57th St.

As this brutal winter labors on and on, sunshine and swimming pools sound pretty terrific. Thankfully, you can find both showcased at Bonni Benrubi Gallery in Mise en abyme. Here Karine Laval presents huge photographs of reflections and refractions in backyard pools, the results of which are whimsical and melancholy and compelling. I’m especially drawn to the sunny yellow raft floating among the reflected palm trees. It’s calling my name. 

While in the Fuller Building, I dare you to resist the exhibition of Allen Ginsberg’s photographs at Howard Greenberg. It’s an intimate, casual look at his famous friends (Neal Cassady, William Burroughs, Jack Keroauc and others) and those photos with his scribbled captions below are incredible. It’s like rummaging guiltlessly through someone else’s things and finding treasure after treasure after treasure. Of course, those of Kerouac and Ginsberg himself are fascinating, but I love this one of his 84-year-old grandma at the Passover Seder table, particularly the little-kid angle at which it was taken.

If there’s time, stop at Macaron Café for the special of the week (Tuesdays it’s croque-monsieur). In fact, if you’ve had enough of the galleries today, sit down and indulge in the art of the Macaron. Otherwise, grab espresso and croissant and head across to Washburn for Jackson Pollock: Drawing on Paper, Canvas and Sculpture. You can almost see young Pollock sitting before Picasso’s Guernica, suddenly his world making more sense. Très chouette!

Ingredients:
Venues: Bonni Benrubi; Howard Greenberg; Washburn
Artists: Karine Laval; Allen Ginsberg; Jackson Pollock 
Streets: 57th St; Madison Ave
Eats: Macaron Café
Map: