Cut It Out

When I invited my friend Julie with us to visit the Museum of Modern Art, I had no idea what she was about to tell me. “Did you know this is my first time to MoMA?” she asked. To which I gasped, “How is that possible? You’ve been living in New York for 11 years!” Ultimately I was delighted that Julie’s first visit to MoMA included the temporary exhibition Henri Matisse: The Cut Outs. I wish we had more time to roam through the permanent collection (and that Jessica was in town to give Julie a proper art history tour) because, in my humble opinion, it’s the best art museum in the world.

First of all, add this exhibit to your list of things to do before it closes on February 10. Then, before making the visit, watch this video clip from CBS Sunday Morning: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/carving-into-color-matisses-stunning-cut-outs/ (Side note: my mom was at the museum when they were filming!)

Now that your interest is piqued you have to choose an ideal time to go. If you are a member or if you know someone who is a member absolutely plan to go during member only hours. It was packed when we went at noon on a Sunday. Weekdays will be much better to get up close to the artwork and spend more time in each gallery space without feeling squished.

Although I was underwhelmed by the Swimming Pool (which was hyped on the video clip posted above), I really loved the exhibition overall. His Lagoon series and Blue Nudes were my favorites. The last gallery includes large scale works like The Parakeet and The Mermaid which really allow you to appreciate Matisse’s innovation. So make a plan and enjoy an afternoon at MoMA. And if you can take a friend that’s never been, even better! http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1469

 

Meet Me at the Met

As a New Yorker, it can be easy to take the Metropolitan Museum of Art for granted (http://www.metmuseum.org/). Not only is it the largest art museum in the country, it is also the third most visited museum in the world with a collection of over two million works. When Howard invited Brian and I to join him on a Meet the Met tour through the company Walks of New York, I was a bit skeptical that we’d be able to see the majority of the museum in just 3 hours. Simona, our guide, impressed me with the breadth of her knowledge. I’ve probably visited the Met over 20 times and she was easily able to teach us new facts about famous pieces while showing us galleries in the Met that I never knew existed.

The rooftop is open for another 2 weeks! Corey, Howard, Brian and I had the pleasure of enjoying Central Park from the top of the Met with a glass of wine in hand.

We learned so much along the way but here are some of my favorite facts:

• The Temple of Dendur is not actually Egyptian. It was in fact built for Augustus who
  

  Temple of Dendur

  systematically worked his way to become both the first Emperor of Rome and a Pharaoh of Egypt.

• In the center of the renovated American Wing stands Diana, one of my favorite pieces. It was originally a wind vane on Madison Square Garden. The sculpture was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the building by Stanford White. Her naked body caused much scandal in addition to the rumors that her face was modeled after actress Evelyn Nesbitt, White’s mistress. While the rumors were false, Nesbitt’s relationship with White was the impetus of his murder by Nesbitt’s husband, multi-millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw, which is immortalized as the Trial of the Century, in Doctorow’s Ragtime.
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  Diana in the American Wing

  

  Roman copy on the left in marble and Grecian bronze on right

We learned the difference between a Roman statue and a copy of a Grecian statue by a Roman artist. If you see a marble statue with a tree trunk attached to the leg of the human being portrayed you’ll know that it is a marble copy of what was originally a Greek bronze statue. Because marble is heavier than bronze the sculptor would need to add another pillar, such as the tree, to support the additional weight and keep it in the upright position.

• Michael Rockefeller’s collection of Asmat Bis Poles in the Oceania gallery is not to be missed. The poles hail from the Asmat tribe of New Guinea and they are a symbol of the tribe’s mythology and belief system devoted to trees. After trading for the poles, Michael Rockefeller went missing soon after leaving the island, as his boat capsized and he decided to swim back to shore instead of waiting for help. There is some speculation that he may have been the victim of cannibalism.
• It’s really all about Madame X. Do you know that John Singer Sargent originally painted the portrait with one of her straps down? It was met with revulsion, being seen as improper, and Sargent kept the painting in his studio for 25 years, editing the shoulder strap at some point, before the Met acquired it.
  

  Painting at the Met on the left. Photo of original on the right.

Check out the photos below to see just how much ground we were able to cover. Howard bought a Groupon but you can visit https://www.walksofnewyork.com/ to find out other tours that interest you. If you want to venture to northern Manhattan to check out the best Medieval Art that the Met owns, check out my blog post about the Cloisters: https://theprimarysource1.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/closer-to-the-cloisters/

Is there anyone better than Claude Monet at manipulating light? I think not. The House of Parliament (Effect of Fog) proves that he is the impressionist with the greatest command over the brushstroke. The photograph doesn’t do the painting justice. Go see it for yourself.

Corey, Howard and Brian standing guard with the Armor of Henry II of France in the Arms and Armor gallery.

Wall Paintings from a Cubiculum Nocturnum: These frescoes were found on the island of Pompeii after the ash was removed from the eruption of Vesuvius. They were in excellent condition and the vibrant colors withstood the volcanic eruption.

Art in Armonk

To begin, I need to apologize for my hiatus. Between moving apartments and focusing all my attention on my fourth graders for the start of school, I’ve had little time to add anything of substance to the blog, let alone sit down and post. However, I want to let everyone in on a great out of the city treat. This weekend you can travel to Armonk, New York for the 53rd annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show (http://www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org/). Besides it being a staple of my childhood and likely the only notable event that ever occurs in my sleepy hometown, it is also expertly co-chaired by my mother! She volunteers with other wonderful town members to execute an Art Show that allows visitors to ramble through aisles of fine art and fine crafts. Best of all, proceeds benefit the North Castle Public Library.

Dara and I volunteering at the Armonk Outdoor Art Show last year, September 2013. We love supporting our local library!

 

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The weather is supposed to be spectacular this weekend. Take Metro North to North White Plains or drive to Armonk. If you drive, be prepared to park and take a short shuttle to the field or you can walk from your parking spot. Just please don’t give the parking volunteers a hard time; one of them could be my dad or boyfriend.
2. There are plenty of food options and there’s even a kid friendly corner so come hungry and come with the little ones.
3. You can buy wonderful art from local and national artists. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for something captivating for our new apartment.
4. You can print out a discount coupon from the link above, otherwise it’s only $10 for adults. There’s really nothing better than supporting arts and books…at least in this teacher’s opinion.
5. I’ll be there on Saturday at the the Entrance Booth from 12:15-2:45 but you can stop by Saturday or Sunday from 10am-5pm.

Essentially, don’t miss out on a great opportunity to see, buy and/or enjoy terrific art just outside NYC. Check out this article if you want more information. My mom couldn’t have said it any better! http://theinsidepress.com/the-crafting-of-armonks-annual-outdoor-art-show/

Closer to the Cloisters

I love when friends visit me in New York and Ilana was no exception. We decided to take a trip to Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan to visit the Cloisters. I haven’t been to the Cloisters since the 11th grade and it’s been on my to do list ever since then! We drove 10 minutes from the upper west side and parked for free but you can take the A train to 190th street and walk to the museum.

Stained glass windows

Beautiful arched ceilings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cloisters are dedicated to Medieval art and architecture. George Grey Barnard (no relation to my favorite Barnard, Fredrick A.P.) acquired his first cloisters from France and opened them to the public in New York City in 1914. John D. Rockefeller, on behalf of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, generously paid for Barnard’s Cloisters. Additionally, he bought 56 acres of land which would become Fort Tryon and would house a new museum centered around the Cloisters. The building itself is an assemblage of Cloisters and Medieval buildings, such as cathedrals, that are pieced together with modern gallery spaces.

The Unicorn Tapestries are a highlight of the museum. They were created in the later Reniassance, around 1495 and they are rife with Christian symbolism. Even if you couldn’t identify the symbols, they are stunning to look at because of their size and details.

We took the 3pm tour which was lead by a Ph.D. candidate who was knowledgeable and energetic. The first thing I wanted to know was, what is a cloister? A cloister is a 4 sided arcade with a garden in the middle. He went on to explain that the focus of the museum was specifically the Gothic and Romanesque periods within Medieval times  and that they each have stylistic qualities that distinguish them from one another. The guide pointed out how the image of Christ changed, how the structure of arched ceilings evolved and why monasteries were essential to the Medieval Ages.

We enjoyed the tour and I highly recommend taking a tour if you have limited knowledge of the time period. Admission is suggested and the tours are free. Your admission also gets you into the main branch of the Met on 5th Avenue. You can enjoy lunch at their cafe or bring you lunch and blanket and sit outside overlooking the Hudson River. Even if you only have an hour or two, head uptown and enjoy this unique museum.

Ilana inside the central Cloister!

A Beacon of Art on the Way to the Berkshires

About 12 years ago I first visited Dia: Beacon so I was well overdue for another trip to this fantastic museum (http://www.diaart.org/sites/main/beacon). Brian and I met Kate and Russell there on our way up to Nick and Nadine’s wedding reception in the Berkshires. We took the car but you can easily take a Metro-North train and walk from the station. It’s only an hour north of the city on the Hudson River.

Richard Serra’s gigantic sculptures fit perfectly within site specific galleries.

The building is probably one of my favorite aspects of the museum. It is the former home of the Nabisco box printing factory and it is humongous at 300,000 square feet. This allows for large scale art to easily fit within the confines of the walls without feeling stifled, like they often feel in smaller, more traditional museums. Natural light pours in from skylights and it illuminates the expansive rooms that hold the artwork.

Curators expertly place Dan Flavin’s artwork to illuminate, both literally and figuratively, the gallery space and windows.

Some of the artwork was created specifically for the museum such as Sol LeWitt’s 2003 graphite version of his  Drawing Series-Composite, Part I–IV, #1–24, A + B (1968). Other galleries were designed to best present the artwork like Dan Flavin’s fluorescent light creations, Monuments for V. Tatlin. There is a 1pm free tour offered on Saturday and I would recommend taking it so that you have a better understanding of the very conceptual, artwork. There are cards throughout the galleries that give the visitor biographical information as well as insight into the artwork you are viewing.

Michael Heizer’s “North, East, South, West” 1967/2002 forces the viewer to look at art as a negative space and it also forced us to stand on our tippy toes in the hopes of seeing into the bottomless pits.

The spacious gallery that hold John Chamberlin’s iconic mutilated car part art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took us about 90 minutes to wander through the Dia and then we enjoyed a lunch at the cafe. The grounds are beautiful and we enjoyed eating outdoors on the sunny day. After the museum, we caravaned up to the Berkshires to celebrate the Marshalls!

Cousins at Nick and Nadine’s nuptials!

California Love Part 3

And here’s the final installment of our California vacation! Part 3 consists of our time in Los Angeles. 

Day 8…

– First thing in the morning, we stopped at Clairmont Farms in Los Olivos. This lovely lavender farm has a small shop which was an excellent place to buy gifts. http://www.clairmontfarms.com/

– Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: If you didn’t already know, I’m a little in love with American history and I have a particular interest in presidential libraries. We detoured off Route 1 to Simi Valley to visit our 40th president’s library and museum. It was a comprehensive overview of his life with particular attention paid to his 8 years as commander in chief. The highlight was going inside Air Force One. This plane was the Flying White House for seven presidents up until George W. Bush. There is an audio guide but it wasn’t very good so skip it and do some reading instead. Also there was an interesting exhibit about the beginnings of baseball with tons of memorabilia including a Honus Wagner baseball card, which Brian tells me is a huge deal. The actual building and grounds are beautiful and we really enjoyed learning more about the Gipper! http://www.reaganfoundation.org/  

 

 

 

 

– We arrived in LA and were very excited to stay with Bonnie, Brian’s sister, for the next few days. She lives in the hip neighborhood of Los Feliz.

– Dinner at Ink. with Vari and Deep. Brian and I enjoy watching Top Chef so we were excited when our friends suggested we dine at winner Michael Voltaggio’s restaurant in West Hollywood. The menu was very amenable to my gluten free needs and the dishes were inventive and delicious for everyone at the table like the corn and housemade doritos or salt and charcoal potatoes. Everything is shared, the value is good and I highly recommend it! http://mvink.com/

Day 9…

– Because we had to drop off the rental car, we were in Burbank and Bonnie suggested a good spot for lunch, Tinhorn Flats. It had a big outdoor space so check it out if you’re in the neighborhood. http://www.tinhornflatshollywood.com/

– Fredrick R. Weisman Foundation: This was truly a highlight of the trip and it was recommended by my art savvy mama. In the Bel Air neighborhood of LA is the home of Fredrick R. Weisman, where we joined an amazing 90 minute tour of his personal 20th century art collection. The scope and the quantity, in addition to the home and landscaping, was so impressive we left with our jaws on the floor. From Lictensteins, Boteros, Rothkos and Harings you will be awed. Most unbelievable are the works by Andy Warhol which included pieces of Mr. Weisman in all his pop-art glory. Even if you don’t love art, you’ll love this tour. You must book in advance though, so make sure to call with plenty of time! http://www.weismanfoundation.org/

– Dinner at Gardens of Taxco: We loved this authentic Mexican meal in West Hollywood. There’s no menu but a very animated waiter will tell you the protein options and will give you samples or combine dishes if you can’t make up your mind. Once you choose, you’ll enjoy a variety of appetizers that the kitchen sends out. We were serenaded and we enjoyed some tasty margaritas. And when we got the check out at the end of the night we couldn’t believe how inexpensive it was for the amount of yummy food you get! If you want a great Mexican meal, come here and you won’t be disappointed. http://thegardensoftaxco.com/

– After dinner we had a drink at The Dresden. Any fans of the movie Swingers will love having a cocktail at the this LA classic. It’s loud so maybe not a great place to meet a group of friends though. http://www.thedresden.com/index.html

Day 10…

– We took a drive out to Manhattan Beach to have lunch with our family friends the Ginsburg’s.

– Lunch at The Strand House was lovely and Rich described it as the only place in Manhattan Beach where you actually have to look nice (which basically means no sweatpants). The view of the beach is great and everyone enjoyed their meal. http://www.thestrandhousemb.com/

– We spent the afternoon on the beach, despite the semi cloudy day. We rode bikes on the boardwalk and walked along the pier, where there was a small aquarium that we checked out. It was also great just to sit with our feet in the sand. We were very non-LA and even put our toes in the water and if it had been warmer outside, Brian had every intention to get in the Pacific Ocean! We loved Manhattan Beach and we would have loved exploring the cute shops in town.

– In the evening, we checked out a classic car show in Glendale and then had some Chinese food at Panda Inn with Bonnie and her friends. We also enjoyed some drinks at The Famous, which has a large collection of different whiskeys. http://www.thefamousglendale.com/

Day 11…

– Griffith Park and Observatory: We woke up early to get one last hike in. We walked to Griffith Park from Bonnie’s apartment and finally found the start of a trail that would lead us directly up to Griffith Observatory. The first start of the hike was steep but it leveled out in the mid section. The views of downtown LA and the Hollywood sign are spectacular and the observatory is worth the hike. We didn’t have much time so we walked quickly through the free exhibits but didn’t stay for the planetarium show (which had a cost). http://www.griffithobs.org/ 

– Before we had to rush off to LAX, we grabbed brunch around the corner from Bonnie’s apartment at the Alcove. We were joined by Brian’s college friend, Alex, and Dahmer, Bonnie’s dog (Albert Fish, Bonnie’s cat, had to stay at home). The food was yummy but it was very hectic and they forgot our order initially. It’s a trendy spot, so unless you want to go there specifically, you can probably find a less frantic spot nearby. http://www.alcovecafe.com/

That pretty much wraps up our wonderful summer vacation. Brian and I had a great time exploring San Fran, the coast and La La Land. I highly recommend this trip to anyone considering a getaway. Next time we get to the west coast, I’d love to head north from San Francisco to wine country and beyond as recommended by the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2014 or check out Yosemite National Park. Guess it’s time to plan another trip!

California Love Part 1

The gap in posting can be explained by my amazing 10 day California adventure with my boyfriend, Brian. The trip can easily be broken down into 3 parts: San Francisco, Central Coast and Los Angeles. So I’ll give a day by day primer of the highlights in 3 installments.

San Francisco was originally established by the Spanish and later the Mexicans. In 1846, the United States conquered the city and not long after, the Gold Rush brought an influx of men to the Bay area, including a large population of Chinese. The 1906 earthquake ravished the city and it was forced to rebuild. By the 1950’s and 1960’s, the city became a breeding ground for the counterculture movements. The tech boom of the 80’s and 90’s led to the bars, restaurants and high price of living. From little frontier town to metropolis, San Francisco offers something for everyone! 

Day 1…

– We flew to San Fran. My brother, Keith, met us at the airport and we drove to my aunt and uncle’s home in Mill Valley (Marin County, about an hour from the airport). We were grateful to have them host us and provide us with a fantastic, paleo/g-free/dairy-free meal.

Day 2…

– Climb Mount Tamalpais: We decided to take the steep Zig Zag trail up the mountain and descended via the Panoramic and Oceanview trails.

– Muir Woods: This national monument is not to be missed. It’s very manageable to navigate so you can explore every humongous tree. You’ll marvel at their age and size and learn a lot along the well maintained paths. You can drive to the park if you do not want to hike to it. http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm 

 

 

 

 

– Lunch at the Mountain Home Inn: Hit the spot after a long morning of hiking. The views weren’t half bad either. http://www.mtnhomeinn.com/

– Giants game at AT&T Park: We got great tickets in the View Reserve Right Field section with views of the Bay Bridge. We took the Muni out to the game, which was fast and easy. I was able to enjoy a gluten free beer and hot dog. The three of us had to try the infamous Gilroy garlic fries, which were as expected…garlic and fries (nothing special). It does get chilly at the stadium so remember to dress warmly. http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com 

– For our three nights in San Fran we stayed at the Hilton in Union Square. The location is ideal for getting all around the city but it borders the Tenderloin neighborhood which is very seedy, dirty and smelly. The hotel room was nice but we felt that the bathroom was particularly small. http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hilton-san-francisco-union-square-SFOFHHH/index.html

Day 3…

– CityPass: Keith found this amazing deal for the CityPass which we picked up at the Visitor’s Center. You can order the CityPass online ahead of time and it’s available in many other cities. You get half off access to great museums and unlimited use of public transportation. http://www.citypass.com/san-francisco

– de Young Museum: We took the bus to Golden Gate Park and walked right up to the museum. If you do not buy a CityPass, you can tell them that you took public transportation and get $2 off your admission fee. The museum has an impressive collection of art from America, Africa and Oceania. My favorite parts of the museum were the outdoor sculptures and the architecture of the museum itself. We took the elevator up to observatory level and enjoyed an amazing view of the city. https://deyoung.famsf.org/

– California Academy of Sciences: In one word – amazing. We explored the rain forest, aquarium and special exhibit about skulls for nearly 2 and half hours. We decided to catch the planetarium show, which was terrible (so terrible in fact, that Keith slept through it). By the time it was over the museum was closed and we still hadn’t seen everything. Do not miss out and leave yourself lots of time. http://www.calacademy.org/ 

– Haight Ashbury: We walked through Golden Gate Park towards the former center of the hippie movement. Unfortunately walking along Haight street is grimy and feels more like a relic rather than a tribute to the Summer of Love.

– Alamo Square: We continued our walk to the park so that we can snap a photo with the Victorian homes featured in the opening credits of Full House. 

– Dinner at Coi: My birthday is around the corner and my boyfriend spoiled me with a delicious meal at this James Beard award winning restaurant. We both agreed the food was yummy, service was impeccable and they were very accommodating of my gluten free needs. However, the tasting menu is quite pricey for what you get. But it was such a special meal that I really have no complaints and I would recommend it. Also, it’s not pronounced /koi/ like the fish, rather it’s pronounced /qua/. http://coirestaurant.com/

Day 4…

– Mission District: We spent the majority of the day in this very trendy neighborhood. Our goal was to try lots of cheap and delicious food. The only problem was that we showed up before the restaurants opened (11am). We only had time to chow down on an arepa at Pica Pica (http://www.picapica.com/) before we went to West of Pecos (http://westofpecos.com/) to watch the World Cup finals with friends. After lunch Brian enjoyed a burrito and we wandered Valencia street, weaving in and out of a few cute shops. 

 

 

 

 

– Blue and Gold Fleet Cruise: The CityPass included a 1 hour boat ride on the bay. We wanted a great view so we stood at the bow, with wind in our hair and the dream of an extra sweater on my mind, and enjoyed our trip from Pier 39. The ride went under the Golden Gate Bridge and then around Alcatraz, which was great because we weren’t able to make it to the jail due to the need to order tickets over a month in advance. You get some great San Francisco history if you can hear the recording over the wind. We were bummed that the sea lions weren’t out when we docked though. http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/ 

– Dinner at Slanted Door: This was my second time at the restaurant and it was significantly better than I remembered. Really interesting modern Vietnamese food but be careful not to over order; portions are large. The restaurant is located within the ferry building which has lots of great food options to try out! Think a less hectic Chelsea Market. http://www.slanteddoor.com/

 

Day 5 begins with our trip down the Pacific Coast Highway and I’ll post that soon.  Overall, there is so much to see, eat and do in San Francisco. However, the beauty of much of the city is ruined by a sense of grime that seems to overwhelm. Despite some smelly blocks, the highlight of our time in the city was exploring the Bay Area with my brother and every time I leave San Fran, I have more I want to see like Alcatraz, Lombard Street, Coit Tower and the Castro. What else should we add to the list?

Mom, Jeff, Whitney and Michael Jackson

I’ll make this post short and sweet…Go to the Whitney Museum of American Art and see the Jeff Koons: A Retrospective exhibition, http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/JeffKoons . Say your farewell to the Whitney since it will be moving to the Highline in 2015 and this will be its last exhibition. Here’s a few tips you should know before you go:

– Buy your tickets online ahead of time. The line was around the block but we had prepaid tickets so we strolled right on in!

One of the iconic Balloon Dogs (Yellow).

– Pick up the free audio guide. They seemed to be a bit finicky so make sure it’s working correctly before you head upstairs. I’m suggesting the audio guide because the crowd seemed to flock to all the text around the exhibition making it difficult to read everything in peace. The guide was very informative and included interviews and explanations with Koons himself.

Michael Jackson and Bubbles. Probably one of Koons’ most famous works. Here he’s playing with our concepts of idolatry and kitsch versus fine art.

– Start on Level 2. We thought to go to the top and work our way down but if you want to go chronologically, and leave the large scale sculptures for last, then walk up to the second floor.

From his Hoover series. Koons was inspired by Duchamp and the concept of the ready-,made. Koons also is constantly asking the viewer to consider the role of the artist versus the role of industry.

– Be prepared for nudity, and lots of it. So when considering whether or not to take the kids, just be ready to do some explaining on the third floor.

– Read this article from Time Out New York, http://www.timeout.com/newyork/art/jeff-koons-a-retrospective

Mom in front of Rabbit. Koons plays with the idea that his inflatables could deflate in an instant and yet the strength of the material would prevent that. Equilibrium  is a constant theme throughout his retrospective.

Split-Rocker, Koons says, was influenced by Picasso and his physical separation from his son. Go to Rockefeller Center to see the large scale garden version of this piece of art.

You’ll love it! Head to the Upper East Side and enjoy it. And maybe you’ll get lucky and see Paul McCartney at lunch afterwards like Mom and I did!

According to Us!

What’s the best way to beat the heat in NYC? Tuck into a great museum and enjoy a spectacular exhibit. Jesse and I have been friends since high school and it was his brilliant idea to check out the Ai Weiwei exhibit, According to What?, at the Brooklyn Museum and I gleefully obliged. http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/ai_weiwei/

Moon Chest (2008). 7 chests, made from the wood of precious Chinese trees, are lined up and when viewed through the center, images of the phases of the moon are revealed. Can you see Jesse peeking through?

My first suggestion is to watch the documentary, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, before you go to the museum, http://aiweiweineversorry.com/. You can view it on Netflix or through Amazon. I wish I had seen the movie first because it gives an in depth look into Weiwei as both a man and an artist. It also highlights the influences on Weiwei’s work, particularly his struggles with the Chinese government for freedom of expression and his personal plight to shed light on the atrocities of the Chengdu earthquake that killed almost 90,000 Chinese, many of whom were children in school. His artwork is so closely tied to his beliefs and the socioeconomic, political and social issues in China and the documentary will really help the museum goer understand his pieces more deeply.

Colored Vases (2007-10) and Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (1995, in background). Ai often plays with the idea of what is authentic and transforming or destroying the traditional.

The Brooklyn Museum is super easy to get to for all us Manhattanites and they have suggested admission prices which makes it a bit budget friendly. However, you do have to pay for the Weiwei exhibit. In terms of the exhibition, in my opinion, it’s really fabulous and thought provoking. Weiwei was arrested and detained for 81 days in 2011 and he cannot leave China so while the exhibit was conceptualized by him, he’ll never have the pleasure or freedom that we do to see it. That message was not lost on me as we meandered through his provocative artwork. It was great to wander with Jesse because he lived in China for a year and gave me a unique perspective on the artwork. If you haven’t seen the documentary, and they have a curator led tour available, I’d suggest taking it because there really is a lot to see and understand. But it closes on August 10th so definitely choose a day to cross the East River and enjoy it.

Straight (2008-12). Ai painstakingly straightened and arranged rebar found in the rubble of schoolhouses after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. He asks the viewer to consider how society can start over again as if nothing has ever happened.

Snake Ceiling (2009). Backpacks are arranged in the shape of a snake on the ceiling of the gallery. Ai is trying to illuminate the Chinese government’s lack of acknowledgement of the nearly 5,000 children killed within shoddy constructed schools. In response, the dissident launched a citizen’s campaign to learn the names of those lives lost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those not familiar with Jesse, you should know that he’s given me great additions to my summer list. He tends bar at Nitehawk Cinema, http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/, the first movie theatre with a bar in New York City and they show great new and old releases. Also if you’re a trekkie, head out to Williamsburg on a Sunday for Star Trek movies at http://www.videology.info/ and tell Jesse that Brooke sent you! Jesse is in a band, Sontag Shogun, with our other dear BHHS alum Jeremy, and they are playing at the Manhattan Inn on July 20th. Unfortunately I’ll be on a plane home from Cali but check them out and let me know how awesome they are! http://www.sontagshogun.com/

Brooklyn Museum!