Memories, like the corners of my mind… Nostalgia haunts me. Ever since my recent birthday, I’ve been thinking more about my childhood and upbringing all with fondness. I was born in the mid-80’s and definitely believe the 80’s and the 90’s were the best decades! We can have that debate later. One recent more prevalent recollection was of visits to the Museum of Natural History and the Liberty Science Center. I enjoyed trips to museums, aquariums, and planetariums, but was never really a fan of zoos. I only visited the zoo when I was in summer camp, so it was always hot, crowded, and never ending. No enjoyable memories when it comes to the zoo. Anyway, all this caused me to think about how long it’s been since I went to a museum and to consider the ones that I’ve heard so much about, passed by, and never visited. Over the next few months, I will be visiting and revisiting museums throughout NYC and will document my experiences.
First up is the MoMA
In all all my years as a New Yorker, I had never visited the Museum of Modern Art, not during a field trip, a family outing, or at my leisure. My husband worked in Rockefeller Center during his time at NBCU, and I frequently met him in the area. I walked passed the museum without actually acknowledging what it was. Despite the front banner in front reading MoMA, the exterior of the building looks like a run of the mill midtown Manhattan building. So, I decided to actually check the place out. My husband and I took a late afternoon trip to check out one of New York City’s famous museums.
A Brief History
The Museum of Modern Art was a concept that was instituted by Abigail Rockefeller and two friends. In 1929, the museum opened in the crown building, not too far from its current location. Over time it moved to a few temporary locations.
Abigail Rockefeller became the treasurer of what was then America's leading museum dedicated solely to modern art. She invited A. Conger Goodyear, of the Goodyear family, to serve as the museum's president, who brought on Paul J. Sachs, son of Samuel Sachs and grandson of Marcus Goldman, founders of Goldman Sachs, and Frank Crowninshield, developer and editor of Vanity Fair, as founding trustees. Despite her husband, John D. Rockefeller Jr., opposing the museum and modern art, he later contributed significantly by donating land for its location and providing other gifts, ultimately becoming one of its greatest benefactors. More Rockefellers later join the board of trustees.
It’s current location at 53W53 had some controversy, which included the demolition of the adjacent American Folk Art Museum building in 2014 to make space for the MoMA’s expansion. 50,000 square feet of gallery space and expanding lobbies were added. By June 2017, MoMA completed the first phase of its $450 million project, introducing redesigned galleries, a second gift shop, a new cafe, and two marbled lounges. After more renovations, MoMA reopened in October 2019 with an additional 47,000 square feet of gallery space, increasing its total area to 708,000 square feet. Parts of the expansion was aimed to provide a more inclusive and integrated display collections by women, Latinos, Black, Asian, and other communities that are considered marginalized.
The MoMA Library houses around 300,000 books, 1,000 periodicals, and 40,000 artist files. In 2010, MoMA merged with the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City and became MoMA PS 1.
Other Miscellaneous Information
The MoMA has faced claims from families seeking the return of artworks lost in the Holocaust, including lawsuits in 2009 by the heirs of George Grosz and Paul von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy for pieces by Grosz and Picasso. The museum was one of several institutions that supported the CIA's cultural propaganda initiatives during the Cold War by promoting American dominance and freedom through their exhibitions.
The MoMA has an interesting history and many key players, but the point of this piece is to share about my first visit there. I encourage you to look into the background and evolution of this institution.
The Visit
It was a cold Saturday afternoon and by the time we arrived, the sun was starting to set. It wasn’t too crowded, although the open layout of the museum likely helped. Tickets were $30 per adult. The ticket kiosk was fun to navigate and had an endless ticket reel. Shout out to the staff person who rescued me and the printer! We started on the 6th floor. I like to work my way down, because when you’re done you can walk right out the building. Corridor after corridor and exhibit rooms everywhere you turned, I’m grateful for the small placards on the walls giving some direction. There was an abundance of paintings, sculptures and displays that captivated me. There was plenty that I didn’t get a chance to see this trip, but I’m glad that I was able to experience what I did.
One exhibit that stands out the most is the Henri Matisse exhibit. Matisse has been one my husband’s favorite artists since childhood, because of his use of color and joyful expressions.
There was a large collection of Pablo Picasso’s work. There were quite a few that I’d never seen before. Here’s one.
There was a variety of sculptures throughout.
Another collection that I really enjoyed was A Cubist Salon, which featured different vivid, colorful pieces. Cubism is an innovative art movement that started in France. Pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, characterized by depicting objects from multiple perspectives using geometric shapes and fragmented forms. It progressed through Analytical Cubism, with muted colors and complex forms, and Synthetic Cubism, which introduced brighter colors, simpler shapes, and collage elements. The purpose of this movement was to reject the traditional techniques of perspective and depth.
The City May Now Scatter.
I have many more photos and memories from this trip. The exhibits that I highlighted were mostly on the 5th floor. MoMA is certainly worth multiple visits, especially as exhibits come and go. I’m looking forward to soon visiting MoMA PS 1.
Stay tuned for next week’s post, after I take a trip to the Guggenheim Museum.