Friday, December 21, 2007
Christmas at the Cloisters
It’s hard to think of a more atmospheric spot for celebrations of Christmas than the Cloisters, home to a rich collection of medieval art and architecture. Close your eyes and imagine the old stone walls and tiny chapels filled with the scent of pine and the sound of soft Gregorian chant. The quiet and peace of a deep winter’s night await in this magical spot.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
William Steig’s Cartoons and Ogres
The current exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York, From the New Yorker to Shrek: The Art of William Steig, provides entertainment and enlightenment for kids and adults alike. Steig, a longtime contributor to the New Yorker, is perhaps best known currently as the creator of the lovable ogre Shrek. His book featuring Shrek, which was published in 1990, inspired the popular series of animated films. Steig had a long career as a cartoonist., starting off as a young man during the Depression, when there were many “penny weeklies” which published cartoons and other light-hearted material. His children’s books, many of which have become classics, combine whimsical drawings of lovable farm animals with grown-up ethical and philosophical dilemmas. The exhibition website offers lots of ways to experience Steig’s work, including an interactive online feature and a downloadable recording of Meryl Streep reading from Spinky Sulks.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Beloved paintings have a new home at the Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has just opened magnificent new galleries to house its collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century European paintings. While the renovation was going on, museum visitors were often disappointed not to be able to see their favorite Cezanne or Van Gogh painting in its usual spot. But now all the beloved works are back on view, and since ten new exhibition spaces have been added, the museum can now exhibit works that have been languishing in storage, along with recently acquired oil landscape sketches by Danish and German artists. What’s more, visitors can now see these works in a chronological way which illuminates this important period in art history—a turning point between the classical and modern eras. The New York Times has provided a slide show of highlights, which only whets the appetite for more!
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