E 79th St - Braque, Condo, Farjoux

I grew up in Philadelphia where you can run up those immortalized “Rocky” stairs into the Museum of Art and gaze at (among many other extraordinary things) George Braque’s Violin and Newspaper. Inspired by those childhood memories, I ventured uptown to Acquavella for George Braque: Pioneer of Modernism.  I had no concept of what a treat I was in for!! This retrospective features over 40 major paintings compiled from international public and private collections. It is an incredible opportunity to reflect on how insanely influential his work was/is and to experience so much of it in an intimate gallery setting. Do not miss this show!      

Before moving on, let’s all come to terms with the fact that most gallery shows are not going to be museum-quality retrospectives, and thank goodness! Next door at Skarstedt there is a show of new paintings by George Condo. (Did you see his Mental States at the New Museum last spring?) Condo’s new Compression Series features massive canvases that seem abstracted through a kaleidoscope and offer more to seek out than a Where’s Waldo picture. So fun!

 

Peek your head into Galerie Mourlot to see how artist Fabrice Fanjoux uses his work to “reflect the universe through symbolism.” Then, grab a seat on the 2nd floor balcony at Serafina to enjoy a bowl of delectable homemade pasta and bask in the magnificence of this incredible fall weather. Salute!  

Ingredients:

Venues: Acquavella, Skarstedt, Galerie Mourlot

Artists: George Braque, George Condo, Fabrice Fanjoux

Streets: E 79^th Street, Fifth– Madison Aves

Eats: Serafina

Map:

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: