Art Gallery Visit #2: Burchfield Penney Art Center

The Exhibition

1. What is the title of the exhibit?

The over-arching title of the different themed exhibitions was Water.

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

As the title suggests, the theme of the exhibition(s) was water, more specifically “Water is the source of life.”

The Gallery

1. What type of lighting is used?

The lighting in the exhibit I focused one was dark, spotlights shining on the works that lined the walls. In other parts of the gallery the lights were very bright though.

2. What colors are used on the walls?

In the exhibit I focused on the walls were a dark gray and shades of white. In the rest of the gallery, it was all white.

3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?

In the exhibit I focused on it was mostly bare excluding the art on the wooden walls and the wood floors. There was a small plain metal bench in the middle of it all. In other parts of the gallery it was similar, plain walls with artwork set uniformly along them. There was furniture and seats around the gallery as well.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

It was very open in the whole gallery. It was rather free-flowing, very wide and open with small doorways leading to different areas. It was very open to the viewer’s own wandering.

The Artwork

1. How are the artworks organized?

As I mentioned above, the artwork was very uniformly organized on the walls. There were different exhibitions set up, relating to the theme of Water, and they were organized in different themes that way (ie, there was a room about boats, a room about fly fishing, etc.).

2. How are the artrworks similar?

As mentioned above, the different rooms, all following the theme of water, had different themes to them, the room I focused on had the theme of boats/ships.

3. How are the artworks different?

They were all unique in their own way, many related specifically to Buffalo but they were individual in that they were different waterfronts or ships in Buffalo.

4. How are the artworks framed?

Most had simple frames if they had one at all, the few that had more elaborate frames were clearly older works that were originally framed that way.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

Each had simple labels beside the work giving the title, artist, and media.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

There was at least one foot of space between each work, for many it was more than that.

Art Criticism Exercise

Select three of the artworks from the show and describe (Describe what you see.  (subject matter)), analyze (What principles and elements were used and how are they used?), bracket (Is there anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?), and interpret (What do you think the artist was trying to say? ) the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described. 

1. Paul Nicholson (1977- ), Boat, 2007; acrylic on canvas, 48 x 47 1/2 2008.022.000; 2008

This work appears as a view of a boat from under the water. There is clearly plants and such floating atop the water beside the visual of the bottom of the boat and the ends of the ores that rest in the water. Emphasis is clearly utilized here, with the plant life surrounding and framing the boat. Space is utilized as well, allowing for focus on the single item. This work looks like the boat is to be swallowed whole by the black plants surrounding it, a sort of metaphor for though things pile on and seem ready to consume you, you need to keep paddling on. I feel the artist could have been trying to say something very similar. 

2. Burr H. Nicholls (1848-1915), Ellicott Creek with Two Boats, undated; oil on canvas, 21 3/4 x 29 3/4 inches; 2009

This work is an image of two aged boats resting in a lake in a wooded area. Color is very much so utilized in this work, the brownish hues giving a very real nature feel to the image. The image makes me think of the image I spoke of directly about this one, but from a different perspective. The boats look worn and used, resting against the shore. This could speak to the idea similar to that of the above, though from a different perspective - even if one must keep pushing forwards and paddeling on, even if one gets worn and discolored, time to rest and dock is important as well. The artist could have been trying to say something similar. 

3. John L. Garretson (1885-1948), Untitled, undated; bromoil photograph, 12 1/2 X 15 1/2 inches; 1989

In this image, we see two boats tugging along in foggy waters. I think movement is utilized in this work, as you can clearly see the boats pushing forward through the water. I would say proportion is also being used in that the small boat is surrounded by the larger boat behind it. This could be a metaphor for size and capacity not being a marker for ability, as both boats are working with similar agility and ability. Perhaps the artist was thinking something similar. 

Final question: 

What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

It was a rather interesting way to take in the gallery. Usually when wandering a museum or gallery I’m so focused on the content I don’t even really look around it. It was a different experience to take in the world housing the art as opposed to just the art itself. I know from now on I’ll be looked at the set up on different exhibits.