Monthly Archives: September 2009

Barbara Kruger at the Lever House

Posted on by

This is what I saw coming to work this morning. The Lever House has a series of rotating contemporary art exhibitions in the glass ground floor lobby and they switched out a Tara Donovan piece for this. The glass is covered in bold white on black slogans. “Believe” seemed a little much for me, especially before I’d had my tea.
Courtyard with Tom Sach’s Hello Kitty figures.

Another Dollar, Another Day entrance.

But then I got sucked into the lobby. The slogans crowding the walls weren’t saccharine exhortations after all, as I realized when I saw the doors. “Another Dollar, Another Day” and “If it screams, shove it” are good examples of that. I’m guessing this is Barbara Kruger‘s work, although the Lever House website doesn’t say as much yet.

Especially inside the lobby, the slogans are overwhelming. They cover every surface, transforming the space. Midtown Manhattan is certainly a big enough target for Krugar’s commentary and, unlike some other exhibition at the Lever House, Midtown won’t be able to ignore it. I certainly couldn’t.

“Another Life, Another Love” doorway.

Gagosian opens not a gallery, but a store.

Posted on by


The Gagosian empire has spread across Chelsea and the rest of the world, most recently to Rome, Italy. But this incredibly successful venture is taking on a new aspect–retail. Coolhunting reports that the store “focuses primarily on the publications, posters and accessible artist editions that the powerhouse gallery creates from its many shows at its galleries around the world.”

My first reaction was along the lines of “ugh, how commercial.” Unlike museum shops, this seems like a drive to squeeze the last penny out of an already profitable machine in a way that may or may not help the artist. But then I started daydreaming about the cool stuff that I might actually be able to afford….this is clearly designed to reach out to a whole new audience of people like me…I like that.

Light on Water: Monet at MoMA

Posted on by



Monets are pretty. I’m sure those who go to see MoMA’s small exhibition devoted to his water lilies series will agree. You might go on to say he anticipates abstract expressionism, that he left his canvasses radically unfinished, etc. All good points, ones that this exhibition will remind you of. Roberta Smith in her NYTimes article also informs you that he was influenced by Japanese screens. I like Monet’s Water Lilies, BUT

perhaps because they are so iconic
or perhaps because they’re just so pretty…
[insert shoulder shrug] they don’t excite me.

I am mildly interested looking at them. I like to trace the bare canvas at the edges and notice how he layered color. I was pleased the colors in my Labor day photos and his paintings tied in nicely. But Monet hardly demands a strong reaction–he’s a more contemplative sort. The kind who was entranced by watching sunsets. And that’s fair enough.

Light on water is quite pretty.