finishing,

You'll walk through the park and see a dozen pink trees and numerous green trees. It's a sign that we can forget the obnoxious winter. Brooklyn to Manhattan, home to school, via bicycle is actually faster than the subway. Now, the subway takes 25-30 minutes. Biking takes around 22 minutes. Now, the farther you go, the less that is true, but I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to bicyling.

Yesterday was good. We, the NYCAMS crew, had an excursion to the Museum of Modern Art's Restoration lab. This statement should be obvious: As paintings, sculptures, photographs grow older, they wear down. We didn't get to see the photography department, though we had a private tour with a friend of John's in the sculpture and painting department. It wasn't so much as being in the same room as famous art, for you can do that in the museum. It was something about seeing The reverse side of a Pollock canvas. Seeing X-rays of Picasso paintings. (X-rays to show the layers of metallic paints and to see what is the original layers and what a previous restoration did to the painting). Watching the application and learning about the process of restoration toward Edward Hopper paintings. (Using solvents and relaying varnish). A Tanaka painting that was mismanaged in the transportation and the someone put their hands onto the edge of the canvas while they were carrying it. (Hand oils applied to canvas will, over time, attract dirt and grime). Readministration of waxes to bronze sculptors to protect from little children's hands. This fascinating wooden chair sculpture, even though it was on a pedestal in a the musuem, some tourist decided to sit in it and it cracked.... a lot. So, to summarize a paragraph: wow.

The afternoon, however, was spent researching Christo and Jean Claude. If you don't know them by name, search for them on google images. They are probably most recently famous for their installation of "The Gates" in Central Park (February 2005). Over the past thirty years, they've done "Wrapped Pont Neuf, "Islands," "Valley Curtain," "Running Fence," plus many other fascinating pieces. I'm writing my research paper on their "Wrapped Reichstag" from 1971-1994. This quote, I'll try to use in my paper. "I believe very strongly that 20th century art is not single in the realistic experience. It is the very deep political, social, economical experience. I live right now with everybody here." Though their art is temporary, usually only lasting two to three weeks before it is taken down, it is also the process of the art. People who hate the idea of it and voice their opposition are part of the art too. I watched a documentary about his Wrapped Pont Neuf (the first bridge ever built in Paris). One man was arguing to another about the wrapping. One exclaimed how much he hated it and how it was not art. The other disagreed and said "regardless, if it was not for this piece, you and I would never have met. Would never have talked." Part of the important of the work is in the social dialogue of the pieces. I like those two. Christo and Jean Claude.


After researching, Jameson, Chantel, and I went to this spot in South Williamsburg overlooking the water that I found. Being along the East River, most of it is blocked off by piers, docks, or expensive restaurants. I'm glad that I explore a lot because this was a beautiful location.