Tuesday, December 3, 2013

What's the Backstory??

Marlenes Rodriguez
December 3, 2013
What’s the Backstory?

          My exhibit What’s the Backstory?  Is based on how on how art objects have a meaning and story behind them.  What motivated me to come up with this idea was thinking about how music brings out emotions through lyrics and sounds which can affect or impact us. Each work of art in my exhibit bears a message, either one is based on an individual’s personal story or the objects own historical significant. The exhibit contains a variety of distinct works containing musical instruments, Modern photography and Egyptian art. Three of the works of art that captured my eye was The Bathrobe, The Archtop guitar and the Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street Manhattan. All come together with a story reflecting the life experiences of others.

          The Bathrobe, Sophie Calle 1989 is a photograph based on an eighteen year old girl and her relationship with her first love. The young lady requested to her first love not to let her see him naked for a year. Her first love would hide inside a white robe when she would come and visit in the mornings. According to the plaque at the Met “when it was all over he left the bathrobe behind with me”.  This was said by the young lady which symbolized the serious step she took in the relationship with her first love after one year.


The Archtop guitar (1932) by John D’Angelicon was a guitar maker who spent most of his life and career in the Lower East (NYC). He had a passion for making guitars and specialized in the creation of the Archtop guitar.  The Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street, Manhattan, Bernice Abbott is based on an eighty-seven year old barber August Pingpank who owned a barbershop in NYC. According to the plaque at the Metropolitan Museum of Art August was the oldest barber in the city. August thought it was time to retire after he found out about the invention of the safety razor. Instead of men coming to the barber shop for a shave they had the razor right at their own home.







Nan Goldin, "Heart Shaped Bruise", 1980, Modern Photography 



James D’Aquisto, "Archtop Guitar", 1993 , Musical Instruments




"Akhtihotep Reliefs", Egyptian Art





Sally Mann, "Jessie at Five", 1987, Modern Photography


Philip–Lorca diCorcia, "Brian", 1987,  Modern Photography



Berenice Abbott ,"Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street, Manhattan", May 1938, Modern Photography




Sophie Calle, "The Bathrobe", 1988-1989, Modern Photography



"Flying Horus with Shen Sign", Egyptian Art

   Roger Mayne, "Goalie, Street Football, Brindley Road, Paddington", 1956, Modern Photography