All year, I told myself I wouldn’t allow senioritis to hit me. For those of you that may not be familiar, senioritis is the debilitating laziness and boredom involving school that hits after one is accepted to college. But with the school year winding down, my excitement for Prom, summer break, and college grew and grew. As a result, school itself could not seem more boring. I knew I had to get out and do something — so one Saturday afternoon, on May 4, I went to the city of Chicago with my sister, Elise, and my good friend, Chris Park.
Specifically, I chose the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago. One reason for this had to do with my excitement for college. My brother will be attending the University of Chicago next fall, so I thought that this would be a good opportunity to familiarize myself with the place where he will be going next year. The other reason was the concept of the exhibition. The exhibition was titled “Smart to the Core: Embodying the Self.”
To paraphrase the Smart Museum’s website, the exhibition was all about the artists’ identities. Each artist was to create some image of themself, and reflect on the ways society views certain identity categories that apply to them. Such an idea was interesting to me for a reason encapsulated by Margaret J. Wheatley’s “Willing to Be Disturbed.” She writes, “As we work together to restore hope to the future, we need to include a new and strange ally — our willingness to be disturbed. Our willingness to have our beliefs and ideas challenged by what others think” (90). Essentially, I came to be disturbed. I wanted to have my pre-existing perceptions of certain identity factors challenged and broadened. The first piece to do so was titled I Am A Man by Hank Willis Thomas.
I interpreted this piece as a challenge to society’s perspective of manhood in multiple ways. The one that resounded most with me revolved around the phrase “I am a woman.” Men are supposed to be tough and courageous. Society expects them to keep their emotions and feelings inside of them as to not appear weak. From society’s perspective, talking about such things is for women — men must not care about their feelings. However, within his piece, Hank challenges the fact that men cannot have “feminine” qualities while still maintaining their manhood. While there are countless other feminine qualities that may be referred to here, these are some of the ones that came to mind. Another piece with a similar concept was called Pieta by Tony Tasset.
This piece is a sculpture picturing a father holding the lifeless body of his young boy. While holding his son, the man shows deep emotion in his grief and sorrow. Once again, this artwork is challenging society’s notion of manhood, showing that it is okay to show emotion as a guy. In my household, I grew up learning to be articulate with my feelings. As a result, I’ve always been a good communicator. I always wondered why it was perceived as feminine for a man to express his emotions. While these two pieces don’t provide these answers, they at least support my point of view and disturb society’s notion that men need to be stoic.
And now, I wish to end my blog post on a much different note. In doing so, I want to parallel to two self portraits by Gillian Wearing shown at the exhibit.
In these two self-portraits, Gillian uses makeup and prosthetics to transform herself into her mother and father. In doing so, she emphasizes how her identity is so dependent on these relationships. It’s sad to know that as a senior, I’ll have to say goodbye to some of the close relationships I’ve spent four years building. I’ve met so many wonderful teachers, peers, and parents throughout my four years of High School. But I guess I can take solace in the fact that these relationships will always be a part of me — just like Gillian, they have molded me into the person I am today. Realizing that is more comforting that knowing that I have to say goodbye to most of my good friends at the end of the summer. Below are a few of the relationships I’m so appreciative to have experienced.
To my viewers, thank you so much for being a part of me throughout this year. I hope my blogs have broadened your perspective, and given you some insight into who I am as a person. I hope each and every one of you come to value your education, and more importantly, cherish those around you — soon enough, you’ll have to say goodbye, yourself.
Signing off,
Kyle Williams
Keypressing with Kyle 