Saturday, April 30, 2011

Saturday night date

Uh - it's actually with you and my laptop.  Am finally catching up after a busy two days.  I just got home from an art opening: Joanie SanChirico's solo exhibition at Gallery S.H.E.  I left before it got too crowded and anyway, Joanie had to hob nob with her potential buyers instead of her old friend.  But it was great to catch up before I had to leave. Here she is, lookong great and wearing one of my very first scarves, which is still her favorite.  Oh, my goodness - I hate to think how many years ago that was. Ten?
Prior to that, I spent the day at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Guild Network annual meeting, meeting and chatting with program chairs from 52 guilds from CT to MD.  This was my second annual meeting and it was not only fun, but informative on both the guild side and the teacher side. 

Friday was an ART day.  I caught the bus into NY and walked uptown to the Museum of Modern Art - better known as MOMA.  I wish I had been able to shoot fast enough to get pictures of all the women who were wearing scarves draped around their necks.  Never mind that it was 75 degrees and sunny; the scarves looked like rayon with fringes, for the most part - probably made in India or Sri Lanka -- and were very attractive and ubiquitous accessories with jeans and t-shirts. I could have filled the whole blog with these fashion pictures, but before I could shoot, they had passed me. You know that NY pedestrians don't slog along like the rest of the world. They WALK.   But I did get this parked truck!
 One person who was not walking was this guy. He was washing the parking garage exterior with a giant squeegee, which he had just traded for a hose.  Nice job.
 

Anyway, on to the museum. No pictures allowed in the special exhibitons but we spotted this masterpiece on the way up and I couldn't resist.  This is only half of it.
Duct tape, electrical tape, masking tape, painter's tape and I don't know what all else.  A vision of loveliness.  Made us smile.

First stop was the German Expressionist special exhibit, which I liked a lot and found fascinating on many levels.  My favorite part was the art from between the wars, although there was not as much from that period that I would have liked.  The social commentary is a pervasive subtext (although not always so sub-) and while many of the artists (and a few of the pictuers) were represented in the Met's Glitter and Doom from several years ago, this was for me, not as powerful an exhibit because the Met show was all from that period entre les guerres.  Nonetheless...I thought it was excellent.

Yes, we saw the PIcasso guitar exhibit. Today, we don't think twice about using ordinary materials in collage - but Picasso and his cronies Braque and Gris were ground-breakers, whether they meant to be or not.  In any event, it made me see what working in a series really can be.

When we asked a volunteer were the exhibit was, she told us not to miss the art from South Africa on the 2nd floor.  So we didn't. Powerful!  And it included a couple of pieces by William Kentridge.

On my walk back to the Port Authority bus terminal I was able to snap a bit more of the Manhattan landscape.
As I got to 8th Ave, the scenery changed.

Mickey Mouse and Elmo (what a combination) were busy having their pictures taken, but Sponge Bob was cuter anyway.  Will somebody please tell me what the point is of having all these characters wandering around the streets?  No, don't. I don't want to know.

Caught the bus home and then we were stuck in rush hour traffic.  Big shocker. The graphics on the back of this truck kept me visually involved during the boring part of the ride.
So, that's the story, for what it's worth.  Tomorrow, off to Brooklyn to visit you-know-who.

11 comments:

Dianne Koppisch Hricko said...

I had a lovely day in my studio in Philadelphia and was a guest at a thank you party. A really pleasant day with beautiful weather. Your post was the cherry on the top of the cake.. I got to enjoy your day in NYC thanks Rayna.

Unknown said...

You have too much fun Rayna!! I want to go to the Museum of Art in New York City!! I have to get out more -- lol.

I do not care for the graffiti photos but LOVE the water fountain circle photo -- very intriguing!

Blessings,
Jane

Del said...

I've been missing you. Glad you had a great day in NYC and glad you shared it with us. Love ya.

Eva said...

A jaw-dropping piece of art! Makes me think of a modern proverb ("Is this art or may I dump it?) -- no, this one is unmistakeable. Love the calligraphy in red!

Judy said...

Have a nice visit with 'we-know-who'! ;-)

xo

Mostly Turquoise said...

Hi Rayna,

Thanks for describing your art tour in New York City, I could almost visualize you walking around in all the buzz there. Rush hour somewhere near the Holland Tunnel, maybe?? Enjoy your Brooklyn family, grtz
Regina, SXM

Unknown said...

Give you-know-who a kiss for me. I love it when you take us on, what feels to me like, a mini-vacation. I finally had one of those days week and it was glorious!xoxox

Gerrie said...

Wish I could have joined you! I need a NY art fix. Maybe in August.

Pamela Chasen said...

i love your photos - met with a framer on frday to frame our new little kentridge - a typewriter - an old piece - but so beautiful. would love to do a trip to the MoMa with you dear rayna. much love pam

Joanie Gagnon San Chirico said...

Thanks for coming to my exhibit!! Great to see you, even for a little bit. xxoo

June said...

Um, I'm a great fan of Kentridge. He gets around, too -- I run into his work in odd places in the US. Of course, I envy you your art day, and of course, I should do one myself, soon. I shall do one myself, soon. I promise -- I will/shall/must have an art day -- soon:-)

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