The_Getty

When I stepped off the bus and began walking up the stairs out of the parking structure, I was excited to notice that we would be taking a tram up the hill to the Getty. The tram was white and very futuristic in design, and reminded me of Tomorrow Land at Disneyland because it was similar to some of the attractions featured there. The tram began its way up the unappealing hillside featuring California's natural vegetation, chaparral. Looking outside of the windows, you can see the view of the 405 freeway, one of Los Angeles' treasures. The view of the freeway gave the impression that the journey would be an escape from the hectic life that most of us live. The moment the tram began to approach the Getty Museum; I was taken a back from its amazing architectural beauty. I was expecting to go to the museum and see works of art inside, but the entire museum seemed to be a work of art itself. The architecture was magnificent. The exterior walls, pillars, and even fire hydrants of this huge museum were exceptionally clean and appealing to the eye. I looked around and noticed that everything was mostly white. The white travertine walls made me think of natural beauty, beauty not altered for the eye, and the whole place gave me a sense of serenity and pride. "Meier chose stone for this project because it is often associated with public architecture and expresses qualities the Getty Center celebrates: permanence, solidity, simplicity, warmth, and craftsmanship" according to the Getty webpage. The Getty's style and theme is very modern and innovative. There was also an incredible amount of wide open space throughout the outer parts of the museum, which left plenty room for the imagination. The amount of open space symbolized the way our minds should be when we enter this museum to examine the art. In order to get into a painting's true meaning, we must first open our minds and clear thoughts of any previous conceptions of art. Windows and natural light are major elements of this museum as well. The Getty's many windows grabbed my attention, and drew interest to the outside because they were very large. The windows were well crafted and presented as works of art as well, filling the open space of walls not occupied by paintings. Furthermore, the windows in the lobby also appropriated an incredible amount of natural light that gave the central plaza a warm and inviting feel. Up above, there were also skylights that brought in sunrays that reflected in the shine of the marble, although they were well equipped with filters to block out rays that are harmful to the artwork within. Outside, the shapes of the buildings were all geometrical in design. For this assignment I chose two Greek sculptures. Greek culture is the source from which many of the characteristic elements of Western culture derive. Their explorations and innovations in art have both fascinated and inspired other civilizations for centuries. The first is Kouros circa 530 B.C. made of Dolomitic marble from Thasos and is approximately 200 cm (80 in) in height. The second is Cult Statue of a Goddess, (most likely Aphrodite) South Italy, 425 - 400 B.C. made of Limestone and marble. It stands at a height of 220 cm (86 5/8 in). There is some dispute to the authenticity of the Getty Kouros sculpture, but assuming it is not a modern forgery it would belong to the Greek Archaic period. Cult Statue of a Goddess (herein referred to as Aphrodite) hails from the Greek Classical period. The identities of both sculptors are unknown. In historical terms, the time difference between these two sculptures is not a relatively large one (approximately 100 to 130 years), and the two works share a few common characteristics. They are both freestanding sculptures with open spaces. Neither piece depicts a person who really existed but rather a figure representing the ideals valued during that period. These sculptures also commemorate the living instead of the dead like the sculptures of the ancient Egyptians. The time difference these pieces do reflect a change or evolution between the two Greek periods and their respective concerns and principles. Kouros represents youth and many of the ideals of the aristocratic culture of Archaic Greece, such as that of moral and physical beauty and nobility. Aphrodite represents the Greek goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture – characteristics esteemed by the Classical Greek concepts of naturalism and humanism.