Modernity…whether you like it or not, it’s in. In today’s day and age people want to see innovative and experimental artwork. Some like brand new and modern, some like traditional with a twist.

Recently, I went to the Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art otherwise known as MOMA. Both buildings are modern and clean cut, but they are extremely different. You know what they say, “First impressions are everything,” so before I even entered the buildings my impressions of both went different directions. I personally like clean cut and modern design but at the same time I also love traditional. The mix of the two is neo-classical design, which is basically traditional with a modern twist. I guess in this case you can call me a centrist.

The Guggenheim is an amazing sight to look at. It almost looks like the top half of an ice cream cone but it has a crevice circling downward causing a very interesting desing aspect and annexes that stick out that give room for the many exhibits that the Guggenheim has to offer. Not to be harsh but all I could say about MOMA was that it was a box. It’s modernity is so modern that there is no creativity and innovative design.

The Guggenheim featured an exhibit called Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward, in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the museum that he built. It was a very amazing and innovative exhibit even though the works were from around fifty years ago. The exhibit focused mainly on architecture, which is what he was, an architect. There were his original sketches, models built that resembled his designs that never came to fruition, and videos made to show his unbuilt designs. The rest of the museum had works by various artists. I appreciated it because I was able to see the work they put in and be inspired by the work that came out. There was modern, traditional, and everything in between. Even the way to get around is cool, by way of a circular walkway that slowly makes its way up the cylinder like shape of the Guggenheim, and the ceiling is a beautiful piece of glass with metal inlay all around, like the museum itself is a work of art.

MOMA was all modern and though I enjoyed myself, it felt very uninspired. Many of the works were furniture that I loved and found very innovative, while still being functional and useful. The exhibit on the top floor was by Ron Arad called No Boundaries, an Israeli architect and designer. His works were also pieces of artistic, functional furniture, and also other forms of art. It was amazing to see what people can create that resembles ordinary things but offers much more. Then there was the work by Song Dong. I liked his work’s message to us all about consumption and how we are all wasteful, and felt the inspiration was there and it was truely touching, but the message was not translated in my perspective, an artistic manner. Unfortunately, I did not get to see the Sculpture Garden because they temporarily closed it and I had to leave so no sculptures and gelatto for me.

All in all I loved both museums and they both have a lot to offer but for me, many of the works in MOMA almost seem like a joke, while the works in the Guggenheim showed work put in and in turn work was brought out.

Now, it’s your turn. Why not check them out for yourself and let us know what you think?