On Jan. 8, students in AP Art and Photography had the opportunity to visit the Whitney Museum of American Art. While on the trip, students visited the “Sixties Surreal” exhibition. The Whitney Museum of Art, located in New York City, is known for its collection of 20th and 21st century American art, offering patrons a chance to experience original pieces up close.
“Sixities Surreal” is a major exhibition at the Whitney Museum that re-examines American art from the 1950s to the 1970s. It demonstrates how artists in the U.S. during the 1960s used surreal, dreamlike imagery to respond to the rapid cultural, political, and technological uproars of that era. Many of the art reflect artists’ expressions that pushed beyond mainstream narratives and offered alternative ways of imagining this decade. Featuring over 100 American Artists, the exhibit helped students to better understand the artwork of this time.
“This exhibition featured works of prominent artists that consisted of large-scale sculpture, painting, drawing, photography and video from the 1960’s. The students had a wonderful day sketching and photographing with inspiration from this exhibit,” said AP Photography teacher Ms. Elizabeth Zucker.
Beyond simply viewing the art, the field trip also had a meaningful impact on the students’ own artistic development and learning.
“It was an immersive experience that gave me lots of exposure to great abstract art. Seeing the use of abstract techniques inspired me to use those types of imaginative techniques in my own work,” said junior Palmer Furtado.
Students spent time sketching and photographing pieces that inspired them, which helped them think about composition, scale, and texture outside of the classroom. They learned how art often reflects the broader culture of the time period. Visiting the Whitney Museum exposed students to larger and more historic works, broadening their exposure to different types of artwork. It taught them a new perspective on their own art, and other art that they view as well.
“I’m very grateful to have experienced all the unique and strange art featured at the Whitney Museum. There are tons of amazing artists, such as Yayoi Kusama, whose surrealist art pieces happened to be on display at the time I visited,” said junior Joelle Bedard.
Students were accompanied by Jason Paradis, a visiting artist, on the trip to the Whitney Museum. In addition to the field trip, he will also be coming back to Schreiber in the spring to lead a workshop with the AP art students.
“The field trip happened in conjunction with an artmaking workshop that will be held in the spring with visiting artist Jason Paradis. The workshop will draw on some of the ideas from the exhibition, in particular the sense that things aren’t always what they may seem,” said AP Studio Art teacher Ms. Miranda Best.
The workshop relates to the ideas that the students explored at the museum, working with art that challenges traditional visual expectations, encouraging students to look beyond surface level meaning.
Art students will also have the opportunity to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art later this year. Similarly to the Whitney Museum, this allows students to visit unique and original artworks and learn to experiment with their own art, and go on to apply what they have learned. Students will engage in sketching and visual learning through these trips.
However, the Whitney Museum differs in American art, with its sixties surreal exhibition emphasizing art from the 1950s to the 1970s. This served as a unique learning experience rather than the broader scale of artwork in other galleries and museums.
“I really enjoyed the field trip to the Whitney Museum. I was able to see artwork in different styles and techniques. It was a great experience because it gave me the chance to see more art outside of school. Art is important because it allows for creativity, and it’s important for young artists to be exposed to experienced artists so they can learn and get inspiration,” said junior Kara Chan.