Loyola students recently got a chance to appreciate photography, painting, video and light installations, and a treasure trove of priceless fine art in New York City as part of the Loyola Department of Art's annual pilgrimage with its students to the Big Apple. The trip, partially-sponsored by the Loyola College of Music and Media, took place Oct. 27-30 and helps both art and design students get a first-hand look at great works of art of the past and present, which may then inform their own art practice.
The students, led by Loyola art historian and Art Department chair Fr. Gregory Waldrop, S.J., criss-crossed Manhattan to visit contemporary art galleries in Chelsea as well as nearly a dozen major museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Museum, the Metropolitan, the newly opened Met Breuer, the Jewish Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the Frick, and the Guggenheim, among others. Along the way, there was also time for walk along the Hi-Line, an elevated linear park running along New York's West Side, a stop at one of the city's premier art bookstores, and strolls in Central Park, which is home to major works of public art.
"The goal is to expose our students to great works of art from hundred, or even thousands, of years ago, but also to show them notable examples of contemporary art, so they can see in person things they usually can only view on a screen or hear their professors talk about," said Waldrop. "Obviously, we want them to be inspired, and what better way to that than to take them to the art capital of the world?"
Students covered the cost of their airfare, food, and entrance costs to the museums. Lodging and transportation were sponsored by the Loyola Department of Art and College of Music and Media.
