The Breuer building is now Sothebys November 16, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Auction, Breuer, Frick Museum, Len Lauder, Maurizio Cattelan, Metropolitan Museum, NYC, photography, Pritzker, Sothebys, Whitney Museum
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Sotheby’s bought the Breuer building which was opened in 1966 and housed the Whitney Museum until 2015 when the Whitney opened its new digs downtown. For 10 years the Breuer was a temporary home to the Met and then to the Frick while they were renovating their museum. I always liked that building and visited all of the time so I was curious as to what Sotheby’s would be doing to that museum space.I visited last week and had a mixed reaction. Clearly a museum is not encumbered with sales as its goal. They curate their shows with the intention of showcasing an artist and the work. Sotheby’s goal is to sell. So the first thing I noticed was how they chopped up some of the old open spaces in order to hang more work. I found these spaces cluttered and claustrophobic.I was happy when I found a larger area where one could breathe and finally see those oddly shaped windows facing East 75th street. Four of the six floors housed many private collections including the Len Lauder and the Pritzer family collection. The auction is Tuesday the 18th so there is not much time to see the work. It will be interesting to see how long each collection remains in the Breuer post sales. If you are wondering what Sotheby’s did to its former building on York Avenue – Cornell Weill bought the building and will expand its already large footprint in that neighborhood. Oh, by the way…Maurizio Cattelan’s America (2016) which is a fully functional toilet fashioned from just over 100 kilograms of solid 18-karat gold is in a separate room with a guard. I wonder who will buy that work. I did not bid on it.
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.
While at the Zoo 