Wexner Review and Cardiff Miller Response

Wexner:

I went in to the exhibit attempting to map out exactly how much time I needed to spend in the Wexner to intelligently talk about the exhibits, then get the hell out of there. Art exhibits are the last place you would normally find someone like me, but these exhibits really grabbed my attention, and somehow kept me in the building for over 45 minutes. I consider myself a bit of an American History buff, so I really enjoyed the American photography exhibit, as I continuously attempted to apply my knowledge to the pictures I was viewing. I really enjoyed the pictures of shop owners in their stores, as I felt this symbolized the hardworking spirit in America, and the vision that anyone can succeed, no matter your ethnicity or financial background. Additionally, I felt the collection showed that success is defined by happiness and not wealth. My favorite picture, however, showed a Mexican cowboy on a horse looking at a truck in a concrete parking lot of what looked like an oil refinery. My history mind ran a marathon on this picture. I viewed it as a representation of the end of the American frontier in the late 1800s as Joseph Glidden patented barbed wire, bringing an end to the open range and what we know as the American Cowboy.

Cardiff Miller:

I really enjoyed this article and, even more, the concept that Cardiff and Miller brought to the table. I love that most people wouldn't consider standing in the woods hearing sounds art because you aren't looking at something, and are instead feeling and experiencing the art all around you. This article really made me want to go experience this for myself, mainly the war reenactment discussed in the beginning of the article. I compared this to scary movies such as Paranormal Activity. One can easily denounce the movies as pointless and stupid, but they are missing the point. In order to enjoy the movies, you need to completely submerge yourself in the story, the characters, and the settings. If I had the chance to experience one of these exhibits, I would allow myself to buy into the sounds and believe that what I am hearing is real., which would make for a one-of-a-kind experience.