Whitney Museum of American Art

8/24/2012

We arrived when the museum opened and waited on line for one hour.  Finally bought our tickets, and asked to see fireflies exhibit.  There was 5 1/2 hour wait.  Too many hours to kill, the museum took only one and half hours to see.  Paid $18.00 each and did not see what we came for.  Expensive and disappointed

5/4/2009

My favorite thing up now is Sadie Benning's "Play Pause." I've had a huge art-crush on Ms. Benning since I first saw her Pixelvision stuff my first year of art school. So the Whitney pretty much had me at "Hello," as this is the first exhibit on the first floor.

I like that the Whitney is do-able for people who don't have a huge tolerance for museum-wandering (cough*MY FATHER-IN-LAW*cough) - it's small enough to be explored fairly throughly in the span of a few hours, and exceedingly well curated, maybe this has something to do with the space constraints? Or maybe it's just because they're the mother fucking WHITNEY, dude... Whatever. It's pretty damn impressive to see the range of American art they choose to display at any given time.

To echo the comments of several other reviewers, the guards here ARE a bunch of fascist midget bastards. The good news is that the biggest dicks (like the ones who will scream at you and get all pointy and cranky for trying to take notes on an iPhone while very obviously NOT making a phone call or taking a picture) seem to be anchored in the permanent collection for some reason. The guards handling Jenny Holzer's exhibition, for the most part, were chatty, friendly, and two of them even pointed out interesting, subtle elements of several of the pieces. Take that, screaming Oompa Loompa guard on the 5th floor!

They have a fun little store, too, and they're one of the few places in our fair state that that has an Art-O-Mat (artomat.org). I have a huge, cheesy crush on the Art-O-Mat, and not just because it gave me a rockin' pewter pretzel that makes a fabulous necklace for the bargain basement price of $7.50, but because I've always wondered what the hell happened to all those old cigarette vending machines, and, come ON, affordable art from a vending machine equals AWESOME.

I'm only knocking off a star because the guards are dicks and their restroom seems better suited to an over-used, under-maintained highway rest stop than a prestigious art museum.

Which brings me to a great story about my Sunday visit (WARNING: DON'T READ THIS IF YOU'RE EATING, OR PLAN ON EATING IN THE NEXT 3 DAYS)... So I wander into the ladies' room and pick a random stall, trying valiantly to ignore the wet floor and stench. I hear several women walk into the room, open the door of the stall next to me, blurt out various disgust-themed exclamations, and move on to another stall. As I'm washing my hands, the restroom attendant approaches the stall of disgust, opens the door, exclaims "OH, HELL NO," bursts into laughter, and promptly exits the restroom. I HAAAAAD to look: there was a log of the same approximate length and width of my forearm, just chilling languidly in the bowl, while water streamed down the sides of the toilet and onto the floor. PUKE. Let's all pretend this was some wacky Dadaist joke, and not just further proof that people are effing nasty.

8/23/2012

What's wrong with the Whitney staff? Every person (except the coat check lady) working on the floor is extremely unfriendly and impersonal. The museum is totally not family friendly! I have 7 and 5 y.old girls who are well behaved and being to many museums before, but every time we go to Whitney it has been unpleasant family experience. It is a shame as all museums around the world moving to interactive, touch and feel experience the Whitney is lagging behind.

6/1/2011

The reason I'm a fan:  The Glenn Ligon Exhibit.  Now, I'm not really hardcore into the art world, as in I'm not big on name recognition or who's in right now.  But I love art and the creative process in general, so I'm really big on museums.  I'd never been to the Whitney before and I'd never heard of Glenn Ligon either, but my girlfriend had heard me mention that I'd like to see the museum, so she took me for my birthday as a surprise.

I'm so glad she did, because the Ligon exhibit was so powerful.  His take on the Mapplethorpe images from "The Black Book" and his interviewing process really brought out a multifaceted discussion about the racial implications arising from the work, whether or not the book was racist.  But he did it without condemning Mapplethorpe's piece as racist or exonerating it completely.  Rather it provoked discussion and let the work exist as a valid piece of artwork while discussing the potentially problematic imagery and why it was so fetishizing/racially charged.  I feel like more artists need to take this point of view, of exploring opinions that may be different from their own and gathering gut reactions and clippings from the surrounding environment that contextualizes the work, maybe reveals some of the societal leanings as to why a white man may want to view a black man with a spear in his hand, or the fascination with the African-American genitalia.  It provokes a discussion of why these images crop in the American collective imagination, of how power and privilege could have had an influence over this work, and how perhaps it didn't.  It explores how it's reflective of deeper, racist tendencies and also how it is a celebration of the model's bodies.  This piece also re-solidified my deep hatred for Judith Butler's writing, as there were quotes from her included and, as always, they were barely readable and intentionally confusing.  Even with the Butler quotes, this was one of the neatest exhibits I've seen in quite a long time.  And this piece was only a portion of the exhibit.

His door-sized, almost sand-art-esque stenciles (usually white on white or black on black) of quotes, some of which I know were appropriated from Zora Neale Hurston (one of my favorite authors from high school, it was lovely to see her again) that faded into nothing were striking, seeming to me to reflect the sensation of the artist himself fading into nothing because of racial labels.

My favorite portion of this exhibit were the runaway slave posters--Ligon had his friends describe him in all different ways.  He then put the descriptions onto runaway slave posters offering a reward for his return.  Really makes you think, doesn't it?

Most of the rest of the museum I could have taken or left (what can I say, I'm a MoMA member.)  But this particular piece was just ridiculously moving and should be a prerequisite to the rest of your life.  Go see it.

6/26/2011

Great space with a few neat exhibits.  Great place to visit if you happen to be on the East Side of New York.

6/30/2008

Definitely a fun place to go, especially on Friday nights when admission is free! This past June, the Whitney has hosted the Wordless Music Series, which describes itself as being:

"devoted to the idea that the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music -- in genres such as indie rock and electronica -- share more in common than conventional thinking might suggest. To illustrate the continuity between these worlds, the series pairs rock and electronic musicians in an intimate concert setting with more traditionally understood classical music performers. The goal: to bring audiences together, and to introduce listeners from both worlds to composers that they might otherwise not encounter, for a completely new concert experience."

What this translates to is a bunch of free concerts during June for anybody willing to show up. I went to the show on the 27th that had the ACME string ensemble performing an original composition to open for Times New Viking, a super fun lo-fi indie-rock band. Anyone who is familiar with TNV will struggle to see the connection with a string ensemble, but it definitely worked. It was less about the connection between the styles of music, and more about the enjoyment of experiencing both styles of music.

The space where the performance was in was definitely cool, being one floor below the main entrance, right infront of the giant glass window that faces the street. I noticed people walking by and being able to stop and watch the performances and the entire crowd.

My one complaint would be that the performances took place on the floor, not a stage or a even a floor rise. I could see fine, since I was right up front, but I felt bad for the people in the back.

4/8/2009

Had such a good time at the Whitney. Great place to just wonder around with friends and chat and gaze.
Jenny Holzer's 'Project Project' was up when I went and it was amazing.
Gift shop was something to be desired; very small.

Staff was friendly even when all the cash i had in my wallet was $1.

1/10/2010

Monica- FYI, if you are a "legit museum professional" with ID, you could have skipped the line, taken the Membership line, and gotten into the museum for free. Pretty much all the NYC museums provide this courtesy to museum professionals. As a museum employee myself, I've always done this.

As far as price, the museum is priced similarly to most other major museums in NYC. And its memberships are actually pretty cheap compared to some other NYC museum memberships.

Just as a side rant, perhaps the museum wouldn't be so understaffed if people were actually supporting the arts. People are getting laid off left and right in museums. By buying a ticket or membership, visitors are ensuring that those no-doubt stressed cashiers get to keep their jobs, and perhaps even get some more cashiers hired to help them.

As far as the actual museum goes, the shows are quite good and the museum seems to make an effort to provide fun services for visitors. They often provide special activity sets to children (free of charge) and the Audioguides are free too. ONE WARNING, though: if you have your heart set on seeing the work of a particular artist, be sure to call ahead to make sure it's there. The Permanent Collection was actually closed today, and apparently most of their Edward Hopper paintings will be on loan to other museums for quite a while. Calder's Circus is also on loan.

8/5/2010

The Biennial is a great event. This is a great museum for modern and very intersting art. If you get a chance to see a photography expo it will blow your socks off.....usually has that effect on me every time.

1/31/2009

- its not the Met or the Moma, but it made a great lil daytrip stop
- i didnt check what exhibits were showing beforehand, so i didnt know what to expect
- i have a love/hate thing with modern art, but the collection was worth the visit

- i'll be back.. eventually..

8/8/2008

I very much enjoyed some pieces in the permanent exhibits (such as the wire sculptures), though some of the art was rather outlandish and didn't resonate much with me.  The audio guide was helpful (and free!).

The temporary exhibits were blah.  The Fuller exhibit was a little interesting though the exhibit itself just wasn't very interactive or inviting - not nearly as much as MoMA's current exhibit on pre-fabricated homes.  Not to mention that the idea of pre-fabricated homes isn't even all that interesting to me... it was all the rave back during the housing crises after WWII but now who gives a darn?  The other temporary exhibits were barely interesting.

7/29/2008

A real mixed bag. Not much of the permanent collection seemed to be out. The Buckminster Fuller exhibit really inspired my 9 year old (they have a neat spiral bound notebook for kids based on this exhibit that is cool (pick it up at the register when you get your ticket).

Two cool things that I didn't see noted in the other reviews-

1) On the Friday pay as you wish time, there were performance artists in regalia and makeup, mocking the idea of museums and having a general cool time. Their interactions with the multiple security guards watching them and the crowd were entertaining.

2) There is a converted cigarette machine that vends miniature works of art (created for this project) in the gift shop. Buy a token (or 2) for $6.95 from the gift shop cashier.

Have to give them props for having the Kara Walker exhibit (saw it elsewhere).

12/4/2008

How can one say a museum and its exhibits are "bad," right?

Well, I suppose we all have different views on art and what we consider appealing and interesting... The Whitney Museum's art exhibits are ultra-abstract and definitely not a museum for "everyone."

I found it semi-interesting because a lot of the art allowed me to interpret it in my own way letting me create my own story of that particular piece, but others were too abstract for my mind make any sense of them.

I always wonder what artists are feeling when they are painting or creating art... well, at the Whitney, there's plenty of pissed off and bitter artists!

Not all floors are connected with staircases, which made it hard to get around. We wasted a little bit of time looking for certain floors. The elevators were extremely busy and took too long to let me enjoy the museum.

Despite all its abstractness, there were a few exhibits that caught my attention. Unfortunately I don't remember the artists' name, but I enjoyed many of the photographs, and sculptures.

Like I say to all my friends, even if something gets bad reviews, still go and experience it for yourself... who know, you may leave very inspired, or you may leave really pissed off and bitter. ;-)

11/30/2008

I went to the Whitney because my friend had a free pass.

I wish I had went to a coffee house and done some reading and listening to my iPod instead.

With the exception of a couple of pieces, I found the entire collection too abstract for my taste. That isn't to say that the museum won't be appealing to a lot of other people, but for my money, I'd rather be at the Frick Collection or watching a classic French film noir.

I like the neighborhood a lot though.

3/25/2011

Have membership here.  Impulse purchase.  Exhibitions are hit or miss.

2/28/2011

It's nice to have a museum that focuses on American artists.  The museum is very small and it's a very quick visit.  I visited recently to see the Edward Hopper exhibit.  There is an audio guide that comes with your ticket - and it's pretty good.  If you like contemporary modern art - the museum also features a lot of those exhibits as well.  The cafe is under construction but there is a coffee cart in the lower level to give visitors a respite from walking around.

5/6/2009

I always find the collections at the Whitney to be inspired and inspiring. The curators consistently put together wonderful shows. I found the Calder show this January worthy of tears.

Additionally, the friendly staff, from coat check to security, give you sense of belonging and longing to return.

2/20/2008

A very cool way to spend and afternoon in the city!

I went for the first time today with a friend.  Usually it's best to take an artist friend with you.  Personally, when I look at a canvas with three overlapping squares and a circle in the upper right hand corner and I'm told that it's great art, I want to kick the art community in their collective genitals.  I also become tempted to buy some canvases, smear some black and red paint on it, say that it's my interpretation of Jesus high on PCP having sex with a crossdressing hooker, and then sell it for $5 million and rake in the infamy.

Today changed that for me.  I realized that not all modern art had to suck the proverbial schlong, and that it provides for some insightful glances into culture at the time when it was made.  Yea, I know... after 22 years of education, it took me this long to appreciate art, but better later than never, right?  You get Warhol, Pollock and a few others in there in a single day's visit.  Go for it.

Also, don't forget your student ID because it'll save you on the admission price (I think at least $5).  Make sure to grab a free pair of the audio tour headsets, because once again, any insight into the artwork whatsoever makes it even better.

9/17/2007

I went to the Whitney as part of my Fashion History class to see the Summer of Love - Psychedelic Art exhibit.

It was totally GROOOOVY. Made me feel like a hippie. The exhibits were cool - some a little too cool. Or at least, you needed to be high, stoned or smashed to truly appreciate its artistic quality. Some were a lil out of this world...

Best part about being a Fashion Student: admission paid for by Parsons. Woohoo!

1/2/2011

I debated whether to give this three or four stars. I like museums in general so am incline to give four stars but I didnt think the Whitney was all that special. It has more of a gallery feel. There is nothing wrong with that. Just that I think quality of space do add to the enjoyment of art. They were featuring Edward Hooper (which i liked) and Paul Thek when I was there.

8/26/2007

I have come here several times over the years. I have seen some OK exhibits to amazing exhibits.
Just saw the psychedelic/summer of love exhibit which was very very very good.
the layout is great, it's always curated well, and I like the one night a week that is pay as you wish (but get there early for there is always a line) Other than the one night it is super $$ which really pisses me off.

What it stands for is wonderful and I applaud the museum as a whole.

9/29/2007

Wow Magnolia Bakery has over 300 reviews & the Whitney only 30 something? Huh. Cupcake.. Art... Cupcake... Art. Cupcake beats Art?
Anyway, Whitney rocks. I love staring at Alexander Calder's Circus & watching the video of him playing with it...  Although I liked it better when they had it on the mezzanine level rather than on the main floor where it is now.
I noticed 2 new paintings I don't remember seeing before today, one is by John Wilde and the other one right next to it, i forgot the guys name already but it's of a mexican jesus & the title has something to do with Man's Sorrows or something like that. Please go stare at it for awhile.  And make sure you vandalize the walls on your way out... For the moment it's allowed, fun Stingel interactive exhibit going on right now... Go make your mark!

9/1/2009

My favorite museum in New York. Curatorially, always hits the mark. Great permanent collection. Love the free shows and music events!

6/30/2007

My crazy eccentric junior high school art teacher loved this place, but somehow I never made a visit until a few weeks ago when my friend asked if I would go see their "Summer of Love'' exhibit. She had a free pass for two and seeing how I'm never one to turn down a free cultural experience, I happily obliged.

The exhibit was very neat. Crazy crowded, but neat. I think I might have enjoyed it even more if I had gone with someone who was around during the era in question, but it was v. well done. The trippy stuff was...just that. I really dug the photos and colorful concert posters the most.

I enjoyed their permenant collection of modern paintings as well, and  was surprisingly taken by an exhibit on an architect who deconstructed condemmed buildings in funky conceptual ways and photographed the results. V. interesting concept, and I'm not usually a ''conceptual art'' girl.

All in all, I can see why Mrs. Hecht was so over the moon about this venerable institution.

5/16/2007

A few months ago ads for Picasso and Ed Hopper's exhibitions first brought my attention to Whitney. I wanted to go, but never quite made it. Finally, in May, free admission from Bank of America motivated me to go.
I am so sorry I missed the Picasso exhibition. In place of that, they have a Matta-Clark one. That was the first thing I saw in the museum, on the third floor (I took the stairs). I was so shocked. I've never studied art, so Matta Clark's work left me so confused (photos of cut buildings).
Fortunately, the permanent collection on the 5th floor made much more sense to me, and I really enjoyed looking through the artists' lens of American history.
Whitney is not that big. Which is not so good if you want to see more, but also good because I finished the place in an hour, and ran over to Central Park =] Best Sunday ever!

6/25/2010

The Whitney is a lovely museum with top-notch exhibitions.  The Biennial is one of New York's great art events, and the shop downstairs is great for gift items (though their book section leaves something to be desired).  The Marcel Breuer-designed building is truly breathtaking.

12/2/2007

If you like American art this is your museum.  There is Edward Hopper, Jasper Johns, Warhol, de Kooning, and my personal favorite Kara Walker.  Check their webpage for a list and slide show of their permanent collection, as there are too many artists to mention here.

Friday nights you can pay what you wish, but the line is often long and the museum space crowded.  I prefer to go on a morning during the off (read: non tourist) season.  St. Patrick's day is another good day to go, as everyone else is out celebrating and at the parade.  The Whitney isn't my favorite museum, but if you are visiting from out of town and have time it is worth checking out.

6/25/2010

Alright so I've been in NYC for almost a year now and I'm finally getting to the point where I can actually cross off things on my "list of museums to see" (Visit the Met, check!, Museum of Natural History, check!, Guggenheim.... you get the idea) So today I ventured off to The Whitney specifically because I heard they had "Pay What You Want Fridays" which is GREAT but then I get there and as I'm waiting in line I see that damn little asterisk... *Between 6pm and 9pm (Never fails)

Anyways, it only ended up being 12 bucks because they only had 3 floors open which at first I felt gypped because I intended on spending a good chunk of time there, sorta like the Met, that's at least a full day commitment and you still won't see everything!  So I put on my "visitor" sticker and make my way up to the 3rd floor where they had the Charles Burchfield exhibit, incredible show - seriously! They have so many pieces of his from throughout his life and I personally just love seeing an artist's progression.  There was something like 200+ pencil sketches he did on a daily desk calendar.   Really nice exhibit, just seeing that I instantly felt like I got my $12 worth but then I headed up to the 5th floor where they are housing the 2010 Whitney Biennial.  Lots of "Modern" art if you will.  Sculptures, paintings, photographs, you name it!  Really enjoyed it, all except for this crazy realistic sculpture of this woman with her dog sitting in her rocker reading a letter... I honestly stopped dead in my tracks to examine it, so creepy!  The guard laughed at my reaction and ended up  giving me a quick description of the piece.  Overall I enjoyed my visit even though I missed out on 3 exhibits that weren't open, guess I'll just have to go back when its all up and running.  

Final note... small gift shop AND the cafe wasn't open, aka lame end to the visit.

4/26/2009

One of my favorite museums in New York City! If you are a fan of modern art, you'll thoroughly enjoy this place. Some of the exhibits are pretty trippy and definitely keep you on your toes ie. Jenny Holzer 's "Project Project" and "Sites". However both were great! Bring your student ID for a discount .

2/26/2007

How much do I love the Whitney?  In my mind is an edited condensed old fashioned flickering film of my favorites seen at the Whitney, and the film plays in my interior vision every few weeks or so.

What does this film consist of?:

Tim Hawkinson: I ran around the exhibit rooms like a little kid at the candy store...such neat stuff!

Zak Smith.  I recently saw some of his newer stuff at SFMOMA a little while back, and it just gets better.

Quilts of Gee's Bend.  Wow.  Just wow.  

Shirin Neshat.  One of her beautiful black and white films was chosen for the Biennial years ago.

Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio Community Architecture: I had heard about this for years and was glad when the Whitney gave me a chance to see a documentary about the project.

Of course, there's much more I've seen at the Whitney, but it's always that central group I think about.

I applaud the Whitney for taking chances with art, for exploring and making it possible for the rest of us to explore as well.

8/25/2009

This museum is so beautiful! It doesn't hurt that BofA card holders get in free the first whole weekend of every month! The Claus Oldenberg exhibit and all the Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Kreefe in te permanent collection are *amazing* The architecture of the building and curating is nothing short of magnificent. I love museums that have that special space feel and aren't so big I get swallowed up in room after room of decorative arts...

3/29/2008

Check the exhibition schedule before you go in order to limit the amount of closed areas.  Nice place to peruse contemporary art.

Friday night pay-as-you-wish is a nightmare, it is worth it to go some other time.

7/6/2007

Only until September can you remove your boots and step into a ceiling-to-floor carpeted burrow, widely colorful stripes flowing across the curving survaces inside this structure. Push the kids off the high perches or crawl under them through the trippy tunnels, or sleep in a divoted wavy chair. In this gnarly fort, you don't need to be stoned to take a magic carpet ride (although I'm sure you can guess the preferable state to be enjoying the scenery).

The Whitney's "Summer of Love" psychadelic art exhibition features hypnotizing light shows, hippie-friendly dance rooms, goofy sunglasses for visitors to model, and makes you wish you were naked in a wildly painted VW bus driving through a field of daisies with Sugar Magnolia cranked up to the grooviest volume.

1/13/2007

My first experience of the Whitney was during their Friday night pay-what-you-wish admission.  This was probably a bad idea since the place was CROW-DED.  However, I'm not much into contemporary art and thus didn't want to spend much money checking their exhibits out.

Much like the Guggenheim and the MoMa, this is a trendy museum and the regular admission is a little high.  So that means on the free/donation nights there a huge line to get in.  I was only able to bypass the line because a nice woman coming out came to the end shortly after I joined and offered us her admission stickers.  Sweet!  I was able to score one more by asking some people just coming out if they wouldn't mind giving me their stickers.  W00t!

Yes, it's horrible that we cut in line.  But really, there's hardly any museum worth waiting 45 minutes in the cold for, and certainly not this one.

Not to say that the Whitney is a bad museum.  For someone into American Art, it's probably worth spending hours in.  I did like the Picasso/American Art exhibit even though I'm not all that into Picasso.  It was enlightening to see his work next to the artists he inspired and influenced.  But I must say that I don't get Jackson Pollack and I never will.

The exhibition spaces are very big and open, allowing for a range of different types of art to get a showcase.  Even with the ravening hordes there was still plenty of room for everyone to appreciate the art in their own time.

Don't forget to check out the gift shop by the cafe - they have a cigarette dispenser that's been converted into an art dispenser.  it costs $6.75 for the cigarette-sized art - not my cup of joe, but still fun to look at.

Overall, I'm glad I got into this place free and without having to wait for so long.  That's the only thing that saved me from feeling I'd wasted my time and money.  Your mileage may vary - after all, *someone* likes this kind of art.  If that's you, go for it.  I'll even pass you my sticker on my way out ;)

(Pay what you want admission is every Friday from 6 - 9)

12/8/2006

I love the Whitney, and have always loved it.  

I am partial to Modern Art, and I love Calder and Hopper, and all the other artists in the permanent collection.  

Though others have said that the building seems 'cold' I just think it is super cool and smart.  

Maybe my art background makes me more empathic to it's sometimes 'pretentious' airs.   But you really have to give the art a chance, on its own terms, and forget about what others are saying, doing, or how they are behaving.  

In fact, contemplating the most abstract of works brings me a lot of meaning, peace and tranquility in a city swimming in often superficial, frenetic activity.  It is not necessary to 'understand' everything - the act of contemplation is the whole point, and I believe that the artists often had this in mind for the viewer.  To provoke and not to instruct.

It is one of the major museums in NYC and not to be missed.

Near all the Madison Avenue art galleries, it is also convenient if you are going to venture further and visit them, as well.  (For the uninitiated, the smaller art galleries are a great place to meet interesting people, and artists themselves, if you know what you're doing.)

It IS easier to see everything at The Whitney in one visit than in some places.  But the point it to come back again and again, because each time you return you will see it differently, as you should.

12/8/2006

I recently went here for the first time (which didn't seem right) with my mother and her best friend. First of all, it was interesting going with them, since usually I'm by myself at museums or with artsy friends. To see their opinions were quite interesting. For example, when we were looking at the Picasso & American Art exhibit, I found my mother sitting on a bench having ran her way through saying, I just don't like it. The other stuff, I get, this I don't! (For some reason she always sounds like a Jewish mother when I quote her) Anyhow, we did all love the Edward Hopper exhibit. The museum owns all his work, but this was a special exhibit that put it all together. It was fascinating to see some of his sketches for his well-known works (Nighthawks, New York Movie) and the final pieces are really just stunning. The color is so rich and his expert use of light is just amazing.

Overall, I realized I'm not a big fan of most American art. I like the classics myself and prefer the Met, but this was an educational experience. Technically, I wasn't a fan of the make of the building. The outside is garish and the bathrooms are all the way down in the cellar!

But if you're a museum person, it's worth a trip! If you're a tourist, I'd say go to the Met!

3/21/2010 Updated review

i went to the whitney museum of american art with a friend from college today. this is the first one i have been to in a while since i sprained my ankle and was somewhat immobilized for a while. i had dinner with my friend, mike, this week and we decided to go! neither has an extensive (aka: any) art background.

the top floor currently displays art that had been previously shown in the biennials. this included some beautiful peaces of art including one of the hopper paintings that i like. it was interesting to see how often certain artists had been shown (hopper had been shown over 15 times).

the rest of the museum showed the current biennial. i am not sure what the current rules were, but i believe it was that they could not have shown something previously. the art was...interesting. i was happy to have mike there with me; otherwise, i am not sure that i would have spent quite as long at the museum.

some of it was just beautiful/enjoyable. i loved this huge room of paintings of flowers by charles ray. we did not understand/enjoy most of the videos. some of it was just bizarre. i did not understand how they even come up with some of this. perhaps i needed more background than was given on the small square placard about each piece of art. we did want to touch a good portion of it. some of it, while we did not quite understand its meaning, did make us want to reach out and touch it and understand the texture.

it was an interesting visit to the museum. while i am not quite sure that this visit was worthy of the A-, this is the first visit that has made me question it. since that is the case, i will keep the A-.

times visited: 5
time in museum: 2 hrs
overall: A-

11/29/2006

Fridays 6pm to 9pm, it's Pay What You Wish:
whitney.org/www/informat…

The Whitney has had some terrific special exhibits lately.  Two that come to mind are Tim Hawkinson's amazing contraptions and Hopper's sketches and paintings.  There was also "Picasso and American Art."  It placed (not-always-original) Picassos next to American works to show how Picasso influenced American artists like Gorky and Pollock.  The Albers show also had some colorful squares-within-squares that I enjoyed staring at for a long time (though I'm no art student and I'm still not quite sure what kind of "stunning" effect these squares were supposed to have on me).  Finally, the Kiki Smith show made me giggle a lot, though I'm not sure that was the intention.  BTW, kudos to the Gilmore Girls for recognizing Smith's comedic potential.

Audio tours are free with admission, though you have to let them hold your driver's license or ID while you use it.  These audio guides can be helpful, especially because modern art is difficult for us unimaginative types to "get" without someone explaining the piece's context or history.  But sometimes the audio guides are just good for laughs.  Hopper's "Early Sunday Morning" has a lamp post and a fire hydrant: Are they really precursors to C3P0 and R2-D2 as the audio tour suggested?  Filmmaker Wim Wenders provided commentary for Hopper's "Nighthawks."  He gave this hilarious fantasy interpretation where a limo drives up to the diner and a gangster comes out and shoots everyone dead. They're "doomed!"  I can see how "Nighthawks" has film noir elements, but such commentary is just too funny.

On the whole, the Whitney is a fun place to check out American art and modern art.  Come with an open mind and a sense of humor.

10/30/2008

I'll admit that modern art isn't my favorite form of art. I always try to keep an open mind. This gallery is a large, fun place to enjoy the day and view unusual forms of art. However, my lower rating reflects the security guards that stand post at the Whitney. I felt that they were overbearing and made me uncomfortable and nervous. After mistakenly thinking that one of the exhibits went on on the next floor, one of the men rudely asked me what I thought I was doing. All the guards made me paranoid. The restaurant downstairs is very good. The food is excellent, and the portions are large. Since the gratuity is automatically added to the bill, the service is slowing and lacking.

9/11/2006

My visits to The Whitney have always been wonderful.  I enjoy the quaint and intimate space.  I think the exhibitions are thoughtful, throught provoking and carefully curated.  Sometimes I don't feel to be overwhelmed with the Metropolitan.  I do need a smaller space... i need to feel and experience art in smaller and qualitied doses.