Foreign corespodent

Diego reports again from New York !

Posted on: 16. 02. 2011 | Comments: 0

NEW YORK - THREE GOOD REASONS TO GO TO BOWERY by Diego Maiorano New York Lower East Side is definitely one of the hippest area in the big apple and Bowery is its flag. I just want to give you guys only three very good reasons to spend a few hour on Bowery. The first one is the amazing exposition by GEORGE CONDO at the New Museum. The building is a Bowery landmark. Made by the Japanese architectural firm Sejima + nishizawa/SAMAA, the New Museum always hosts the avantgard scene of contemporary art. These days George Condo exhibition “ Mental States” (started on January 26th) is a monumental collection which ranges from classically inspired landscapes to gilded bronze busts, but concentrates on the Old Master-meets-Cubist portraits that Condo calls Artificial Realism and has made his hallmark. You can see all his influences from Picasso cubism to Francis Bacon, without considering some sort of inspiration of Flemish painters Bruegel and Rubens to arrive to a rivisitation of modernism. The most interesting part of the exhibition is the “ portraits of imaginary people”. Made by Condo when he was back to New York in 1995 after a French period, it’s a universe populated by maniacal faces and characters from his imagination. My favourite painting is “Uncle Joe” where a hairy, pants-less man lies in the grass with a bottle and a cigarette. His face twisted in a hideous grin, he balances a wine glass on an outstretched leg as the bubbles of anxiety or drunkenness float away into the sky. George Condo: Mental States Through May 8, New Museum, 235 Bowery The second reason to visit Bowery is the brand new Sperone Westwater Gallery. Very close to New Museum, the gallery, signed by Foster+Partners, is exactly what a modern art gallery must be. It takes only a few minute to visit in and it deserves all. Sperone Westwater Gallery – 257 Bowery To finish with the last reason make a break and go ahead on the same side of Bowery to reach DBGB Kitchen & Bar. It’s chef Daniel Boulud’s new adventure in New York, a very chic bistrot where you would try every single dish and is just what you need after a deep journey in contemporary art. DBGB Kitchen & Bar – 299 Bowery Till next journey!!!