| What I did Monday night. |
[Jul. 9th, 2008|08:24 am] |
I got to hear ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) naylandblake talk about Louise Bourgeois' work on a guided tour through her big new retrospective show at the Guggenheim Museum. lolitasir was my date, and we managed to surprise him! Given the incredibly busy last few weeks Nayland's had - he had returned from another intensive teaching/exploration weekend retreat in NJ just hours before - I joked that I almost expected the tour to be "Here's a brown one. Um, here's another one. I think it's made of wood." But Nayland had a lot of interesting and insightful things to say about how he views and interprets the work of another sculptor.
It was great getting to see so much of her creative work together, spanning more than half a century. I especially liked her more recent "cells," life-size constructed rooms, the walls made from old, well-worn doors from offices and schools hinged together, then filled with mysterious and unsettling objects. You had to peek through the cracks between the doors to see inside, or peer around corners; a couple you could view through windowed doors perversely labeled "PRIVATE".
The museum was closed for the evening, and the tour group was limited to 25. I totally loved getting to see the exhibition this way, without having to dodge and navigate among hundreds of other art lovers to view the work. Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece is even more stunning and vertigo-inducing without all the people inside. And all this for just a few bucks more than regular admission. It's definitely a loss leader for the museum, between the costs of security and building utilities - it probably didn't even cover the rather nice wine, cheese, and fruit reception that was set out for us at the evening's end. But I guess with the Guggenheim's billions they can afford to subsidize different ways to engage their audience.
We weren't supposed to take any pictures, but several people were doing so on the sly. I took a few, too, but not of any of the artwork, and I made sure the flash was off.
But 'cause the light was so soft, Nayland just came out a fuzzy blur.
And here's the skylight, which in the context of all of Bourgeois' spider and egg sac imagery, reminded me a bit of a spider web.
Afterwards several us decided to head to dinner, and Nayland suggested Katz's, the great Jewish deli down on the Lower East Side, so we all hopped in a cab and headed down. One of my very favorite of the too-few remaining "old New York" establishments; it's been there more than 100 years -- I wonder if my maternal grandparents, both immigrants, ate here in the early 1920's? We even got a very funny, crusty old waiter.
I was so hungry I forgot to take pictures of our pickles, potato pancakes, and piled-high pastrami and brisket sandwiches. Here's a shot by someone else from flickr.
And here's the famous Robert Mapplethorpe photo of the artist, casually posing with one of her most notorious pieces. The work is quite unsettling in person, hanging from an old rusty wire drilled through the head.
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| Comments: |
Thank you! I love being your date. And being so sneaky.
That is one of my favorite photographs.
No, the one just above the Mapplethorpe (though the portrait of Ms. Bourgeois is in the top five). ;{)}
I saw this exhibition on the Pompidou this year!
Yes, it was at the Tate and the Pompidou, but the NY exhibit had a new piece that was just finished in time for the show.
I can see via flickr that it was quite the sensation in Paris!
Each venue appears to be getting different Maman spiders. We got two of them copulating! (at least that's what it looked like)
After NYC, the show continues on to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
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What a sweet ghostly pic of Nyland.
Maybe it isn't the lighting...
I mean, we all know he is fuzzy and his schedule is a blur....
I remember Katz from last winter - home of the $16 pastrami sandwich!
Yeah, but you can make two meals out of it. Only Nayland finished his.
Sandwiches, shared potato pancakes, pickles, and Dr. Brown's sodas (or egg creams) -- the bill came to $25 per person with tax and tip. I think that's a good deal for the quality, especially in NYC.
The pastrami sandwich is even more expensive -- and taller -- at the hallowed Carnegie Deli.
It's $16 now!?
Oy. Still worth it, though. My parents and I couldn't even finish the single sandwich we all shared.
I saw the exhibit when it was at the Tate, and was shocked by how much I'd underappreciated her as an artist. Her installations with the doors were amazing, as were most of her sculptures.
I used to confuse her and her work with Louise Nevelson, for obvious reasons. I like them both!
That thick-cut pastrami is making me swoon.
Extra food porn shot for you. Two of their sandwiches humping. 
That pickle plate makes me want to cry tears of jealousy.
"Nayland just came out a fuzzy blur"
Quite nice! I LOVE fuzzy blurs like him!
Holy hell, that pastrami sandwich is massive!
I'm gonna be in NYC in a couple weeks; gotta make a trip there... | |
