Art and Identity: The Museum of Modern Art

     Art is something that no matter what type of person you are you can relate to it in some type of way. People can relate to art with having a individual type of identity, a cultural identity or a historical identity. When I took the trip to visit the Museum of Modern Art for the first time last week the artists Martin Wong, Martin Kippenberg and Keith Haring showed art work embodying historical, cultural and individual identity that I will discuss with you.
     The first piece of art work I will discuss is the art work of Martin Wong "Stanton Near Forsyth Street" (1983). Martin Wong created many pieces of art describing the Lower East Side. This painting I feel like shows a historical type of identity showing his version of Lower East Side. It shows the brown bricked buildings that look almost abandoned with two people standing in the corner, as if it's a place where not many people go to. I also feel like it's a cultural identity painting because it shows how Wong viewed the Lower East Side during the 1980's.
     The second piece of art work is the work of Martin Kippenberg "Martin, Into the Corner, You Should be Ashamed of Yourself" (1992). Even though this isn't you typical painting on paper it still art. This piece of work shows a man facing the corner wearing a white shirt with the world's globe printed on it. I feel like this piece of work embodies the cultural identity because of the maps on his shirt. It shows Martin standing in the corner as if he is a naughty school boy. I feel like the globe printed on his shirt may symbolize where Martin may be from or where he might be going.
     And the last piece of art work I will discuss is a piece from Keith Haring "Untitled" (1982). I feel like  Haring's painting shows more individual identity because it shows he's own style of art. It shows abstract shapes that can form into something else. His form of art work is unique displacing different shapes, sizes, cartoons and people. The way he displaces his art is definitely something that has individual identity, where you can stop his art anywhere.
     All of the art works that I spoke about can show more than just what I thought I saw in them. Everyone views art in a different type of way. Something that I saw as cultural identity can be seen as individual identity to someone else. All forms art work doesn't have a definite answer on what is being shown. That's the beauty of art.

Martin Wong

"Stanton Near Fosyth Street"

Synthetic polymer paint on canvas

1983

 Martin Kippenberg

"Martin, Into the Corner, You Should be Ashamed of Yourself"

Cast aluminum, clothing and iron plate

1992

Keith Haring

"Untitled"

Ink on two sheets of paper

1982