The Art of Rain at MoMA: Rain Room

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Di
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Water cascades around visitor in Rain Room, Random International (2012), Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) 2013. Source: moma.org

New York City has experienced an unusually mercurial spring season, variable weather playing havoc with our hopes and immune systems. Random International‘s Rain Room at MoMA (May 12-July 28, 2013) gives you a chance for subtle vindication; here, you control the weather. You can stand in the mesmerizing cascade without a drop falling on you.

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Visitors marvel in the magic, Rain Room, Random International (2012). Source: fastcodesign.com

Using digital technology, Rain Room senses a moving body and causes the rain to fall around it. With this project, experimental studio rAndom International “invites visitors to explore the roles that science, technology, and human ingenuity can play in stabilizing our environment.” Essentially, the audience can create a dynamic work of art using their bodies as the tools with which they shape the room. This is the U.S. premiere of this acclaimed installation, which debuted at the Barbican Centre, London, in October 2012.

Wayne McGregor | Random Dance perform in the Rain Room. © Ravi Deepres & Alicia Clarke. Rain Room, Random International 2012. Courtesy of Barbican Art Gallery.

Wayne McGregor | Random Dance perform in the Rain Room. © Ravi Deepres & Alicia Clarke. Rain Room, Random International 2012. Courtesy of Barbican Art Gallery. Source: dancetabs.

As an instant critical and audience favorite, lines for Rain Room can be excruciatingly long (3 hours on opening day!). MoMA members and their guests have priority access to Rain Room at all times, as well as an exclusive early member viewing hour, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. daily throughout the run of the installation. The best way for the public to ensure the shortest line is to check MoMA’s Twitter feed beforehand where MoMA periodically updates the expected wait time. All reports indicate this one is worth the wait.

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Icons of Motherhood at the MAAC

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Di

"Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1," colloquially known as "Whistler's Mother," (1871) by James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903). Musee d'Orsay, Paris. Source: wikipedia.org

For many of us, the earliest way we expressed our appreciation on Mother’s Day was with handmade gifts and cards resplendent with glitter and crude hearts. As children, most of us didn’t create works of lasting value (except to our mothers) but the impulse to celebrate the maternal through art is shared by mature artists across all periods and styles. Perhaps the most celebrated American example is the painting best known as “Whistler’s Mother,” a portrait of the artist’s mother. Whistler simply considered it “an interesting picture of [his] mother” but in the U.S., the portrait quickly became an icon of motherhood and filial love. In this post, we share a few of our favorite depictions of motherhood at the Center.

African Senufo wood figure of a seated mother and child, Ivory Coast. Height: 33 inches

African Senufo wood figure of a seated mother and child, Ivory Coast. Hemingway African Gallery.

A matrilineal peoples, the Senufo often carved powerful maternity figures to represent the  mother deity of their society. Such figures were used in ceremonies like divination rituals where the deity spiritually “nourishes” the divinity initiates and protects the community.

Russian Icon "Vladimirska" mother and child, oil on wood with silver Riza/Oklad, Old Russia, c. 1890-1900.

Russian Icon “Vladimirska” Mother and Child, oil on wood with silver Riza/Oklad, Old Russia, c. 1890-1900. Alter Silver Gallery.

Icon painting was adopted in Old Russia from Byzantium following its conversion to Christianity in the 10th century. By far the most prominent type of icon depicted the “Mother of God,” the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus, as in the delicate one above.

Porcelain group of foo dog puppies playing with their mother, China, 20th Century.Porcelain group of foo dog puppies playing with their mother, China, 20th c. Angela & J. Gallery.

Ancient Chinese guardian lions, commonly known as “Foo Dogs” in the West, were stood in front of buildings for mythical protection. Pairs of male and female lions are still commonly used as entrance decoration, with the female lion shown restraining a cub on its back to represent the nurturing element. Above is a modern take on this symbol.

Pottery group of a mother cat and kittens on original wood base, artist signed and kiln marked, French, circa 1880.

Pottery group of a mother cat and kittens on original wood base, artist signed and kiln marked, French, c. 1880. Hoffman-Gampetro Gallery.

Charming groups of mother cats with kittens were a popular sculptural subject in 19th century France. See another such group depicting less unruly feline offspring here.

Pair of Meissen porcelain figure groups depicting The Good Mother and Father, German, circa 1880. Pair of Meissen porcelain figure groups depicting The Good Mother and Father, German, c.  1880. Bella Antiques.

Human mothers often had to contend with rambunctious children too in German Meissen porcelain figural groups like the one of “The Good Mother.” If you still haven’t found the right way to thank your mother for all her years of care on Mother’s Day, this Sunday, May 12, gifts for all tastes abound at the Center; you can browse our categories here.

Posted in Alter Silver, Angela & J. Gallery, Antiques, Art, Bella Antiques, Hemingway African Gallery, Hoffman-Gampetro, The Manhattan Art and Antiques Center | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MAAC May 2013 Hightlights of th Month

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Di

the manhattan art and antiques center may 2013 newsletter

This month, we’d like to thank all our participating dealers in this year’s wonderful AADLA Spring Show NYC, and we’re pleased to welcome to new gallery, One Jewelers!

Posted in Antique News, Antique Reflections, Estate Silver, Hemingway African Gallery, Iris Rosenthal, Michael's Antiques, Paul Stamati Gallery, Sooky Goodfriend, The Manhattan Art and Antiques Center | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Spring Show NYC 2013 Salon Series

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Di
New York interior designer, Amy Lau. Source: Spring Show NYC

Amy Lau, interior designer. Source: Spring Show NYC

This year, the Art and Antique Dealers League of America offers food for the mind as well as the eyes with their “Salon Series: Insights With Visionaries In The Field of Art & Design.” There have been several perceptive lectures at Spring Show NYC over the course of the past two days but the ones we’re most looking forward to occur over the weekend, starting with the New York School of Interior Design’s show-and-tell session “Designing The Artful Interior: Rooms to Look at and Live In” (Saturday, May 4, 2PM) and closing with a show tour led by Peter Trippi, editor of Fine Art Connoisseur (Sunday, May 5, 1PM). Saturday’s panel discussion will include prominent interior designers such as Amy Lau who will discuss the art of creating homes that are at once liveable and showcases for art and antiques collections. On Sunday, the ever-discerning Peter Trippi will conduct the last event of the Salon Series, a tour of the show’s most significant pieces. You can read more about the “2013 Spring Show – SALON SERIES” events here.

Peter Trippi, editor of Fine Art Connoisseur

Peter Trippi, Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur. Spring Show NYC

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Antique Lovers Flock to Spring Show NYC Opening Preview

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Di
spring-show-nyc 2013

Spring Show attendee gazes at jewelry display at The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center booth (#115), Spring Show NYC 2013.

May 02, 2013 — Last night, new collectors, seasoned curators, top designers, and antique enthusiasts the world over thronged the Spring Show NYC 2013 opening preview. The enthusiastic crowds at this year’s opening night were even larger than at the Show’s stunningly well-attended inaugural and sophomore years; a visible testament to the fact that Spring Show NYC has delivered on its early promise to become one of the glittering mainstays of the Park Avenue Armory’s antique season.

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Attendee admiring beautiful handbags from Treasures & Pleasures, The Manhattan Art & Antiques booth (#115), Spring Show NYC 2013.

On the secret of Spring Show NYC’s rousing success, ARTFIXdaily wrote “Just the right amount of differentiating style, varied period offerings, and price ranges…helps this show to feel fresh in Manhattan’s saturated antiques show scene.” This spirit of diversity was nowhere better seen yesterday than at our bountiful booth, where pieces ranging from rare Iron Age antiquities to exquisite 19th century furniture to stunning modern art jewelry curated from the collections of nine of our dealers attracted buzzing crowds all night.

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Antique enthusiasts gather outside The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center booth (#115), Spring Show NYC 2013.

Spring Show NYC is now open to the public May 2-5, 2013 at the Park Avenue Armory, Park Avenue and 67th Street, and tickets are available here. More than just a feast for the eyes, the show also offers an enlightening Salon Series with visionaries in the field of art and design, and an attending crowd that is as interesting and varied as the collections on display. Fledgling collectors especially shouldn’t miss Spring Show NYC’s celebrated Arts’ Night Out tomorrow, May 3, which offers a rare opportunity for new collectors to hobnob with top-tier arts and antique dealers. Come visit The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center at Booth 115 where our veteran dealers are always ready to share their insights garnered from several lifetimes of collecting antiques.

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A Manhattan Art & Antiques Center dealer speaks to the group gathered around his display, Booth 115, Spring Show NYC 2013

Posted in Antique News, Antique Shows, Antiques, Art, Art News, Exhibitions, Sale | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Leah Gordon in “Bling for Spring” at Spring Show NYC

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Di
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18-karat gold brooch designed by Salvador Dali, featuring star-crossed lovers Tristan and Isolde separated by a goblet of diamonds and garnet. Leah Gordon Gallery. Source: springshownyc.com

Just announced by Spring Show NYC, The Manhattan Art & Antique Center’s Leah Gordon is among the illustrious ranks of the dozen international fine and estate jewelry dealers chosen for showcase this year. The Show’s “Bling for Spring” press release features the moodily luminous piece above as one of the “rarest of the rare eye-grabbers that dealers are trotting out to jewelry aficionados.”

Like the Surrealist painter Dali, other groundbreaking artists sometimes turned their searing vision to wearable art, including Braque, Lichtenstein, Picasso and Art Smith, all of whom are featured in Leah Gordon’s curated collection. Gordon, a dealer for 25 years, also specializes in Taxco jewelry of the William Spratiling school, Georg Jensen and Wiener Werkstätte. Here is a sampling of her inspired pieces. (Click images for detail views.)

Cuff bracelet by Charles Loloma, 18k gold with sugilite, turquoise and coral, American, c. 1980.

Cuff bracelet by Charles Loloma, 18k gold with sugilite, turquoise and coral, American, c. 1980.

"Eye" brooch by Sam Kramer, sterling silver with taxidermy eye, American, c. 1940.

"Eye" brooch by Sam Kramer, sterling silver with taxidermy eye, American, c. 1940.

Cuff bracelet by Art Smith, copper and brass, American, circa 1948.

Cuff bracelet by Art Smith, copper and brass, American, circa 1948.

Wiener Werkstatte glass and wood bead necklace, Austria, circa 1910-1920.

Wiener Werkstatte glass and wood bead necklace, Austria, circa 1910-1920.

"Pop Art" pendant/brooch by Roy Lichtenstein for Multiples, enamel on sterling silver, American, 1968.

"Pop Art" pendant/brooch by Roy Lichtenstein for Multiples, enamel on sterling silver, American, 1968.

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The MAAC tops About.com’s Best Places to Find Treasure!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Di

Video: The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center: Source: A Taste of New York

We who love antiques know the pleasure of discovery is the greatest charm of collecting. As About.com antiques expert, Troy Segal, writes, “Even in a search-engine world, the thrill of a live-action chase remains paramount for collectors.” Segal, a contributing antiques writer for Museums Magazine and Travel & Leisure among others, rounds up the ten best antique centers around the country and we are proud to head the list.

Of The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center, Segal writes:

1. New York City: The Manhattan Arts and Antiques Center

Furniture, jewelry, art, silver, books, textiles – you name it, someone’s got it at this Aladdin’s cave of antiques, now celebrating its 35th anniversary. Though a professional decorators’ destination, the 100-plus galleries welcome any member of the public who’s savvy enough to stroll its Oriental-carpeted halls.

See the full list here for other wonderful antique treasure troves around the country. 

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Free Museum Friday Evenings

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Di

Gustave_Caillebotte_Paris_Street_Rainy_Day.jpgPhoto: Paris Street; Rainy Day (1877); Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894). Source.

Today’s forecast: wind, rain, gloom, more rain. Luckily, no art lover in New York ever has to suffer a dull Friday evening due to inclement weather. Here are the five major NYC museums that offer FREE/pay-what-you-wish admission today.

The Morgan Library & Museum

morgan_library_museum.jpgPhoto: Interior, Morgan Library & Museum. Credit: Graham Haber. Source.

The opulent Morgan Library & Museum lets you enjoy another favorite rainy day pleasure: reading! Current not-to-be-missed exhibitions in their final weeks are: “Marcel Proust and Swann’s Way: 100th Anniversary,” an in-depth look at the creation of the widely-acknowledged literary masterwork of our time, and “Drawing Surrealism,” featuring more than 160 works by Surrealist masters such as Salvador Dali and Max Ernst. Free Friday evenings at the Morgan also feature live music and dining at the airy Morgan Cafe. Free Admission Hours: 7-9PM. 225 Madison Ave. at 36th St.

Museum of Modern Art

museum-of-modern-artPhoto: Lobby, Museum of Modern Art. Credit: Angus Oborn. Source.

Often considered the most influential modern art museum in the world, the MoMA has a dizzying collection of major works with current highlights including Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” the painting that has come to define angst in the modern age, and “Claes Oldenburg: The Street and the Store,” the 20th century artist’s visceral celebration of the mundane. Target Free Fridays tickets are available at the door and includes admission into all galleries, exhibitions, and films but go early as the line can get long! Free Admission Hours: 4-8PM. 11 W53rd St, between 5th & 6th Aves.

Whitney Museum of American Art

whitney-museumPhoto: Exterior of the Whitney Museum. Source.

Renowned for its Biennials that introduce new and young artists to the world, the stylish Whitney is home to the city’s most avante-garde collection of 20th and 21st century art. Current exhibition highlights include “Blues for Smoke,” an interdisciplinary exhibition of contemporary art through the lens of the blues aesthetic, and “American Legends: From Calder to O’Keefe,” which showcases the artistic ground-breakers of our time. Pay-What-You-Wish Admission Hours: 7-9PM.945 Madison Ave. at 75th St.

Rubin Museum of Art

rubin-museum-of-artPhoto: Front entrance, Rubin Museum of Art. Source.

The premiere American museum for the art of the Himalayas and surrounding areas, the Rubin Museum also hosts one of the best under-the-radar movie nights in the city. After viewing unique current exhibitions such as “Flip Side,” a look at the clues hidden in the text of Tibetan art objects, and “Living Shrines of Uyghur China,” a fascinating photographic journey through the Ugyghur region, grab any $7 drink at the Rubin’s chic bar and get free tickets to Cabaret Cinema, an excellent Friday night film series that explores the themes in the museum’s galleries. Free Admission Hours: 6-10PM. 150 W17th St, between 6th & 7th Aves.

Museum of Arts & Design

"Grapes" (2008); Ai Weiwei. "Against the Grain," MAD Museum. Photo: “Grapes” (2008); Ai Weiwei. “Against the Grain,” MAD Museum. Source.

The provocative MAD Museum explores the the blur between art and craft and showcases the myriad ways contemporary artists transform materials from wood to glass, fiber and beyond. Current exhibition highlights include “Against the Grain,” an exploration of the most cutting-edge woodwork of the day and “Playing With Fire: 50 Years of Contemporary Glass,” a mesmerizing catalog of gravity-defying glasswork. Pay-What-You-Wish Admission Hours: 6-9PM. 2 Columbus Circle.

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MAAC Dealers at The Spring Show NYC

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Di

art and antiques dealers league of america spring-show-nyc-3013

“This then is the impetus behind every show. Expose the best of the best to people. Make a splash and show off mankind’s craft and artistry. It is surprising how intriguing man’s abilities are when applied to the arts and crafts,” writes Clinton Howell, President of the Art & Antiques Dealers League of America (AADLA) on creating The Spring Show NYC. This year, the AADLA, the nation’s premiere antiques & fine arts organization, has announced 15 leading galleries from the U.S. and abroad will make their debut at the third edition of The Spring Show NYC, and the Manhattan Art & Antiques Center is proud to be counted among them. In the press release, Howell thanks the “outstanding roster of top-tier specialists…for the energizing force that each of these dealers imparts to the fair in singular and exceptional ways.” Here at the MAAC, we feel the same way about the following dealers who will be representing us at the Show:

Paul Anavian Gallery

Nishapur slip painted pottery bowl, Persia, 10th century. Diameter: 5 1/2".

Nishapur slip painted pottery bowl, Persia, 10th century. Anavian Gallery.

Since 1973, Anavian Gallery has been a supplier of some of the most significant pieces of Ancient and Islamic works of art in the country. The gallery seeks out and acquires rare and significant artifacts in the realm of Ancient Near Eastern and Islamic works of art.

Estate Silver Company

Antique Silver Knight in Armor, unusual size, Germany, c. 1900. Height: 19-1/2" Base: 7-1/2" square
Antique silver knight in armor, unusual size, Germany, c. 1900. Estate Silver.

Originally from the London Silver Vaults in England, Estate Silver has been a family run showroom in NYC since 1992 with a large and constantly changing inventory of sterling silver. The gallery deals with all periods and styles of silver, including American and European, 18-20th century pieces, Georgian, Victorian, Nouveau, Deco and Modern works, flatware and holloware.

Blum Antiques

Ashtray with figural ducks, silver & agate, Italian, 1930s. Length: 11 1/4"
Ashtray with figural ducks, silver & agate, Italy, c. 1930s. Blum Antiques.

Blum Antiques specializes in exquisite, playful, and elaborate American and European silver ranging from the 16th to early 20th century.

Botier Inc.

Buccellati diamond and gold wide cuff bracelet. 18K gold and diamonds, Italy, c. 1980-1990s. Size: 3" x 1" x 2"
Buccellati diamond and gold wide cuff bracelet. 18K gold and diamonds, Italy, c. 1980-1990s. Botier Inc.

Botier Inc. specializes in antique and modern signed jewelry for ladies and gentlemen and also carry a wide selection of watches and fine objects of art.

Leah Gordon

Tang Pillow Pitcher" by Betty Woodman. Glazed earthenware, American, 1984.
“Tang Pillow Pitcher” by Betty Woodman. Glazed earthenware, United States, c. 1984. Leah Gordon.

A renowned dealer for over 25 years, Leah Gordon features objects of 20th century design, including sterling silver pottery, 19th and 20th century fine jewelry, artist jewelry such as Braque, Lichtenstein, Picasso and Art Smith as well as Taxco jewelry of the William Spratiling school, Georg Jensen and the Wiener Werkstätte.

Treasures & Pleasures

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Judith Lieber ladybug red and black minaudiere w. rhinestone. United States, c. 1980s. Gallery: Treasures & Pleasures

Treasures & Pleasures is a purveyor of fine jewelry, Victorian era to Modern, as well as antique bronze and sterling silver picture frames and fine vintage beaded evening bags, including vintage Judith Leiber bags and rare skin bags.

Antique Reflections

18K Yellow Gold & Onyx Cufflinks from Bvlgari, Italy, 1980s.18K Yellow gold & onyx cufflinks from Bvlgari, Italy, c. 1980s. Antique Reflections.

Antique Reflections specializes in exemplary modern and antique jewelry for men and women from designers Bvlgari, Tiffany, Cartier, etc., as well as unique objects of art.

F&P Associatesoil painting GIUSEPPE GABANI, (ITALIAN 1846-1899) ARAB HORSEMEN IN A BUSY STREET Oil on panel, signed "Gabani" bottom right. Size: 11 1/4 x 19 1/4 in. (28.6 x 48.9cm)

“Arab Horsemen in a Busy Street” by Giuseppe Gabani (Italian 1846-1899). Oil on panel, signed “Gabani” bottom right. F&P Associates.

F&P Associates has been featuring important 19th century French furniture, Orientalist painting and fine quality 19th century European objects for over 40 years.

Alexander’s Antiques

Important pair of Italian baroque-style side chairs, ebonized with pietra dura panels, circa 1850. Overall height: 47" Width: 21" Depth: 21"

Pair of Italian baroque-style side chairs, ebonized with pietra dura panels, c. 1850. Alexander’s Antiques.

For 5 generations, Alexander’s Antiques has been specializing in Art Deco, 18th, 19th and 20th century chandeliers, lighting, sculpture, clocks, ivory, furniture, paintings, jewelry and decorative objects.

Posted in Alexander Antiques, Anavian Gallery, Antique Reflections, Antique Shows, Antiques, Art, Art News, Blum Antiques, Botier, Estate Silver, Events, Exhibitions, F & P Associates, Leah Gordon Gallery, Treasures & Pleasures | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Flying Cranes Spring Exhibition & Sale

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Di

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Flying Cranes Antiques Ltd. has specialized in Asian art works created by master artists of the Meiji Period, metalwork, Cloisonne, Satsuma, Imari ware, Studio Wares, Ikebana basketry, Japanese samurai swords, fittings and other exceptional Japanese works of art for over 30 years. You can see some of their pieces here.

Posted in Antique Shows, Events, Exhibitions, Flying Cranes Antiques, Japanese Art, Sale | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off