MOPA Visit

While experiencing Flor Garduno’s exhibition at MOPA, I most connected with Santuario de Las Mariposas (Butterfly Sanctuary). I think that I most connected with this piece because butterflies have always been a representation of my abuelita after her death a few yeas ago and the piece not only displays beautiful butterflies, but it is also titled in Spanish. I saw my abuelita in this work – a piece that was so simple, yet so meaningful. The somberness of the black and white photography brought about a sense of peace in the photo, however seeing all the butterflies together in the air also made it seem a little chaotic. When I first saw the piece, I did not know I was looking at butterflies – it wasn’t until I read the title did I recognize that those dots were, in fact, butterflies. Most of my connection to this piece has to deal with my relationship to my abuelita, and I think that I mostly saw her in this picture because of the type of artist Garduno is. Her Mexican heritage and intricate, yet general, photography style are very similar to the life of my abuelita. Then there is also the fact that I associate butterflies with her, which was obviously relatable in this particular photo. Overall, the image gave off a powerful message to me, and that was that life is short and to enjoy time. Although I feel that Garduno may have intended a different meaning, I think that a big part of art is recognizing that there is always the possibility of multiple interpretations. This photo was a part of Garduno’s Silent Natures collection, and that makes me wonder if the photo was supposed to represent the butterflies in nature as a species, or of they were to portray something different? Nonetheless, at the end of the day, it is really about the connection to the piece that was formed, and for me, personally, I found myself emotionally connected to the piece; as it reminded me of my abuelita – a simple Mexican woman with the highest of values and heart of gold.

As well as recognizing Garduno’s work, I also saw some of Brett Weston’s photos (in the museum as well as online). One of my favorite works of his is Mendenhall Glacier, which is a landscape photo he took in Alaska. The state of Alaska has always boggled me, as most of its lands seem to be uninhabited, and all of it is always cold and always snowy. I have never found out if either of those preconceived notions of Alaska is true. Nonetheless, Weston’s landscape photo of a piece of Alaska is absolutely breathtaking. Right form the start, I questioned what I was looking at and had to rely on the title of the work to help me figure that out. As well as that, the photo is so dark, a sense of mystery is stirred from it, and I can’t help but think that was entirely intentional – because, as I said before, Alaska is one big mystery to those who don’t live in or near it. When looking at this image, I see a part of the mystery that makes Alaska so gorgeous. Its simplicity and jaw-dropping structures captivate our eyes and have us questioning nature. Are we looing at water or something else created by nature? If it is water that I am seeing, why is it pitch black? What intention was there behind that? Putting all of this together has given me the opportunity to search more into the image and try to grasp an understanding of Alaska, and I am enjoying that journey.