An Art Walk in Harlem’s Historic Strivers Row

Categories: Art, New York City, News & Stuff, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Harlem, New York City, postaday2011, Strivers Row Art Walk, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

The Strivers Art Circuit (SAC) is a free, self-guided walking tour that will take place on October 8^th and 9th, in the Historic Strivers Row area of Harlem (130th street to 145th street, 5th Ave to St Nicholas Ave).

The Circuit allows participants to view some of Harlem’s visual and craft artists at work in their galleries and studios.

The Strivers Art Circuit was created to develop a hub of arts activity and thereby gain increased visibility and exposure for SAC participants.

Opening reception: Friday, October 7^th from 6:00 p.m.

Tour Dates: Saturday, October 8^th and Sunday, October 9^th from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The event is free to the public. However, if you plan to attend, click here to RSVP.

The Harlem Arts Alliance is a sponsor of the Srivers Art Circuit.

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About Marcia Mayne

Marcia Mayne travels a world full of books, music, art, fun people and great food. She raves about them constantly. Currently, she is journeying through Jamaica, her home country, to discover the places she missed.

02 Aug2011 17 Comments

The Studio Museum in Harlem

Categories: Art, New York City, Postaday2011Tags: Art, Harlem, New York City, postaday2011, The Studio Museum in HarlemAuthor: Marcia Mayne

When I get tired of creating images with words, I look to art or design to rest my eyes, free my brain and inspire me. Most times, the place I head to is The Studio Museum in Harlem, an oasis of calm and culture in the midst of street vendors, clothing stores and shops selling human hair and all kinds of ‘beauty’ supplies.

Since it first opened in 1968 in rented loft space on Fifth Avenue and 125^th Street, The Studio Museum has been celebrating the work of artists of African descent. In 1979, it moved to its current location on 125^th Street between Lenox (6^th Avenue) and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd (7^th Avenue). Read more →

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29 Jun2011 15 Comments

Harlem’s Backyard Gems

Categories: Art, Culture, New York City, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Abysinnian Church, Apollo Theater, Bailey House, Cambria Suites Blog Carnival, Church of the Intercession, Haarlem, Hamilton Grange, Harlem, Morris-Jumel Mansion, postaday2011, Red Rooster, St. Nick's Pub, Strivers' Row, Studio Museum, Sugar Hill, Sylvan Terrace, Theresa Hotel, Travel, Trinity CemeteryAuthor: Marcia Mayne

“Harlem’s Backyard Gems is my entry into TBEX Blog Carnival Contest sponsored by Choice Hotels International Services Corp.”

When I decided to move to New York in the late 90s, the only place I wanted to live in was Harlem. I imagined myself in a brownstones like the one of a family friend I visited in the 1970s that became symbolic of this historic neighborhood. With sweeping steps that led to beautifully hand-crafted double doors it seemed to welcome everyone in.

But brownstones are just one of many things Harlem is known for. Formerly a Dutch village, Harlem got its name from the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. It was also once the second largest Jewish community in the U.S. and home to a large population of Italians.

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14 Jun2011 7 Comments

Paris, Day 2: The Louvre – Cameras Allowed

Categories: Art, Paris, Photography, Postaday2011, TravelTags: cameras in The Louvre, Paris, postaday2011, The Louvre, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

As I walked through gallery after gallery in The Louvre in search of the European and African art collections, I couldn’t help notice that many of people ahead of me were taking photos of the artwork. Most didn’t even look at a painting long enough. They just got within camera range, snapped and moved on to the next one.

Granted, with the size of The Louvre — I’m sure I could visit every day for a month and not see the same collections twice — the objective for many visitors is to capture as much as possible in the time that they have. But, to me, it just waters down the experience.

Sculpture from the African Art collection at The Louvre - Maynefoto

I couldn’t help thinking about it for several hours after — and it comes back to mind each time since that I’ve been to an art gallery or a museum.

In this time when cell phones and digital cameras are so ubiquitous, it shouldn’t have been surprising but it was.

In thinking about what I’d write in this post, I thought about a comment Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, made recently at a talk at the New York Public Library. To paraphrase, he said CDs and computers make a large collection of music more easily accessible but flattens the sound.

The same could probably be said about taking photos of works of art. By relying on a camera instead of the eye to interpret and record the image, we reduce it to one dimension. Sure, it’s accessible — we can load it on to our computers, print a copy, share it with our friends, etc., but no camera I know of can capture the subtle qualities, like the light or tiny brush strokes that the eye can pick up, or the feeling that some works of art can evoke in a viewer.

Seeing this “drive-by viewing” had me thinking about how we engage the things around us and how technology is allowing us to breeze through our lives without slowing down or stopping to notice, to take stock.

Having worked with creative people in different fields, I’m acutely aware of the right of ownership whether of a manuscript, photograph, song or painting and how easy it is for us to ‘own’ a knock-off or a copy of the original. I’m also well aware that some museums, like The Louvre, allow visitors to take photos (sans flash).

Maybe it’s not such a big deal to allow cameras in museums since most of their artists are dead and maybe they recognize that a lot of us take photos on our digital cameras and never print them.

What do you think?

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13 Jun2011 4 Comments

Paris, Day 2: The Louvre

Categories: Art, Paris, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Louvre, Paris, postaday2011, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

As a former art gallery director, a visit to Paris would not have been complete without a visit to the Louvre. Yet, when I finally arrived at this world renowned museum and saw the lines, I balked. I had three days in Paris. There was no way I wanted to spend my time in a queue!

In addition, it was an unseasonably warm April and the afternoon sun forced several people to take refuge from the unrelenting sun under their umbrellas. They had come prepared.

The Pyramid, the main entrance to the Louvre - Maynefoto

No, there was no way I’d stand on that line, not even for the Louvre, I thought. Sitting by the fountain was infinitely more pleasant. But more than half an hour later, I was still there circling, taking photographs, people watching, undecided.

Finally, I came to my senses. Who was I fooling, I asked myself. Why come so close and not visit? I joined the line which, surprisingly, moved more quickly than I anticipated.

The escalator to the underground lobby - Maynefoto

The security guard checked my bag — the source of the slow moving lines — and I was finally in! As I entered the underground lobby, I spotted a bank of vending machines and within a few minutes, had ticket and museum brochure in hand.

Ceiling of the European Art collection

One of the most visited museums in the world, with 15,000 daily visitors, the Grand Louvre opened in the former Palais du Louvre in 1793. It contains nearly 400,000 objects, displays 35,000 artworks in eight curatorial departments and has almost 700,000 square feet dedicated to its permanent collection.

View of the Pyramid from inside - Maynefoto

With only a few hours to spend, I knew there was little chance that I’d get to see the Mona Lisa, without a doubt the Louvre’s most popular attraction, or the statue of Venus de Milo, so I decided to check out the Louvre’s collection of African and European art.

It turned out to be a good choice as I had to walk through the European gallery to find the African gallery, which seemed to be well off the beaten path. I had to ask several security guards to help me find it.

African Art gallery, Louvre Museum - Maynefoto

And when I did, it was worth the visit.

Dedicated in April, 2000 by former French President Jacques Chirac, the African, Asian, Oceanic and American gallery was almost deserted — only one person, an artist or art student — who stood silently sketching one of the exhibits and a couple security guards. It was also much smaller than I anticipated but no less impressive. And the best part, I could enjoy the exhibits almost undisturbed. I didn’t have to dodge the backs of other viewers’ heads.

The Louvre Museum

Hours: Mondays, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Wednesdays and Fridays 9 a.m. – 10 p.m., closed on Tuesdays, December 25th, January 1st and May 1st.

Fees: 10 € (Full day access), 6 € multimedia guide

Metro: Palais Royal Musee du Louvre station

Even though I spent only a few hours at the Louvre, I was overloaded visually by the time I left. But I’m very glad that I stayed. As an art lover, I would have been kicking myself now if I had left.

The Louvre — worth a visit, even for a couple of hours.

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24 May2011 4 Comments

New York’s Museum of Art and Design

Categories: Art, New York City, Postaday2011Tags: Global Africa Project, Museum of Art & Design, New York City, postaday2011, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

Image by wallyg via Flickr

New York City’s reputation as the destination for the visual arts is legendary. With major museums, art galleries and exhibition spaces, I could spend every Sunday visiting each one and not see everything on display. So I have to be strategic.

Last weekend, I decided to visit the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in its new home at Columbus Circle. The brainchild of Aileen Osborn Webb, it was opened in 1956 as the Museum of Contemporary Crafts, with its stated mission to celebrate the work of American craftspeople. The museum was renamed the American Craft Museum in 1979 and finally the Museum of Art and Design in 2002 to reflect its focus on the broader interplay between craft, design, art, architecture, interior design, technology and the performing arts.

My goal last Sunday was to catch the final day of an exhibition called the Global Africa Project, a sweeping look at contemporary African art, design and craft worldwide. Pieces were drawn from the works of over 100 artists working in interior design, fashion, sculpture, photography, paintings, furniture, jewelry, ceramics and textile from Africa, Asia, Europe, the United States and the Caribbean.

I wished I hadn’t waited until the last day as I felt rushed to take it all in but I’m glad I didn’t miss it. It was a great opportunity for me to learn about these artists, the majority of whom I hadn’t heard of before.

My next stop was to view the collection of tapestries documenting the collaboration of the feminist artist and educator, Judy Chicago and weaver Audrey Cowan and her husband, Bob. This is an impressive collection of work designed by Ms. Chicago and interpreted by Ms. Cowan.

The museum has an extensive collection of jewelry, the majority of which is housed in drawers which visitors are encouraged to check out. Most people, however, seem to miss the the sign.

Visit the Open Studios on the 6th floor to watch artists working in jewelry, ceramics, sculpture. Stop by the restaurant for lunch or visit the museum store on the main floor for gifts.

Museums tend to be overwhelming for me so I tend to select one exhibition and soak it all in. Though MAD is smaller than say, the Metropolitan, it’s possible to view all the exhibitions in a day.

One feature that I like is the ability of visitors to the museum’s website to view its collections and curate their own show, like I did here.

The Museum of Art and Design is located at 2 Columbus Circle. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 11:00 – 6:00 p.m., Thursdays 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., closed on Mondays and major holidays. Entrance is free to members, high school students with ID and children under 12. General admission $15/$12 for seniors/students. On Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 p.m., you can pay as you wish.

A Partial List of Museums in New York

The Museum of Natural History
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Guggenheim
The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Brooklyn Museum of Art
Bronx Museum of Art
Children’s Museum
Cooper-Hewitt
The Cloisters
International Center of Photography
El Museo del Barrio
Museum for African Art
Museum of the City of New York
PS1 Contemporary Art Center
Studio Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art

So for your next visit to New York City, make sure to add at least one museum to your list of things to do. Pack comfortable shoes and enjoy!

If you like what you’ve read why not Share, Tweet, Digg, Like, etc. You never know who might be interested.

Enjoy New York City On A Budget (hotelclub.com)

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About Marcia Mayne

26 Feb2011 2 Comments

Random Havana Photos

Categories: Art, Culture, Photography, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Caribbean travel, Cuba, Havana, Hotel Ambos Mundos, Jose Marti, Parque Central, postaday2011, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

Yes, I have still more photos. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took nearly 400 photos in just a week walking around Havana. There was that much to see.

Havana's Hotel Inglaterra seen from Parque Central

Detail

Palms near Parque Central

Romi and his band at the Hotel Inglaterra

Havana Taxi

Getting around

Coco Taxis

Havana’s Coco taxis an eye catching jolt of color that can’t be ignored.

Monument to Jose Marti in Plaza de la Revolucion

Spanish tiles from the restaurant at the Hotel Ambos Mundos

Statue of St. Francis of Assisi outside the Convento de San Francisco in Old Havana

Ladies in the courtyard outside the Convento

Old Havana Street

Mural in Old Havana

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Havana Journal: In Cuba, Cigar Lovers Are a Lifeline (nytimes.com)

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22 Feb2011 13 Comments

Havana’s Art Park

Categories: Art, Culture, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Art, Havana, Parks and Gardens, Plaza de la Revolución, Visual ArtsAuthor: Marcia Mayne

I know I’ve had a good vacation when I return home feeling enriched and inspired.

One thing that always inspires me is art and seeing art, especially art that’s accessible to everyone does my heart good. Don’t get me wrong, I love museums and art galleries — they have their place — but I love when there are no barriers to everyday people’s enjoyment of art.

So when we happened upon this park while on our way to the Plaza de la Revolucion, I felt I had hit the jackpot. I think I almost ran across the street to get to it as quickly as I could.

This piece caught my eye first.

Sculpture

Then I saw the front.

Detail

Sculpture 2

Sculpture 3

Now, if I could only take one of them for my backyard.

Sculpture 4

Sculpture 5

Sculpture 6

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20 Feb2011 4 Comments

Havana: Saying it with Pictures

Categories: Art, Culture, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Caribbean travel, Che Guevara, Cuba, Cubans, Havana, Old Havana, postaday2011, Travel, VedadoAuthor: Marcia Mayne

As we meandered around Havana, these are a few of the things we saw.

Sidewalk homage to Ernesto "Che" Guevara

Another sidewalk homage Che

Monument to Che at the Plaza de la Revolucion

A few mornings we walked the Malecon, from Vedado, where we were staying. to Old Havana. We’d always see people sweeping the streets and cleaning up in front of their buildings.

We were impressed by many of the metal gates, fences and window grills we saw.

Impressive gates

Another impressive gate

Medallion from the gate

Gates at the Union of Writers and Artists Building

Sculpture garden at the Union of Writers and Artists building

Sculpture

One of the things that struck us right away was the absence of graffiti and advertising. We did see one or two political signs and lots of signs reminding Cubans not to litter, etc.

I live in a free country

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16 Feb2011 23 Comments

Havana: Africa Meets Cuba in Callejon de Hamel

Categories: Art, Culture, Postaday2011, TravelTags: Afro-Cuban Culture, Afro-Cuban Religion, Caribbean Culture, Cuba, Havana, postaday2011, TravelAuthor: Marcia Mayne

When Africans were brought as slaves to the New World, one of the traditions they brought was their religion.

In Cuba, this religious tradition is known as Santeria and it exists side by side with Catholicism. Each Sunday afternoon, Callejon de Hamel, a block-long shrine to Santeria located between Aramburu and Hospital Streets in Havana comes alive with rumba music and dancing.

Callejon de Hamel Mural

Artist, Salvador Gonzalez, whose studio is located in the middle of the Callejon has been creating these artworks, sculptures and murals since the 1990s. Now the entire block is awash in vibrant colors.

Statue from Callejon de Hamel

Callejon de Hamel underscores the significance of Santeria to Cubans.

Statue in Callejon de Hamel

Mural in Callejon de Hamel

Another statue

Callejon doll

This doll was embedded in the ground near the entrance to Callejon de Hamel.

with artist Salvador Gonzalez

A friend who had met Salvador in Havana more than 10 years ago, gushed that I had to meet him. She didn’t know if he’s still be there 10 years later and I didn’t know that Callejon de Hamel was where his studio is located or that he was the artist behind the sculptures I was looking at. But something about the work made me think of him, so I asked and was shown his studio. He wasn’t there. But my friend, Lett and I, hung around admiring his paintings. Luckily, just as we were getting ready to leave, he showed up and graciously agreed to take this photo. Of course, I had to tell him about my friend who had spoken so glowingly about him.

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