Week 2: V&A

1. Logo: I am a big fan of the Victoria and Albert Museum's logo. I appreciate the simplicity, the clean lines, and the condensed nature of the logotype. Not only does it appeal to me personally, but also I think the logo accurately fits the essence of the museum. As one of the oldest museums in London, the V&A should have a classy, enduring logotype, and I think the current logo is exactly that. I think the serif font also adds something Victorian to the logo, which is perfect considering the namesake of the museum. Additionally, The collections within the museum are extremely varied--from cartoons to glass blowing to Imperial Chinese Robes. Therefore, the logo must be able to encompass a wide range of galleries. Whereas last week's science museum had a narrow focus and could therefore choose a specific logo to suit the theme of the museum, the V&A has to cast a wider net with its logo. Finally, I thought the logo was beautifully incorporated on the promotional materials and maps found throughout the museum. With simple changes to the color, the V&A logo was blended into children's programs, concert programs, lists of events, and the museum map. Overall, I like this classic, succinct logo more than that of any other museum I've visited in London thus far.

2. Cast Courts: My immediate reaction to the Cast Courts gallery was to be overwhelmed by the imposing, dark figures of the exhibit. The objects in the exhibit were absolutely massive and filled every space in the room, bottom to top. The mood was somber, because many of the objects were religious artifacts, and indeed many were casts of tombs. It felt very macabre to me, even though there was light streaming in from the ceiling. The cast courts are valuable to visitors because they showcases the reproduction possibilities that plaster provides. The objects, though technically cast replications of famous pieces, allow visitors to experience the scale of truly imposing pieces like the Gates of Paradise and the statue of David. The end result is to appreciate the grandeur of the casts, and thereby appreciate the value of the actual works, considering their plaster casts are so impressive.

3. Isotype: The icons and symbols represented in the Isotype exhibit absolutely have more personality than the international system of signs. The international icons we see around the world in airports and international areas are extremely plain and straightforward, with the hope that they may be accurately interpreted by a large number of people, regardless of nationality. These icons seem bland in comparison to the whimsical silhouettes on display in the isotype exhibit. From the two examples below, the mood of the isotype is perfectly visible, making them easier to interpret. For example, in the unemployment statistics board, the number of unemployed workers are represented by a man standing with hunched shoulders, representing that he is destitute. Additionally, the color black reinforces the somber mood of the chart. The other example I have is of a sign warning workers in a German factory to protect their hair while working with machinery. The isotype of a woman yelling out in pain clearly gets the point across. The combinations of text and pictorial explanation in these examples and others within the isotype exhibit make many signs easier to interpret. For example, someone with little knowledge of the language of the text that is used could easily use the illustrations to complement their understanding of the text. 

4. Pattern: The patterns I chose to compare between the Islamic Middle East collection and the Ironwork collection are pictured below. First, I chose this ironwork pattern because it was one of the few in the exhibit which was not entirely black. That being said, it is sort of a muted gold, so there really is not much color in the piece anyway. What this piece lacks in color in makes up for in intricacy. The rounded pattern weaves through the entire piece, and each cell utilizes the pattern in a different way. Unlike many patterns in the Islamic exhibit which were round and symmetrical, this gate is made up of six panels, each of which has the same pattern. There are three divided sections in each of the panels, with a flourishing pattern at the top. I can see our discussion of repeated modules relating to music in the piece because there are distinctive peaks, yet they are in harmony between them because of their natural pattern. Again unlike many of the Islamic patterns, there is little geometric pattern here, but rather natural, floral patterns are dominant. The tile from the Islamic collection stands out immediately because of its bold colors in comparison with the ironwork. Additionally, the presence of powerful color in the pieces makes the geometric patterns more obvious to the observer. However, it does retain natural patterns like that of the iron work because of the floral winding throughout the piece. Overall, I appreciate these two pieces because they exemplify functional objects acting as art.

5. Underground: I should preface this entry by saying that I absolutely adore the London Underground, and utterly loathe the Madison Metro, so I am a bit biased. To me, the London Underground is a symbol of London's vibrancy. It is bright, consistent, and clean (in comparison with public transportation in other world cities, mainly New York). The Madison Metro, on the other hand, does not complement the city of Madison at all. Let's begin with the logo. The Underground logotype is simple, colorful, and widely applicable and recognizable. The contrast between blue and red, as well as the dissected circle is repeated in Tube stations, bus stops, and overground transportation throughout the city, making the symbol universally recognizable as the London Underground. The Madison Metro logo, conversely, is plastered on buses and bus stops throughout the city, but does not elicit the same kind of positive connotations. When I see the logo for the Madison Metro around town, it is almost always covered in dirt and grime, whether at the bus stop or on the bus itself. For this reason, I associate the Madison Metro logo with winter and uncleanliness, and the logo doesn't do much to deter this identification. Although the colors are bright, to me they are off-putting, especially the contrast between the red and gold stripes. The reason I love the Tube much more than the Madison Metro is because of its classic advertising campaigns, which are today renowned as true pieces of art. The same cannot be said for the Madison Metro's advertising campaigns. I have many favorites in the collection of vintage Tube posters, and each of them relates to the Underground's accessibility, fluidity, and ability to lead the traveler to something exciting aboveground. Below are a few of my favorites.

 

 

6. Object of Appreciation: There were so many pieces I loved in this museum, and I feel that I only scratched the surface! One of my favorites that I came across on my first visit, however, was the cast of the Doors of the Baptistry in Florence, also known as the Gates of Paradise. The original doors were crafted by Ghiberti in the 15th century, but the cast in the V&A was done by Messrs Franchi & Sons in London in 1867. I have a great appreciation for this piece for a few reasons. First, I studied the history and crafting of these doors extensively in high school in a European history class. Second, I visited the real doors in Florence in 2009, and was in awe of them. I will surely revisit this cast of Ghiberti's original doors in London because there is so much detail to admire. Every panel is a different scene, and I would love to look at each of them in greater depth.