Generally it’s best to visit the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) on sunny days when the sculpture garden is open, but on this gloomy Monday amid the random and entirely unwelcome snowflakes, MoMA is a warm, dry place to duck in to on your way from 5th Ave to 6th. Plus, unless you make a point of stopping in, you’ll miss the incredible Abstract Expressionist New York exhibition, and that would be tragic.
MoMA is giant. It’s easy to get sucked in for hours and hours of enrichment and pleasure. The winding galleries, the long hallways, the open view from the atrium luring you up to the higher floors…it’s designed for you to stay for a while. Don’t lose focus! You’re on your lunch break. You have one hour or less. Plus, there’s a ridiculous amount of incredible things to see on the fourth floor alone. (By now you’ve missed the auxiliary shows on the 2nd and 3rd floors, which closed February 28th, so you only have to tackle floor 4.) There are paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and archival materials. There are de Kooning, Krasner, Newman, Pollock, Rothko and Smith. There’s so much to see!
Also, there’s this remarkable work by Ad Reinhardt titled Abstract Painting. Years ago my dad and I were visiting the MoMA, standing in front of this very painting, and a complete stranger approached. He leaned in and said to us, “You know the story behind this painting? The model showed up and said, ‘I’m feeling a little shy. Do you mind if we turn off the lights?’”
If you have the time, enjoy the lunch and the view from Terrace 5. If not, head over to 6thPret A Manger. Ave and grab a delicious, fresh sandwich from
Ingredients:
Venues: Museum of Modern Art
Artists: Abstract Expressionists
Streets: 53rd St; 54th St; 5th & 6th Aves
Eats: Terrace 5; Pret A Manger
Map:
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