ICA Boston

Through the Glass

by Kaylynn Lum

March 7, 2014

  

          I turned the corner and thought that another exhibit was going to be filled with complex, detailed art. To my surprise I found that it was a long hallway with a top to bottom glass wall. It gave the view of the harbor. It was simple and plain, but for some reason I was transfixed on the

scene.

            The glass walls seemed to be the only thing that was between the viewer and the ocean. It is a piece of artwork. It is not just a view. It shows our community, our lifestyle. The word contemporary is defined as something of our time, something that deals with today’s issues.

        This hallway is the closest thing to contemporary that I could understand. It is the world today. It’s our world today, with all of the issues, inspirations, people, objects, and joys. It changes when our world changes. It has new ideas and issues to portray. It’s never ending and consistent.

You could spend hours in the hallway, just sitting there and looking out at the city.

            Through the glass we see the city. Whether it’s a visit, permanent stay, or complicated, we see the city that holds the dreams, aspirations and tragedies of others. When you look out of the glass of the ICA, we see what those things could be. The potential that people have. We wonder what they are thinking and how it relates to our community. Who is doing what or what time it is? What you see through the glass is up to you, how much you want to see, and how you see it, but hopefully you enjoy the view and feel a sense of calmness when looking through the

glass.