Rebranding to Queens Museum of Art - Essay Example

Queens Museum Background information Queens Museum is the new given to the previously known Queens Museum of Art. I conquer with the museum’s change of name has brought new life to the city making it a local place for a global neighborhood. Located in Manhattan’s street, Queens Museum is situated in New York City Building erected in 1937 with the aim of holding the 1939’s world’s Fair. Despite housing the current Queens Museum, the New York City Building has served numerous purposes including housing the first United Nations General Assembly headquarter between 1946 and 1950. Afterwards, the building was remodeled for reasons of accommodating the New York City Pavilion at a different World’s Fair (Kurchanova n.p). For most New Yorkers, the southern half of the New York building has great memories as it was the place they took their first skating lessons like I and most of my friends did. Since 1952, the southern half occupied an ice-skating rink that has served generation after generation. For the Queens Museum of Arts, the foundation year was 1972 and the museum has been occupying the Northern half of the New York City building. The museum’s growth is mostly attributed to the World’s Fair attractions and proudly incorporates the original fair exhibits (Harpaz n.p). From the 1964’s Fair, the four prominent and still standing attractions to the Museum are gigantic steel sphere, towers seemingly capped with flying saucers and two rocket ships. According to Harpaz, each of the landmarks has a meaning (n.p). For the two rocket ships, they represent an era during which NASA had great quest for space exploration and have man landing on the moon’s surface. These rocket ships are found outside the New York Hall of Science in Queens. The steel sphere of the globe or the unisphere is a globe made from steel and comprising 12-stories. The unisphere is located in Flushing Meadow’s Park outside the museum. The towers seemingly topped with flying saucers form the New York State Pavilion. Founded by Phillip Johnson, the Pavilion was established to embody the world’s hope for the future as well as for New York State to be a cultural and Technological Center. In 1964-1965, The United States of America was anticipating having a man land on the moon but these ambitions were tampered news like assassination of President John F Kennedy, Vietnam Casualties, and turbulent civil rights clashes (Clement n.p). This monumental concrete structure comprised of a theatre, 100 foot high open air egg-shaped ring, and three surveillance towers. The elliptical roof comprised of translucent color tiles which was declared as unstable and removed in 1976 leaving the vulnerable to ravaging by weather and time and today, the pavilion is locked, cracked, and rusted with debates ongoing on whether or not it should be rehabilitated (Harpaz n.p). Today, the Queens Museum has replaced the Queens Museum of Art’s after a renovation process of approximately $69 million in cost (Cotter n.p). For me, the most notable changes in the museum are increased interior space which has grown to almost twice the original size. The increase in interior space is attributed to the extension of the museum to include the former skating rink which has contributed additional space totaling to 50,000 square foot. In this additional museum space are extra studios for local artists, galleries and collection storage areas. For its high ceiling, lighting is natural which contributes to a feeling that is in line with the democratizing spirit of the museum (Cotter n.p). Additionally, the traditional solid walls that contained the museum away from the nearby public have been replaced with glass sheets on both sides such that one can see right through it. Besides the building’s introduction of transparency, it is easy for one to make their way through the museum owing to the introduction of a semi-logical layout. Rebranding to Queens Museum In order to enhances its new life, Queens Museum no longer holds the words “of Arts” as a way of rebranding it for both local and international community. The renovation of the museum is intended at expanding the idea of a community to imply unbound by geographical boundaries. According to Cotter (n.p), the museum’s outer boroughs could either be used to enhance interaction with more close community which is what was the intended rebranding cause or they could serve the Manhattan audience. For Queens Museum, the surrounding local population is highly cosmopolitan and the lively history of the building as the host of the second World’s Fair in 1964 which then adds a competitive advantage to its recognition. Through the renovation, the main aim is clear as to increasing the visibility of the museum both culturally and physically. Although the outside changed, the basic shape of the structure has been retained and large letters spelling the new name of the museum are visible from the highway. For this museum the increased interior physical space presents openness, functionality and efficiency with natural light illuminating the central area and surrounding galleries. The renovation of the building is a crucial step towards aligning the building’s architecture to modern day advances in architecture like natural light illumination. The renovated building also comprises of descend from all the four sides that is comparable to a mesmerizing geometric waterfall that hold multiple louvers which diffuse the natural light into the building. Additionally, the building has been made such that it contains temporary and permanent exhibitions to meet the varying needs of different exhibitors. This is particularly facilitated by the temporary exhibitions which can be done with regards to the needs of the interested party. For instance, there is connection to Taiwan through a Taiwan Based curator called Meiya Cheng in a Taiwan Community Fund Gallery (Kurchanova n.p). The result is rich connection between the exhibitor and visitors, and improved collaboration between artists and curators and what is around them. Additionally, the inclusion of glass for the external walls of the museum has enhanced the connection between the outside world and the exhibitions. The survival of the museum has also been enriched through the inclusion of impressive and wide range topics, compilation of the building’s legacy, the root of the museum in the history of New York City and the dedication to appeal to the artistic culture in Queens (Kurchanova n.p). The renovation of the museum is a clear indication that the management has the interests of the local community at heart especially the fact that there is a vibrant artistic culture in Queens. Additionally, the museum’s renovation has the interests of New York in that they reveal the great features in it. For instance, one of the exhibitions in view is The Marvel of New York’s Water Supply System. Another exhibition is The Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass which is traditionally considered to be richly artistic. Together with the World’s Fair Visible Storage and Gallery and the Panorama of the City of New York, these exhibitions comprise a large part of the identity of Queens Museum and could also have contributed to the change in name. (Kurchanova n.p). Through the New York City Watershed and the use of detailed text surrounding the photographs, one’s mind is engaged to understand the construction and history of the New York City water supply, Gas and electricity. Additionally, Kurchanova reveals that one understands the extent to which technology contributes to the lives of New York citizens (n.p). The watershed map is defined as part of professional occupation that have led to led to the change in the name of the museum and whose inclusion in the exhibitions brings about the critical information about New York City. Thorough the new Museum, the city and people of New York have been granted a place to experience national and international art, public interactions and intellectual adventure (Kurchanova n.p). Adventure remains given that the rink has only been transferred to the World Ice Arena on the Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Queens Museum appreciation of local art talent is represented in exhibitions like Peter Schumann papier Mache figures, paintings, books, and drawings galleries. Schumann founded the Bread and Puppet Theatre with artistic interests in 3 dimensional visual arts. Apart from preserving New York City’s culture, the new agenda also focuses on expanded educational and community enlightenment through festivities, exhibitions and numerous performances. Despite living in New York for most of my life, the changes in this museum have made me understand the city better. Of particular importance is the increasing diversity in population demographic. I realize how important it is to acknowledge that New York accommodates people of all culture and the appreciation of such culture through exhibitions or other events is really essential for the city to remain a top tourist attraction. When numerous cultures are allowed to exhibit their uniqueness, visitors will always have something to identify with and feel appreciated. Through the exhibits like the map of New York water system, I have also come to understand the structure and layout of this beautiful city. Works Cited Clement, Jason. Welcome to the Future: Meet The New York State Pavilion, Our Newest National Treasure. 22 April 2014. 23 April 2014. . Cotter, Holland. A Local Place for a Global Neighborhood: The Expanded Queens Museum Reopens. 7 November 2013. 23 ApriL 2014. . Harpaz, Beth, J. Revisiting NYCs 1964 World Fair, 50 years later. 21 April 2014. 23 April 2014. . Kurchanova, Natasha. The Queens Museum, New York reopens. 9 September 2013. 23 April 2014. . Read More