Delighted by Docents

The BLACC’s annual trip to the MetropolitanMuseum of Art in New York City took place on Saturday, January 14th. Students were split into four groups and given tours by docents. After viewing and learning about ancient Roman and Greek art, the students were given free time to explore the museum on their own.

Did you know that five of our own qualify to be docents in New York's Metropolitan Museum? Yes, that's right. The BLACC has visited New York's Metropolitan Museum for five years in a row. Their most recent trip was on January 14th. The docents for the trip were Ms. Fillion, Dr. Properzio, Ms. Rivera, Ms. Downey, and Meseret Oldjira (a BLA student!!). Meseret stood out as a docent. One might wonder, why a student? How did she get such a principal position? "Well," quotes Ms. Fillion, " she had already gone on this trip 3 times before, and she is a very acomplished artist herself, but most importantly, she loves art and loves learning about artists and their work.  So, she knows a good amount about it. When I was looking for who might be a good docent, it was Christine O'Neil (from Prison Book Program) who suggested Meseret. I thought it was a wonderful idea. You don't need to be an adult to teach. And in fact, I figured that Meseret would have a refreshing approach to the art that she would want to show others. Since the JCL is supposed to be about student leadership in general, I thought that this would fit nicely into that tenet of our creed.  My hope is that there will be other student docents in the future."
      As it turns out, Ms. Fillion wasn't the only one who thought of Meseret's being a docent as a good idea "She did very well and she really knew a lot," says Karen Greene, a current 10th grade BLACC member, "I learned many new things and was able to appreciate how much effort it takes to make such beautiful art." Marie Pierre, another 10th grade BLACC member, replied furthermore, "Meseret knew so much about art that it was really cool to hear her decipher things for us. It was a different, but informative experience." But it wasn't just Meseret who did a great job. There were still four other dedicated Latin-loving docents who came to enlighten us.

Ms. Fillion was a big hit. "It was great to have someone go through the artwork and help you understand the artists’ perspective and their style.  She was very informative," explained Kimberly Smith. But that wasn't all she got out of it. "Since I'm an aspiring artist, I viewed different pieces with different styles that showed me that it wasn't just pure talent but hard work and focus to create such intricate pieces." She learned many new things from Ms. Fillion, who showed them Greek pots and vases, dating back to the early Geometric period of the 8th and 9th century BC, orientalizing vases, and black figure, red figure, and white ground vases, "I learned about different types of art that were created by the Greeks and how they were used. Some of the artwork told stories; most of the stories were about gods."

Then there was Ms. Rivera's group. Ms. Rivera, a BLA Latin teacher, minored in art history at Boston University focusing on classical art and its influence on renaissance art. "I really enjoy what people have to say about art," she says, "especially when they give personal interpretations. I really want students to come with their own ideas and express them." Her group was led through the second floor and observed European paintings, skimmed through the drawings and photographs, and ended at European impressionism with Monet and Van Gogh."I learned a lot of new things" explains Elizabeth Connolly, a 10th grade BLACC member, "Most importantly, I discovered that I actually like art! It was crazy to see art that's in your Latin book right in front of you." Her opinion of Ms. Rivera was just as agreeable, "She had great insight on many of the pieces of art that we saw. I really enjoyed being in her group."

            Our next docent, Ms. Downey, is a graduate student from Boston University; she majored in art history and is now studying to become a Latin teacher!  Her group traveled through the Greek and Roman art sections as well as the Lehman Collection "I enjoyed it very much," says Tahisha Desir, "Ms. Downey was a very fun teacher. She taught us a lot and focused on Latin art and vases, teaching us a bunch of different stories. And she was really funny."

                Finally, there was Dr. Properzio. Ita Kane, another 10th grade BLACC member, reports that he did a good job of showing off the artwork, especially the Roman statues. "It made my Latin book come alive!" she declared. "And most importantly, I learned that even though we can't converse with great artists like Botticelli, we can still see through their eyes by looking at their artwork."
                One might wonder, for it has been frequently asked, why the BLACC would take a trip all the way to New York just to see some art. “Well, I would say that we go on this trip each year both for cultural enrichment to one of the best museums in the world, and so that the students of BLA have a chance to interact with each other," quotes Dr. Properzio. So not only are the students able to attend a museum rich with history and culture (much of which is ancient Roman and Greek) but they are also able to collaborate and unite, thus receiving the cultural and social benefits as a whole and as individuals.
                                                                -Zan Davis, Grade 10

Smiling for the camera at the Mcdonalds, on the way to the Met. Museum.

Amanda’s Thoughts

Whoever said that going to a museum was boring, has certainly never gone to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City with the BLACC. I had never been to the museum, or to speak more broadly, I had never been to New York so I was quite excited. Getting up at 5:30 in the morning to go to BLA felt normal, but doing it on a Saturday just didn't sit well with me. The bus ride was very long and it felt grueling at times, but the best part of the trip was yet to come. When we finally arrived, we all came together to take a group picture outside the museum. After I entered the gigantic museum and underwent a bag search, I went into my group, which was led by Ms. Rivera. She let us choose where we wanted to go. Instead of pointing out a specific picture and forcing us to talk about it, she let us choose ourselves which pictures we liked. The artworks that I was drawn to the most were the various interpretations of the Underworld. The imagery of fire, demons, large rodents, skulls, and the scary and smoky atmosphere made me stare at these paintings for what seemed and felt like forever. I was also drawn to the oil paintings of Claude Monet because they were so peaceful and serene. I unfortunately do not know too much about Roman mythology, but by viewing mythological sculptures and listening to Ms. Rivera tell stories about the history behind them, it made me appreciate the artwork much more. My favorite sculpture was of Iris, the messenger of the gods and the personification of the Rainbow, by Auguste Rodin. She was sculpted in a very unique position. Her leg was far stretched behind her back, and it seemed like a very tricky thing to sculpt. This gave me a deep appreciation for the sculptor. At about two o’clock, everybody had the opportunity to roam around the museum on their own. I found my way into the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection, where he turned garbage into masterpieces. It was amazing how he could turn hideousness into beauty. After I viewed this gallery and a few others, I went into one of the many gift shops. It was filled with jewelry and a countless number of art books. Then I went to the cafeteria with my friends Iris, Saundra, Alira, Evelyn, and Maria. We had the best time. At one time we were laughing so hard, that we couldn't breathe (nota bene: do not give Iris chocolate). Before we knew it, it was four o’clock. It was time to leave the museum. I had the most amazing time in New York, and I will surely be going again next year. 
                                                -Amanda Douglas, Grade 11

Anthony’s Thoughts

As a huge fan of art, I was ecstatic to be going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the day! We learned many things about the different paintings, sculptures, and other artworks. After being divided into our groups, our docent and MassJCL historian, Meseret Oldjira, and Christine O’Neil showed us around in the European Paintings gallery. The paintings that I saw were magnificent. They not only had a story behind them, but they could also be interpreted in many different ways. However, the one that I liked the most was the painting Pygmalion and Galatea by Jean-Léon Gérôme. This mythological painting depicts the story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who saw many flaws in women and in the end, sculpts his ideal woman out of ivory. He fell in love with the statue and when Venus saw what was happening, she took pity on him and brought the statue to life, and named her Galatea. This story really shows true love as Pygmalion tiptoes up and embraces her. The one thing that was very effective about this painting was Gérôme’s detailing in capturing the transformation of Galatea. In the painting, you could actually see how he tried to show this transformation by having her top half as a human, while her bottom half was still made of ivory. Another spectacular detail was the background. It showed the workshop of Pygmalion, but also represented the talent of the sculptor. The only thing I disliked was the addition of Eros (Cupid) in the side of the painting. He was never really mentioned in Ovid’s Metamorphoses at all. As a wrap up, what I learned from this trip is how fascinating paintings can be and how a simple painting can have so many meanings behind it. Also, I learned that even if you don’t know what the painting is mainly about, you could make an educated guess with little facts. It’s simple and fun just like that!
                                                -Anthony Pan, Grade 10

Erica’s Thoughts

I felt weird waking up at six o’clock in the morning on a Saturday. Then I realized that I was going to New York City to see the Metropolitan Museum. After I was ready, I headed off to school. Once everyone arrived, we boarded the bus and we were off. The bus ride to New York wasn’t as fun as the bus ride from New York because everyone wasn’t fully awake. I was asleep for most part of the bus ride. At the museum, Ms. Fillion guided us for two hours. Ms. Fillion told us that by looking at the vases, it was like we were looking at stories drawn and not written. I also learned to distinguish red figures from black figures. Red figured vases are more improved and therefore came after black figured vases. Black figure vases are those vases that are first painted black and then have the drawings over that coat of black. The Red figure vases stay with the red color of the pottery and then have the drawings painted over it. Fascinating huh?



We also saw a very valuable piece to the museum. It cost them over 45 million dollars! It was the piece entitled Madonna and Child by Duccio di Buoninsegna. This piece is valuable because unlike other paintings of Madonna and child, the baby is lifting Madonna’s veil to see her face other than both being stiff and emotionless. After that we had time to be with our friends. We first went to the cafeteria; most of us ate our own food because the museum food was expensive. We then went around looking at drawings and sculptures that led us to the gift shop. We also looked at Egyptian temples. By the time we were finished, it was time to meet up and get back on the bus. This bus ride was fun! After an hour we stopped to eat. After that I was able to get some sleep. When we were thirty minutes away from school, we made phone calls to our parents to come pick us up. Then we arrived back to the school and went our separate ways. 
                                                                -Erica Cuevas, Grade 9

Karen’s Thoughts

                Who would have thought that on such a rainy day, I could have so much fun! I finally got a chance to see more of the museum because last year I didn’t have enough time to go through all the beautiful things in there. This time I went to the Asian arts, Egyptian arts, and musical instruments during my free time. It was a great experience. I learned many things about the paintings. My favorite painting was The Storm by Pierre-Auguste Cot. It gave off a feeling of strength and unity. The artist's skills in the painting were so wonderful and alive. It showed the power of love and how much love can do.
My favorite place in the museum was the Asian arts. They had a lot of furniture and weapons from all over Asia. When I walked into the houses that they made, I had a feeling for home in my own country. I felt like staying in there forever because I got to learn more about my culture in the ancient times, and I was able to be in the presence of the events that happened back in the day. The museum was so exciting. I wouldn't mind going to the museum again next year, it's a museum that I know won’t bore anyone.
                                                        -Karen Bui, Grade 8

 

Reggie’s Thoughts

            I had a great day on the NYC Metropolitan Trip. The bus ride was long, but we had a lot of fun. I tried to go to sleep, but I watched the Lion King instead. When Marie told me we were in the Bronx that was when I got the feel for N.Y. When we stepped off the bus we were quickly rushed to take our group picture. My favorite part of the trip was when we went to the Egyptian Wing. I like hieroglyphics and theSarcophagi (a carved stone coffin) most. I think the way that they erected the temples was great. Also I wanted to see the large model of Parthenon but it had been moved. When we saw the sculpture of the Siren, I was taken aback because I didn't know that they looked like that in mythology. All the art was very nice. I didn't want to leave so soon but when we did, I loved the Mickey D's on the way back. It was an overall great day and the bus ride was cool.
                                    -Reginauld Williams, Grade 10

Students smiling for the camera at the Met. museum.

Anicka’s Thoughts

            I was thrilled to be spending a Saturday with the BLACC. Like most club events, I grabbed a couple of my friends to go with me, and we had a wonderful time. When we first arrived at the museum, we were split into groups. I found out that Meseret would be my "docent" for the day. She explained to us a lot of the stories behind each of the paintings that we saw, and I ended up learning a lot of new and interesting facts.
        One of my favorite pieces was The Storm, which was a very interesting piece. I learned from Meseret that there were many ideas as to who the people in the painting were, but no one was sure of the true identity of the two characters that were portrayed in this painting by Pierre-Auguste Cot, a French artist. It was also fun to see the different interpretations of different stories, as was expected. One example was The Birth of Venus byAlexandre Cabanel.
                After we finished learning all that Meseret had prepared to teach us, we had free time to visit whatever part of the museum we wanted to. We made it to the African and Egyptian art. I had such a good time looking at all of the different jewelry, sculptures and paintings, that I didn't even want to leave.
                                                                -Anicka Samuel, Grade 9

Hei Yiu’s Thoughts

            I woke up at about six in the morning with the heavy rain falling outside and I got to school at about six thirty. On the bus trip to the Museum, I tried to keep myself awake, but I could not. I woke up when I heard the sound of Ms. Fillion speaking; then we arrived at the museum. I was assigned to Ms. Fillion’s group, and she showed us many different kinds of vases made at different periods of times. On most of the vases, there were scenes from certain mythological stories. I also learned about the red and black figures. We spent about two hours with Ms. Fillion, and then we had free time. My group was traveling at an extremely fast speed, I only jotted down some notes and I barely kept up. I saw many paintings and art pieces at the museum, but the museum was so huge that I did not see all of them. One particular painting I remember was the Valley of Wyomingby Jasper Francis Cropsey. The painting was one of the most realistic among other paintings; I still remember the beautiful details. The painting shows the natural environment and farm life in which people in Wyoming lived during the early 1800’s. The painting interested me, but the design for some wings of the museum truly fascinated me even more. The Sackler Wing had a very beautiful design with a very large glass window on the right side. I wonder how much it actually cost to put up so many windows. I had been through almost two-thirds of the museum by the time we had to leave. I had seen the Egyptian Temples, Chinese Arts, Modern Arts, American arts, medieval arts, special exhibits, the café and many other arts places. I had a lot of fun. There was so much to see, but so little time. Maybe next time, I should find someone to carry me through the museum, rather than walking by foot.
-Hei Yiu, Grade 9

Evelyn’s Thoughts

            I was excited to be going to NYCwith the BLACC. We were on our way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When we got there, we were split up into groups and started our tours. Dr. Properzio was my guide, and he taught us all very interesting information. In one of the exhibits, there was a very interesting piece of art. It was a vase type object that people used to use for mixing water and wine. I was told that when the museum first received it, they had to pay a lot of money for it. After having the vase for a while, the museum found out that it might have been stolen, so the museum didn't know if it had to be returned or if they could keep it. Since then, they have been able to keep the vase. Another interesting piece of art was the sculpture Grave Stele of a Little
Girl that portrayed a girl and her doves. The story was that the little girl was saying goodbye to the doves and the sculptor of this wanted to show how tinnocent and gentle she was. He also wanted to show her figure so he made her dress compliment her features
and he made it look like her dress softly fell over her body. There were many other exhibits that we observed; one of them was
the new exhibit of religious art. After the  long day of observation, the members of the BLACC all left the museum. The one thing that they didn't leave behind was their memories of the wonderful time spent there.
                                                                                               -Evelyn Gonzalez, Grade 10

 

Tahisha’s Thoughts

Only true JCLers wake up early on a rainy Saturday morning to ride on a bus to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  That's what BLACC did on Saturday, January 14th, but the museum trip was well worth its journey. 
              After being separated into groups led by docents, BLACC was off to explore the plethora of paintings and sculptures.  Lauren Downey, an art history graduate from Boston University and one of the presenters from Classics Day, led my group.  It was fun to learn from her as she often expressed her humor while teaching us about some of the classically related exhibits. My group was then allowed to roam the halls of the museum alone.
               I can call many pieces of art my favorites.  I loved looking at the European interior design, especially two elaborate 18th century English dining rooms, one from Lansdowne House in London and the other from Kirtlington Park in Oxford.  My favorite statue was one called Bacchante and Infant Faun, which portrays an exuberant young woman with a child.  There were three oil-canvas paintings that caught my eye: the innocence and simplicity in Young Girl Bathing by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the detail in Princesse de Broglie by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and the life-likeness in Joan of Arc by Jules Bastien-Lepage I had fun going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I will definitely go again next year and I also encourage you all to go at least once in your lifetime. 
                                                                -Tahisha Desir, Grade 11

Art Throughout the Ages

            On your way to class as you were walking through the second floor, you may have noticed the drawings that are hung up on the walls. These drawings were the term products for Mr. Maguire’s Latin 4 classes. I bet a lot of you are asking, “Why do they get to draw pictures while I have to write a boring essay?” Well, according to Mr. Maguire, he chose to have his students draw a picture because he wanted them to really look at a Roman ruin. He thinks that spending a couple of hours staring at and drawing a Roman ruin will be a better way to remember it instead of just writing an essay. His students produced drawings of all kinds of famous ruins, including the Arch of Titus (one of the many places that he, Ms. Salter, and Ms. Hui took the students who participated in their trip to Italy over the summer). The term products have been hung up in several places along the second floor. So next time as you’re hurrying along to class, make sure you take the time to stop and look at these beautiful works of art.
                                                                -Vanessa Ruano, Grade 11

Reggie and Marie outside of t he Met. Museum.