Saturday, July 29, 2017

"a beckoning: we are not who we think we are."


I saw this amazing work of art in one of the large galleries at Mass MoCA.  It is a passageway slightly longer than one hundred feet.  You can get some idea of its size from the person at the far end.  It is a tunnel, lined with canvas and fabric, and then painted with vinyl.  And you walk right on the vinyl paint which covers the floor.  I was reluctant to enter the tunnel because I would be stepping on the paint, but I watched others walk right in. At the opening end, the colors are shades of blue, almost as if you are underwater.




As you get past the half way mark, the colors start to change to green and brown.  The feeling becomes creepy - it is amazing how color can affect our emotions.  I kept coming back to this as I spent time in the museum. I would go away, see some other exhibits, and then come back.  It is a really unusual work of art, in my experience and it was more powerful than I first expected.  The last photograph is a view from the second floor at the end of the gallery looking toward the front of the piece.  The artist is Rodney McMillian, and the piece is titled ""a beckoning: we are not who we think we are."



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is so cool! I am not sure about the title of the display but I like the totally different feelings the two designs and colors create. betsey

Anonymous said...

Very unusual and creative. Hard to imagine the change in colors and feelings.
Joan

Ken Spencer said...

You guys should have a field trip up to Mass MoCA in North Adams! The museum is amazing! It is 100 miles, and 2 hours from Rocky Hill.