Clarita Mata's "The Money"

I would like to commemorate the birth of my blog with a celebration of the my first art work purchase: Clarita Mata's "The Money"-- a collage piece exhibited in the All That Remains Exhibition in Williamsburg's Picture Farm.

The show, curated by Charles Wilkin with the help of Ugly Art Room, embraces the concept of an "art that interacts". Collage in the essence of phenomenologically relating to the space and work surrounding it. Picture Farm is an active recording and photography studio. Depending on what day one went to see the show, and what other projects or people surrounded the space, formed his or her experience. 


When looked at individually, Mata's piece is very "quiet". However, in context of the Picture Farm space, Mata's black and white piece strongly contrasted all the bold coloring, texture, and layering of the other juxtaposed exhibited work; the pieces minimalist qualities caused it to stand out. "The Money" portrays a sensual delicacy-- the eyes instantly gravitate to the beautiful, modern, elegant woman in the horizon of the one-point perspective. Her organic curvature holds contrary to the rigid Neo-classic buildings surrounding her. Her disproportionate scale is almost overlooked; she looks like she belongs and is comfortable with her setting. In fact, the woman is gently embracing her surrounding with a small suggestive smile; she hugs the tallest building in her immediate environment-- its shadow casting off of her.
The art work's title seems to give clue to this woman's Mona Lisa effect. "The Money" potentially gives insight to the purpose of urban dwelling: the purpose of maximum urban creativity, opportunity, and competition: "the money" or the exaggeration of city "bigness". Or maybe the woman's emotional attachment to the buildings gives homage to the future: urbanism and city life. We should focus our time, love, and efforts to creating a more appropriate city atmosphere .... an idea as an aspiring NYC architect, I could not omit.