Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Written by Clare Freix
During our trip we had the opportunity to attend the Minneapolis Institute of Art. While we were here we were lead through a tour of several exhibits where we were able to view a variety of pieces of art. Each individual piece of art can be interpreted different from person to person, and each piece has to ability to tell a different story.
Our goal while viewing the art in the exhibits we toured was to identify natural hazards through different forms of art. By identifying natural and environmental hazards through artwork our group learned that science can be portrayed through many different elements. Although many people often think science and art are two clashing components, we were able to link them together and see that artwork works well to identify many environmental aspects in the world. For example we were able to see several paintings which portrayed the impact of urbanization on the environment.
After our visit to the Institute of Art our group was successful in experiencing the cohesiveness between art and science and found several examples of this through our tour.
In this work, we see birds, perfectly preserved in art, sitting in a tree. Forever on, we will be able to recall this scene, even when the time comes when birds and flowers are gone. However, how do you get birds to pose like that? You don't. The artist, according to our guide Boyd, killed the birds and strung them up in the tree so that he could paint them properly. So...is that art? Or is that harming the environment? Or can it be both?
This painting had special significance for Matthew Mitchell in Pod 8. It is a painting of Venice, Italy, in the Piazza San Marco. It is idealized and romanticized, because in reality, the piazza is not that colorful...but it is beauty as the artist remembers it. The blue on the piazza stone walkway may be representative of the frequent flooding of the piazza, during which the locals get out large tables to walk on.
This is a unique piece of art in that it is a video, not a painting. When you look at it, what does it remind you of? A river? A creek? Okay. Now. How many rivers and creeks do you know that truly look like this?
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts can be found at 2400 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
When you're ready to proceed with our field trip, click the image to go to the next location! Next stop: University of Minnesota, for two talks by field professionals.