Salve students take a trip to New York City

By: Danielle Cort
Posted In: Entertainment

Salve Regina students took a day-trip to New York City hoping to discover life through art. On the morning of Nov. 5, Dr. Jim Hersh and his VIA (Vital Studies for Whole Life Design) class, as well as others from the

university, got on a bus and drove four hours to see one of the world’s greatest museums – The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hersh is a professor at Salve and is responsible for the creation of the VIA program. Its main mission is “to seek wisdom” and “to promote universal justice.” The trip to New York was designed to invite culture into the minds of the students. Dr. Hersh explained, “My hopes for the students were for them to have some sort of

‘experience’ with great art. I like it when students get ‘stirred up’ or ‘moved’ by something.”

While at the museum, students were asked to find three works of art that “disturbed” them, or had a profound impact. Dr. Hersh assigned this project, wanting to see what would happen if you “gave a work time.”

The three primary showcases were the Fra Angelico, Prague, and Van Gogh exhibits. Sophomore Rebecca Viens describes the trip as interesting. She liked the idea of seeing

culture through art, such as that of the Romans of Egyptians.

Robert Mooney, another VIA student, explained his trip to the Metropolitan Museum as “one that allowed him to see how different art could be between artists and time periods.”

“After doing the assignment, I realized I never really looked deep into a painting. After looking at the art, I found there was a lot more to each painting.”

These exhibits forced the students to take what they have learned in the course and invert that into an art appreciation. Hersh described them as the “blockbuster” shows. “I wanted students to see them since they include works of art that are seldom shown together and follow a theme.

Everyone knows Van Gogh’s paintings, but few know his drawings and how important drawing was to him.” Sophomore Kat Sears agrees, but feels more partial to smaller galleries.

Following the thoughts of many, she felt pressed for time. Even still, the trip proved successful.

Hersh sums it up in a simple connection. “The trip ties to the goals of VIA by giving the students an experience related to life design. Beauty gives pleasure and Aristotle said a life without pleasure is not the good life.

Also, when a work “stirs you up” (like Van Gogh’s struggles with lines or Fra Angelico’s use of color) it can have a very positive effect on life design.” This idea explains what the VIA program is about. It encourages students to look beyond their limits and further an education in a philosophical light.