The Bmore Youth Arts Advocacy Council (BYAAC) takes to the road again! This time for an all day art jaunt to the Glenstone Museum in Potomac Maryland. The design of the museum takes the term installation to its height: integrating art, architecture and nature on 300 acres of land. Planning for the trip was grounded in prior research by the team that centered on; the artists and exhibitions on view; the outdoor sculptures; and the architecture of the museum. Council member Belladonna Boenteng aptly describes the collection as “art that defines life.”
Everyone met up at the Motorhouse at 8:30am for a light breakfast of croissants, mini cinnamon buns and apple juice. Excitement among the Council was palpable as we grabbed some snacks for the road and boarded the bus at 9am. The sun was high, skies blue and the traffic light as the driver headed north on I95. This was a much anticipated art experience and learning opportunity. As council member, J’Naya Harris proclaimed in her piece below “the minute that I stepped foot on the gravel, I knew I was in for something special!” Read on to hear more from the team about their different experiences and thoughts on some of the artwork on view!
The trip
Waking up in the morning just to see some art
Art that overcomes stumbling blocks
Art that is designed for your background
Art that defines life
Art that explores gravity
Art that reveals nature’s true beauty
Art that empowers women
Art that is a mystery to mankind
Art that awaits decay
~Belladonna Boateng
One of my favorite artworks was made by Robert Gober. What I found… was the way it made me feel.. like I was outside… and the power it showed…the rat box and the double meaning behind it…chaotic New York … and for people…rats who outed gay men when being gay wasn’t as acceptable..
I think that the architecture was dope… built to be based on the futuristic grey society… is pretty cool in my opinion… made me feel like I was in a video game.
~Dinell Boyd
I loved the field trip! I started my day off with a rough morning, but going to Glenstone made my day. The first piece we saw was Split-Rocker by Jeff Koons, which was currently out of bloom. Seeing the picture of Split-Rocker in full bloom completely changes how I feel about the work. The flowers and grass make the piece look a lot more finished.
Some of the artists that stood out most to me were Arthur Jafa with his piece “My Little Buddha”, Robert Gober, Tacita Dean, and Simone Leigh (Village Series 2021). I consider the museum itself to be an artwork as well, with the water garden in the middle of the gallery and all the nature surrounding the buildings. It’s clear that the placement of every building was well thought out to match the environment. Kudos to the architects Thomas Phifer and Charles Gwathmey. All the employees were very friendly and knowledgeable on the artwork as well!
~Grey Dylan
Glenstone the place i call home
Glenstone is the place i call home
It’s a magical place where all your greatest imaginations come
A place where u can be anything
A place where u can feel anything without being judged
It’s my heaven
My happy place
Glenstone is the place i call home
~Myra Hicks
Glenstone was a casual day at a park but
with art.
Tacita Dean brought me peace with the color,
texture, and scenery.
Arthur Jafa brought me interaction and contemplation.
~Carrie Snowden
The trip to the Glenstone Museum was truly amazing. The large space, beautiful architecture, and of course the wonderful art was a sight to see. It felt refreshing to be in such a neat clean space, with landscaping that attracts people from miles away. The green area appeared to be very eco friendly. The staff was super helpful and kind. They had a decent dining area, and served some good food.
There were so many amazing art pieces inside and outside. It would be very difficult for me to pick a favorite, but if I had to; I would definitely say that the “Simone Leigh” piece was my favorite. This piece was mesmerizing and interesting to look at. The emotions that were evoked from this piece were very deep. I felt joy from looking at the piece, but also sad about the background history of the piece. The piece reminds me of slavery, which evokes a lot of my sad emotions. Not only was the piece very historical and deep, its design was very captivating.
The overall trip was amazing. It was a great area with positive vibrations in the air. The minute that I stepped foot on the gravel, I knew that I was in for something special. The place truly lit me up, and made me excited for a possible second visit.
~J’Naya Harris