MOMA Tour

MOMA Museum Visit

Steven Wheeler, our guide and guru

Leona Strassberg Steiner

Steven took us up to the design and architecture wing of the museum where they were busy hanging a new show. This particular show is of interest since it incorporates video games, some that visitors can play and some for display only. Four art handlers were working on this show, where one aspect of the work was being questioned as to the place that the piece was originally hung. Part of the wing is facing huge windows, which are great for the natural light but not so great for art on the wall, since too much sunlight can damage work, as we saw a small piece was warping apparently from the sun.

Of course the Museum of Modern Art is a huge enterprise with over 800 workers in the building everyday, with security personnel being contracted from the outside. Conservationists fixing art that gets damaged, a scientist, art registrars who are always present when a show is going up or being taken down. The upkeep of such a huge and prestigious building is incredibly expensive with only the rent being paid by what visitors pay to enter. All other expenses are taken care of by donors, private trustees, the board and other committee members.

MOMA has a huge art education department, where young children and adults enjoy classes, lectures, workshops and movies. MOMA is first and foremost an educational entity, striving to bring art and art thinking to its guests. However because of the high entrance fee, not everyone can afford this luxury, and art education can remain elusive to the lower middle class and below.

Steven next took us to a print exhibit by Dieter Roth, called, “Wait, later this will be nothing”, where many different books and editions of prints were chronologically displayed. We enjoyed Roth’s idiosyncrasies with his Literature Sausage, books of all sizes and shapes which were made from many different materials as well as prints made with chocolate and cheese.

MOMA’s mission besides educating its visitors; is also about giving people an experience that they won’t quickly forget. Whether by extremely well known pieces, absurd or odd pieces, or pieces that make you think about yourself or your life experience and what it means. It’s about having a conversation about art with the world, engaging the public to discuss and question the meaning of art and what it means to us.

                      

Tiny Book by Dieter Roth

Literature Sausage by Dieter Roth

                                    

Moving picture hung extremely high on the walll

Wolfgang Laib, Hazelnut Pollen

Steven leading us through