Cultural Activity Report

Museums serve as a way to connect with the public on a large scale, and the knowledge held within exhibits can be a fruitful experience for those who choose to visit these institutions. Experiencing all that a museum has to offer, no matter how well intentioned, can at times be confusing and overwhelming to the individuals visiting the site. The Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian dedicates itself to Native Americans in North and South America, and worked tirelessly with varying tribes to create a new standard. Some visitors and scholars found their work to be successful in design and approach while others found it to be lacking in execution. This institution does not approach Native American history in a familiar fashion; however it does cover an expansive period of time, and produces a great amount of detail while generating powerful emotions.

One of the first things that I noticed about The Met was its exterior architecture. Like many historical buildings and museums, The Met's architecture is highly influenced by European architecture; in this case, it appears as though the architecture is attempting to emulate the gothic style. Once inside the daunting faรงade, I was pleasantly surprised to see how richly illuminated the museum was. What made it even more remarkable was that much of the light appeared to permeate through skylights that had been built into the building's ceiling. Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Met was considerably less crowded than the American Museum of Natural History, which I had visited the day before.

The life experience during the kid’s time is one of most important time in the life. I have learned this by the hard way. When people looking for how should their kids to learn, I think people should pay more attention to what are their kids learning. Times are changing, the old thought of teaching might not fit in today anymore. I am always hoping one day today’s student could teach kids， because today’s student knows more about what kids like, what should kids know at this time of the day. SEU’s CCU class’s Cultural Engagement Assignment have given me a chance to see my childhood dream in life. I have decided to go one of the activity on Saturday. I have gone three times, first time I want is because I have to; the second time I want is because I like it and I want to do something I can to help the kids, also I want to know about the kids grow up in the family that not so good. Before I want the activity, my understanding of “Cultural Engagement,” is the connection between the people and the cultural, but after I want the activity, my understanding of “Cultural Engagement” has changed, it became what kind of culture for the kids have been growing up have affected to their dream and behavior. I will never forget a point that so many pastors have mentioned - Christians should never need to tell others that they are Christian but people should able to tell that we are Christian. As being Christian, we need to show the love to others and share the God’s words and

During our visit to the El Paso Museum of Art, our docent (insert name) took us on a tour of their current exhibitions: Robert Delaunay and Albert Gleizes: The School of Paris from Modern Master Series: Highlights from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Immaculate Conception, Amplified Abstraction, and Modern Stone Totems. In addition to our expedition we observed art of Mexico and New Spain that showcased 17th and 19th century paintings and sculptures. European art with includes paintings and sculptures from the Samuel H. Kress Collection. As well as, early American art from the 19th century to the mid 20th century.

Three weeks ago I visited the Art Institute of Chicago. It was established in 1879 and has since expanded its collection to approximately three hundred thousand works. Attracting over one and a half million visitors annually, it is one of the largest art museums in the United States. The reason I chose this site is that I read that it displayed Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, and I wanted to see it in person because it is so iconic.

I hope to see museums make more concerted efforts to educate the public. Too many exhibits are of the “passive, didactic looking” than like the engaging Object Stories program (Dartt, Murawski). Exhibits should seek to tell untold narratives, and programs should be places of communication and cross-cultural encounters. For too long, difficult confrontations have been avoided, both inside the museum, and by dominant communities

“This world is but a canvas to our imagination”; which always has been throughout the years. Art has been separated in different categories such as architectures, sculptures, photography and paintings. For my semester project, which was to visit an art or historic museum; my classmates and I went to the Reynolda House Museum of American art which provided us both the art and history. At first, we all assume that the visit would be boring or the art gallery would be dull. What shocked us the most was the actual experience being in the museum instead of just talking about it. We experienced multiple feelings during our visit in the art gallery as well as the historic area. From the art gallery which held many paintings of artist, to the house that R.J Reynolds and his family once occupied. Furthermore, it also showed us the legacy of R.J Reynolds and his family has left behind for the people of Winston-Salem.

After arriving and going through the security screenings, I proceeded to go down the stairs, entering the exhibit itself. Before even observing anything specific, it was immediately realized that this was no typical museum. Most people know that upon arrival, but only when you first enter the exhibit do you realize that this museum is not one that inspects the past, but one that reminds us of it.

Art by its nature is a subject of the philosophical, social, economic, political or religious context surrounding its creator. More often than not, a work of art addresses a specific topic or somewhat revolves around a particular person. Therefore, it is impossible to separate the context of a piece of painting, either historical or cultural, to its intrinsic value or the artwork's meaning. On the other hand, different cultures and time utilized specific conventions that govern the representation of objects of creativity. This essay highlights various pieces of art and their relationship to particular cultural, political, economic, or social settings. Moreover, it pinpoints how different times influence art presentation.

“The museum has changed people’s perception of museums, about the connections between art, architecture, and collecting.” (Freshome). Admiring the Architect, Frank O. Gehry, and how he would not just design, but how he would blend previous designs with his own and create a building made his work unforgettable.

     As I walked into the first gallery, I saw a wood sculpture that stood in the

A cultural event that I have attended in the past that has had a memorable affect on my life was a Native American Powwow. This event takes place every year, Thanksgiving weekend in Tucson, AZ. I arrived in the late afternoon, as the sun was going down. I remember seeing many different types of people, from tourists to the different Native American performers. The physical setting of this particular celebration was outside, and based around, one main circle. Drums were beating so loud, you could feel the pound inside your chest. Different activities were going on all around, such as dancers, vendors, and a huge variety of foods to choose from. The circular dancing arena is known as the arbor, this area is blessed before any of the events

For my second culture immersion project I went to eat at a Mexican restaurant. I went with my group members Ryan, Brian and Brian's girlfriend. I went this pass Tuesday after we had our group meeting. I don’t recall the name of the restaurant but I know it was downtown Appleton near by the Walgreens. . This was good choice for the project because I never have eaten at an actually Mexican restaurant before.

Some of what I learned was already covered in our Art History class, but with a bit more depth. Zuraw informed us that the current doors are replicas and if we got to Florence and wanted to see the real doors, we would need to see them at a museum.

According to the American Alliance of Museums, community engagement in museums includes the use of this facility as “a center where people gather to meet and converse and an active, visible player in civic life, a safe haven, and a trusted incubator of change” (Long 141). Different museums