Today I experienced my very first art gallery, at the Hugh Lane Exhibit in Dublin. I was amazed by the collections of beautiful artwork and the variety that was offered. As we continue to contemplate place and the theories of Cresswell that set the tone for this trip, I entered the gallery with a very specific mind-set. I was planning on viewing the art in relation to where the paintings were set, or where the artist would have been when the art work was created. However, as I ventured further through the exhibits, I noticed something that I thought fit much better. One thing that really caught my eye was the “art studio.” I was confused at first because it just looked like someone forgot to close a door and had exposed a huge mess, but then I realized it was the “studio” of one of the featured artists. A quote on the wall explained how the artist felt he could not work in any other space; he preferred the untidiness and organized madness of his studio. I found this so relevant to what we have been discussing because in a way, this studio shaped him into the successful artist that he turned out to be. On the other hand, one could also argue that he shaped the studio into the way it was. Either way, it makes for a very interesting and relevant discussion of how Cresswell’s theories apply to more than just literature, but all forms of art and expression.

Another piece that caught my eye was “Drawing for ‘Tank'” by Edward and Nancy Kienholz. This piece, as the description beside explained, was part of an entire exhibit about a young African American woman. The wheel in the top right shows different possibilities of the type of life she may live, and the items in the sink depict the type of life she may currently live. It is amazing how we feel we may be defined by the place we live, the things we have, and the predisposition we are born into. I feel that this piece highlighted to role that “place” holds in the lives of people. This piece was also very different from the pieces in other exhibits, but I really appreciated it and felt as though I had made a connection and drawn meaning out of it.