Post 5- Art on My Mind -Brittney Sanchez

Quote 1:

"I've been thinking about ways of forcing the issues, when it comes to the way in which the work gets talked about in the world. You know, I feel I can't sit back anymore and just allow people to do whatever the fuck they want to do around the work, particularly when it becomes truly disinformation."

I really like this quote because it shows how much Weems cares about how her work is understood. She’s not just making art and letting people interpret it however they want, she’s actively fighting against misinformation. That’s something I think about a lot in my own work. I don’t want my art to be taken the wrong way or stripped of its meaning, especially if it’s about something important. It makes me wonder how I can make my message clear while still leaving room for people to engage with it in their own way. Weems’ frustration here is super relatable because sometimes it feels like no matter how much thought you put into your work, people will still twist it or miss the point.

Quote 2:

"So in terms of artists being critics, I think they are not necessarily always the same people. I'm not a critic. You're like a brilliant woman, a fabulous woman with this incredible sensibility. And you use incredible language and so forth and you're a gifted writer. I am not a gifted writer. I'm an artist trying to figure out how to do this shit. So, though it's true that I'm talking a whole lot, and actually I'm very good on my feet when I'm up and talking, I want to use my time to make art—not to write. Yet I want to hear critics talk about work in a way that makes sense."

I love how real she is in this quote. She straight-up admits that she’s still figuring things out, and I relate to that so much. Sometimes I feel like I have to explain my work in this really polished, academic way, but Weems is saying that’s not her job her job is to make art. That’s reassuring because I don’t always feel like the best writer when it comes to talking about my own work. I’d rather let the visuals do the talking, but at the same time, I want people to understand where I’m coming from. I also get what she means about critics if they’re going to analyze art, they should actually make an effort to understand it instead of forcing their own ideas onto it.

Go to an Art Exhibition | Visiting MoMa (NYC)

Me and my boyfriend decided to do a date night at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. We visited a few exhibitions, and I personally loved:

414: John Giorno’s Dial-A-Poem

Crafting Modernity: Design in Latin America

1940–1980, and the Käthe Kollwitz exhibition

Organic design in home furnishings

By Eliot F. Noyes, 1941

Guillermo González Ruiz, Roland Shakespear

Nuevos Diseños Knoll (New Designs from Knoll)

c.1970

I was fascinated by the Crafting Modernity: Design in Latin America  exhibition. As a Latina/Hispanic designer, it felt really special to see how design from Latin America has shaped modern aesthetics in such a unique way. The exhibition highlighted the intersection of traditional craftsmanship with modern design movements, showing how Latin American designers merged cultural heritage with cutting-edge innovation.

Seeing the innovative use of materials, patterns, and forms reminded me of the importance of blending personal cultural identity with contemporary design practices. It made me feel proud to be a part of a creative legacy that is often overlooked in mainstream design conversations. This exhibition not only celebrated the contributions of Latin American designers but also inspired me to think about how I can incorporate my own cultural influences into my design work.

Käthe Kollwitz.The Survivor. 1923

John Giorno. Dial-A-Poem. 1968/2012

Walking into this part of the exhibition felt different from the others, it was interactive in a way that I wasn’t expecting. There were four old-school telephones on a table, each with a number written next to it. I picked up one of the phones, dialed the number, and on the other end, a woman’s voice started reciting a poem.

I don’t remember the exact words, but the way she spoke made it feel personal, like she was speaking directly to me. The experience was strangely soothing hearing poetry instead of reading it on a piece of paper changed the way I absorbed it. The rhythm, the pauses, and the tone of her voice added another layer of meaning that I don’t think I would have picked up just by reading.

It made me think about how art isn’t just visual, it’s something that can be felt in different ways. The idea that this project started in the ‘60s and still feels relevant today was also interesting. We’re used to listening to things on our phones all the time, but this felt more intimate, more intentional. It was definitely one of the most unique parts of the exhibition for me

Adrian Piper

Self-Portrait at Age 5 with Doll

1966

Bird on Money (1981) by Jean-Michel Basquiat

While browsing the MoMA gift shop, we randomly came across something super exciting. An album cover from one of our favorite rock bands, The Strokes. It was crazy to see Phrazes for the Young by Julian Casablancas there and realize that the artwork on it was actually Bird on Money (1981) by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Even though we didn’t see the actual painting in the exhibition, just spotting the album cover made us want to learn more about the piece. Bird on Money is Basquiat’s tribute to jazz legend Charlie Parker, and it carries a lot of the themes Basquiat is known for fame, struggle, and raw creativity. His mix of bold colors, chaotic yet controlled brushstrokes, and scrawled words gives the piece so much energy.

It was a cool reminder of how art crosses over into music and pop culture. Seeing Basquiat’s influence on an album we already love made us appreciate both his work and The Strokes even more. It also made me think about how album art can be just as impactful as the music itself it’s another layer of storytelling.