Art Museum

For my first field trip assignment, I decided to go to the Philadelphia Art Museum. Believe it or not, this was my first time visiting this museum. By walking through the museum I saw some amazing paintings and sculptors. These artists were truly talented in what they were able to create. It was extremely difficult to choose a single piece of art and categorize it as my favorite. However, there were a few sculptors that left a lasting impression on me.

The sculptor of the man nailed to a cross section of wood seemed to have had the most profound effect on me. Being raised in a Roman Catholic family and having attended catholic school for twelve years, I immediately assumed the sculptor of the man draped in rags with a crown on his head was a depiction of Jesus. Taking a closer look, I notice that if this sculptor is of Jesus Christ, it most likely was not done by a Catholic artist. The reason being that Catholicism teaches Jesus died as the result of being nailed to a cross, this man is nailed to a piece of wood resembling the letter "T". Also, Jesus' cross boasted a sign reading IRNI, this one does not. Throughout the day, I encountered other depictions of Jesus hanging lifelessly from a cross, but none as plain and simple as the one shown here. The artist forced me to think, not just about his sculptor and the reasoning behind it, but about my faith as well. The sculptor was not adorned in gaudy fancy flowers. It wasn't looking to draw attention to itself, just as a man being hung is not eager to draw a crowd.

The craftsmanship, as well as the thought the artist put into this piece of work is outstanding. The detail in the chest, showing his ribs and the bones throughout his legs and arms is very detailed and precise. The angle in which the head is dropping conveys true sadness and sorrow.

By going to the visit the Art Museum, it did not change my definition or thoughts on creativity. It actually made it stronger. By looking at just this one piece made me look deeper into my definition. Creativity to me doesn't have to be an eye-popping, colorful piece of art. It can be the simplest work or idea and have a whole new meaning behind it. Creativity uses intelligence and portrays one's unique style. This is exactly what this artist did in his sculptor.