E 81st St; E 79th St; E 78th St

It’s undeniably easy to get sucked into the Metropolitan Museum. You go in to see the new exhibitions and next thing you know four hours have passed, you’re exhausted and the rest of your day is shot because you need a serious nap (read drink). But have you ever thought about stopping in on your lunch break to see one thing? Fork over your suggested donation and make a b-line through the Greek and Roman Art wing to see The Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel. Apparently, construction workers were expanding the highway and found this incredible, almost fully intact mosaic floor from a private home dating to about 300 C.E. So cool! You can watch a 5-minute video at the museum, or on their website about the whole excavation, or forget about the history lesson and just observe.  These mosaics are extraordinary. The colors are so vivid, the designs are so intricate and interesting, and the whole enormous floor remains in excellent condition. I especially like the tigers.

OK, make a mental note to come back for Cézanne’s Card Players.  Then, check out Susan Schwalb’s paintings at Galerie Mourlot. Schwalb uses this ancient technique called silverpoint (literally dragging a metal rod or wire across a surface), and her work is astonishingly tranquil and fluid. Her precision is extraordinary. In fact, she layers the paint in such a meticulous way that if you pay too much attention to the details you can almost imagine her going slowly insane.  Step back and find that peaceful feeling.

One more quick stop because David Hammons’ show at L & M closes Friday! Hammons’ work reminds me of post-snowstorm Manhattan, when the Brownstones are glistening in the slow thaw while the sidewalks are piling up with muck. (Side note: there is something especially compelling about an exhibition that displays industrial strength trash bags on the walls of a gorgeous town house gallery.) Hammons covers his giant abstract canvases with tarps and drop cloths as if forcing you to look through the “trash” for the “treasure.” Alright, Hammons, I’m game.

Ingredients:

Venues: Galerie Mourlot, L M, Metropolitan Museum

Artists: ?; Susan Schwalb; David Hammons

Streets: E 81st St; E 79th St; E 78th St

Eats: (starving artist)

Map: