What drew you to this artwork?
So I knew who Cindy Sherman was before, and this piece is really striking, just with the expression. It's pretty small, actually. For some reason, that made it kind of compelling for me; it's just kind of tiny and powerful. Cindy Sherman is a very famous woman and I really identify with her... I like [her] expression in the photo. It's kind of mysterious. So that's what drew me to it.
Did this piece change your appreciation or thoughts regarding professional artworks?
I feel like I had a good impression of professional artwork before, but this has made me think like, how does MIT let students take multi thousand dollar pieces home? I don't know. I couldn't believe that I was so lucky. It just made me feel really lucky. I was like, no way am I going to get to live with an authentic Sherman. It was a very accessible kind of ethos and I was just more impressed with MIT and their attitude towards their students. It just made me feel like so much trust has been given to me, and I was like, oh, wow, I guess art is for everyone.
How'd you hear about the Student Lending Art Program?
My friend, who's a civil engineering artist, was like, ‘sign up for this!’ She's really tapped into the List and just the art world in general, in a way that I'm not.
Has this artwork sparked any conversations amongst visitors, or do people take note of it?
When I first got it, I was very excited, and I do have people over, despite it being a bit difficult. People definitely are interested in it and have taken a look at it. My brother is coming in mid March and for Christmas… one year, I got him a book of Cindy Sherman photographs. That's kind of how I got to know her. So I'm excited for my brother to come and see it because he's been a fan since he was in high school.
So would you participate in SLAP again?
Absolutely, yes. I wish I wasn't graduating so I could.
What drew you to this piece?
[Carmelo]
Since I moved to Cambridge, in 2018, I have been looking at this piece because I have an architectural background. So having a drawing done by a very well known architect, Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, was super exciting to me. And I've tried to get it (through the Student Lending Art Program) multiple times. This year, because the Student Lending Program changed its process, we were able to secure an early spot. We entered the museum and it was there, so I had no doubt, I was like, ‘okay, I'm going to finally get it this year.’
How familiar were you with this artist prior to choosing this piece through the Student Lending Art Program?
[Carmelo]
I studied urban design, urban planning, so I was super familiar with the well known, leading pioneer architects of modernist architecture like Oscar Niemeyer, and the amount of buildings that they built all over the world, from, of course, Brazil, the US, Italy. This piece is a temporary pavilion that was commissioned in 2003. So I like this idea that it was a temporary thing, it was not a building that was supposed to last forever.
How did you decide where to put the artwork? Did you move it at all?
[Elena]
We were looking at several places with light. We had already gotten all of our other furniture, so the only other place that we had discussed having it was in front of the couch so we could see it from here, but honestly, we don't even use the couch that much, so we thought this would be the best place for us to see it.
Have you had visitors come into this space and notice the artwork, or has it sparked any conversation with people?
[Carmelo]
Definitely. Last Saturday, for example, I had a colleague coming over for dinner, and as soon as she entered the place, she immediately noticed the piece and got closer to it because there are some nice small details in it.
What's your favorite part of the artwork or your favorite part of having it in your living room?
[Elena]
We had not much to play with in this apartment, but it really brightened it up. And even though I'm not an architect, I appreciate the abstract forms. Then, of course, I know the history, so I know that they're not abstract. I also am immediately drawn to it, even if I don't know the history behind it. And then it pushes me to ask more about it. When we first got it, Carmelo showed me the old pictures and how (the pavilion) was supposed to be and where it was when it was taken down.
[Carmelo]
And again, the architect was aware that this was about to last only a year. But the print series stays in time. Now, young architects can enjoy it and be inspired by it.
What drew you to this artwork?
I saw this little label that said Tiffany Crossing the Albroz, medium: glow in the dark ink. And I really liked it, and that it was done with glow in the dark ink. That makes it very unique compared to the other artworks, and there's so many to choose from.
How has having this piece in your apartment changed your appreciation or thoughts around professional artworks?
Yeah, we often think of art as something that is designed to hang in a museum or in a public place and be appreciated in a very specific context. You're at the museum with your friends or you're in the town square, but when you've got something hanging in your room, it's there when you're happy, and it's there when you're sad, and it's there when you're tired, and it's there when you're hungry. And a great piece of art… it's there with you no matter what; it meets you where you're at. That's something I'd never thought about before, because I would only see works of art in a museum or on a projector in a course, but never kind of just with me, even in moments when I was not primed to engage with art.
Did you struggle with where to put the artwork? How did you choose where to place it, and did you move it around at all before landing on its final spot?
I hadn't thought at all about where this piece was going to go when I grabbed it off the gallery wall. I opened the door to my apartment and just saw right in front of me, next to the window, there was this space, and it just made sense. I put it there, and it hasn't moved. I love it, the perfect fit.
Do you plan to participate in SLAP again, or would you recommend it to friends?
Yeah, absolutely. I had a great experience and would absolutely do it again. One of my lab mates also participated.
What drew you to this particular piece?
I chose this piece because it's by my favorite artist, Bruce Nauman, and it's the only one in the collection that's by him. Having it in my space was really motivating for me to just keep making work because I hadn't made any artwork during this pandemic, or the past two or three years. And my art degree kind of got cut short a little bit, which was really difficult for me. So, having it here was really motivating for me to have during this time.
How did you become familiar with Bruce Nauman and his work?
I did my undergrad art degree in studio art, and I was assigned to go to the Bruce Nauman show during art class. He had a show at the MoMA and his installations really resonated with me. That was the first time that I saw his artwork and I felt really excited about it. This work that I have here in particular, I knew from when I saw it that it was an intaglio etching because I've done printmaking before. And that really excited me because it reminded me of this part of my past. I can tell that it was all made on one large, probably copper, plate. It was exciting for me to remember that and reminisce about my art degree as well.
Any memorable moments resulting from your participation in the program?
I do have a funny anecdote actually. I was tweeting about some art books that were borrowed from the MIT libraries. Most of the books were about Bruce Nauman, although there's other artists as well. I know a lot of mathematicians on Twitter and one of them saw [my tweet], he works as a math teacher in New York City, and he knows Bruce Nauman's son so he tagged him in the post. I ended up having a conversation with Bruce Nauman's son, and he told me he hadn't seen this work before. So that was pretty cool.
Do you have any other comments on your experience living with this work?
I was one of the first people who got to pick out the artworks. And I feel really excited about getting to tell people that this artwork is by my favorite artist.
So what drew you to this particular artwork?
I was drawn to this piece because it felt optimistic. And one thing that I love about it is the fact that anyone looking at it can take away something different. What I saw when I looked at it was a playful brain. You have this very alive, playful feeling, but there's also structure and interconnectedness. I also love that I'm able to ask the same question of other people when they look at it. And I got a lot of good answers. Probably my favorite random answer that I've gotten is that it looks like a ball of objects that have formed a planet, like from the video game Katamari Damacy. I've even been able to show it on Zoom to older family members. Some people have told me it looks like a patchwork quilt. It definitely forms an important centerpiece of this room. So I like the fact that this is open to interpretation, and it feels uplifting to me to have in my space.
How did you decide where to display this artwork?
I recently moved into this apartment when the lottery happened. So I knew that it would be a goal to find something to fill this huge wall. I did have it in mind for this wall when I was in the lottery space, just kind of thinking about what large horizontal piece would make sense there.
And the smaller artwork placed beside it?
The day I came to choose an artwork, I was really torn between two pieces; this and then a really interesting woodcut that depicted an eerie grotto full of trash. I ultimately decided to go with the Nina Bovasso because it felt more aspirational than having an eerie grotto trash fill up most of the wall. I still loved that piece I was leaving behind so much that I took a photo of it, and I printed it out. I put it in a little frame, next to the main piece that I actually picked up from the Student Lending Art Program.
Did you learn anything new about the artist after choosing this piece?
Yes, I did. She's a living artist and I followed her on Instagram. She's currently in a housing crisis, so I learned about the dire state of housing in New York. Now her artist page is about trying to fundraise for her legal fees as she is in a major crisis over some legal issues with her landlord. So, it exposed me to this artist in a new way, but also a set of issues that she's going through very much in real time that I now feel connected to and like, I should advocate for.
Do you have any other comments or thoughts to share on your experience with this program?
I love the fact that this program creates stewardship over art as something to be lived with and protected and interacted with on a personal level, not just something for a gallery. I think the best part of the MIT spirit is really getting your hands dirty and interacting with things, not just looking at a distance. When that can also include the arts at MIT, I think that's an ideal combination and leads to some really special interactions in the community.
What drew you to this artwork?
I was originally looking for an oil painting. My space is kind of Gilded Age inspired. The woman in this artwork has the historical hair piece and the corset, the kind of fashion elements of the era. So when I saw her, I was like, I really like her; I have to go home with her. She'll fit the vibe.
This is your first time participating in the Student Lending Art Program, how did you hear about it?
I was told by a friend. When I got admitted to MIT, she took me to her apartment and I noticed she had such cool art. She explained she got it from the Student Lending Program.
How has this program changed your appreciation for professional artworks?
I wanted a real oil painting for a while, but they're so expensive, so I knew I probably couldn’t buy one. This program is really cool as a way to get art into people's homes who normally can only afford cheaper prints.
How did you decide where to place this piece?
I tried to segment the decor in this room into different eras. So this era over here, is kind of Gilded Age inspired, with the gilded mirror, the neoclassical architecture artworks. So I felt this artwork fit that vibe.
What has been your favorite part about borrowing this artwork?
I think she definitely just ties the space together. And it's just cool to have something that somebody actually made in my home. It's not just like a print or a reproduction, it’s a real piece of art. It's cool to participate in this program, because, again, as a student, you're not always able to buy art like this.
What drew you to this artwork?
What initially appealed to me was that it was a Red Sox photograph. I'm local, I'm from Boston, I like the Red Sox. What initially appealed to me is that there is something so local in the program. But when I brought it back here, I got to thinking that there's lots of information in the image, like encoding the image. That's probably a very MIT way of phrasing it, but when you look at the photograph, you could see information about the game and so you can actually pinpoint when in the game it's happening and even what game it is in the first place.
After picking up the artwork, did you do any research to learn more about the artist or about the photograph?
I mentioned that there's information in the photograph. Because I like baseball, I know of websites that track baseball games historically. And you can see in the photograph, the matchup is between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. And you can see how the game has progressed in terms of the score. I also knew from the title that the player here was Jim Rice, who played in the late '70s. So I clicked around even to a subsequent season and I found a game that matched that criteria.
In examining this photograph, what jumps out to you as significant?
I actually kind of noticed an emotional aspect to the photograph. I think it's a combination of a bit of foreboding and tenseness, anxiety, but also ultimately perseverance
and resolution. In this photograph, the Red Sox are losing, the game is not carrying much hope at this point. Jim Rice is also standing in front of a 37-foot green monster wall that’s rather impending. However, the Red Sox ended up winning the game by two runs. As the information in this photograph implies, even in a tough situation, with intent, perseverance, and probably some confidence in the bottom half of the inning, it can lead to a good resolution in the end.
Do you have any other thoughts or comments about your experience participating in the Student Lending Art Program?
Yeah, I really enjoy it. I like having quality artwork available to me as a student. I like being able to bring it home, hang it in my room, and feel that there's extra thought, frankly, in the room. I talked about how there's information here as well as emotion. The fact that an artist or photographer saw this image in real life and captured it, is pretty impressive to me. And now I could hang a bonafide work of art in my room and bonus that it fits my personality.
What drew you to this artwork?
I was moving into a very simple space with clean lines; very modern. So I wanted something that was sort of the opposite of that, to balance it out. I gravitated towards this more organic looking piece with soft edges and a lot of color.
How did you decide where to place this artwork?
I remember thinking I want to place it somewhere where I can look at it often. This just felt like a natural option, in front of my desk, a place where I'm often sitting. With that said, I have a very small home with it being one room, so it could have gone anywhere, but I really did want it to be the focal point of the space.
What has been your favorite part about living with this professional artwork?
Coming into graduate school having had some professional experience, I really wanted to have a more holistic approach to my graduate school program. So, for example, right now I'm taking an ‘Intro To Black and White Film’ class and I feel like having this art piece has been a constant reminder of that balance that I want to have during my time here, and how it's important to prioritize something I value.
I think you can actually give yourself space for all of the things that you value, not just career and education.
Any other comments or thoughts on what it's been like to participate in the Student Lending Art Program that you'd like to share?
I'm so grateful for it. It's almost shocking how much an art piece can improve the feeling of a space. When I was moving across the country from California, there were very few decorative items I could bring because the essentials took priority. So it was just nice to be able to add something else that felt very substantial and again, like a reminder of a value that I want to be pursuing here.
