The Project

One thing I loved about college was the fact that I learned something new every day. From research methodologies to marinating chicken, each day offered an intellectual, sartorial, culinary, interpersonal, or practical challenge (it turns out that a sledgehammer—even a small one—is heftier than necessary when hanging a picture frame. How am I going to fix this huge hole in my wall?). I’m still having trouble navigating the currents of the working world, and still experiencing shocking misadventures with cooking, but one thing is for sure: I’m definitely learning less right now than I was six months ago.

Mark Twain once said, “Don’t let education get in the way of your learning,” but for me, the classroom wasn’t an impediment to curiosity. I’ve always known that knowledge isn’t only generated in solitary corners of dusty libraries, but also in museums, public spaces, and every other imaginable place. Coursework didn’t make me disinclined to learn: instead, like an addict, I craved ever-increasing amounts of knowledge and devoured books with a ravenousness that led me to stay in some wintry Friday nights, bundled up in a blanket and huddled next to my sputtering radiator with my nose buried in the pages. Everything’s changed since I packed up my books, collected my diploma, and started work.

After spending all day either struggling to keep my balance on the subway or keep my cool in my cubicle, I am often too lethargic to read or go to lectures. I don’t want to turn on my brain: I just want to trudge home, throw together the simplest possible dinner (Annie’s mac and cheese and frozen peas), and slump face-first onto my pillows until it’s time to wake up and repeat. Since I don’t have WiFi in my bedroom or the ability to read at work, some days, the only news I receive comes from my Snapple bottles. As much as I like learning about polar bear fur or the fear of vegetables, I still feel like my brain is atrophying. Four years ago, I gained the Freshman 15 (and then some). Now, I’ve lost the Post-College 3—and it’s all from my brain.

I am now working at an art institution home to tens of thousands of objects. Instead of just shuffling past them every morning in a sleepy stupor, I’ve decided to research one artwork per day. Art Project is my attempt to learn more about art, and to use art to keep learning. Thanks for reading! I hope we both learn something.