In the Galleries

"Shenzhen 2" Erwin Olaf (2014)

Saturday I visited a bunch of art galleries in my neighbourhood (Chelsea). While some of what I saw wasn't exactly my cup of tea, there were some shows that I liked a lot.

“Waiting: Selections from Erwin Olaf: Volume I & II” is a collection of striking oversized portraits by the noted Dutch photographer. The lush colours and vintage feel of the images can give the impression that one is looking at recreations of paintings. As for the subjects—a boy scout with an ice cream cone and his dog, an elderly man and woman in a hairdressers, a young blonde girl with her back facing the camera—they are all alone even when sharing the frame with another. My favourite was a group of black and white photos titled "Shenzhen," accompanied by a video installation in which a beautiful bobbed-haired woman sits at a table in a restaurant, waiting for her date. At first she seems to be patiently waiting but soon she begins to fiddle with the glass in front of her and to glance at her watch. Slowly her face shows the realisation that he’s not coming. It's mesmerizing to watch. “Waiting: Selections from Erwin Olaf” is at Hasted Kraeutler Art Gallery through February 28, 2015 (more info here).

"Landscape #29, Vence" Marsden Hartley (1925)

“Art is Long, Life is Short: Marsden Hartley and Charles Kuntz in Aix-en-Provence” combines some of my favourite things—the Lost Generation, Provence, and Cezanne. Hartley was already a well-known poet and artist while Kuntz was just starting out as a painter when their paths crossed in 1925. Kuntz convinced Hartley to join him and his wife in Aix-en-Provence, the hometown of Cezanne. There the two painted the same sites and landscapes that Cezanne had including the great man’s studio. It’s interesting to observe the artists’ paintings side-by-side, often of the same subject, and notice the differences in perspective and colour. I especially loved Hartley’s “Landscape #29, Vence” (1925) and Kuntz’s “Mount St. Victoire in Clouds,” their vibrant colours so indicative of the South of France and Cezanne's influence. Sadly, Kuntz was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1928; it’s believed he never exhibited during his lifetime. Now's the chance to see his work. “Art is Long, Life is Short” is at the Driscoll Babcock Galleries through March 7, 2015 (more info here).

"Las Meninas renacen de noche IV: Peering at the secret scene behind the artist" Yasumasa Morimura (2013)

“Yasumasa Morimura: Las Meninas Renacen de Noche (Las Meninas Reborn in the Night)” is Velázquez' famed painting “Las Meninas” re-imagined by the Japanese photographer. Morimura started by photographing the original painting along with the room where it resides at the Prado in Madrid. He then cast himself as each of the figures including the Infanta Margaret Theresa. In his version(s), the characters are allowed to move around within the painting and even to step out of the frame and into the museum. It's a bit disturbing at times (some of the images could be stills from a Tim Burton film) but still intriguing. As a bonus, there's a room in the gallery that includes a collection of black and white portraits of Morimura impersonating various movie stars including Marilyn Monroe, Ingrid Bergman, Liza Minnelli, and Audrey Hepburn in full Holly Golightly gear. “Yasumasa Morimura: Las Meninas” is at Luhring Augustine through January 24, 2015 (more info here).

Kiddie Flamingos John Waters (2014)

I’m a John Waters fan so naturally I had to check out “John Waters: Beverly Hills John.” Needless to say, it was exactly what one would expect from Mr. Waters. Hilarious, at times over the top, and highly entertaining. Some of the objects on display include "Fellini's 8 1/2," an oversized wooden rule measuring just that; "Library Science," in which a series of old paperback covers are matched with reworked Adults Only versions; and "Bill's Stroller," a baby stroller complete with a spiked leather belt and cloth decorated with sex club logos. The best though is a video that features a table reading by a group of kids of Kiddie Flamingos, a children's version of Waters’ infamous Pink Flamingos complete with a miniature Divine. Enough said. “John Waters: Beverly Hills John” is at Marianne Boesky Gallery through February 14, 2015 (more info here).

Presidents Day Stroll

With a stressful week ahead, I decided to clear my head by taking a long stroll around the neighbourhood today via the High Line, a park built on an old elevated rail line that runs along the West Side. The air was brisk as I head out into the streets of Chelsea, which were lined with piles of snow. 

Passing by the Episcopal Seminary, I noticed icicles hanging from the rooftops while the snow in the garden was undisturbed. Come springtime, the grounds will be filled with beautiful blooms but today there was just a blanket of white.

Up on the High Line, the combination of pine trees, holly, and snow lent a Christmas appearance to some sections while the surrounding buildings offered up interesting sights from graffiti art and old ghost signs to glimpses of the Empire State Building and lovely green trim on a classic brick building.

Back down on the street, I ran across a memorial to soldiers and sailors from Chelsea who fought in World War I, a fitting symbol on this day that celebrates two presidents associated with two of our greatest wars. Hope everyone had a relaxing Presidents Day.

Photos by Michele.

Chelsea Art

"Cabinet Interieur de Madame Adelaide, Corps Central, Versailles" Robert Polidori (1986)

My neighbourhood, Chelsea, is the art center of New York with more than 200 galleries showcasing artists of all mediums. Saturday morning I decided to pop into a few to check out some photography exhibits.

I love everything French so my first stop was to see “Versailles” by Robert Polidori. The series of large format photographs depict the restoration of the Chateau de Versailles, the 17th-century built home of France’s kings and queens, including Marie Antoinette. Taken over a 15-year period (1985-2010) they show palatial rooms filled with builders’ tools, ornate paintings leaning against walls, torn fabric, and faded paint. Quite impressive, they make Versailles seem almost more real than the opulent images one is used to seeing.

"Lion in the Shaft of Light, Massai Mara" Nick Brandt (2012)

Next up was “Across the Ravaged Land” by Nick Brandt, a collection of photos of quite a different nature. These large, black and white images of Africa’s endangered animals were extremely moving. Elephants, lions, and the arid land in which they struggle to survive are interspersed with the remains of the dead. One image, of a row of men posing with elephant tusks, was particularly disturbing. What is so incredible about them is how close-up the shots are. The lion above just begs you to reach out and touch his mane.

"Sheep Station" with "Mouton" sculptures by François-Xavier Lalanne. Photo by Michele. 

Out on the street though was my favourite exhibit of the day. What do you do with a closed-down gas station? Turn it into a "Sheep Station," of course. The old Getty station on the corner of Tenth Avenue and 24th Street has had fake grass and 25 "Mouton" sculptures (sheep) by François-Xavier Lalanne added among its defunct pumps and a white picket fence surrounds it all. Organized by Paul Kasmin and Michael Shvo, it’s whimsical and eye catching and so much nicer than a smelly old station.

“Versailles” is at the Mary Boone Gallery through October 26, 2013; more info here. “Across the Ravaged Land” is at the Hasted Kraeutler Gallery through October 19, 2013; more info here. "Sheep Station" is on view through Oct 20, 2013; more info here.

Spring Break

I'm taking a bit of a spring break this week so things are going to be quiet around here but I have a laundry list of subjects I'm writing about so expect some new tales soon. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying a lovely April and all the beautiful blooming bulbs.

iPhone photo of St. Peter's Chelsea by Michele.

Interiors Imagined

I live in a studio. A very small studio. I am content most days in my tiny home that has been streamlined to contain only the items that I love or need and is organized to within an inch of its life so it doesn't become unmanageable. Yet sometimes I dream of a bigger space. One with a hallway, one that has windows on multiply walls, one that allows the refrigerator to fit in the kitchen. And so when I take a walk around my neighbourhood, I like to pick out particular buildings and imagine what a flat would look like if I lived there. Here are a few buildings from a recent stroll.

This striking house stands out in Chelsea. Its white walls and green metal stairs screams Europe to me. I imagine an Art Deco interior where I mix cocktails from my glass and chrome drinks cart while exchanging witty bon mots with my guests who lounge on silver-grey sofas in a room with a painting of Diana and a greyhound above the mantel.

This house with its lovely beat up blue door always has something blooming in the front garden. I imagine lots of reds and woods inside, very English. There's a library that contains a fireplace and ceiling to floor bookcases where I choose rare books to read while curled up in an over-sized velvet chair with a big mug of PG Tips by my side and a saucer of shortbread.

For some reason this white brick building makes me think of a French interior. I see a flat that is a mix of antiques and modern pieces with some items from far-flung travels thrown in (a Moroccan rug, a Chinese screen) where I have people over for dinner and talks of art and literature, and I serve tiny cups of coffee and a perfect lemon tart for dessert.

There are so many other houses to dream up interiors for. One day, one may be mine for real.

Photos by Michele.

Chelsea Clouds

There were the most beautiful clouds over Chelsea today. Big and fluffy, they really did look like balls of cotton just floating in the sky.

I was admiring them when I noticed their reflection in the blue glass apartment building on the corner of 18th Street and Seventh Avenue. So pretty. 

Photos by Michele.

Chelsea in Bloom

On a quick jaunt around the neighbourhood yesterday I noticed flowers everywhere amongst all the brick and concrete.

Whether in planters outside a favourite restaurant (Tipsy Parson) or covering a whole house (so much more impressive in person), flowers are a plus in my books so bring them on. Let's have more flowers in Chelsea.

Photos by Michele.

Take a Walk on the High Line

On Labor Day I took a walk on the High Line. A former elevated rail line, the High Line is a park unlike any other where people can wander and explore way above the city streets. Originally running from Gansevoort to 20th Street, a new expansion that opened in June now extends the park to 30th Street. I've visited the High Line before but this time I went to check out the new section.

The new expansion includes more flowers and some denser plantings. There is also a much needed swath of grass and bleacher style seating along with art installations and gourmet ice cream carts.

One of the beauties of the High Line is being able to see up close the evidence of New York's history from cool modern buildings to fading advertisements on brick warehouses.

The High Line also offers great views whether it's looking out across the city or watching the action down on the streets below. So the next time you're in Chelsea, make sure to check it out.

Photos by Michele.

The Doors of Chelsea

I love a red door.

In 1750, Captain Thomas Clarke bought a farm in Manhattan, which he named for the Old Soldiers Home at Chelsea in England. The property was inherited in 1813 by his grandson, Clement Clarke Moore, best remembered as the author of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Moore would go on to parcel his estate into lots, which he then sold to affluent New Yorkers to build “houses of good quality.” They in turn had to promise Moore that they would plant trees. He also donated an apple orchard to the Episcopal diocese who built the General Theological Seminary, which is still going strong. Today the neighborhood of Chelsea is my home and a place where one can still see remnants of its past, especially in the historic district—the area bounded by 8th and 10th Avenues and 20th and 23rd Streets. 

While different styles can be found among the houses—Federal, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, and Italianate—one can also see rows of matching brick townhouses, which give a unified appearance to a block. Yet the doors in the area act as a distinct character for each home. This black door, for example, has a beaded pattern that creates its arches while the white door has pronounced, almost deco curves.

Many are painted in traditional colours like green (popular with the Federalists) but in other cases the owners have branched out into colours like purple, which add a modern touch.

And while some chose to paint their front doors blue, it's also been picked for below stairs doors as well (after all, If you're going to live below shouldn't you have a vibrant colour for your door?)

These are just a handful of the doors that I came across while walking a couple of blocks. There are many more to admire in Chelsea, which also has some nice rooftops as well.

Photos by Michele.

La Bergamote

French bakeries are always a plus to have near your flat—they almost always guarantee you fresh croissants in the morning and sweets for when you have people over (or just for yourself when you've had a bad day). La Bergamote Patisserie is one such place that I've come to depend on since moving to Chelsea. It's where I order my Bûche de Noël every Christmas and where I've purchased numerous Napoleons and religieuses for friends and colleagues.

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La Bergmote used to be crowded into a tiny space on 8th Avenue but last year they moved across the street to a spacious spot with a dining area. Although the building is new details like the paintings on the back wall and the tin ceilings with exposed lights 
give the place a vintage feel.

What hasn't changed are their lovely choices of cakes and other sweets. They also serve ready-made salads and baguette sandwiches like ham and brie or pate and cornichons, which are perfect to grab for an outdoor lunch on the High Line, which is just a block away.

La Bergmote is also a fine place to sit by one of the windows and people watch while enjoying a cappuccino, which is exactly what I did after a long walk yesterday. With a handful of chocolate-covered almonds thrown in and some air conditioning, it was a perfect place to take a break.

Photos by Michele.