Broadway - SOHO

As an art-project-obsessed little girl I diligently saved my allowance for months and months. Finally, I hit my goal and dialed that flashing 800-number on the infomercial to order my BEDAZZLER. Now, thanks to Bert Stern’s crystal-embellished photographs at Staley-Wise Gallery, the 10-year-old inside me is squealing with glee. Ms. Elizabeth Taylor, Ms. Audrey Hepburn and Ms. Marilyn (need I even add “Monroe?”) have been bedazzled, and they look more fabulous than ever. These stunning prints make me want to run home, throw down the old plastic “craft-time” tablecloth and cover everything with glitter. Mom, is that still cool with you?

For a starkly different exploration of iconic women, stop in Clifton Benevento for Sound Waves, Light Waves, Dance Waves. With Modern Dancers like Isadora Duncan and Loie Fuller as her muses, Polish artist Agnieszka Brezanska layers photographs and abstracts in studies of rhythm, movement and spirituality. The results are super interesting. 

We find ourselves back to photography in its most basic, unaltered form at Swiss Institute. The exhibition here is of prints by Karlheinz Weinberger, a self-taught factory-worker by day, who captured the teenage rebels in post-war Switzerland. These photos are intimate and unguarded in a remarkably different way than those of the Stern’s starlets. Who knew we could start with female American icons of the 50’s and 60’s and end with male ones (Marlon Brando, James Dean and Elvis) all within the span of one SOHO block? I so heart NY.  

Ingredients:
Venues: Clifton Benevento, Staley Wise, Swiss Institute
Artists: Bert Stern; Agnieszka Brezanska; Karlheinz Weinberger
Streets: Broadway; Prince St; Spring St; Broome St
Eats: (starving artist)
Map: