BYU’s Museum of Art hosted a gallery talk that focused on famous 20th century art and the historical context that made those pieces timeless on Oct. 16.
Liz Donakey, lead educator for the joint exhibitions at the MOA, guided guests through two exhibits titled "Off Kilter, On Point" and "Counterpoint." All artworks showcased were original pieces created in the 1960s, during which America was experiencing immense changes like the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement and the rise of The Beatles.
Janalee Emmer, director of the MOA, said that studying art from that dynamic age is fascinating because it reflects the keen interests of the public back then.
This distinct curiosity is manifested in the experimentations of shapes and materials in the art pieces "Cascade" by Charles Hinman and "The Souper dress," by Andy Warhol.
"Cascade" is a three dimensional art piece, with different colors and shapes used to explore space, Donakey said.
“It took me quite a while to pick up on the nuances between these whites and grays and to notice how many different shades of white and gray are in this image," Donakey said.
Philipp Malzl, head of the education department at the MOA, said, “I really like how the exhibition and the tour in particular challenged us to think about the act of seeing and looking and the idea of how optics intersect with us experiencing art.”
Another work of art featured at the exhibit was "The Souper dress" by Andy Warhol and was published by the Campbell's Soup Company.
This dress was made out of paper, one of the many fads of the 1960s.
Donakey said these dresses were disposable and made out of material similar to a dentist's bib.
This trend shows the technological advances of the time, with each souper dress design screen-printed, Donakey said.
Malzl said that one of the best features of this exhibit was how it showed the audience that people could explore “new and creative ways to create art that responds to current events.”
In order for viewers to get the most out of their experience at the museum, Emmer suggested that they spend time looking deeply at the artwork.
“To get the most out of [your experience], its best to slow down and take the time to look. Some of that is looking from different distances or different angles, like we did in the tour. Also, reading some of the label information will make it a really rich, layered experience,” Emmer said.
Malzl added that it's important to keep an open mind while viewing art and to “put on hold some of the preconceived notions of what we consider fine art to allow the art and the time period to speak for itself.”