Written by Roxy Hernandez / Staff Writer
Every year IB, AP, and Art II classes attend a field trip to an art museum or event. Last year they went to Los Angeles County Museum of Art, while this year the classes went to the Pacific Asian Museum and Pasadena Museum of Contemporary Art across the street.
“It was kind of difficult for me to enjoy the museum at first because I was drained, both figuratively and literally, from giving blood that morning,” junior Stephen Gonzalez said.
At the Pacific Asia museum there was a mix of contemporary and old school asian art pieces. The museum is shaped like a traditional chinese home. There is a square garden in the middle, with the home centered around it.
“Because I’m in IB Visual Arts HL2, I learn about many different cultures,” senior Alexis Castillo said. “Seeing these art pieces in person, rather than reading and looking at pictures was an amazing experience”
One of the most popular pieces was the fortune railroad. It was basically a railroad track covered in a mountain of fortune cookies.
“I really enjoyed the piece with a bunch of fortune cookies. It’s symbolic because the Chinese came to America for a better ‘fortune’, but all they got was a job making the continental railroad,” Gonzalez said.
Across the street from the Pacific Asia Museum is the Pasadena Museum of Art. This museum features more paintings, and modern style art.
“My favorite museum was the second one we went to,” senior Alejandro Payan said. “It had more of an art gallery feel.”
Most of the pieces in that were from the artist Ramos Martinez. He was born in Mexico, but moved and raised in the United States. A lot of his works consisted of portraits, or have a statement about social differences.
“Even though most of the pieces were by Ramos Martinez, my favorites was by Xavier Viramontes,” Payan said. “This piece refers to the Delano grape strike led by united farm workers against growers of table grapes in california. The medium was digital print on silk screen”
Because students had the opportunity to go to both museums, the time had to be cut in half. It was also cut short because of the blood drive. The buses were obliged to wait for those giving blood because the red cross set up late.
“Maybe next time we will go to just one museum, and spent all the time there, so we don’t have rush.” Mrs. Rita Fortner said.
