08.11.2009

playing in nyc (two)

Highlight 1: DIA Beacon: we went out of Manhattan on a train which runs along the Hudson. Even the train trip was beautiful because you are travelling right along the edge of the water and all you can see is this vast, beautiful water and then a large escarpment on the far side, hills, really, covered in trees starting to turn with the Autumn. Then you walk to the gallery from the station. The gallery, which opened to the public in 2003, occupies a former box-printing facility built in 1929 and it has “240,000 square feet of exhibition space illuminated by natural light.” Yes, it is huge, and also incredibly beautiful. So much money, vision and energy have gone into it. Artist Robert Irwin has designed the gardens which surround the gallery, and they too are amazing. Then, there is the art! I was particularly transported and delighted by the works by Richard Serra, in particular one absolutely enormous room, (the former railway depot for the building) in which four of Serra’s massive torqued steel ellipses are on display. There is also a wonderful collection of sculptures by Louise Bourgeoise, including one of her spiders, which are on display in a slightly secluded “attic” space lit only by natural light. These works, and the experience of them in the space, were completely compelling. I also particularly enjoyed the constructions made from string by the artist Fred Sandback, whose work I have not seen before. They were wonderful, and ideal for the vastness of the space. The whole project is utterly magnificent, and is a classic example of the truly amazing energy, drive and commitment of many Americans in relation to art and culture.

Highlight 2: Two home-cooked meals: the first at our friend Maria Porter’s house. She and her gorgeous family invited us to come out to their place in upstate New York and have a meal, so four of us caught the train up there…again, along the gorgeous Hudson, and then we went for a walk in a park, something like Hampstead Heath in feel, donated to the county by the Rockefeller family, and then we had a delicious meal and provocative dinner-table conversation. Another night Jacob and Sarah had us all around to their apartment and we had a feast with the centrepieces being roasted vegies and mind-blowingly good ice-cream.

Now to other important discoveries: Eating: taim falafel and smoothie bar, 222 Waverly place at 7th avenue. The best falafels I think I have ever eaten. The anyway bar, E 2nd, between 2nd and 3rd avenues. They make their own vodka infusions and the lychee martini rivals the lychee martini at double happiness in Melbourne. They also make amazing wild mushroom pelmeni. Rice, a wonderful restaurant at the top of Elizabeth st. near Bleeker. Excellent, fresh, healthy food and many varieties of delicious rice to eat it with.

Shopping: Muji, Unico, Strand books

Architecture: well, just everything really, but particularly the old tenement buildings in the Lower East, the New Museum on Bowery, the old bank building on Bowery, the lofts and cobbles in Soho, the Rockefeller building.

Walking: the utter pleasure of walking everywhere.

Curiosities: Bottom-enhancing undies.