art of the 5: queens represents

"Contra Luz" 2013
Ismael Checo

"Soon We'll Lay Our Pappadums to Dry" 2011
Indrajeet Chandrachud

A new exhibit "art of the 5: queens represents"  at the InterChurch Center's Treasure gallery.   Guest curator Debra Vanderburg Spencer presents  a selection of works by contemporary artists who live in the borough of Queens.  The list of artists represented speaks to the cultural diversity of Queens, but the works communicate   human experiences such as memory, desire, loss,

"Nothing Left to Give"
Tania Alvarez
2013

hope ,loneliness that resonate with all.   There is something for everyone as guests will see sculptures, paintings, and mixed media.    This exhibit is perfect for all and is on view until July 5th.
The InterChurch Center
475 Riverside Drive
Treasure Gallery and lobby
www.interchurch-center.org

Elena Sisto: Between Silver Light and Orange Shadow

Ear, 2013 by Elena Sisto

 Frogs, 2013 by Elena Sisto

Self Portrail with (Red Figure), 2011
Elena Sisto

In a recent interview about her work the artist Elena Sisto said, " When you look at my paintings I want you to look at it and say "Oh, I know what that is."  And indeed, despite  the severe cropping in some of the images you have still have a good idea of what you are looking.  But the fun begins when you get closer to the  paintings and find yourself enjoying the details, the color and the lines.   This series of paintings on view at the Lori Bookstein Fine Art gallery is filled with surprises as the artists depicts  paintings of famous paintings  on the studio walls of artists she portrays (some are of herself).  The cartoonish look to the subjects makes the images very inviting to look at. This show is perfect for all and sadly only up until May 25th.
Lori Bookstein Fine Art  138 10th ave
www.loribooksteinfineart.com

"Ashe to Amen: African Americans and Biblical Imagery" at MOBIA

Xenobia Bailey (1956- )
SISTAH PARADISE'S GREAT WALLS OF FIRE REVIVAL TENT, MYSTIC SEER * FAITH HEALER * ENCHANTRESS EXTRAORDINAIRE

Biblical lore has had a great influence over many African American artists, past and present.  The Museum of Biblical Art explores this relationship with it's current exhibit:  "Ashe to Amen, African Americans and Biblical Imagery."  The word Ashe is a Yoruba word that means to make something happen creatively.  The essence of the word Amen is "so be it."  These two words so beautifully describe, the breadth and depth of the artwork displayed in this exhibition.   Each artist represented has explored their encounter with religion and spirituality and produced something that embodies their personal truth.   Be it a sculpture made from branches and twigs or a head piece made from found glass, whatever the medium the artists religious influences come across loud and clear. You will find pieces by well known artists such as Romare Bearden,  and others you may not have heard of, yet.   It is worth getting the free pre- recorded tour headphones because you'll get a short bio of the artists and their influences.
This exhibit is perfect for most although there is a large crochet tent by artist Xenobia Bailey, (see above)
at the center of the gallery that begs to be entered but you'll have to keep the little ones at bay.  This exhibit is up through May 26th, 2013.
The Museum of Biblical Art
1865 Broadway at 61st
 www.mobia.org

Clementine Hunter (1886/1887-1988)
Baby Jesus and Three Wise Men, c. 1960

Stephen Antonakos: Pillows 1962-1963

An Artist's Life, February 17, 1963
Stephen Antonakos
  At the Lori Bookstein Fine Art gallery the  work of Greek artist  Stephen Antonakos is on view up until March 16th, and is well worth the visit. He created this series in the early Sixties and has a Pop Art look.   The work is all pillows and pillow drawings that are embellished with items like nails, pipes, dolls, marbles, lights even a ferris wheel!  Many times the objects sprout out of the center or are wrapped up all around the pillow.  Are we looking into the remnants of a dream he has had?   You and your kids may find yourselves having some interesting conversations about dreams and art.  The exhibit is  perfect for all.  

Lori Bookstein Fine Art 138 tenth ave between

Untitled Pillow, March 4th 1963
Stephen Antonakos

18th and 19th street
www.loribooksteinfineart.com

Nancy Dwyer : Painting & Sculpture, 1982-2012

Long Island City, located in Queens, New York,  is the home of  The Fisher Landau Center for Art.   The museum was established  by Emily Fisher Landau, a patron of the arts with a passion for modern art and collecting it.  Formerly a parachute harness factory,  the museum  boasts  three spacious loft floors  filled with its permanent collection of modern art.  The list of artists represented  includes Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha and Cy Twombly, to name just a few.   The fee is always complimentary and the staff is welcoming and helpful.  The current exhibition is of the work of Nancy Dwyer, one of the founding member of the Pictures Generation,  an art movement that originated in the mid 70's.  Using various mediums, the artists explored  ways in which media saturated our culture and daily lives with selected "language."  The show "Painting & Sculpture, 1982-2012," is on view through April 7th.  Perfect for all.
The Fisher Landau Center for the Art
38-27 30th street Long Island City, New York
hours: Thursday-Monday 12-5
wheelchair accessible
www.flcart.org
Images:  left: "Big Ego II, 2011," "The ME Block, 1988"  Nancy Dwyer
right:  "ME, MAN, MEN, MEAN, 1987,"  Nancy Dwyer
credit: E. Suarez

Iconic: divine

           This Iconic capital  is divine.  Spotted on 108th street. -goARCHkids



                 

Hendrik Kerstens

Aluminium, March 2012 , Hendrik Kerstens
60 x 50 inch pigment print
Edition of 5 

   Currently at the Danziger Gallery  the photography of Hendrik Kerstens is on view.  His life work has been taking portraits of his daughter, Paula.  The images reference  painting in the style of the Dutch Masters.  He uses unexpected materials such as tin foil,  plastic bags, and table napkins to accessorize her with hats and neck ware.  Many of the "hats" are styled a la 17 th century but the girl exudes a modern  self-possession. You can almost see her wink as she stares back at the camera.  She is letting you in on the whimsy.   Thankfully the images are printed in large format which shows of a masterful control of lighting and printing.  The total effect is addictive as each image reveals variations in mood and method.  Perfect for all.  Hurry, the work is up until February 16th.
Danziger Gallery 527 West 23rd street
www.danzigergallery.com

Henry Moore: Late Large Forms

  The English artist Henry Moore understood the power of BIG.  His sculptures on view  at the Gagosian gallery in Chelsea are massive.  Their organic shapes make them approachable  and intuitively familiar.  I was surprised  to find some of the pieces were warm to the touch as they are made of bronze.  They seem to have an internal energy that magnetically pulls the viewer close.   The most interactive of the pieces is located in the center of the gallery  and is entitled " Large Two Forms.".  One can stand in the middle of the sculpture and commune with your child or friend.  You are momentarily suspended within the core of  this strange and wonderful form.   There is touching allowed ( Moore wanted it that way).   A cabinet  in the rear of the gallery space displays the studies for his pieces in a smaller size, organic forms like shells and bone that inspired him, and tools that he used to  carve the miniatures.  His powerful inspiration was the world around us and he succeeds in passing that feeling along to you.
Perfect for all but watch the little ones as there is no climbing on the work, ( you too will be tempted).   The exhibit runs through January 19th.
Gagosian Gallery  522 West 21 street
www.gagosian.com
Image above:  "Large Two Forms,1966. Reproduced by permission of The Henry Moore Foundation. Photo by Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery".

Caribbean: Crossroads of The World

        We Dream in Blue by Arnaldo Roche Rabell 1986      

The exhibit Caribbean: Crossroads of The World at El Museo Del Barrio can be enjoyed for free on Super Sabado! a day of programing at the museum sponsored by Target, on the third Saturday of every month.  It is truly a value packed day at the museum. Along with this exhibition, your children can participate in making art and enjoy a musical performance.  Our recent visit to the museum included viewing a performance of Haitian Folk music performed by the band KONGO.   The beats were infectious as toddlers and teens boogied in front of the stage.   The exhibit itself covered a lot of ground with images from the early 1900's to the present.   Your older children's focus will last longer when walking through the galleries , but the total experience is perfect for all. This exhibit is on thru January 6, 2013

El Museo del Barrio  www.elmuseo.org   

1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th st

Brian Tolle: Commander in Chief

By now, we're all counting down the days to  November 7th, and happy to see it end.  It's been a grueling campaign but you can take the kids to an exhibit that speaks to the moment.  "Commander in Chief" an exhibit at CRG gallery in Chelsea, features sculptures and other mixed media by artist, Brain Tolle.   Most of the works are representations of U.S. presidents in sculptural from.  A bust of President Obama is crowned with a collector's set of miniature  presidents that the artist purchased on ebay.  The head of President, Abraham Lincoln, has red white and blue ribbons inscribed with the words from his two inaugural orations, shooting out of his eyes.  A reminder of the power of his words and the violence of his death.  The exhibit is up until November 10th and is perfect for 7 and up.  Small children alert: lots of temptation to touch.
CRG gallery 548 West 22nd street
CRGGALLERY.COM

Dia:Beacon

It didn't take too much to effort pack my family in the car this weekend and drive to Beacon, New York to see the art at  Dia:Beacon's Riggio Galleries.  The beautiful fall weather and promises of apple cider sealed the deal.  A trip with your family is could also include apple picking in the nearby groves. Fall festivals are advertised every where.  A car is not necessary if you the  take  Metro-North Train at Grand Central Station or Harlem Station.  Ask for the One-Day Getaway ticket to Beacon that includes a reduced admission fee to  Dia:Beacon.   General admission is $12 for adults, $ 10  for Seniors, $ 8 for students and children under 12 are free.  The Galleries are spacious and filled with works by artists like John Chamberlain,  Sol LeWitt,  Imi Knobel, Jean-Luc Moulene,  and Richard Serra to name just a few.  The kids love the giant metal sculptures  by Richard Serra that draw you in and gently set you on a path to find their center.  Linger awhile and you may find yours.
Dia: Beacon  www.diaart.org
3 Beekman Street, Beacon, NY 12508
Telephone 845 440 0100
 (map and directions)


Top image: Child enjoying  a Richard Serra sculpture.  
below:  Walking on grounds  of Dia: Beacon

Leonardo Drew: Abstract Sculpture

Now that school has begun you may find that one of the biggest hurdles is getting your child to organize and plan his or her homework and schedule.  If the weekend finds you with a desire to  let go and toss all that structure to the wind, take a trip to the  Sikkema Jenkins art gallery in Chelsea, and get some inspiration. Check out the abstract sculptures currently on view,  by artist Leonardo Drew.  The largest sculpture installation,  entitled "Number 161,"  snakes through the various rooms of the gallery.  Wood chips, planks and boards, composed of brunt wood and paint are everywhere!  Our group thought it looked liked the wreck of a blown up ark or sea ship that had washed up on the shores of the art gallery.  "Everything is blown to a million pieces," said a young viewer.  The artist took nearly an entire month to put together the sculpture and every chip is in its place but the feeling is of total chaos and catharsis.   The other works by the artist are smaller but no less powerful as  contrasting materials such as aluminum and wood are juxtaposed together to create a  complicated marriage.
Warning this exhibit may inspire some "... my homework blew up,'" excuses.  This exhibit is up until October 12th. Perfect for older kids, teens and adults. Watch the little ones as they will be curious to explore.
Sikkeman Jenkins& Co.  530 West 22nd  Tues-Sat 10- 6pm
www.sikkemajenkinsco.com

Opus 40 Sculpture Museum and Park

Our yearly visit to Woodstock is great for me as there is no shortage of art to see in the Hudson Valley.  This year our trip coincided with the 10th Annual  Saugerties Artists Studio Tours.  It was hard to get the family out of the fresh water creeks but we finally made a stop at the  sculpture park and museum, Opus 40.  The art gallery at this site features representative pieces of all of the artists that are participating in the studio tours but the real star of the show is the sculpture garden itself.  Described as an "earthwork sculpture"  by Brendan Gill of Architectural Digest, Opus 40 is a marvel to experience.

When you arrive at the site a person will ask you if you want to pay to tour the site on your own or just go to the Quarryman's Museum and art gallery.  The correct answer is pay.  Stop at the  art gallery and watch the video that tells you the story of Harvey Fite the man who single handedly built Opus 40.  Fite, a sculptor of wood and stone who founded the Fine Arts Division at Bard College brought the abandoned stone quarry to set up a studio and create an outdoor garden for his sculptures.  Using Mayan building techniques  to build the garden he soon became aware that the space itself was a new kind of sculpture.

 Quarryman's Museum

Your family will wander along the paths of blue stone and feel the coolness of the earth as the temperature drops a bit when following the various alleyways the sculpture garden has tucked in its structure. The Quarryman's Museum is filled to the brim with tools of the quarryman's trade.  My daughter thought it was boy heaven, but I think the girls will dig it too.  A  truly unique and interactive experience.  Perfect for all.
Opus 40 50 Fite Road, Saugerties NY 12477 
http://www.opus40.org/directions/
http://www.opus40.org/

Charles Long: Pet Sounds

Today I stopped by Madison Square Park located between Madison Avenue and 23rd street to see the interactive art installation "Pet Sounds,"   by California artist Charles Long. The mixed-media sculptures have been hanging out  in the park for more than a month now and they seem well liked by all the passers by.  The scorching heat kept most adults  in the shade today, but the little ones gravitated enthusiastically to the biomorphic forms.  There is a playground in the park if the kids want to start climbing the art.   The installation will grace the park until September 9th, so there is still plenty of time to enjoy the soothing pet sounds and good vibrations these friendly forms emit.

Dogma: for the Dog days of Summer

Nina Beier 2012

Dogma a group exhibition at Metro Pictures Gallery in Chelsea examines our age old relationship with dogs.  The roster of artists include Martin Kippenberger,  Mungo Thomson, William Wegman, Christopher Wool and Nina Beier to name a few.    Nina Beier's piece is a performance in which a live dog plays dead on a Persian rug. The performance  entitled Tragedy occurs at intervals throughout the exhibition. Calling in advance can give you an idea of when it will happen on a given day.  There are plenty of other works that will mesmerize you. For example, the video by Wegman gets close enough to his subject (a dog of course) to see the space between the hairs on it's head.  Perfect for most, although the younger children will need major supervising.  
Metro Pictures Gallery 519 West 24th street
www.metropicturesgallery.com

"Summer 2012"

"Annamarie," 2010
Cig Harvey

The subject is summer and the photography exhibit "Summer 2012"  at the Robin Rice gallery gets to the essence of the season.  Ms. Rice the curator and owner of the gallery has put together a group show of new and established artists represented by the gallery.  Each artist serves up a slice of summer that we can all enjoy regardless of whether we've  experienced it or not.  Take your kids before or after you go on your summer adventure and make the connections.  Perfect for all.  Exhibit  runs through September 9th.
Robin Rice Gallery 325 West 11th Street
www.robinricegallery.com 

Cindy Sherman: Imagined Self

Untitled, 2010/2012
Cindy Sherman/Metro Pictures NY

 If you'd like to introduce your children to work of artist Cindy Sherman and want to pass on the exhibit at the MoMA, take them to Metro Pictures Gallery in Chelsea.  You will find gorgeous images that are breathtaking in size.  Ms. Sherman takes photographs of herself in scenarios that she creates with props, make-up and costumes in her studio.  More recently she has used photoshop to create imaginary landscapes and digital techniques to manipulate  her facial features.  Her exploration of self through character creation is something that children instinctively do as they form their inner and outer lives. Ask your children what they see in her character's expressions, body language, dress and location and what it tells them about the character.  As they view the photographs the they may imagine themselves as different characters and create their own fables. Perfect for all.  Exhibit ends June 9th.
Metro Pictures Gallery  519 West 24th
www.metropicturesgallery.com
Credit:  Image courtesy of the Artist and Metro Pictures

Sheila Hicks: Fiber Artist

Fiber arts always sounds to me like arts and craft projects offered at summer camp but the work of fiber artist Sheila Hicks is anything but. The Sikkema Jenkins Gallery  is currently showing an exhibit of some of her sculptures and smaller pieces.  She weaves a world of wonder and forms made from cords of,cotton, linen, leather, steel, rubber and more.  Some pieces tumble down from the ceiling like water and others are small, with  intricately woven objects into the fibers, like feathers, porcupine quills and stones. Ms. Hicks has been at it for over 50 years and she is a master.  The exhibit is up until June 2nd. Perfect for all.

Sikkema Jenkins Gallery 530 West 22nd street

www.sikkemajenkiinsco.com

image top center: 

"Oracle from Constantinople" , 2008-10 Linen  96x68x10
image right:
"Menhir," 1998-2004 (foreground)
"Shadow of Oracle from Constantinople," 1997

Anish Kapoor : Mass and Madness

It's hard not to feel overwhelmed when you first encounter the new sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor on view at the Gladstone gallery on 21street. This massive metal egg shaped structure looks like it may have just landed from outer space.  It's large opening allows you to look into it's cavernous emptiness.  The adventurous may want to go in but the gallery thinks you better not.  Its warm rust color and mysterious darkness takes up most of the gallery space and your mind.   This exhibit is part of two part project.  The second exhibition is at the Gladstone galleries 24th location.  There you will find sculptures that have no form in the traditional sense but have taken on shapes on their own as all the layers of poured concrete kept on coming.  Think a soft serve ice cream machine on the blitz.  All the nooks and crannies are endless.
Perfect for all.  The  exhibits are up until June 9th at both locations
Gladstone Gallery
www.gladstonegallery.com
530 West 21st
515 West 24th

David Rathman: Let's See What Stirs

Race cars, football players,  car crashes are not typically subjects in watercolor paintings but the artist David Rathman is not going for traditional in his current show at the Larissa Goldston Gallery.  Mr. Rathman focuses on competiveness in masculine contemporary culture.  He also exhibits a 9 min short film made from story boards of cinematic watercolors called "Strange Arithmetic"  an homage to the Old West and Spaghetti Westerns.  Perfect for all with a big nod to your little sports fans.  The show is up until May 12th.
Larissa Goldston Gallery  551 West 21st
larissagoldstongallery.com
Top Image: "Let's See What Stirs," 2012  David Rathman
Right Image: "Jeremy Roenick," 2012  David Rathman