ART MUSEUM CRITIQUE

Use the following format for your museum critique; answers must be typed below the questions
and all questions must appear in full on your final copy. You can use this document as your
template. Pay careful attention to the required number of words for those questions that have
them. Failure to follow the instructions here and on your syllabus will result in a substantially low
grade. Minimal answers poorly written are a D grade or less. Elaboration of points, excellent
arguments, and good writing garner higher grades.
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Name: Connie Tinoco
Class period/section: Mon/Wed 5:30 pm
1) Which museum did you visit? (check one) ___ Univ. of Utah _X_ BYU
2) Describe at least one of the permanent collection exhibits on a theme, period, geographic
region, or topic) within the museum. {150 words}
Since Brigham Young University is a private institution, their permanent collection
exhibits revolves around the Mormon religion. Their collection is always having different names
featuring different artists but it is the same concept.
Their permanent collection invites the audience to learn about the Mormon religion and witness
some of the church's most acknowledged painters and their paintings. There are biblical
pictures showing scenes from stories told in the bible; such as, Adam and Eve. About half of the
paintings displayed revolved around the time of Jesus Christ telling his story from birth, death,
and resurrection.
The other half of the paintings displayed pictures around Joseph Smiths lifetime. It
displayed scenes of when he went first talked with God to the time of 1847 when the first LDS
settlers entered with Brigham Young to the Salt Lake valley. Overall, its an organized story of
how the Mormon community sees the history of their religion.
3) Give a brief, one paragraph description of a special, temporary exhibit (for help, ask
museum staff what these are; they are usually in one of the first rooms). {100 words}
For this season, the name of their exhibit is called, Moving Pictures: C.C.A.
Christensens Mormon Panorama. The artist is a Mormon convert who decided to travel Utah to
record events that happened early in the Mormon religions history. His panorama allows the
audience to see some drawn eye witnessed accounts told to C.C.A. Christensen firsthand.
Although, it wasnt featured I also got to learn about C.C.A. Christensens first panorama
project. It was commission by Dimick Huntington whose motive was to preach to American
Indians and use the particular panorama has a visual aid. Dimick died soon after so it is unclear
if he actually used them or not.
4) What do you think the museum administration and/or exhibit curators want you to learn or
gain from the exhibits you viewed? {100 word minimum}
To every museum staff member I could come across I would ask somewhere in our
conversation of they were Mormon or not. All of the staff members said that they were. When
looking at the permanent collection I can tell that this museums main mission is to preserve the
artistic views of the Mormon community. Further, educate me with their perspective of religion
and understand their beliefs as to what they believe is the correct way of looking at life.
However; even though this is a religious institution, I shouldnt solely focus on what
religious stance the majority of the administration carries. By looking at the other exhibits
displayed, I can also tell that this institution wants to entertain its audience with new insights
other than their religion by embracing other artists who have contrasting views on religion. For
this reason, I believe they also want heighten their audiences appreciation of different beliefs.

5) What kind of information is provided about the works? Where might you look for further
information if you were interested? (Name three possibilities)
Beside the artistic pieces is a plaque displaying: the name of the artist, the era they lived
in, a possible reason for their creation of the piece; if not, their motivation or life struggles, and
possible history that followed with the piece. Overall, it gave the audience a background story
the artist and his or her piece as it was being created and a bit of what may have happened
after the piece was created.
To look for further information I could ask my tour guide more about the piece; look up
the name of the artist or the masterpieces name (if it is given); or read the background story on
the plaque and read about the history related to that piece.
6) Choose several works that particularly appealed to you. Explain why you were drawn to
these works. Comment on the subject, style, medium, time period, etc. Who were the artists?
What message do you think the artists were trying to convey in the works you chose to
discuss? This question must be answered in its entirety. {This should be at least 500 words}
I also liked the collection called, Shaping America. The following five works I will
comment about all pertain to this collection.
1. Fallen Monarchs
I liked how subtle the painting seems. At first glance the painting doesnt look interesting.
It is just a forest. When one looks closer one seeing the chaos and revival thats ensuing. Fallen
trees decaying and new life growing. Ill admit when I first got to this painting I took a quick
glance and looked at the others. When I looked at it again I was fortunate to read the name for
the piece. This piece is a great addition to the Shaping America collection because it states a
truth about our American history. In fact, it states a truth that happens anywhere on this earth.
Life and death will be at a constant motion. Once one thing dies, another thing lives.
The artist is William Bliss Baker, he painted the piece back in 1886. He lived from 18591886. The medium he used was oil painting on canvas and his style was Realism. It is a
landscape painting but the whereabouts of the location of where he painted it are unknown.
I researched more on William and Ive learned he greatly loved the outdoors and
belonged to a prominent family. Even though he could have had the support to follow along the
lines of his family, he chose to go to art school and paint. He mixed his interest with painting
along with his love of the outdoors to create landscapes while following the movement of
Realism.
Fallen Monarchs is considered to be his masterpiece. I am so surprised as to how
quickly I dismissed it at first. I can understand his message with my own dismissal. He lays a
truth out right up to my nose and I still didnt see it. I feel his message is to be more aware of the
consistent realities that are happening in the American wilderness. Since he is an outdoor lover,
Im sure he want others to be more aware of our environment. His picture has woken me up in a
way to be more environmentally aware. Im also enticed to go outside and to remind myself that
there is more to the constant hustle and bustle of urban life.
2. American Home Scenes
I liked how truthful the artist was in creating a piece that showed both the white and
black communities activities during the Civil War era. I further liked that it honestly portrayed
how each gathered for festivities. In the plaque, I was reassured that the piece was not satirical

but an honest representation of how the rural gatherings took place for these two different
groups. The piece was light hearted and honest. However, it was bias.
This is a wood engraving that was created for the printing of Harpers Weekly magazine.
The specific artist is unknown but was employed by Harpers Weekly. It was created back in
1861 during the Civil War era.
The artist wanted to document and contrast how each group played around in life.
(There are also two work scenes but it seems to be in preparation of the festivities.) I can
already tell that the piece is biased by there only being two scenes involving African Americans
while the other six scenes describe the everyday life of Caucasians in that time era. One
explanation for this may be that that the artist is Caucasian himself and didnt know too much as
to how the African American community celebrated thereby not providing much insight to them.
Its interesting to note that while looking at the contrasting pictures of each community
dancing. One is called, The Dance (displaying the Caucasian community) with the other being
called, The Breakdown (displaying the African American community). Also, the Caucasian are
shown on the top while the African American community is placed at the bottom. It seems to me
that the artist wants the viewer to know that Caucasians are more civil than those of the African
American community by titling their festivities in that fashion.
3. Forgotten Man
This piece caught my eye when I saw the contrast of lighting placed on the characters in
the picture. The main subject, a man, is highlighted not by light but by darkness as he stays
sitting down while the other characters, businessmen, are walking away in a lighter atmosphere
aloof to the mans condition of depression.
The painting is oil on canvas and was painted in 1934 by artist, Maynard Dixon (18751946). Maynard Dixon is an artist who wanted to create honest art of the west instead of
painting what he was told to create by employers, so he became a self-employed artist for a
majority of his life. During the time when this painting was created, the Great Depression began
and Dixon felt it was his mission to pain social realism with a painting style influenced by his
wifes photographing techniques. His wife was the great, Dorothea Lange.
This paintings solid message was to remind the viewer of the real state of the homeless
and economically deprived during the Great Depression.
4. Subway Scene
The painting shows individuals from different races and genders sitting together in a
subway. The artist is Julian Joseph (1882-1964) and the oil painting was created in 1947.
I liked how the artist took a simple scene from everyday life and is telling more than
meets the eye. The subjects are so ordinary but it shows the viewer that things are constantly
moving. Especially since the location is in a subway train where things are consistently shifting
below the surface.
When looking at the characters, one sees that they are of different color and one is of a
different gender. One sees that there is a Hispanic man, African American man, and a
Caucasian women. All of these riders take the subway and even though they are sitting next to
each other. They all seem distant from one another, tranced by their own thoughts. Both the
woman and the African American man are staring blankly, while the Hispanic man busies with a
newspaper. These characters and their distance intrigued me to learn more about the story
behind the painting. As I reflected on it, I notices letters on the window and I asked one of the
curators more about it. Apparently, I have good eyes because those letters are in fact a clue as
to the diversity in the picture. The letters indicated that the subway car was probably an
Interborough Rapid Transfer line. This line probably was a car that ran full length on the west
side of New York, considered at the time the most diverse city in America. Since there is a black

man it is more probable that the subway stopped around 145 th St. Lenox Ave, the heart of
Harlem, one of the few places where the gentleman would have been able to live.
This painting shows a lot of history and reflects well into the realities and possibilities
African American had in the late 1940s. Around this era, World War II had created job
opportunities for black Americans, which increased a migration out of the South to urban cities
like New York. Discriminatory practices and racial prejudices were also loosened. A year after
this painting was created; from what I learned from the curator, the Supreme Court ended the
enforcement of racially restrictive housing laws that kept the black community from buying or
leasing homes in white neighborhoods.
5. Free Speech
This oil painting was also painted by Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), the exact date of
when it was created is unknown. The estimated date for it is 1934-1936.
This painting is clearly a social protest for workers rights. Since Dixon lived for a
majority of his life in California, reading on his biography proved me correct. He created this
image to turn attention to the violent strikes sailors and longshoremen were involved in at San
Francisco.
The main subject is a man speaking to the crowd of working men. He has his arm
extended in a thumbs up sign. He is highlighted by not entirely by light but there seems to be
sunshine falling on his head. As one looks into the crowd one sees policemen prowling around
and gazing towards the lone speaker as well.
I believe Dixon was for free speech and assembly. By reminding the public of the effort
these men but into their strikes, Dixon involved himself into the cause by recording the San
Francisco strikes of 1934.
7) How did the artworks you looked at relate to material we have discussed in class? (They do
relate in many ways, you just need to look for those relationships). {Minimum of 150 words}
I loved the theme for this collection, Shaping America. The artwork pieces, especially
from this collection, reminded me of the topics of Diversity and Death we have discussed in
class. With the piece, Fallen Monarchs, I was reminded about the reading, Walden. Around
the time we discussed Death and Religion, we talked about Prometheus and the Greek legend
of fire and how that story had the key to further explain Epicuruss Letter to Menoeceus as to
how to make life meaningful. With Walden, I learned the cycle of life has the consistent
transformation of decay and rebirth. Those who believe in Waldens way; Baker being one of
them, valued the environment and saw the wilderness as an irreplaceable part to the
transformation of one leaving the world. I was also reminded about Charles Baudelaires poem,
A Carcass. Where everything, everyone dies and the physical thing we know about death is
that we all rot and decay into dust.
When I saw the wood piece, American Home Scenes, I could have taken the artists
misinterpretations very offensively if I hadnt read Shakespeare in the Bush. By reading
Bohannans story, I was able to think more reflectively as to how the artist saw the realities of
everyday life in that era. His perception is clearly different from that of an African American man
during that era. Furthermore, the artist didnt know so much about the other community to
record as much and how can I get emotional over that? The readings in the Humanities have
helped me take a step back, reflect, and critically think more about the background of an
authors piece, the authors own story, the context of the words and if Im actually understanding
the definitions.

8) What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of
event again? Why or why not? {Minimum 100 words}
I enjoyed the experience. I felt more refreshed in the mind after learning new concepts or
ideas--especially when I needed to reflect or research about the piece more. In a way, going to
the museum made me feel like I was in a huge storytelling book. Where I have the opportunity
to play detective and unveil more than what appears on the surface to get more of a deeper
message. I like thinking this way. However, I also like visiting a museum because I can just
glimpse at the picture too. I have the choice to view a picture in the way that I want. I can take a
painting more seriously and research, ponder, and dig through it. On the other hand; if Im not
feeling up to the work and more wish to relax, I can look at it in a more romantic way and admire
it for what it is on the surface.