Enjoy the Vibes of Vienna Blood

I like the German Art that arose from 1900 - 1930. Called German Expressionism, it is characterized by vibrant colors (often moody blues), exaggerated forms (at times drawn with heavy lines) and an interest in spiritual and psychological themes. In 1905 in Dresen a group of artists formed called The Bridge (Die Brücke), including Ernest Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel, while in 1911 in Munich another loose association of painters formed including Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

A guilty pleasure television show I've watched for 4 seasons takes place in the early 1900s Austria. It is based on the Liebermann Papers novels by author Frank Tallis. One of the reasons I enjoy the drama is (you guessed it!) it takes place during the years of German Expressionism. Every Sunday I go back in time and spend the episode in cosmopolitan Vienna before the occurrences of World War I, the Anschluss of Austria and Nazi Germany, or World War II. 

Vienna Blood follows Max Liebermann, a doctor and student of Sigmund Freud (played by British actor Matthew Beard), as he helps Police Inspector Oskar Reinhardt (played by Austrian actor Jürgen Maurer) solve murders. Max is from a prominent liberal Jewish family living in Leopoldstadt while Oskar, a lapsed Catholic, works at the district’s police station. Over the course of the series the two men develop a trust and friendship which anchors the show.

As viewers watch the series, Vienna is a sophisticated thriving multi-cultural center. However, the audience knows what’s coming! You can’t help but to think of how 30 years into the future will change the city and effect the lives of Max’s idyllic family who are likable supporting characters. Every once in a while you get a hint of the antisemitism and extremism that are brewing underneath the surface of Viennese society.

Portrait of Adele Block by Gustav Klimt

If you too like the period, be sure to visit The Neue Galerie New York which is dedicated to early 20th century German and Austrian art. Established in 2001, the museum was the brainchild of art dealer Serge Sabarsky and philanthropist Ronald S. Lauder. Its pricey Modern-Art Deco styled Cafè Sabarsky is inspired by Viennese cafès. I have yet to eat there but have been told the wiener schnitzel is delicious. 

Also be sure to bing-watch the 4 seasons of the joint British/Austrian produced PBS series on PBS’s website. The production of Vienna Blood has covered the 7 Liebermann novels and seems to have ended. Sorry to see it go!🎨🎭😱

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Tiffany's Creative Force AT The Met

All photos: Carolyn

Recently my friend, Carolyn, and I returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Edward C. Moore Exhibition. As we learned from the Met, "Mr. Moore was the creative force behind the magnificent and inventive silver produced by Tiffany & Co. during the 2nd half of the 19th century."

"His is a tale of phenomenal artistry, ambition, innovation, and vision. In his drive to study and create beauty, Moore sought inspiration in diverse cultures and geographies." 

"He amassed a vast collection of artworks from ancient Greece and Rome, Asia, Europe, and the Islamic world with the aim of educating and sparking creativity among artists and artisans in the United States, particularly those at Tiffany."

"He believed American design could be transformed through engagement with historical and international exemplars, and his collection not only revolutionized Tiffany's silver but also came to influence generations of artists and craftspeople." 

Upon Moore's death in 1891, his family donated his collection of 2,000 objects and 500 books to the Met so they would be available to everyone. This exhibit presents 180 of the silver objects he created or that were created under his direction.

Before leaving the Met, Carolyn and I went up to visit a few VanGogh's. Everybody's favorite, the Impressionist gallery, is always a must-see at the museum!

On our way to the rooms, we took in other artists exhibited on the Met's 2nd floor. Extra points if you guess whooo?

Thanks, Carolyn, for giving me permission to publish your photos and for spending a lovely afternoon with me at the Met!🎨

Answers: 1) Frans Hals, 2) the great El Greco, and 3) Jacques-Louis David

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SVA's Fashion Show On Madison Avenue

Fashion created from (left) pouches and (right) Polaroids.

Students from Manhattan's School Of Visual Arts fashioned attire that is on public view on the sidewalks in front of the famous fashion houses on Madison Avenue.

Fourteen exhibits enclosed in glass run from East 61th Street through East 76th Street. The layout is called One-Of-A-Kind Luxury, and the outfits are made of unusual materials for clothing, including house keys, packing peanuts, computer keys, forks and spoons, white paint, copper pennies and orange earplugs. 

Dresses designed using: 1) silverware (the bust is created from 2 ladles, the neckless is a spoon); 2) copper pennies; 3) Monopoly themes.

A cup of tea to go with a stylin' raincoat made of teabags anyone? Take a look.

Clothing created from: 1) paint; 2) Lipton teabags; 3) left - metal keys and right - packing peanuts; 4) earplugs.

Each reveal looks posh in my humble opinion. If designed out of cloth, people would want to wear them. The students are as talented and clever as the professionals whose couture shops face their creations.

Dresses made using 1) tree bark; 2) left - darts and right - computer keys; and 3) the slinky.

The art exhibit will run through November 15, and it's free! Walk down Madison Avenue for a close-up. Enlarge the photos I snapped by clicking on each one, or simply hold down your "command" and "+" keys at the same time. Here is a Print magazine link to see the 3 exhibits I do not have photographs of using: 1) tin cans, 2) wheat stalks and pencils and 3) a computer (program part). Between my blog and Print magazine (Ahh, with a better camera), you get an excellent view of the show!

Where the School of Visual School Arts sits in Manhattan

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The National Academy Museum And School

Photo: Artnet News

Perhaps one of Museum Mile's best kept secrets is The National Academy Museum and School. Located a block away from The Guggenheim on Fifth Avenue (at 5 East 89th Street), it occupies a mansion that was once the home of scuptor Anna and scholar Archer Huntington.

Founded in 1825, the National Academy is an organizaton, a school and a museum. It is a professional organization whose highly esteemed members included Frank Lloyd Wright and Winslow Homer and living members, Frank Stella and Jasper Johns. (The National Academy is the oldest artists' organization in the United States. Members are elected by their peers.) The school offers "studio instruction, master classes, critiques, workshops, lectures" and scholorships; and the museum has an acquisition of over 7,000 "works of American art from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries."

The building, itself, is a beautiful piece of architecture with fireplaces, marble floors and a spiral stairwell. Visitors can get a real sense of Edith Wharton's turn of the century New York. The mansion is fully renovated and intimate, with a charming interplay of old and new throughout.

Photo: NY Press

The National Academy is a place where the past meets the present. There are frequent special exhibits, where American art is examined and appreciated.  The museum focuses on the variety and vitality in American art. There is a blend of fine art from 19th century landscape painters to more modern and comtemporary abstract painters.

The National Academy strives to be a lively community of artists, architects, teachers, students ... and the public. So the next time you come to New York City, stroll up to the Upper East Side to check out their exhibits and permanent collection. You'll be glad you did!

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Personalize Your Home With Prints On Canvas

Prints on canvas by Splendiz Arts

The slogan says, "Turn your memories into masterpieces." Indeed ... surrounding yourself with images of family and friends on gallery quality canvas is a brilliant idea! You can have just about anything you fancy printed on a canvas: a wedding photo, fine art, the Eiffel Tower, pets, pumpkins or diamonds ... whatever brings you happiness, reflects your personality and makes your house a home.

Photo by Magnipic

With online retailers like Easy Canvas Prints, you upload a favorite picture, then select options for your canvas, such as size and wrap thickness. The company prints and stretches your image; and your canvas arrives, with a semi-gloss finish, ready to hang. You can elect to frame it, but it looks great unframed.

There are also competitors to google and compare.

Having pictures printed on canvas is often less expensive than having them framed. Work with a website you can call for help. Customer service will walk you through the process of creating your canvas.

 When it comes to home decorating, the number one rule is to surround yourself with personal touches and the things you love. Ordering prints on canvas is an affordable way to turn cherished photographs into art, and they stay vivid and pristine for years to come.

Photos by Easy Canvas Prints

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