Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Artist Louise Millmann

Last week marked the 100th anniversary of one of the worst industrial accidents in US history: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The fire, exacerbated by cramped working conditions and locked fire exits, led to the death of 146 workers who leapt to their deaths to escape the flames. Most who died were young women, recent immigrants to our country searching for the American Dream. It took this type of tragedy for factory reform. Alfred E. Smith became a champion for workplace safety and regulation and unions were formed.

To honor the event, there was a rally last Friday on the Lower East Side in NYC. Artist Louise Millmann, dressed in period clothing, walked in the parade, stunning the onlookers who believed they had seen a ghost. Millmann described the experience as quite emotional, a poignant reminder of the sensless loss of life and the continuted need for safe workplaces everywhere.

Save 35 Cooper Square!

Photos by Louise Millmann
Just as the great Jane Jacobs fought tirelessly to save Greeenwich Village from destruction in the 1960s, neighborhoods all over NYC continue to battle demoliltion in the name of so-called progress. Despite the cold, the Bowery Alliance of Neighbos, Historic Districts Council,
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, nine other community groups, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Senator Tom Duane,a rep from Sen. Squadron, poet Hettie Jones, historian Joyce Mendelsohn &
area residents came together on Friday afternoon to urge landmark designation for the endangered 35 Cooper Square, the oldest building on the Square. This event was called because despite a joint appeal from BAN, HDC,GVSHP, LESPI and Councilmember Rosie Mendez, the Landmarks Preservation Commission refused to grant even a public hearing on issue.
Has NYC learned nothing from the lessons of the past? The demolition of the original Pennsylvania Station, and the preservation of Grand Central should be a clear reminder why we need to save historical structures in NYC. The city's landscape is a fabric of complex textures that most American cities lack. Without that historical context, the city will become a bland, homogenized version of its former self. To help save this building, please consider signing the online petition.

SCBWI: 40 Years

Olivia with author Lin Oliver

At the podium

Olivia's doodle

Our hotel room's view

For the past six years, I've looked forward to the annual winter conference of the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Every year offers a new perspective on the creative process, the publishing industry, and the love of literature. This year's speakers, a veritable who's who of children's literature, shared inspiring stories of their youth, hilarious letters from their fans, and their key secrets on being funny. Lois Lowry spoke of the pain in losing a sister, while RL Stine recommended being open to writing to a different genre. Jane Yolen described the poetry of a line with Mark Teague at her side, and Mo Willems made us laugh with Lenore Look and Marvin Terban. As always, the insights were inspirational, the conversations collegial, and Lin Oliver's witty banter made me laugh. Despite the seeming similarities, this year, however, was truly different. Now a writer and illustrator herself, my daughter Olivia also became an SCBWI member, perhaps their youngest. With Olivia's Birds coming out in April, bringing her along seemed like the perfect way to share the news with fellow SCBWI members. She enjoyed listening to the speakers, but especially loved the big welcome she received from many of the 1,100 attendees. Together we met artists, authors, bird lovers, and even an ornithologist who studied at Auburn University in Alabama. It was a joy to share this world of creative and bright people who are so dedicated to both their craft and to bringing joy into children's lives.

Musicworks: Fundraising Event

Musicworks founder and jazz trumpet player Jesse Neuman is preparing for a third trip to teach music to underprivileged children in Latin America. To raise money for the event, Olivia and Jackson will be joining him on stage for a jazz concert at The Living Room in NYC on January 22nd, at 4:00 pm. It's a very child-friendly event, with audience participation for everyone.

Architect as Dictator

In this Sunday's NY Times Arts and Leisure section, art critic Roberta Smith reflects on the growing success of MoMA's 2004 renovation.
I had great ambivalence about the renovation of the Museum of Modern Art. In its previous state, the collection, like a textbook, had a linear layout, moving chronologically and ideologically from one space to another, and needless to say, I knew where everything was. The museum was already lagging well behind the Whitney in terms of showcasing cutting edge, contemporary artwork, so why upset the proverbial apple cart. The new layout, in a renovation which cost a staggering $435 million, is more like a pinball machine, as you stand in the center of a space and have to direct your attention this way and that in a frenetic attempt to keep up with the sequencing of images. No use complaining about it of course, except when they relegated Matisse's great painting 'The Dance' to a stairwell. And to then see the cavernous, empty space of the atrium, at first dedicated to dwarfing Monet's once monumental Water Lilies (thus coining the term 'monuminimal'), it was enough to make this museum member want to barf.
And then something happened. MoMA became relevant again.
Architect Yoshio Taniguchi designed the space, saying that if the museum gave him enough money he could make the walls disappear. True to his promise, Taniguchi's design forced the curators to notice they were wasting this grand space at their fingertips and needed to make curatorial decisions to capitalize on it. The architecture lends itself to public interaction, a dynamic courtyard surrounded by sterile, somber chambers devoted to the static nature of painting. The contrast was heightened as projections and performers began to stage happenings, where the audience became part of the spectacle. In this modern-age coliseum, the walls between artist and audience blurred, a perfect response to the architect's directive.

Canned Ham 2.0

What do you do when you've been a Broadway actor, adult film star, and house flipper, all in one lifetime? You write a one-man cabaret act featuring 12 different musical instruments, that's what you do! Better yet, have a fab NYC opening on your 50th birthday. Only Tom Judson could pull off such a feat. This time last year, James and I caught his early performance of Tom's show Canned Ham at Dixon Place. Since then, Tom has been on tour, playing to sold out performances in Provincetown for the summer. Don't miss out on his Dixon Place show on the 14th of November, 7pm. Tickets are going quickly.

Matisse at MoMA

I've always been a huge fan of Henri Matisse's work so I was pleased to find myself today at MoMA to see Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917. Their composition and color are about the sheer joy of experience, and to see some works in person which I had never seen before, was an inspiring way to end the summer this Labor Day. The images, completed during WWI and the cubist era, had a richness that surprised me, especially Interior with Goldfish. The images that struck me most were his interior scenes, with glimpses of Parisian street scenes out the window. The surface of the canvas, with layers of paint peeking out from underneath each other, were darker than his earlier fauvist work and served to bridge one era of his work to the next. The show runs until October 11th.

Big Bambu at the Metropolitan Museum

It's a sculpture. No, it's architecture. No, wait, it's a jungle gym. Suffice to say that Big Bambu, an installation on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC fits all criteria, while offering museumgoers a unique summer experience. The tangle of branches reminded me of a three-dimensional Jackson Pollack, as their seemingly random placement actually provided a climbable structure, provided you were properly attired with sneakers and shorts, which I was not. Even those who prefered to see Big Bambu without climbing it were given a breathtaking, panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline. The installation by artists Doug and Mike Starn will be up until October 31st, so that gives you at least two months to get there and see it-- just remember your sneakers.

Greenwich Hotel: DeNiro's Tribeca Hotel

Last week we had the opportunity to stay at Robert DeNiro's boutique hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, an opulent spot that made me feel a bit like Jay Gastby. Simply put-- it was far too nice for the likes of me.
I should have taken more pictures-- needless to say my camera died mid trip. Anyhow, imagine a lush library bar with palms which leads to a courtyard with tables and candles and swanky furniture. Then go the equally chic elevator, down a classical hallway with a marble bust at the end. On either side is a heavy oak chair rail with raised paneling underneath. Ok now you are opening the heavy oak door to the room to find a king sized bed and seating area. But wait, there's more. Did I mention the free minibar? Or the cobblestone streets of Tribeca below? No, I am too mesmerized by the bathroom-- a European shower room that was like being in Sorrento during a summer rainstorm. Alright, so that's never happened to me exactly, but the bathroom was an extravagant vacation all on its own. The kids were never so clean. And don't forget the heated pool. And did I mention the free minibar? There were real books on the shelves, well-furnished, like the apartment of a really cool person. It was a fun fantasy for the night, but as I rolled my suitcase out of the building with two kids in tow and headed for the one train, I was ready to return to reality.

NYC: Audubon and AOL Visits

How many nice people can we meet in a day?
Save the Gulf: Olivia's Bird Illustrations has taken us to new places. Yesterday we went to visit the folks at Audubon and AOL who gave us a special afternoon. The National Audubon Society hosted a sweet presentation, showering Olivia with confetti and thoughtful gifts, even putting one of her illustrations on a chocolate cake. One of Olivia's favorite parts? Seeing the elephant-sized folio of James Audubon's prints. Jackson's favorite? Receiving a chicken cap. Meanwhile, Audubon president Dr. Frank Gill chatted with James about alternative energy and the environment and Chuck Remington served as master of ceremonies. We felt right at home and Olivia reveled in her status as Audubon Ambassador. Thank you Taryn for forwarding some pics.
Afterwards, we headed over to AOL where we received a tour of their music and video studios and their newsroom. The kids took a turn on AOL's communal ping pong table, but nearly injured a few programmers with their stray shots. Our tour was followed by a lovely dinner at Otto, a Mario Batali restaurant, where we got to know the people who have made this fundraiser truly take flight. The AOL team of Blair, Katie, Nikki, Dan, Eric, Anibal and Allie was an impressive group of forward-thinking professionals who have the know-how to shape the collective consciousness of the future. We felt honored to have had the pleasure to work with both groups on this project which has now raised over $165,000 for Gulf recovery efforts.
On a side note, congratulations to both Audubon and AOL for having USGBC certification plaques for their offices, indicating their commitment to sustainable buildings.

The Importance of Being A Curator

According to Joseph Campbell, you can tell what a culture values by its largest building. The Pharaoh wanted a big tomb, so Ancient Egypt is defined by the pyramid. The Middle Ages brings the rise of the cathedral. France has Versailles. And the United States? The mall. The same holds true for the history of art. The market oftentime prevails and what sells determines what gets created.

If the patron directs architecture and art with funding, it is the modern-day curator who sets the standard. Curators hit celeb status with the rise of contemporary art. Gallery owners Leo Castelli, Ivan Karp, Mary Boone became all-powerful in shaping the NYC art scene, but it was Philippe Montebello who established the bar for high culture with his 30 year tenure as director of the Metropolitan Museum. His modern art counterpart, curator Henry Geldzahler, seen here with me in 1984 at a show he curated at PS 1 in Queens, NY, was part of the Metropolitan's goal of adding contemporary art to their collection, joining their curatorial staff in 1960 at the age of 24. Over the next twenty-five years, with the weight of the Metropolitan Museum's name behind him, Geldzahler's choices of what would grace gallery walls would serve as a primer on late 20th century art. Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, David Hockney-- Geldzahler determined the who's who of the era, but the real question is who was left out?

Tim Hartley: Master Class

before

during

after

Louise Brooks

Some artists work in clay, others in paint; Tim Hartley works in hair. After working as the international creative director of Vidal Sassoon for 35 years, Hartley has joined forces with Davines, an Italian hair care company whose products are organic and sustainable. In their collaboration, Hartley’s concept was to take the archetypal bob and transform it through the use of color and texture. Held at James Bentley Salon on 57th Street, Hartley taught a master class for a select group of metropolitan-area hairdressers where he demonstrated his unique cutting techniques and style philosophy. While turning color and style on its ear with each hair model, Hartley riffed about his influences, design choices, and margaritas on the beach. Referencing icons like Louise Brooks, Brigitte Bardot, Mrs. Robinson, and Auntie Mame, hair was transformed from accessory to stand out.
Vidal Sassoon-trained salon owner Kane of Salon Eden in Bay Shore, NY, brought me along as his hair model. I gave him free reign over what happened next. Working with Hartley, he took my pageboy and, two hours later, turned it into a masterful, red- hot bob, a la Louise Brooks.
After the hair session, attendees and their salons met up at Davines’ conceptual dinner—where the organic ingredients of their products were incorporated into a five-course tasting menu. From the pickled ginger wrapped shrimp to the polenta with gorgonzola and spinach, the food, served by members of the Davines team, was a complex series of textures and flavors, not unlike the creations that took place earlier at the salon.
Overall the day’s events were a celebration of hair, design, and style.

I'm Mad about MAD

The Dead or Alive exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design proved to be worth seeing in the flesh, quite literally. New York Magazine ran a great spread on the show; however the tactile experience of bones, seeds, feathers, rat excrement, and cocoons is not properly conveyed through photographs alone. There was a surreal quality to the use of materials. The seed skulls of Helen Altman tacked like specimens on the wall, the Ango Design cocoons suspended overhead, a wall to wall room of black feathers -- the show mixes the scientific process of biology with the conceptual edge of modern art. It reminded me a great deal of Cloaca, the mechanical digestive system created by Dutch artist Wim Delvoye, so it was no surprise that many of the artists included were Dutch and that the show was partially funded by The Mondriaan Foundation in Amsterdam. The museum itself is a fab piece of modern architecture-- not to mention that it's easy to get to on Columbus Circle, a stone's throw from the park, and has a lovely restaurant on the top floor. You've got until October 24, 2010 to check it out.

Charles Krypell Jewelry

Can you say pink diamonds? It isn't every day (at least for me) that one gets to try on rings worth, oh, about $100,000 a pop. But that was just how I spent the afternoon yesterday when I visited Charles Krypell Jewelry to see intern Evan Krypell. While some high school seniors are planning their next party, others are getting a head start on life experience. Evan is one of the latter. While interning with his father, founder and jewelry designer Charles Krypell, Evan has been able to see all sides of this industry from design inspiration to molds, to visiting a factory in China, all the way to marketing and sales. The cuff seen here was inspired by some mouldings Charles Krypell saw and thought would make interesting and intricate shapes in silver. With black diamonds in a pave setting, the piece is definitely luxe.

Dead and Alive Opens at MAD

Need. to. go. to. this. show. NOW. I am knocked out by the catalogue of the new exhibition, Dead and Alive, at The Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle, NYC. Artist Louise Millmann went last night to a preview and gave it rave reviews. Fortune would have it that I'll be in the city tomorrow afternoon to visit a student intern at Krypell Jewelers on 47th and 5th, so I'll be able to give a full, first hand account on both experiences.

By the way, this is my 400th entry-- a big thanks to all of you who check in to read this blog, and a super-sized thanks to those who share comments. It's been a great conversation so far.

Kiki Smith Takes NYC

Artist Kiki Smith is everywhere these days. From her Sojourn exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum to her new show opening this month at Pace Gallery, it's clear that her work continues to evolve. Originally a sculptor, Smith used the body as a starting point-- skin, organs, nudity combined to give her work a provocative corporeality that made viewers feel as if they were in a space with an actual body. Over the years, Smith has expanded her repertoire to include illustration and printmaking, this time drawing upon folklore and mythology for subject matter. The theme throughout, however, has been the political implications of the feminine form. From crouching nude bodies to Little Red Riding-hood surrounded by wild animals, Smith pushes viewers to reconsider their own perspectives on gender and nature, and all that it entails.

So Special

When I heard the Specials were reuniting and coming to NYC, I didn't hesitate in buying tickets for the show. Sandwiched between punk and new wave eras, their progressive ska sound and politically charged message remains as fresh today as it did in the early 1980s. With Terry Hall on lead vocals, the music energized the crowd, and before the first notes even dissipated, everyone was ready to dance. As they left they stage, they said they'll see us again in another 26 years. Hopefully I'll be there, ready to dance again. Thanks to photographer Barbara Strnadova for the suggestion, and for also showing up in zebra!

Downtown NYC

As the East and West Village continue to evolve, the mom and pop independent shops seems to be disappearing. One by one, storefronts have changed from wine shops to Walgreens. One nice addition to the East Village on E.2nd St is the John Derian shop. The prices are a bit too steep for my wallet-- Ravena Flea Market it ain't-- but the atmosphere and the designs are inspired. The collage-style glassware makes each cakestand and serving dish a functional piece of art work and I'm thinking one might make a great bridal shower gift.