Our day started off in East
Harlem and our first stop was El Museo del Barrio. When I walked into the
museum it is was small, modern and beautiful. I loved the way it was decorated
and dedicated to the Hispanic culture. El Museo del Barrio is one of the city’s
sharply focused museums and is outstanding and small. This museum is the only
museum dedicated to Puerto Rican, Carribean, and Latin American culture. The
museum was founded in 1969. It was founded by activists, teachers, and artists
that were primarily Puerto Ricans. Before it found its present permanent home,
it was first run from a classroom in a public school and moved from several
storefronts (BG, 376). Mike told us that we were coming back to the museum to
explore, but first we were going on a walking tour of Spanish Harlem.
Our tour guide, Louis, was absolutely adorable and
energetic. He was so passionate about his community and I was glad because I
knew I was going to get the best experience I could with him. He brought us to this small shop on104th
Street that was opened in 1954. It is owned by a man named Jorge Vargas. Upon
entering the shop I saw so many different ethnicities. Looking around there
were different old fashioned remedies from different cultures that heal the
sick. Jorge was telling us how much the community meant to him and how much
they have contributed to him staying open for so many years. He said that with
the changing neighborhood he would have
to be physically removed from his shop. I thought the shop was exactly what a
community needs. Neighborhoods need the days when small shops survived off of
the communities. That is what makes a community a community in itself.
Louis then brought us to this small community garden.
Upon entering the garden there was a water fountain in the shape of fallopian
tubes. The
fallopian tubes were a little odd at first and then
made tense. The fountain was showing honor to the women of the community. It
was showing that women are a huge part of the community and should be
acknowledged. I also thought it meant that women are the ones who bring new
life into the world. The water running through the fountain was showing the new
lives constantly coming into the world and becoming part of the community. I
thought that the fountain was beautiful and had a deep meaning. There was a
mural on the wall that was absolutely beautiful entitled “Soldaderas”.
It was bright and full of life. The two women being portrayed in the mural are Frida
Kahlo and Julia Burgos. Julia de Burgos was a poet from Puerto Rico. She was a
nationalist and an activist for women’s rights. She was destined to be one of
the greatest poets in the Americas. The
mural was showing what the two women stood for and their
struggles as women. They both shared a love for their culture, their people and
country. They used art as a force for change. Julia and Frida holding hands
symbolized two communities can come together in struggle aspiration, and in
history. The painting was very moving and expressed the importance women have
in the community and how struggle leads to greatness.
As we kept walking we came across many works by Manny Vega.
Louis was telling us that the work by Manny Vega is all around East Harlem. The one painting on the side of the building
was amazing. It showed real people throughout the community living their day to
day lives. Louis told us that the people that were being portrayed were
actually people that lived in the community. Vega would take a picture of them
and then paint them on the wall. The painting captivated the entire community-all
parts of it-and it was truly moving to see. We then saw a dove piece by Vega.
Louis was saying that people in the neighborhood could go and draw doves on the
wall. They were becoming part of the artwork and the community was coming
together as one. People are able to contribute what they have to the community
and what they represent.
At this point it had started to downpour rain and I was
so upset because I knew it was going to ruin the rest of our day. A few
classmates and I decided on Mexican. I love Mexican food and was super excited
for it. The portions were big and reasonably priced. For $8.00 I received a
burrito that was so huge I couldn’t finish it. Everything was made perfectly
and tasted delicious. We all agreed that we made a good decision and left full and
satisfied.
We then made our way back to El Museo del Barrio to look
at the exhibit. The museum had so many different types of art and it was
interesting to see the different types of art that was being showcased. The museum’s
collection includes pre-Colombian artifacts and traditional Caribbean and Latin American arts.
It also holds 20th century prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures
and installations, photography, documentary films, and videos (BG, 377). Walking
around, I was honestly amazed. The exhibit was called Caribbean:
Crossroads of the World. This exhibit offers an unprecedented opportunity
to explore the diverse and impactful cultural history of the Caribbean basin. There
are more than 500 works of art spanning four centuries which clarify changing
aesthetics and ideologies. They incite
meaningful conversations about topics ranging from commerce and cultural diffusion
to politics and pop culture. One
painting that really caught my attention was La Mulata Cartagerna. It was a
painting of a Colombian woman. It was bright and full of life. I stood in front
of this painting and was blown away. It was beautiful and I was impressed by
this museum very much.
Unfortunately
it started to rain so we were unable to go to Morningside Heights and take our
tour like we were supposed to do last class. I was so upset that the weather
was not on our side at all today. Mike took a vote on what we wanted to do and the
majority voted on going to see Annie Hall. Mike gave us a little synopsis and it
seemed to be interesting. On our way to the subway we took a walk through
Central Park. It was still raining but I was still pumped to be walking through
the famous Conservatory Gardens. The Conservatory Garden is the park/s only
formal garden and is six acres. It is named for an elaborate greenhouse torn
down in 1934 during the Depression at a cost-cutting measure (BG, 297).The
Conservatory Garden is an “officially designated Quiet Zone and offers a
calm and colorful setting for a leisurely stroll and intimate wedding, or an
escape with a good book”. The park is split up into 3 smaller gardens and each
one has its own individual styles that include French, Italian, and English. The
park was beautiful even in the rain and we continued our walk through Central
Park until we reached the exit for the subway.
The
actual theatre was narrow and the screen was very small. The seats were smaller
than what I’m used to, but it was something I wouldn’t be able to say I did if I
hadn’t taken this class. “Annie
Hall”, starring Diane Keaton and Woody Allen was sensational. It had the
best mix of comedy and romance. I fell in love with. Annie (Keaton) who is
ditsy and clumsy and has the ambitious dream of becoming a singer, while Alvy
(Allen), is sarcastic, obsesses over death, and has cynical views on the world
and people around him. The two could not have been more opposite, and yet they
could not ignore the connection they had between them. The film was just about
their romantic rollercoaster and their past relationships. Allen’s humor was hidden
in the script. He has a dry sense of humor so that you have to pay attention or
you will miss it. Throughout the film, Woody Allen would come out of the screen
and put his input on whatever situation was going on at the moment. He is absolutely
hilarious. At some points throughout the movie I could not stop laughing. The movie
showed the wonderful city that we have been experiencing in class. It was nice
to see how much the city has changed but at the same time has stayed the same. I
really enjoyed the movie and will definitely watch it again and want to watch
some of his other ones as well.
Even
though the weather was absolutely awful today, again, I had a blast. I learned
so much today that I would have never have learned. The tour of Harlem was so
much fun and very informative. I plan on going back to Harlem and experiencing
it through and through since the rain altered it. I am also grateful that Mike
took us to see “Annie Hall”. It was a fantastic movie and I am very grateful. We
only have two classes left and I am starting to get a little sad. I have
learned and experienced so much and a part of me does not want the class to
end. Next week I intend on putting on my best attitude and enjoying the rest of
this experience that is left.
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