Yesterday after a brief mishap, I found myself without task and decided to take myself to one of my favorite places in all of New York City:
The Museum of Modern Art.
I have to confess that while I am a member,
I don't nearly visit it as often as I should.
I also must admit that when I was considering joining 50% of my rationale was based on the assurance that if someone ever stole my wallet, they would at least have a physical explanation for why I was so broke.
"Sorry you went through all that work for $7.68, an Associated Wholesale coupon and an out-of-date business card," it would smile up and say.
The other 50% being that I had internally convinced myself membership might be some sort of carte blanche to adopt an affectation similar to that of Diane Keaton in Woody Allen's Manhattan.
"Yes. To me it was very textural. You know what I mean? It was perfectly integrated, and it had a marvelous kind of negative capability. But the rest of the stuff downstairs was bullshit," I would say at fancy parties, secretly nailing the line with total confidence over passed salmon puffs.
Everyone loves a snotty conversation.
But instead, here I have sat for nearly a year only having set foot over the threshold twice.
The second time being today at 2pm.
I roamed around the halls and made a point to visit
every. single. floor.
The Midwestern in me wanted to get his money's worth.
First of all, there was some bullshit exhibit with tupperware behind the glass.
Then some totally crazy person has spilled house paint in his garage onto a tarp and his mom has somehow gotten these people to hang it up.
Lastly, I'm guessing a Brillo pad box got left behind by the 4th floor janitor and people have started taking pictures of it?
I have no idea.
Jk.
It was all gorgeous and I loved every drop.
Which brings me to my point:
This is some crazy amazing shit up in there!
We're going to keep this short, because I know some people have a light stomach for modern art.
But here is what I enjoyed:
First, I popped into the exhibit Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen.
I have wanted to go to this for months.
This is Japanese shokuhin sanpuru.
I had never heard of this either, but perhaps I might have
if I were allowed back into the country.
Apparently there are plastic examples in most restaurants of dishes they serve, and these pieces have become an industry in themselves.
おいしそう！
I love the utensils used by the phantom diners.
Next were these 1930s Lausitzer Glaswerk storage containers.
Totally hunting up a set of those!
How cute will last night's spaetzle look?
* * *
Which got me to thinking that I needed to hunt up some functional pieces for outside the kitchen...
This turn-of-the-century Peter Behrens fan has me all hot.
And DEGMS on Mario Bellini's Pop Automatic Record Player.
I also might call you more if I could do it on this bakelite Bauhaus telephone.
* * *
Once I could peel myself up from the floor, I went to the painting and drawing rooms to see if there were any cuties to peep on.
, none to be found.
I did however spy this Chirico, entitled The Song of Love.
...and this Richard Lippold called The Four Seasons.
Here is a detail.
...and isn't Louise Bourgeois's handwriting cute?
After wandering around for an hour or so, I finally
decided it was time to head home.
But I knew I should use the bathroom before I left.
Gurl. They are giving you full Willi Ninja runway.
The guard snickered at me when he saw me snap this photo, because I think he thought I was a confused tourist.
* * *
It was not until I was nearly out of the exhibition space when I happened to notice something that I had completely missed on the way in.
This installation is just past the entrance, looking out onto the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, and is an introduction to an exhibit called On Line: Drawing Through the Twentieth Century.
Those crazy things you see dancing in the air are strips of magnetic tape, similar to what you might have found in an old VHS.
It is by an artist named Zelvinas Kempinas.
It closes next Monday.
Go see it.
...and should you disagree that this is art, please feel free to set one at up home.
I'll be over tomorrow to have a look.
I'll be over tomorrow to have a look.
xx
