"Plastic Fantastic" and other sitings at Mass MoCA!
Last week the 5th and 6th Grade classes, along with Mr. Spitzer and Ms. Sicurella, spent the afternoon among large-scale contemporary art at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. In conjunction with their current studies in the Drawing & Painting studio, students spent time with the work of Sol Lewitt, experiencing his early, mid-career, and recent works throughout three floors of the museum. Highlights of the trip included the immersive installations of Lee Boroson featured in his “Plastic Fantastic” exhibition. Among our favorites, Deep Current (2014), a kinetic sculpture/machine that produces a ‘waterfall’ of ping-pong balls. Eclipse (2014), a stunning video installation by artists Sayler/Morris with Elizabeth Kolbert also caught our attention. This projected image of a tree gaining and losing its leaves (in the form of birds) examines species extinction through the passenger pigeon, whose once-massive population disappeared 100 years ago.
We also had the opportunity to explore the Kidspace exhibition, It’s Only Human featuring the work of Nick Veasey and Marilene Oliver who both use state-of-the-art medical imaging technology and x-rays to explore humans from the inside-out. We ended our visit with a hands-on art-making activity related to themes of this show.