Art and Activism July 6, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Ben Shahn, Jewish Museum, NYC, photography
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I was introduced to the multi-talented artist Ben Shahn while in art college. Since it was the 60’s I was mired in the world of politics and the world around me. While still of that political persuasion I am not as active as I once was (I am old, tired and simply aghast at the state of our country and the world). I digress…we saw this wonderful exhibit at the Jewish Museum as they present the first U.S. retrospective in nearly half a century dedicated to social realist artist and activist Ben Shahn (1898-1969). Ben Shahn, On Nonconformity examines the prolific and progressive artist’s commitment to chronicling and confronting crucial issues of his era, spanning from the Great Depression to the Vietnam War, as well as his exploration of spirituality and Jewish texts. The exhibit features 175 artworks and objects from the 1930s to the 1960s, including paintings, mural studies, prints, photographs and commercial designs. The exhibition draws its title from Ben Shahn’s credo of “nonconformity,” which the artist asserted as an indispensable precondition for both significant artistic production and all great societal change. This wonderful exhibit is on through October 12, 2025.
Sargent & Paris June 22, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, John Singer Sargent, Madame X, Metropolitan Museum, Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, NYC, photography
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This was our second visit to this beautiful exhibit of the paintings of John Singer Sargent 1856-1925) at the Met. Our first visit was a run through but this time we lingered and soaked in the mastery of this esteemed painter. We were especially taken in by his earlier work which was more experimental and free. Sargent’s bio is well known. He was born American to ex-pat parents and basically spent most of his life in Europe. His family wealth allowed him the time to travel, study and paint (doesn’t that sound dreamy)? We chuckled at the scandal that his famous painting of Madame X created in Paris. It seems very quaint 100 years later. The Madame X painting has been a highlight of the Met’s collection since Sargent sold it to the museum in 1916, telling the director “I suppose it’s the best thing I’ve done.” This exhibit runs through August 3rd. While at the Met please allow yourself time to visit the beautiful new Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, featuring the Museum’s collections of the Arts of Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania.
Where the Wild Things Weren’t June 8, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Audubon, Beatrix Potter, Bernard Kerik, Christies, David Hockney, Disney, Fao Schwartz, Louise Nevelson, Maurice Sendak, MC Escher, NYC, photography, St Partricks Cathedral, Vallotton, Vuillard, Where the Wild Things Are, William Blake
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Friday was a very strange day. Our goal was to visit Christie’s and see the collection of Maurice Sendak (both his own work and the work of other artists he had owned) that would be soon up for auction. Christie’s is located near St Patrick’s Cathedral. When we approached we saw hundreds of police for blocks and blocks surrounding St Patrick’s. Turns out we bumped into former NYC Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik’s funeral. We spent about 30 minutes watching all of the politicos both present and past, both felon and would be felons. Needless to say, we had a lot to comment upon. I will not share those comments with you today but any of you that know me will know what we were speaking about.
Hispanic Society of America June 1, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Adriana Varejão, Archer M. Huntington, art, Art exhibit, Audubon Terrace, Duchess of Alba, El Grecoand Joaquin Sorolla, Goya, Hispanic Society of America, Museum of the American Indian, NYC, photography, Velazquez
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We hopped on the #1 train and made our first visit to an extraordinary NYC gem, the Hispanic Society in Upper Manhattan last Saturday. What a find! Founded in 1904 by philanthropist Archer M. Huntington, the institution continues to operate at its original location in a 1908 Beaux Arts building on Audubon Terrace in the Washington Heights. The Hispanic Society complex was designated as a Historic National Landmark in 2012. In 2021, the museum expanded into the former home of the Museum of the American Indian (which is now downtown in the old Customs House), adjacent to the museum’s original building.
Give My Regards to Broadway May 25, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Broadway Museum, Museum of Broadway, NYC, photography, theater
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We visited the Broadway Museum at the end of February and I suggest you pop in for a fun hour or two. We found ourselves singing and laughing thru much of the museum. If you like show tunes – this place is for you. You walk through Broadway’s history, starting in 1732 with the first documented performance in NYC, and go backstage with your favorite Broadway stars to learn how a show is made. As you walk the timeline, you’ll come upon exhibits dedicated to groundbreaking moments in Broadway’s history – those that pushed creative boundaries, challenged social norms, and paved the way for those who would follow. The Museum of Broadway was designed by internationally renowned artists, designers, and theater historians. Break a leg!
It’s Good to be Queen May 18, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Arting, culture, Jewish Museum, Museums, NYC, photography, Queen Esther, Rembrandt
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Today is International Museum Day. I have been ‘arting’ with my friend Donald Murphy at a minimum of once a week for over a year now and it has been a wonderful addition to our lives. We plan and plot our arting days and try to see all of the ‘big’ shows both in museums and galleries. We have also seen wonderful smaller shows and when possible I share it with you on Sundays. New York City is home to over 188 museums and cultural institutions. This includes a wide variety of museums, from art and history to science and culture. A significant portion, about 37%, focus on art. The city’s five boroughs each contribute to this rich cultural landscape. Here is a breakdown by borough: Manhattan: 115 museums Brooklyn: 23 museums Queens: 22 museums The Bronx: 15 museums Staten Island: 12 museums
American Sublime April 27, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Amy Sherald, art, Art exhibit, Breonna Taylor, Christine Sum Kim, Michelle Obama, NYC, Whitney Museum
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Our visit to the Whitney’s Amy Sherald’s exhibition was uplifting. Most of us were introduced to her when she was chosen to paint the portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama but there is so much more to discover. “Amy Sherald is a storyteller. She creates precisely crafted narratives of American life, selecting, styling, and photographing her sitters as the foundation for her nuanced paintings. Thus, while Sherald (b. 1973; Columbus, Georgia) bases her works on specific people, they are more than traditional portraits. They center everyday Black Americans, compelling in their individuality and extraordinary in their ordinariness, inviting viewers to step into Sherald’s imagined worlds. In this exhibition, paintings of such ordinary Americans join her iconic portraits of First Lady Michelle Obama and, heartbreakingly, Breonna Taylor, to produce a resonant ode to the multiplicity and complexity of American identity.” There is also a wonderful video which I encourage you to watch about her life and technique. This wonderful exhibit is on thru August 10. While at the Whitney I highly recommend Christine Sum Kim’s ‘All Day All Night’ . She is a deaf artist with a brilliant wit. I found myself laughing out loud at her insightful work.
The Frick Returns April 13, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Breuer, Frick Museum, Gilded Age, Neue, NYC, photography, Rembrandt, Sothebys, Vermeer, Whistler
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After a $220 million dollar renovation I would look good too. The Frick Museum reopens to the public this week after a five year absence. I have kept my membership thru these years as their collection (or some of it) was exhibited at the old Whitney (now called the Breuer and soon to be home of Sothebys – whew! It is hard to keep track). We had the opportunity to visit a week ago for Member’s Preview. Long story short – it was money well spent. After 100 years visitors are allowed to ascend their glorious staircase and see where the Frick family lived and slept. The collection of art is glorious. They have three Vermeer’s, Rembrandt’s, Whistlers, Ingres and so much more. They also have art that I find meh. I have never been a fan of Fragonard (girls on swings) type of art. There are several wonderful articles that appeared this past week from writers more talented than me for you to read. I found the articles about the artisans who worked on the renovation fascinating. My pet peeve has always been when museums do not allow photos. I never understood those silly rules. Flash cameras have gone the way of the steam engine yet those silly rules still exist. The Neue Museum and The Frick are two of the museums in the city who have that rule. However – for the previews, they allowed as much photography as you wanted to shoot. I am not sure if this rule has been lifted or if it was only for the previews. The other rule that I do like is that the Frick still does not admit children under 10. So that means no strollers (and that’s a good thing). Their cafe will be open soon. I encourage you to visit this glorious home and see how they lived in the Gilded Age.
All That Glitters… April 6, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: anniversary, art, Art exhibit, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum, lunch, NYC, photography, Solid Gold, Toms
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The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary is being celebrated with a dazzling, glitzy, all encompassing exhibit entitled Solid Gold. With over 500 works, taking up almost the entire fifth floor, we spent two hours enjoying this wonderful exhibition. The majesty of gold in a shimmering exhibition dedicated to the element that has inspired countless works of art, fashion, film, music, and design. As a material and a color, gold has symbolized beauty, honor, joy, ritual, spirituality, success, and wealth throughout history. It has also taken on myriad forms: from millennia-old depictions of an idealized world to opulent 13th- and 14th-century Italian altarpieces and intricate Japanese screens, to contemporary artwork and haute couture marvels. With a sweeping range of objects and a global perspective, this exhibition traces the many odysseys of the metal that has influenced cultures and legacies worldwide to this day. This exhibit is on through July 6th, 2025. An important part of our ‘arting’ days is lunch. The Brooklyn Museum recently closed their delicious dining experience on the first floor. Instead they have a cafeteria style unappetizing section near the front door. Since art makes us hungry we ventured out to Washington Place and found Tom’s Restaurant, established in 1936. I would imagine that not much has changed since 1936 (even the prices). Long story short…it is now our ‘go to’ lunch experience when at the Brooklyn Museum.
Orchids: A Dance of Color March 30, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, flowers, Mexico, nature, NYBG, NYC, Orchids, photography
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New York Botanical Garden presents its 22nd annual Orchid Show. Their yearly celebration of all things orchid spotlights the vibrant setting of Mexico for The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism. The show this year was conceived as a tribute to the great midcentury Mexican architect Luis Barragán (1902-88). If you enjoy color (and I do) this show will delight your eyes. NYBG’s orchid show is always a welcome diversion from the grays of winter. It is on thru April 27th. Visit and feast your eyes.
While at the Zoo 