Art Hag

David Byrne | Under the High Line (508 West 25th Street)

David Byrne seems to do it all -- music, writing, art, filmmaking -- and he does it all very well, indeed.  Following up his 2008 Creative Time-commissioned installation, Playing the Building, The Pace Gallery presents Tight Spot, Byrne's site-specific art installation under the High Line at 508 West 25th Street.

Consisting of a 48 x 20 foot inflatable globe, reminiscent of the ones from elementary school days, the representation of the planet is overblown and crammed snugly under the High Line bridge, warping the pastel, plasticky orb.  Emanating from the center of the malformed earth is a low-frequency vibration that Byrne created using his own voice, tweaking and distorting it to make it unrecognizable and give it an otherworldly, sonic sort of vibe.  The mysterious, warbling sounds can be heard around the block and from the High Line above, luring visitors to the installation. 

Always proving to be daring and innovative, the former RISD student, frontman of Talking Heads, and author of Bicycle Diaries (and designer of bicycle racks around NYC and Brooklyn), Byrne has a knack for creating exciting, original, and intelligent visual and sensory work and experiences.  Tight Spot is on view for two weeks only.  Closes October 1st.  Learn more at thepacegallery.com.

Tight Spot, 2011

Sol LeWitt | City Hall Park

Twenty-seven of Connecticut-born artist Sol LeWitt's (1928 - 2007) sculptures, or as he referred to them - structures, are currently on view in and around City Hall Park.  Several of his famous minimal, white, geometric squares are on display in Structures, 1965-2006, alongside more complex forms, a pyramid, a tower, and a wonderfully colorful and dynamic piece called Splotch 15, resembling of a bunch of rainbow-hued stalagmites or a gigantic heap of Crayola crayons melting in the brutal summer sun.

Presented by the Public Art Fund, the outdoor retrospective of LeWitt's works is the first of its kind, and chronicles the progression of his structures for forty years, from his "early white geometric cubes through to the late, multicolored organic forms," (from nyc-arts.org).  It's a nice change to see LeWitt's staid, minimal works displayed outdoors instead of inside a white, sterile gallery.  His structures boldy stand out and make a statement juxtaposed amongst grassy lawns, green foliage, the Brooklyn Bridge and assorted skyscrapers—"both natural and architectural forms in the city that helped inspire his art."  Learn more at nyc-arts.org.  Through December 2nd.

Splotch 15, right, 2005 and Three X Four X Three, left, 1984

Splotch 15, 2005 and Three X Four X Three, 1984

Complex Form 6, 1987

Double Modular Cube, 1979

Pyramid (Munster), 1987

Three-Part Variations on Three Different Kinds of Cubes 3 3 2, 1967 - 1974

Incomplete Open Cubes,1974

Incomplete Open Cube, 1974

One X Two Half Off, 1991

Tower (Columbus), 1990

Public Art

Now that we've entirely bypassed spring and plunged head-on into summer weather, it's time to venture outdoors and enjoy some public art.  Along with Ai Weiwei's Zodiac Heads at Grand Army Plaza, here are a few other suggestions for viewing art whilst simultaneously catching some sun.

If you haven't already, you should head over to the Seagram Building at Park Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets to check out Swiss-born, Brooklyn-based Urs Fischer's 20-ton, 23-foot-tall, bright yellow, teddybear impaled by a desk lamp.  Untitled (Lamp/Bear) sold at Christie's May 11th auction for over $6 million (a few mill shy of the expected $10 million). After getting six city permits and reinforcing the ground in front of the Seagram Building, about 30 handlers were employed to assemble the piece back in April.  The lightbulb in the giant lamp (whose stand juts out of the poor, slouchy bear's back) lights up in the evening.  Fischer created three of these works — siblings of the bear on display on Park Avenue include a blue one purchased for an undisclosed amount by a hedge-fund manager and another yellow version displayed on the Montauk, New York lawn of its entrepreneur owner.  Learn more at Christies.com and wsj.com.  Through September 30th.

After checking out the excellent McQueen exhibit along with eveyone else and his mom at the Met, be sure to head up to the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden to see sculptures by British artist Anthony Caro.  A key figure in modernist sculpture, the five, large-scale, steel works on exhibit span Caro's sixty year career.  The lively, colorful pieces explore "principal aspects" of the artist's career including "engagement with form in space, dialogue between sculpture and architecture, and creation of new, abstract analogies for the human figure and landscape," (from the museum's website).  Learn more at metmuseum.org.  Through October 30th.

And if you happen to be in or around Union Square, you should make a special stop at the new pedestrian plaza at Broadway and 17th Street where Rob Pruitt's The Andy Monument christens the walkway.  Inspired by Andy Warhol's art, life, drive and spirit, Pruitt created the life-size silvery statue as a tribute to the Pop artist.  Posing with a Polaroid camera around his neck and clutching a Bloomingdale's shopping bag, Pruitt's figure of Warhol is exhibited a spitting distance away from the second incarnation of Warhol's famous and infamous Factory.  The shiny, blinding beacon is a flashy and fitting salute to the legendary and influential New York icon.  Learn more at unionsquarenyc.org.  Through October 2nd.

Urs Fischer, Untitled (Lamp/Bear)

Urs Fischer, Untitled (Lamp/Bear)

Anthony Caro, After Summer, 1968

Anthony Caro, Midday, 1960

Anthony Caro, End Up, 2010

Rob Pruitt, The Andy Monument

Ai Weiwei | Grand Army Plaza

Since Ai Weiwei's whereabouts are still unknown after being detained by Chinese officials in early April, the world-renowned artist and human rights activist was not able to attend the unveiling of his first major public sculpture installation, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, last Wednesday at Grand Army Plaza (at 58th Street and 5th Avenue - across from Central Park, the Plaza Hotel, and Bergdorf Goodman).  New York City is the first stop of the exhibition's official world tour which will be traveling across the U.S. as well as Europe and Asia.

The 800-pound, bronze sculptures represent the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig).  The work was inspired by the 18th century water clock-fountain built in the gardens of Yuanming Yuan by two European Jesuits for Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty.  The Yuanming Yuan gardens were raided in 1860 by British and French troops and the original animal head sculptures were looted.  While only seven of the original twelve heads have ever been recovered, Ai recreated the full dozen in charming, large-scale renditions that question issues of  "looting and repatriation" and explore "fake" or copied works of art (from zodiacheads.com).

The exhibition is organized by AW Asia, and while Ai could not be at the opening last week, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was joined by a number of artists, curators, and members of the arts community to honor the artist and read aloud some of his eloquent and rousing quotes.  Mayor Bloomberg noted, "Artists risk everything to create, but artists like Ai Weiwei, who come from places that do not value and protect free speech, risk even more than that."

New York City seems an appropriate choice to kick off Wei's Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads tour as the artist attended Parsons and lived here for more than ten years.  The artist states that the zodiac sculptures are works that can be enjoyed and understood by all - including children, people not in the art world, and casual passers-by.  The stunning, playful sculptures were certainly getting lots of attention when I visited.  Now if only those imprisoning Ai could understand and appreciate the artist, his artwork, and his politics as well.  Learn more at zodiacheads.com and artdaily.org.  Through July 15th.

Rat

Ox, Tiger

Rabbit, Dragon, Snake

Snake, Horse

Goat, Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Boar

Will Ryman | Park Avenue Mall, 57th - 67th Streets

Now that it feels like spring may have actually, finally arrived (please, please, please!), Will Ryman's The Roses seem more fitting (and less like a tease) along the Park Avenue Mall traveling up the road along 57th - 67th Streets.  Presented by The NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and Paul Kasmin Gallery, Ryman's site-specific installation consists of 38 Godzilla-sized pink and red roses standing between 3 and 25 feet tall with blossoms measuring 5 to 10 feet in diameter.  The enormous, whimsical roses made of stainless steel, "yacht-grade" fiberglass resin, auto body paint, and brass were created to endure unpredictable weather — they were covered in over a foot of snow after a blizzard hit the city shortly after they were installed in late January.  The charming, colorful, monstrously oversized flowers are accessorized with thorns, leaves, fallen rose petals (mostly scattered along the stretch between 63rd and 65th Streets), as well as Mothra-sized ladybugs, bees, and beetles. 

Ryman, a native New Yorker (his parents are painters Robert Ryman and Merrill Wagner), was initially a playwright before becoming an artist known for "large-scale figurative sculptures based on urban scenes and outsized flora," (from Paul Kasmin website).  In explaining his installation, Ryman states:  "With these roses I wanted to do something that was larger than life and site-specific.  In my work I always try to combine fantasy with reality.  In the case of The Roses, I tried to convey New York City's larger than life qualities through scale; creating blossoms which are imposing, humorous, and hopefully beautiful."  Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe adds, "Park Avenue is known for its beautiful floral displays and Will Ryman's massive roses, ranging between three and twenty-five feet in height, will enliven the area throughout the winter, in anticipation of the arrival of the tulips in the spring."

The Roses, situated in the medians between the traffic lanes on the always bustling Park Avenue, give viewers a "bugs-eye-view" of the flowers, making us feel puny in this big, crazy city.  Whether covered in mounds of snow or basking in sunlight, Ryman's dramatic, cheerful, freakishly huge blooms are a delight.  Learn more at Paulkasmingallery.com, nycgovparks.org and at the artist's website Willryman.com.  Through May 31st.

 

Stephen Vitiello | High Line

Back in June, Virgina-based artist Stephen Vitiello debuted A Bell For Every Minute - a site-specific, multi-channel sound installation set up in a tunnel passageway on the High Line.  In colloaboration with Creative Time and NYC's Department of Parks and Recreation, Vitiello recorded bells ringing around New York City and plays one each minute in his installation.  Every hour on the hour a chorus of several selected bells chime in an eccentric symphony.  The recorded rings range from iconic chimes like the New York Stock Exchange Bell and the UN Peace Bell to more ordinary sounds like bicycle bells and church bells.  A clock is conveniently on display alongside a list showing each minute and its corresponding bell.  A map of the city "identifies the location of each bell, allowing the listener to follow the geographic journey of the recordings," (from thehighline.org).

Whether it's the speakers that were used for the installation or the acoustics in the tunnel, the ringing bells sound sweet and magical in the High Line's 14th Street Passage.  While I was only able to stay for a couple of minutes (and for as many rings), I would definitely go back and revisit A Bell For Every Minute.  The seemingly simple installation offers a charming respite from the everyday hubbub of the city.  Learn more at thehighline.org, creativetime.org and at the artist's website stephenvitiello.com.  Ongoing at the High Line's 14th Street Passage (between West 13th and 14th Streets).

Miranda July | Union Square Park

Before closing up shop Deitch Projects organized the exhibition of Miranda July's Eleven Heaving Things in Union Square Park from May 29th - October 3rd.  July, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, artist, performance artist, and writer created the eleven cast fiber-glass, steel-lined sculptures specifically for interaction and previously presented them at the 53rd International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. 

To encourage visitors to interact with the works, July created platforms to pose on, tablets with holes to poke body parts—faces, heads, limbs, digits— through, and "free-standing abstract headdresses" (from nycgovparks.org).  A series of three pedestals labeled "The Guilty One," "The Guiltier One," and the "Guiltiest One" invites visitors to stand on them and plead their level of guiltiness.  A white slab with a hole cut out to insert a face through reads, "What I look like when I'm lying." Elevated with poles, large, flat, colorful panels feature shapes cut out of their bottom edges to accomodate heads and shoulders.  Another wider pedestal built to be hugged by two people cheekily reads, "We don't know each other, we're just hugging for the picture."  All eleven of July's Heavy Things practically scream, "photo op!" in the most twee sort of way. 

The central lawn in Union Square Park where the sculptures are on display is open during the day from Tuesday through Friday.  I unfortunately dropped by on a Monday so my pics had to be taken from a distance and are pretty lame.  Sorry!  Learn more at nycgovparks.org and at July's website mirandajuly.com.  Through October 3rd.

Manolo Valdes | Broadway Mall

The Marlborough Gallery has partnered up with New York City's Department of Parks & Recreation and Department of Transportation to present Manolo Valdes: Monumental Sculpture on Broadway, sixteen large, bronze sculptures by Spanish artist Manolo Valdes exhibited along the stretch of The Broadway Mall from Columbus Circle up to 166th Street.  I ventured uptown-west this past weekend and checked out six of the stops on Broadway up to 103rd Street.  Each sculpture is located in the center of Broadway on an island situated by a major intersection and a nearby subway station.  Each work is conveniently labeled with a sign that includes mobile phone access numbers for English and Spanish audio tours offering information on each piece.

For Valdes' six Reina Mariana sculptures—four located at Columbus Circle and two at 72nd Street—the eight-feet-tall "abstract and simplified forms" (from the press release), the artist depicts Queen Mariana as inspired by paintings by seventeenth-century Spanish painter Diego Velazquez.  Also inspired by Velazquez are Valdes' two 2008 equestrian works Dama a Caballo V (located at Columbus Circle) and Caballero V (located at 157th Street).  Accompanying the two Reina Marianas at 72nd Street is Odalisca (2006), a large, sideway-reclining head that reminds me of Man Ray's Noire et Blanche (1926) and "whose subtle forms refer to works of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso."  On view at various locations along the Broadway stretch is a fantastic series of six, 12-feet-high, female heads each wearing serene facial expressions and magnificient, Philip Treacy-worthy, "ornamental head-pieces."

Valdes' dramatic and grand bronze sculptures are a visual treat while traveling along Brodway and nicely add character and life to the medians sandwiched between lanes of heavy traffic.  I was lazy last weekend and couldn't motivate to travel beyond 103rd Street (there are four more works placed at 137th, 148th, 157th, and 166th Streets) but I will defintely post more if I can get my butt in gear to check out the rest of the exhibit.  Learn more at marlboroughgallery.com.  From May 20th - January 23, 2011. 

Dama a Caballo V, 2008 (Columbus Circle)

Two Reina Marianas, 2005 (Columbus Circle)

Reina Mariana, 2005 (Columbus Circle)

Dama II, 2003 (Dante Park, between 63rd and 64th Streets)

Odalisca, 2006 (72nd Street)

Lydia, 2003 (79th Street)

Yvonne II, 2006 (96th Street)

Regina II, 2005 (103rd Street)

Statuesque | City Hall Park

Back in June the Public Art Fund unveiled Statuesque downtown at City Hall Park.  The outdoor, group, sculpture exhibition features ten works by six international aritsts: Poland-based Pawel Althamer; Pakistan-born/U.S.-based Huma Bhabha; Americans Aaron Curry and Matthew Monahan; and Brits Thomas Houseago and Rebecca Warren.  As the exhibit's press release states, the artists featured in Statuesque aim to "reinvent figurative sculpture for a new era." 

The Public Art Fund's Director Nicholas Baume notes that this is the New York debut of each of the works on view and states, "Long considered marginal in the contemporary art world, figurative sculpture has returned to center stage in the recent works of an international group of artists born in the 1960s and 1970s... By turns visually playful, formally experimental, and viscerally charged, their works reinvent and extend the language of figurative sculpture for the twenty-first century."

The diverse and unique styles of the sculptures range from — three, neon-colored, aluminum shapes by Curry; three imposing, hulking male figures by Houseago; proud, ancient-looking men from Bhabha and Monahan; a nude woman sprawled across the grass by Althamer; and a cartoonish, bronze character by Warren.  "They tend towards abstraction over realism, assemblage over the readymade, construction of form over casting from life, and physicality and texture over refinement of finish."  Situated on busy walkways or lawns trafficked mainly by squirrels, the placement of the sculptures encourages "public access and interaction" and invites "visitors to experience [the] works more directly."  Learn more at publicartfund.org.  Through December 3rd.

Rebecca Warren, Large Concretised Monument to the Twentieth Century, 2007

Aaron Curry, Horned Head Trip (reclining), 2010

Thomas Houseago, Untitled (Lumpy Figure), 2009

Huma Bhabha, The Orientalist, 2007

Aaron Curry, Big Pink, 2010 and Yellow Bird Boy, 2010

Matthew Monahan, Nation Builder, 2010

Thomas Houseago, Untitled (Red Man), 2008

Pawel Althamer and the Nowolipie Group, Sylwia, 2010

Thomas Houseago, Untitled (Sprawling Octopus Man), 2009

Objets d'Art | News

~Last chance for Event Horizon - Antony Gormley's Event Horizon, presented by the Madison Park Conservancy, ends its five-month run this Sunday, August 15th.  The public art exhibition featured 31 life-size, iron and fiberglass body casts of the British artist.  The sculptures were placed in and around Madison Square Park and on the edge of rooftops of some surrounding buildings.  The end of Event Horizon means no more statues to mistake for suicide jumpers or for tourists to pose with and grope.  Learn more at eventhorizonnewyork.org and at the artist's website Antonygormley.com.  Ends August 15th.

~Congrats to Work of Art winner! - Spoiler Alert: Congratulations to Abdi Farah on nabbing Work of Art's grand prize of $100,000 and a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum.  The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native and graduate of U Penn was definitely one of my faves to win - if not always for his work [though I did really like his Baptism drawing and I.E.D. (Improvised Explosive Device) head bomb sculptures], most definitely for his super nice and positive personality.  This show seems to have a bunch of online haters, so it'll be interesting to see if Bravo brings it back for a second season.  Read more at bravotv.com/work-of-art.

~Happy birthday, Andy! - I just started reading Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett's POPiSM The Warhol Sixties (I love it so far) this past weekend - coincidentally, last Friday, August 6th would have been the late artist's 82nd birthday.  To mark the occasion, Flavorwire has compiled 82 Things You Didn't Know About Andy Warhol, a list of trivia and tidbits about the pop icon.  I particularly like #24, "Warhol enjoyed eating alone, and wanted to open a chain of restaurants called "ANDY-MATS — 'The Restaurant for the Lonely Person;'" #42, "Warhol was a regular volunteer at homeless shelters in New York City;" and #59, "The IRS audited Warhol every year from 1972 until his death in 1987."  Who knew?!  Check out the full list at flavorwire.com. 

A statue from Antony Gormley's Event Horizon in Madison Square Park

A statue from Antony Gormley's Event Horizon on the roof of a building (center) on Fifth Avenue