The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stories by Tiffany

What is Art?

Tiffany, TAG Member

Posted: Monday, January 14, 2013

Is art merely the "imitation of the good," as the ancient Greek philosopher Plato wrote in his Republic, or the "lie that makes us realize truth," as the Spanish artist Picasso contended? Does art serve a utilitarian, religious, or aesthetic purpose, or no purpose at all?

Nothing Lasts Forever

Mayra, TAG Member; and Tiffany, TAG Member

Posted: Tuesday, November 20, 2012

In western society, people don't really notice the transition between seasons until it has already taken place. Artworks painted in the Japanese Rinpa style, by contrast, highlight a cultural focus on the seasons through natural imagery, vibrant colors, and connections to literature. This fall, in the exhibition Designing Nature: The Rinpa Aesthetic in Japanese Art, Ogata Kenzan's Autumn Ivy shows us how much one can appreciate nature through observation and reflection.

The Spirit Within

Cheeky Swagger (a.k.a. Dan), TAG Member; Ethan, TAG Member; and Tiffany, TAG Member

Posted: Monday, October 22, 2012

Ethan. Artwork showing "Museum" written in Arabic, 2012

Walking through the dimly lit halls of the Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia inspires a true sense of wonder. "Where did this all come from?" one might ask. "This doesn't seem like the Islamic world I know today." In many ways, it isn't.