The Guggenheim

Last week on a day that was supposed to be rainy, I decided to go into the city to visit the Guggenheim Museum.  The Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen and also one of the most famous museums in the world.  

For some reason, I had never been to this museum before.  Miranda and I tried, but it was closed on the day that we were planning on going and we just didn't have time to make it back.  I had heard nothing but great things about it and was really excited to finally take a peek. 

Obviously, from the outside, the building is breathtaking and unmistakeable. 

The building is built in a giant spiral, so you are always walking in a circle, making your way to the top.  There were only a few select exhibits and this bottom floor that photos were allowed, so bear with me and enjoy the ones I did get!

The first exhibit I visited was the Thannhauser Collection, a collection of masterpieces by such artists as Picasso, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Renoir, Van Gogh and many others.  I actually wasn't aware that this was one of the exhibits were photos were prohibited because it looked like everyone else was snapping away until I heard a security guard yell at another guy for taking a few pics.  I did manage to get a few before that though!  

Landscape with Snow- Vincent Van Gogh

Paul Gauguin- In the Vanilla Grove , Man and Horse

Vincent Van Gogh- Roadway with Underpass

Vincent Van Gogh- Mountains at Saint-Remy

Pablo Picasso-  Ferdinande With a Black Mantilla

Henri Rousseau- Artillerymen
Pablo Picasso- The 14th of July

Edouard Manet- Before the Mirror

Around the spiral all around the inside of the museum, there is currently an exhibit call On Kawara- Silence.  It features, the artist, On Kawara's entire body of work, starting in 1964 most of which was done during his travels around the world.  The following is what it includes.  

date paintings (the Today series); Significalnt dates in history.  The very large ones, like Vietnam featured below were the most significant to him and smaller are generally less significant.  

postcards (the I Got Up series); Postcards he sent from his travels

telegrams (the I Am Still Alive series); daily telegrams he sent home stating simply "I am alive" with the date.

maps (the I Went series); Maps of all the cities that he travelled to.

lists of names (the I Metseries); Books filled with all of the people that he met on his journeys. 

newspaper cuttings (the I Read series); Newspaper cuttings from 1964- 2000s of sometimes significant sometimes even just an ad from a newspaper.  

the inventory of paintings (Journals); His person al journals of happenings.

and calendars (One Hundred Years and One Million Years).

The exhibition will also present numerous drawings produced in Paris in 1964, which are fascinating proposals for unrealized works; and Kawara’s only two extant paintings of 1965, Location and Title, which herald the Today series.

Photos were prohibited in all of these areas, but I got the one below and also my birthday front page newspaper headlines.

Another Exhibit that I was able to take photos of was Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian's  Mirror works and drawings.  The mirrors sculptures are amazing!

The view from the top of the spiral.  I got in trouble for taking this!

After I had finished the museum, since I was up at about 90th St and beside Central Park, I thought I would walk back through the east side of the park.  There is art everywhere in this city!

The street in front of the museum.

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir panoramic shot.  Unfortunately the cloud cover was so thick that I wasn't able to get a great picture.

I took A LOT of pictures in the park, but I plan on doing a blog at a later date about spring in the park. I plan on going back as soon as we get back from Florida when everything is in full bloom.  Here are a few teasers though!  It is starting to get beautiful.

Cleopatra's Needle with some Magnolia Trees.

I had a great day, and walked about 10 miles.  The Guggenheim was a beautiful Museum and a must see if you have the time in NYC and of course there is never a bad time to go to Central Park!