Four days in New York

Central Park on a beautiful fall day

My husband and I spent four days in New York City last week.  We timed the visit around the Agnes Martin exhibit at the Guggenheim, and the show was definitely worth the visit.  It's difficult to convey the impact of her work in photos, as almost all of it is very quiet.  Her work looks minimalist, but is at heart abstract expressionist.  If you can be in New York before it closes (January 11), do go.

We filled our days with museums, walks in Central Park, music, good food, and time with friends--a lovely visit.  Here are the exhibits I went to:

Carmen Herrera at the Whitney (through January 2).  

Carmen Herrera is not someone whose work I knew about.  I love her work, which has much in common with Ellsworth Kelly.  You can read an analysis of why her work is not better known in this NYTimes article.  Herrera is now 101 years old, and still working.

Paths to the Absolute: Kandinsky, Malevich, Mondrian, Newman, Pollock, Rothko and Still, at the Di Donna Gallery (through December 3).  An exhibit of 13 paintings, on the occasion of the opening of a new gallery space.

Zao Wou-Ki (1920-2013) at the Asia Society, through January 8.  Zao Wou-Ki was born and trained in China, and then moved to Paris.  To my eye, his landscape paintings are a stunning blend of traditional Chinese painting, J.M.W. Turner, and abstract expressionism.  Here's a google image search of his paintings.

Three exhibitions at the Morgan Library:
Hans Memling: Portraiture, Piety and a Reunited Altarpiece
Word and Image: Martin Luther's Reformation
Dubuffet Drawings, 1935-1962 (through January 2).  This exhibit was a revelation to me.  I'm not particularly fond of Dubuffet's paintings, but was drawn to many of his drawings.

Dubuffet, Table Laden with Objects, 1951

Dubuffet, Landscape with Figure, 1960

Landscape with figure, detail

Jerusalem 1000-1400: Every People Under Heaven at the Metropolitan, through January 9.  Very interesting exhibit with a combination of material artifacts and manuscripts--in many different languages.  Includes a letter and a book manuscript in Maimonides own hand.

Kerry James Marshall, Mastry, at the Met Breuer, through January 29.  Striking work by a contemporary African-American artist.

Paul Klee (the Berggruen Collection), at the Met Breuer, through January 8.  I went to the Met Breuer for the Kerry James Marshall exhibit, and noticed they had a large exhibit of works by Klee as well, great bonus!

"The First Jewish Americans" at the New York Historical Society, through February 26

And a couple of very nice, reasonably priced restaurants:
Le Petit Poulet, 52 W. 33rd St. (between 5th and Broadway)
Il Violino, 180 Columbus Avenue (near 68th St.) (near Lincoln Center)

New York is a great place to visit!

View from the top floor of the Whitney Musuem