally piqued my interest. While I was watching it, I was stunned by how imaginative and off putting it was; it seriously brought some of my nightmares and fears to life. I don’t want to get into the weeds about the plot, so I’ll just say that the feeling of “not everything is what it seems” is so strong and heavily conveyed through every aspect of the movie that it’s almost scary in itself. The art style perfectly complements the disturbing atmosphere of Coraline’s world, and the story is a great blend of subtle messages and morals. Overall, it really opened my eyes to the imaginative possibilities of animation, outside of traditional princes and princesses that are so common in the genre, while also displaying the morals that define a lot of animated movies aimed at children.

 

Image result for treasure planet

Another one of my favorite animated movies is Treasure Planet, which I used to watch over and over again as a child. A year or two ago I remembered the movie and had the strongest urge to re-watch it; there was something so memorable and captivating about it’s story and style. While watching it, I realized that nothing had changed: the characters are incredible, the story is great (it’s based on Treasure Island), and the entire world that it’s set in is fantastical and endless. The character development alone is one of the best examples of writing that I have ever seen; nobody is truly good or evil, unlike most heroes and villains in other children’s movies, and each character is fully fleshed out and absolutely amazing. I also think the science fiction element of the movie draws me in too, featuring portals and literal “space ships” with pirates and cyborgs that make the entire world fascinating. I would have to say that this is my all-time favorite animated movie for those reasons, along with how well it holds up to the test of time. Although the actual art style isn’t as impressive or as unique as Coraline, and the atmosphere isn’t as defined, it perfectly encapsulates the appeal of animated movies beyond the audience of children. It is an all around work of art, and a testament to the unique power of animated movies to create incredible worlds and meaningful stories.

“what is art?” #16 – Kelly Gallagher and animation

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Animation is a type of art that challenges the beholder to define what it is and what it can be. A majority of individuals claim animation is the art that can be mostly found within Pixar, Anime, Cartoon Network, etc. However, animation is an art that fits a wide array of moving image styles. Yesterday I dropped in on the foundation 4D Studio course lecture to find out more from the young and wise artist, Kelly Gallagher. 

Based in Syracuse, New York, Gallagher is an experimental filmmaker who focuses on pushing the boundaries of the term “animator”. Gallagher creates her pieces with cut out collages, 16mm found/”confiscated” footage, 16mm clear leader, oil paint, etc. She finds it more joyful to create her work with her hands rather than digitally. In her lecture, she explained her initial interest in animation was based on its visible labor. She enjoys how animations display the long and challenging process and how it proves the investment of an artist to portray that story. Gallagher additionally enjoys the production of creating work with low technology materials. She attempts “to call attention to form and accessible practices for filmmakers” by using readily available tools to prove that anyone can create art and a discussion just like her. She even talked to us college students about how she uses a 10+ year old Nikon camera and a DIY rig/animation set up to create her widely known films. It was exciting to hear this news because today I feel like we are constantly being pressured into buying new technology to be the best artist we can be. However, in actuality, Gallagher challenges this idea and proves what we create isn’t defined by those products but in turn how we use them to our advantage. 

Kelly Gallagher addresses political questions and issues as well as stories of resistance through her animation. She looks to explore how to use film as a tool “to re-open, re-discuss, re-discover forgotten or untold histories” and use it as a means of confrontation. She believes she can create an impact with her thrilling visuals and get more to be involved with the topics she brings to light. One of my favorite moments Gallagher shared with us is when she told us her art is inspired by “love+rage”. Love for the art. Rage for the fire inside of her that wants to share these hidden stories. 

Kelly Gallagher is an extraordinary creator and brilliant speaker. After the lecture, you could see the eyes lit with a curiosity about what animation can be. Gallagher’s work challenges the way we see what animation is and also inspires others to investigate further how they can make their own. Animation itself pushes boundaries of its terminology and is an example of how art labels can be widely interpreted and not limited to the conventional kind. 

For more information on Kelly Gallagher visit her website or vimeo page!

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