City Views, Country Dreams

Good afternoon from New York.

It's a grey and rainy day, with a chill that required me to don my down-filled coat to do this morning's neighborhood errand run.

Yesterday was just a little warmer, but still rather grim for April.  I thought it was a good opportunity to see some city views over on Fifth Avenue.  The flagship MUJI shop is just across the Avenue from the Library (where those festive holiday parties take place in early December.)

There is a current display just inside the MUJI entrance that recreates Tokyo from artfully combined merchandise one may purchase at the shop.

If any of you all happen to find yourselves in the area, please stop by and see this wonder.  It will amuse folks of all ages.  For those of you whose homes are more distant, you may wish to click on the MUJI link above to see some professional photographs of this wonder.

The translucent quality of the containers used for many of the building blocks give a certain mystery to the overall effect.  The above photograph shows a overhead view of just a small part of this very large cityscape.

The photograph below shows what I saw as I exited the shop onto Fifth Avenue.  In the overcast daylight, I thought the buildings in the background had a certain resemblance to those translucent boxes.

My main destination was another place with a four-letter name, MOMA, or more formally, The Museum of Modern Art.  I wanted to see the exhibit, Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty, that focuses on Degas' printmaking, primarily his monotypes.

In the MOMA lobby I passed by a series of framed works that attracted my eyes, but not my Degas-bound feet.  I neglected to discover the name of the artist.  

Perhaps one of you all might recognize whose work this is?

The identity is not revealed in the current MOMA Member Calendar, and I wasn't able to satisfy my curiosity via a search of the museum website either.  I'll find out who done it on my next visit.

I was surprised to find the Degas show rather crowded.  Most of the works on display are small, and the galleries' lighting is low to protect the pictures...and so, I did not linger as long as I had planned.  When I was attempting to learn how to create etchings and dry point prints, I never tried monotype printing, although some artists who used the same print workshop created wonderful imagery with this technique.

Leaving the exhibit, I rode the down escalator from floor to floor, and curiously peered over the protective railing that gives an overhead view of the huge second floor atrium space that's used for intriguing installations.

I continued to take a look at the atrium from each floor as I got closer to see what was going on.

It became clear that museum visitors were not allowed access to the main atrium space, which was dominated by a series of video screens on which a hand seemed to be drawing a pathway on various parts of a map.

Closer still.  I intentionally did not make note whether photography was allowed, and took a few photographs at atrium level.

The security personnel did not stop me.  If you click on the MOMA link I made available above, you can learn a bit more about Bouchra Khalili and this installation's genesis.

Back home, I knit a few more rows on my current fair isle project, and played around with colored pencils and some graph paper to plan some motifs for another project.  I also had a cup of tea (too late for lunch) and made some delicious pasta sauce for a very hearty supper. 

I am thoroughly enjoying exploring each day of my retirement.  My 2015 tax forms and payments have been mailed.  I read two books last week, and have four more waiting for me.

While the weather is still cool, I also plan on doing some baking.  Scheduling is underway so that I will be seeing more friends.  I bought two new watercolor brushes and have been doing some sketching.

I truly appreciate all your visits to my previous Easter Parade post, and the kind words regarding my retirement.  It's been grand to see comments left by new visitors.  Thank you all very much.