Below are some memorable exhibits from my recent visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The exhibits range from Shambhavi’s Reaper’s Melody, which reminds me of my ethnic heritage, to the power of speech seen in John Giorno’s interactive Dial-A-Poem, to my awareness of space when surrounded by Serra’s giant metal cubes!
Reapers Melody by Shambhavi
This installation has 294 iron sickles (a tool typically used in rural farming practices) that cluster closer together as they creep onto the corner wall. The artist says that this exhibit represents the importance of those who feed us, farmers and agriculture (Shambhavi, n.d.). One can interpret the single sickle placed at the top as a warning to what might happen if farming and agriculture are overlooked (i.e., if the sickle gets taken from a farmer). Shambhavi adds an intimate touch to this exhibit: all sickles made are by a local blacksmith in her homeland of Bihar, India (Shambhavi, n.d.). This country is known for its agriculture industry, which should be appreciated and protected!
Dial-A-Poem by John Giorno
Six rotary dial phones sit on individual tables. Take a seat and dial any number! Each number dialled recites a poem back to you. Sharing poems via phone started with John Giorno. He launched a free hotline in New York, where anyone could dial in to hear a poem for free (Papernik-Shimizu, 2023). Reciting poems verbally transformed the delivery of this commonly written art form. The ability to hear intonation and tone develops a new experience one can’t merely experience when reading a poem. This exhibit was memorable not just for its interactivity, but also its physical arrangement. It’s typical to view displays while standing, walking around and skimming, but I was sitting. This is both an individual and collective experience, as others are sitting at phones stationed not far off. Simply sitting and listening reminds me of the Spotify playlists that fill me with peace when I need a moment to merely sit and sink into the lyrics being sung to me. This exhibit challenges one to experience art through listening, not just seeing!
Equal by Richard Serra
In short, Equal consists of eight giant metal cubes stacked in pairs (Richard Serra, n.d.). The simplicity of this exhibit caused me to contemplate my orientation to the space around me. Staring up at these giant blocks when I was not even half their size made me feel so tiny and slightly scared of what would happen if one tipped over (though that never happened). Evidently, even those taller than me were still small compared to these blocks. On a conceptual level, this overwhelming smallness shifted my disposition to humility both figurately and physically.
This is merely a snapshot of the many sculptures, paintings, films and immersive rooms I experienced while visiting MoMA. Maybe on your visit, you’ll find yourself sitting at a table listening to a poem spoken from a rotary phone—an experience we’ll share! Or maybe new exhibits will make their way onto the floor, giving you a new palate to discover your favourites. Regardless, MoMA is not short of projects for you to explore!