1. Artist Tom Sachs made his first “perfect” tea bowl at 92Y. He’s learning the craft of ceramics at 92Y, under the tutelage of ceramics instructor J.J. Peet. Does his tea cup look familiar? 

    Artist Tom Sachs made his first “perfect” tea bowl at 92Y. He’s learning the craft of ceramics at 92Y, under the tutelage of ceramics instructor J.J. Peet. Does his tea cup look familiar? 

  2. Here is the third video in pianist Inon Barnatan series of short video vignettes that illustrate Barnatan’s recordings in Darknesse Visible, produced in collaboration with videographer Tristan Cook and artist Zack Smithey. See yesterday’s post here.

    Barnatan makes his 92Y solo recital debut tonight with music from Darknesse Visible. WWFM is broadcasting the concert live, listen here. 

    (Source: youtube.com)

  3. Here is the second video in pianist Inon Barnatan series of short video vignettes that illustrate Barnatan’s recordings in Darknesse Visible, produced in collaboration with videographer Tristan Cook and artist Zack Smithey. See yesterday’s post here.

    Barnatan makes his 92Y solo recital debut tomorrow, Dec 6 with music from Darknesse Visible. 

    (Source: youtube.com)

  4. Three portraits of Laurette (1916-17), a favorite Matisse model, as seen in a new show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The New York Times art critic Roberta Smith on “Matisse: In Search of True Painting,” exhibit, which opens to the public today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: “…one of the most thrillingly instructive exhibitions about this painter, or painting in general, that you may ever see. As ravishing as it is succinct, it skims across this French master’s long, productive career with a mere 49 paintings, but nearly all are stellar if not pivotal works.” The Metropolitan Museum’s Mary Clare McKinley, a co-curator of the exhibit, takes us into Matisse’s process to explore his innovative, often radical, solutions to such problems as how to portray light, handle paint, select colors and manipulate perspective, at 92YTribeca on Feb 6. 

    Three portraits of Laurette (1916-17), a favorite Matisse model, as seen in a new show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    The New York Times art critic Roberta Smith on “Matisse: In Search of True Painting,” exhibit, which opens to the public today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

    “…one of the most thrillingly instructive exhibitions about this painter, or painting in general, that you may ever see. As ravishing as it is succinct, it skims across this French master’s long, productive career with a mere 49 paintings, but nearly all are stellar if not pivotal works.”

    The Metropolitan Museum’s Mary Clare McKinley, a co-curator of the exhibit, takes us into Matisse’s process to explore his innovative, often radical, solutions to such problems as how to portray light, handle paint, select colors and manipulate perspective, at 92YTribeca on Feb 6. 

  5. Russell Goings surrounded with pieces of artwork by his longtime friend, the late artist Romare Bearden. NY Daily News has a great story about Goings using a roomful of Bearden’s art as a prop during a recent lecture to students. Some 26 eighth graders from PS 57, most of them black and Hispanic, were gathered in the 92nd Street Y’s Weill Art Gallery, to listen to Russell Goings lecture them on the need to set goals in their lives. “We’re all on an odyssey,” Goings said. “An odyssey is about discovery. You coming here today is part of your odyssey. So what are you going to leave here with?” A former professional football player, stockbroker and chairman of the board of Harlem’s Studio Museum, Goings, 80, is a spellbinding speaker who can work a room and a prop — after one student said he hoped for a pro football career like his, Goings popped his dentures out. “You don’t want to play football man,” a smiling Goings said as his audience howled with laughter. “They knocked my teeth out. I have no teeth, I got no knees, and but I got a bucketful of knowledge.” The teeth were a minor prop, the entire room a larger one. Hung on the Weill walls were 43 works by artist Romare Bearden: paintings, collages and ink and felt pen portraits. Read more. The exhibit at 92Y, Romare Bearden: The Paper of Truth, is free and open to the public through Dec 9 and there will be a Writers’ Celebration of Bearden on Dec 3 featuring Elizabeth Alexander, Kim Bridgford, Stanley Crouch, Kwame Dawes and more.

    Russell Goings surrounded with pieces of artwork by his longtime friend, the late artist Romare Bearden.

    NY Daily News has a great story about Goings using a roomful of Bearden’s art as a prop during a recent lecture to students.

    Some 26 eighth graders from PS 57, most of them black and Hispanic, were gathered in the 92nd Street Y’s Weill Art Gallery, to listen to Russell Goings lecture them on the need to set goals in their lives.

    “We’re all on an odyssey,” Goings said. “An odyssey is about discovery. You coming here today is part of your odyssey. So what are you going to leave here with?”

    A former professional football player, stockbroker and chairman of the board of Harlem’s Studio Museum, Goings, 80, is a spellbinding speaker who can work a room and a prop — after one student said he hoped for a pro football career like his, Goings popped his dentures out.

    “You don’t want to play football man,” a smiling Goings said as his audience howled with laughter. “They knocked my teeth out. I have no teeth, I got no knees, and but I got a bucketful of knowledge.”

    The teeth were a minor prop, the entire room a larger one. Hung on the Weill walls were 43 works by artist Romare Bearden: paintings, collages and ink and felt pen portraits.

    Read more. The exhibit at 92Y, Romare Bearden: The Paper of Truth, is free and open to the public through Dec 9 and there will be a Writers’ Celebration of Bearden on Dec 3 featuring Elizabeth Alexander, Kim Bridgford, Stanley Crouch, Kwame Dawes and more.

  6. Angela Earley is an artist, printmaker and children’s art instructor at 92nd Street Y.  Angela is currently designing community murals on 12th Street between 4th Avenue and Broadway in Manhattan. The murals are a partnership between the Strand Book Store, New York City’s legendary home of 18 Miles books since 1927, and GO Project, an education program that provides year-round educational and family support services to children who are performing below grade level.  Drew Herman, a teaching assistant at the 92nd Street Y Art Center, is also assisting Angela on these murals. The GO Project community will be collaborating with Angela to add color and unique detail to the murals. Watch the process unfold and take a peek at more of Angela’s art here.

    Angela Earley is an artist, printmaker and children’s art instructor at 92nd Street Y.  Angela is currently designing community murals on 12th Street between 4th Avenue and Broadway in Manhattan. The murals are a partnership between the Strand Book Store, New York City’s legendary home of 18 Miles books since 1927, and GO Project, an education program that provides year-round educational and family support services to children who are performing below grade level. 

    Drew Herman, a teaching assistant at the 92nd Street Y Art Center, is also assisting Angela on these murals. The GO Project community will be collaborating with Angela to add color and unique detail to the murals. Watch the process unfold and take a peek at more of Angela’s art here.

  7. The Roots crew double jump shot with Captain Kirk and Tuba Gooding Jr. Brooklyn Vegan is currently setting up for their photo exhibit and show with Screaming Females, Hunters, and Heliotropes on Thursday at 92YTribeca. This is gonna be a good one.

    The Roots crew double jump shot with Captain Kirk and Tuba Gooding Jr.

    Brooklyn Vegan is currently setting up for their photo exhibit and show with Screaming Females, Hunters, and Heliotropes on Thursday at 92YTribeca. This is gonna be a good one.

  8. When Nate Hill, the performance artist, tweeted that he would be in front of our building throwing free cheeseburgers to people on the street, which we read about in The Guardian, we had to see for ourselves. With camera phone in one hand, we documented his trip down the block AND caught a cheeseburger!

    Performance art? You be the judge. But don’t miss another performance artist, Marina Abramović, when she speaks at 92Y in October.

  9. Photo Credit: Adam Golfer From the artists’ statement on his photographic documentary kin*: I am intrigued by the concept of opposing groups uniting generations after a trauma. Throughout history there are countless examples of resentment bleeding from one generation to the next. Oppressed people bear children who grow up angry or scared because those are the beliefs held by their parents. kin* is my journey back to a country that scarred my family. I am reaching out to people of my own generation in an attempt to grasp their situation and the manner in which they relate to their past and future. The project is an inquiry into the potential of future generations from opposite sides of a conflict to come together rather than be held apart by the weight of history.An opening reception for kin* will be held on Jan 26 at the 92nd Street Y Milton J. Weill Art Gallery from 6-8pm, with the exhibit then running until Mar 11. The Milton J. Weill Art Gallery is open to patrons of Kaufmann Concert Hall during regularly scheduled events. In addition, special viewing hours have been arranged for this exhibition. They are: Jan 27, 29, Feb 1, 2, 8 15, 24, Mar 3 and 4 from 12:30 — 5:00pm. For other access, please call 212.415.5597.

    Photo Credit: Adam Golfer

    From the artists’ statement on his photographic documentary kin*:

    I am intrigued by the concept of opposing groups uniting generations after a trauma. Throughout history there are countless examples of resentment bleeding from one generation to the next. Oppressed people bear children who grow up angry or scared because those are the beliefs held by their parents. kin* is my journey back to a country that scarred my family. I am reaching out to people of my own generation in an attempt to grasp their situation and the manner in which they relate to their past and future. The project is an inquiry into the potential of future generations from opposite sides of a conflict to come together rather than be held apart by the weight of history.

    An opening reception for kin* will be held on Jan 26 at the 92nd Street Y Milton J. Weill Art Gallery from 6-8pm, with the exhibit then running until Mar 11.

    The Milton J. Weill Art Gallery is open to patrons of Kaufmann Concert Hall during regularly scheduled events. In addition, special viewing hours have been arranged for this exhibition. They are: Jan 27, 29, Feb 1, 2, 8 15, 24, Mar 3 and 4 from 12:30 — 5:00pm. For other access, please call 212.415.5597.