Architecture On Display
Nov 10, 2010

There is much anticipation for the Whitney's upcoming building project downtown, but YI Leader Seon reflects on her newfound appreciation of the current Museum's striking architecture.

Every Monday, I enter the Whitney Museum with the anticipation of exploring art by walking around the galleries. A few weeks ago, however, I walked into the Museum with a slightly different train of thought.  
   
As I stood in front of the building, I realized that I was looking at one of the most significant works on display at the Whitney. The architecture of the museum itself is a work of art that people enter in order to encounter more art. The Whitney was designed by the Hungarian-born, Bauhaus-trained architect Mercel Breuer (1902-1981). The architecture has a strong presence on a small corner site. Its cantilevered floors make the building seem like a portion of it has been curved out and uniquely maximize the space. The irregularly-shaped and specifically-located windows allow people to connect with the outside world as they walk through the building, though the space inside seems like an enclosed world that is different from the one that lies outside. The light and darkness that meet in the interior of the building, the works of art, and the city streets visible through the windows remind visitors that everything, including themselves, is connected to the outside world.
   
My new perspective on the Whitney's architecture has made my exploration at the Museum more exciting. I am now going to search for the windows whenever I visit!

By Seon