The concrete jungle is famous for its beautiful attractions such as the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty, as well as its vibrant eateries. Aside from the eclectic nightlife and delicious cuisine, NYC also attracts many tourists who love the arts, which has earned it the title ‘cultural capital of America’. The City That Never Sleeps has numerous cultural institutions. Just like the city, the art scene in NYC is always changing, thanks to new exhibitions that arrive all the time.
The art is even happening on the streets all the time – you can see the instalations of modern art sculptures, the actors on the corners trying to break the fear of the public, the street musicians playing live, the amazing graffiti walls, and also the weddings happening all way around the Central Park – just try to count the amount of wedding dress you see on the Saturday near the park or any NY famous spot – and voila! The show is always there around! Now, let’s get back to the art which is unique and pretty valuable to be seen once visiting NY.
Here are the most unforgettable art stops that you should see:
Museum of Modern Art
Rockefeller’s daughter in law came up with the idea of creating a museum that was dedicated to modern art in 1929. After a decade of revolutionary exhibitions in numerous locations, MoMA found a permanent home on 53rd street. With more than 150,000 pieces in its collection, it is not surprising that this museum houses the most important samples of contemporary and modern art.
The most well-known pieces are Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night, The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, and Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol. This museum is also home to more than 22,000 films. In the year 1999, the museum joined with P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center and came up with another museum known as MoMA PS1, located in Queens.
You will find a full exhibition calendar at both locations, which means that you cannot run out of things to see while there.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Popularly known as the Met, this is the most famous art spot in NYC. It has an impressive number of titles, which include the fifth most visited museum in the world and the largest museum in the United States. Over the past 150 years, this museum has gotten a large collection of works that are split across seventeen sections from modern art to ancient Greek.
The most important art pieces can be found on 1000 Fifth Avenue and they include The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you will see a consistent flow of exhibitions year round. Between 1976 and 1979, over a million people came to see Treasures of Tutankhamen, which is by far the most popular exhibition held by the museum.
The Met Gala is also held at this museum yearly to raise funds for keeping the institution afloat. You should head to the Met for a taste of the best art NYC has to offer.
Pierogi
Over the last 30 years, Williamsburg, Brooklyn has undergone a gentrification transformation that has seen a sharp rise in art gallery numbers. In 1994, Susan Swenson and Joe Amrhein opened the doors of the Pierogi museum to display the works of emerging artists from Williamsburg. However, the museum was moved to lower Manhattan due to the high costs of living and house prices that are driving away local talent.
Although the main gallery was moved, an exhibition space is still in Brooklyn. Last year, the museum showcased the works of mid-career and emerging artists such as Jean Blackburn and Reed Anderson’s sculptures that manipulate household furniture. This year, you can also catch many amazing pieces by talented NYC locals.
If you are an art lover, the above locations will get your creative juices flowing. Not only will you get to see pieces done by renowned artists but you will also get to see newer art from emerging artists. This range of art should be enough to excite any art lover.