Monday, February 20, 2023

The Met, after the president swept through

I know I'm stretching things a bit (a lot) but this is the best I can do for a themed post on Presidents Day. While in NYC last October Andrew and I visited the the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We took the subway uptown from our digs in the Flower District, and then walked several blocks to the museum. Our pathway kept getting blocked by barricades, we heard sirens. I won't lie, it was a little disconcerting. What was going on?


The sidewalks are fairly deserted in these shots, but they weren't all like this. At several intersections the crowds took on scary proportions, I didn't pull out my phone to snap photos then.

Finally at one intersection Andrew ended up standing next to a cop and asked him what was going on. Turns out President Biden had the same idea we did and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art that morning, doing so with considerable fanfare. By the time we arrived he was long gone. That's Andrew climbing the steps on the far right, in blue.

The building itself was rather interesting. Unfortunately all the outdoor spaces were closed.

This piece, Mrs. N's Palace, captured my imagination. It's by Louise Nevelson; "an American sculptor known for her monumental, monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures." It is room-sized.


I've seen her work in several museums we've visited, this piece is the largest I remember and (apologies to those I will offend with this statement) it seemed to be calling out for plants. Moss, epiphytes, vases overflowing with branches, foliage and flowers. Can't you see it? 

I can. I think it would be simply marvelous really.

There was even rebar for vines to climb!

All material © 2009-2023 by Loree L Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

10 comments:

  1. Got stuck in a bit of a sidewalk mob when I was in New York and gotta say it was pretty scary. Not used to crowds like that here. I agree some plants would help enliven the artwork.

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    1. Crowds have a mind of their own, scary indeed.

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  2. Currently reading “All the Beauty in the World” by Patrick Brinkley who was a guard at the Met for ten years. Funny, informative, bittersweet. A great about a great museum.

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    1. Thanks for sharing, I will have to look into that title.

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  3. Since there's no color to accentuate and contrast (except for light and shadow), maybe monochromatic art is trying to force the viewer into a more intent examination of the piece. I find it a little flat.
    For me, plants enhance everything everywhere, no exception!
    Chavli

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    1. Oh you are definitely correct, the first piece by Louise Nevelson I remember seeing was a flat dark dark black and the texture jumped off the wall.

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  4. Getting blocked off like that - and hearing sirens - would freak me out in NYC but at least the circumstances were innocuous and you were eventually able to get to and into the museum. (Here getting blocked off like that usually means someone is filming a TV show or commercial...) Mrs. N's Palace is interesting but I agree it could use some plants or flowers, even if they were monochromatic.

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    1. I love the artwork for what it is, but just enjoyed the idea of an alternate version adding plants. A green wall in my garden done up with that but then woodland plants tucked in. Fun!

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  5. The Nevelson work is very elegant. Her immigrant father was first a junk dealer then ran a lumberyard...and she turned that into art. Cool!

    I was in NYC for work--one time there was a Yankee World Series victory parade. We emptied out of the office and saw it all. New Yorkers take Presidential visits in stride, but a Yankee WS Parade was a big deal!

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    1. As it should be! I remember a similar occurrence one year during the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, the Seahawks returned and a celebration took place. Downtown was a mess but everyone was having fun.

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