Zengo Serves Gorgeous Food in a Gorgeous Setting (Photos By Gail, Cocktail Photos Courtesy of Burke Communications)
Foodie Fans of The Worley Gig know that one of our very favorite dining destinations is the Asian-Latin fusion restaurant, Zengo, conveniently located adjacent to Grand Central Station. While the menu is consistently delicious, Zengo is dedicated to continually changing things up. And in this case, change is good!
Japanese artist Haroshi has returned to the Jonathan LeVine Gallery for a new exhibit called Virtual Reality, the second solo show of his skateboard deck sculptures at the gallery in two years.
It is kind of hilarious that Haroshi created a wall of skateboard decks made from reused old skateboard decks, but it’s a perfect way to show off his preferred medium in an extremely literal fashion. All of Haroshi’s sculptures are meticulously crafted from old skateboards and no additional color is added to the wood. What an amazing way to upcycle!
Smiley Faced Sphere Made From Bits of Skateboard Decks
At the exhibit’s opening reception last week, the gallery was just packed with Haroshi’s avid fans, many carrying their own skateboards. It was quite an enthusiastic scene! It is worth noting that the artist is very cool to his fans and I encourage you to come out, even in this cold winter weather, and see this fun show while it’s still up.
Skateboard Deck Skull
Virtual Reality by Haroshi runs through February 9, 2013 at the Jonathan Levine Gallery, located at 529 West 20th Street, 9th Floor (West of 10th Avenue) in New York. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM.
If you enjoy the TV show Hoarders and the works of pop artist Takashi Murakami, then the current exhibit by Japanese artist Mr. at Lehmann Maupin Gallery is your wet dream. Metamorphosis: Give Me Your Wings fills Lehman Maupin’s cavernous space on West 26th Street with stacks and piles and mountains of personal objects of every imaginable description: from clothing to magazines to computer monitors, all active with videos of the artist.
Also included in the exhibit are large-scale Manga paintings, which fit into the school of the Superflat, a movement/philosophy coined by Murakami to identify “various flattened forms in Japanese graphic art, animation, pop culture and fine arts, as well as the shallow emptiness of Japanese consumer culture.”
Walking through the gallery, Geoffrey and I were reminded very much of Chinese artist Song Dong’sWaste Not installation that we saw at the Museum of Modern Art a couple of years ago. It goes without saying, of course, that Mr.’s current work is also a reaction/response to what has been going on in Japan since the devastating natural disasters of 2011. I recommend this exhibit for all audiences.
Photo of The Artist
Metamorphosis: Give Me Your Wings by Mr. will be on Exhibit Through October 20th, 2012 at Lehmann Maupin Gallery, Located at 540 West 26th Street, Street Level, New York City. Gallery Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Mondays by appointment.
Art Fans Enjoy Mr.’s Metamorphosis at Lehman Maupin Gallery
The Katsu Burger from McDonalds in Japan contains a fried pork cutlet stuffed with cheese, topped with cabbage and sweet and sour sauce. It looks like it has mayonaise on it, too. I want to eat it.
Well known for her use of dense patterns of polka dots and nets, as well as her intense, large-scale environments, Japanese multimedia artist Yayoi Kusama’s widely varied works include painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance and immersive installation. Born in Japan in 1929, Kusama came to the United States in 1957 and quickly found herself at the epicenter of the New York avant-garde. After achieving fame through groundbreaking exhibitions and art “happenings,” she returned to her native country in 1973 and is now one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary artists. This retrospective features works spanning Kusama’s career.
As part of the retrospective, Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water, which takes place within a mirrored installation, is being shown in the Museum’s Lobby Gallery. Time Stamped Tickets are required to view Fireflies on the Water and can only be reserved on the day of your visit at the admission desk. We were told that these tickets are usually “Sold Out” within the first 2 hours of daily operation, so you’d better get there early (i.e. when the museum opens) if you want to see it! There was also a line outside the museum and up the block, which we were able to usurp thanks to our Corporate Membership! Happiness!
Note that photography is not permitted in the galleries, so the two photos below were the only ones I was able to snap. Trust me though, much like the late great Louise Bourgeois, Kusama’s work is amazingly playful and diverse.
Kusama’s Signature Polka Dot Beach Balls installation Above The Whitney Museum Restaurant
The Yayoi Kusama Retrospective Runs Through September 30th, 2012. Fireflies on the Water Runs Through October 28, 2012. The Whitney Museum of American Art is located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, New York, NY 10021. For General Information Phone (212)570-3600.
David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt), best known by me as lead vocalist for the late great glam-cum-moody-electronica band Japan, was born on this day, February 23, in 1958. Favorite Japan Song: “Television.” Happy Birthday, David!
