Art or Not–You Decide

This is a piece of modern art that is in Madison Square Park. I took the photos on two different occasions.

It’s called Big Bling and was created by Martin Puryear. It took me a while to get the photographs about Puryear and his creation because every time I passed by, tourists were reading the sign and I didn’t have time to wait for them to finish.

When I first saw it made with wood and chicken wire (fencing wire?), I thought “squirrel condo,” probably because of all the squirrels in the park, and there were many running around it.

Perhaps Puryear is commenting on “bling” and what it means to society–or what really makes up “bling.”

Enjoy.

Art or Not–You Decide

Haven’t done one of these in a while.

Fata Morgana, art by Teresita Fernandez, is on exhibit in Madison Square Park.

I found the installation interesting. What did detract from it were the girders and poles that were very industrial. From this framework was hung nearly 250 discs.

I happen to like walking under the discs. The sunlight distorts the cut metal shapes in the discs on the pavement.

Opinions?

 

Along Library Way in Manhattan

The other day, I was walking to Grand Central and on the way I snapped some photographs of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library of NYPL. (Final project for class.) After snapping some pics, I headed down Madison Avenue and turned onto 41st Street, the block facing Park Avenue. It was then that I realized that I could fulfill one of my dreams.

I stood in the middle of the sidewalk like a tourista and took a photograph of the sidewalk.

Ah, but not just any part of the sidewalk. 41st Street’s blocks between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue have been designated “Library Way,” since the main entrance to NYPL is across from 41st Street on Fifth. Besides renaming these two blocks, the city put bronze (well, they appear bronze) plates in the cement to celebrate NYPL. There are all sorts of quotes, designs, whatever in celebration of libraries and, I assume, knowledge and civilization.

This is a popular tourista attraction: standing in the middle of the sidewalks to photograph these amazing markers–much to the annoyance of New Yorkers. Having lived here for years, I knew better. Still, I took my pics, then quickly headed to the terminal.

If you ever come to the city, be sure to stand on 41st Street between Fifth and Park Avenues so that you can read each and every one of these markers. I’ve actually seen some people do this, or I assumed I did since I didn’t stand around and wait for them to finish.

 

Art or Not–Should I Ask?

Okay, for at least the last four weeks, these “snow” people have been haunting the “confluence” of Broadway and Fifth Avenue across from Madison Square Park. The first time I saw them, t I thought that someone had built snowpeople. The tourista have been flocking around them, and usually what they find interesting I avoid.

Today, I decided to snap a few quick pics. I thought they were idiotic, but after looking at the photos, I find them funny–even though they scream snow!

What do you think?

Art or Not–You Decide

Two weeks ago, I was walking by Madison Square Park and I noticed some new art installations, so I detoured through the park to see what they were.

This art is by Rachel Feinstein. It’s called Folly. And what is a folly? “A folly is an edifice built without function or purpose, or a structure identified by its foolheartiness and the primacy of its appearance.”  The three pieces fit the name; each piece also had its own name.

The Cliff House sculpture

The Flying Ship sculpture

The Rococo Hut sculpture

Though each looks as if it was cut from paper, the medium is aluminum.

There were quite a few people sitting on the grass around the Cliff House.  When I visited the Rococo Hut,  someone had just put his head through the opening and had his picture taken. The Flying Ship was in the shade, so no one was around it. These lawns had previously been closed for seeding.

The installation will be in the park until September 7th if you are interested.