Summer At The Museum: Exhibitions Worth Seeing By September
By Sophie Panzer
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People who live in or around New York City can opt to seek refuge from this summer’s oppressive heat in the air-conditioned galleries of some of the world’s greatest museums, a pleasant alternative to standing in front of open refrigerators or bathing in the chlorinated broth of spit and sweat that fills public pools. Here is a small selection of art exhibits encompassing a variety of tastes.
Alibis: Sigmar Polke 1963-2010 (Museum of Modern Art)
Polke was an experimental artist from Germany who worked with a wide range of mediums, and the galleries contain everything from notebook sketches and full size paintings to films displaying modern stained glass windows and a shed decorated with sprouting potatoes.The name of the exhibition reflects Polke’s attitude about politics and society post World War II, when many Germans used the alibi of “I didn’t see anything,” to avoid being blamed for horrors committed by the Nazis. Works like the print Watchtower examine different types of vision by combining abstract patterns with concrete images. Polke’s style is not for everyone, but the sheer variety of works on display creates its own sense of intrigue.
The Poetry of Parmigianino’s “Schiava Turca” (The Frick Collection)
This selection of portraits will thrill Renaissance enthusiasts. The painting that gives the exhibit it’s name has never been displayed in America before, and has rarely been exhibited outside of Italy. A portrait of a sumptuously clad, anonymous woman with a mysterious smile, it is one of the period’s most renowned representations of ideal female beauty, along with Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Also featured here are portraits by Renaissance master painters Titian and Bronzino. This exhibition, while small, offers viewers a unique insight into Renaissance techniques using masterpieces produced by artists less well known than Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
Charles James: Beyond Fashion (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Even if you know nothing about fashion, it is hard not to be impressed by these gowns. Designed in the 40s and 50s by Charles James after he moved from London to New York, they display revolutionary tailoring techniques. Some of them look pretty uncomfortable, but their remarkable silhouettes and structures are due to James’ scientific and mathematical approaches to design. Along with the actual gowns on display are photography series and videos documenting James’ work and his evolution as an artist.
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies (The Museum of Natural History)
While this is technically a science exhibition, the prints on display here have immense visual appeal. Some have easily discerned subjects, like insect anatomy or fish skeletons, while others have less obvious patterns. Created by using technologies like infrared photography, scanning electron microscopy, and computed tomography, they offer insight into the role of images in scientific study and reveal the amazing aesthetics of biology and chemistry.
Bombay Bicycle Club: The Perfect Summer Sound
by Katie Morton
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“Bombay Bicycle Club.” When
first hearing this name you may think of a bunch of wealthy middle aged men
riding bikes together on a secluded path somewhere in California; but in fact
this is the name of an indie band that will have you hooked on their music from
the first song you listen to, and is perfect background music for any summer
activity that may need a theme song. “Bombay Bicycle Club” is a melodic guitar driven indie rock band from North London compromised of lead singer Jack Steadman,
guitarist Jamie MacColl, drummer Suren de Saram, and Bassist Ed Nash.
Here is a casual picture of the band posing under a cherry blossom tree
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