And finally some art...
Trip Start
Nov 14, 2009
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6
13
Trip End
Dec 02, 2009
New York City, New York
Thursday, November 19, 2009
I didn't have my camera on me this morning so after having a bite to eat at the so so fabulous Balthazar (brother venue to Pastis which is also on my list!), I went back to the apartment to pick up the camera and make my way to MoMA. I'd decided to make it a 5th Ave adventure so walked straight up Thompson St to Washington Square Park - on the other side, Thompson St turns into 5th Ave. I almost didn't make it to MoMA again because the Ave provided plenty of distraction!
Hotel Gershwin with its weird little 'white tadpole' lights swimming up the facade, Lord & Taylor's Xmas displays, Cartier's big red bow (please excuse the quality of some of the photos I was taking some on phone, some on camera).
When I finally got to MoMA I made a beeline for the New Photography show which was fantastic, it really highlighted the shifts towards constructing images rather than taking images. Construction happened on a number of different levels from a created scene, to collaging found images and rephotographing these or digital imaging or elements of graphic design. As well as the 'New' show there was the permanent collection up with all the big names - Moholy-Nagy, Avedon, Weston, Cartier-Bresson, etc, etc... some really beautiful images.
Tim Burton's show was also on and it was lots of fun, thanks to Simone I could gain entrance to the member's preview. He's one hell of a kooky man! I generally really like his aesthetic, even Sweeney Todd which I disliked as a movie, I thought was gorgeous as a series of images.
I also managed to see the Erotic Object exhibition which was interested and one of the painting galleries, though these had to be quick as MoMA was closing as I was running through!
Afterwards I walked back to SoHo, Simone had got back in the afternoon but I knew she needed to crash out so just took my time to enjoy and be distracted by 5th Ave after dark.
Atlas at the Rockefeller looked fantastic lit up in all his glory, it's a strong statue that dominates the plaza. And looking up to the main tower is aweinspiring - something difficult to maintain in a city like this. Everywhere I look there is architecture that inspirse a degree of awe, or at the very least interest.
Standing at the bottom of the Empire State Building was amazing, I saved going up for another night. I tried to get a photo from the bottom but it didn't really work.
Further down 5th Ave, I was quite taken with a church, but it wasnt until I got closer I realised that hanging from the fence there were yellow strips. On each of teh strips was a name, rank and age. I'm assuming these were memorials for firefighters or other emergency workers at 9/11, but Im not sure so if anyone knows, please enlighten me! They looked gorgeous lit up and blowing in the breeze.
Coming down 5th Ave I also spotted the Flat Iron building which I had completely missed coming in the other direction, it looked beautiful in the funny evening light. That's one thing about NY, it's never dark!
Comments
Just a tip, go to top of the rock not empire state... Better view without grates and you see the empire state...
Less of a line also...
Sounds like an awesome trip so far, look forward to the next instalment.
Hi Han,at the end of a busy sunday cleaning up debris around the place I sat down and read all your blogs. Sounds like a fantastic time. N.O. with Tim was a real bonus. 2 cities for the price of one.Your going to come back with a real headfull
Hey Tom, funny you should say that, Simone was just saying the same thing! Thanks for the tip.
And thanks for the comment Pete, NO was great really special to do a trip and see a side of NO I probably wouldn't have seen as a tourist.