A Lovely Monday

Today, Mr. V and I got the luck of spending an extra day together, as he had off work for Martin Luther King Day (normally, as I work Saturdays, we only get one day - Sundays - together). We decided to celebrate this rare occurrence with a date, and headed uptown to see All, Maurizio Cattelan's retrospective at the Guggenheim, which ends this week.

Cattelan's show consists of 128 works, all suspended in the rotunda of the museum. With nothing on the walls, this creative hanging skirts the installation issues that continually plague this curved museum...

While I was a bit skeptical about the gimmicky nature of this exhibition (and I totally agree with Roberta's review), I have to say that it was quite fun! It was nice to look at art in a different fashion, as well as to see the objects from all angles. That being said, it really is all about the spectacle of the installation, which in this case I think benefits Cattelan, whose practice has very uneven moments.

We also took some time to enjoy the quieter moments of the museum. The walls and stools that are normally filled stood empty, as the visitors clung to the banisters, craning their necks to see each and every part of the many works on display...

After this fun visit, we headed down to "Curry Hill" and had a fantastic dinner at Tamba. It was so nice to spend this extra time with Mr. V, the sweetest man and best partner I could imagine.

I'm so grateful for today.

All images taken by me with my iPhone.

Adding New to the Old

Yesterday, I took a quick work trip to Boston to celebrate the opening of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's new wing, designed by Renzo Piano. While the Gardner is largely known for their significant historical art collection (and the infamous theft of several masterpieces in 1990), the museum also has a strong residency program that fosters the work of many contemporary artists. The new wing is beautiful, and holds a dramatic glass-walled gallery, as well as a large concert hall.

The original museum, just steps away, consists of a 15th century Venetian-style manor that surrounds a lush courtyard filled with tropical plants and 1st century marble sculptures. It's enclosed from the elements, and feels impossibly perfect and relaxing...A far cry from the frigid Boston weather howling outside.

Inside the palace, rooms hold paintings by masters such as Botticelli, Degas, Manet, Raphael, Rubens, Singer Sargent, Titian, Velázquez and Whistler, all of which are displayed alongside antique furniture and decorative objects. Exploring the museum is a bit like wandering an eccentric house, with each turn and hallway revealing more architectural and artistic treasures...

A few favorites from inside the hallowed walls:

Rembrant's Self-Portrait from 1629 | an exquisite silver ostrich tucked in a cabinet of treasures | a collection of white lace | massive stone fireplaces dotted throughout the rooms | a stained glass window from Soissons cathedral, 1205 | a small silver 19th century Indian box | the sweet sound of the gurgling fountain in the courtyard | Matisse's Terrace at Saint Tropez, 1904 | the light that passed through nooks and crannies in the dark wood walls, spilling over the floor and illuminating the relics inside |

I can't wait to go back.

Image one of the new wing via here. All other images taken by me with my iPhone.