Modern Art Obsession

Summer is here!! Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

So We At MAO officially hate this new clusterfuck version of Typepad. Lost an entire post today...

But here are three fun summer photos by some great young photographers you should know...

Melanie Schiff (Underwater photographer),

John Arsenault (Pool Guy), and

Carlo Van de Roer (Untitled, Bondi Beach).

More details after we cool down..and have at least one margarita poolside! See you all at Low Tea!

Storm King - Outdoor Art at it's best...

Since most attitude filled Chelsea galleries are now closed on the weekends, yes times in the Art world are just THAT Good.. and since the NYC museums are completely overrun with tourists... It's time for a fun art road trip.

We took the editorial staff of MAO this Saturtday up to Mountainville, New York..
aka.. the Art World Hinterlands.. about a 90 minute drive from Midtown.

Where we spent an entire day at The Storm King Arts Center.

It is possibly the most impressive collection of outdoor art in the NYC area..
There is over 100 sculptures all situated on 500 meticulously landscaped acres.

Absolutely a slice of Abstract Expressionist heaven.

Here's just one of the amazing vistas...

The Mark di Suvero Field.
(Photo #2 Mark Di Suvero  sculptures.. Mahatma, 1978-79, in foreground, and Pyramidian, 1987/1998)

Additionally to their existing impressive collection, there's a temporary Louise Bourgeois retrospective.
Here's  our 2 favorite Louise Bourgeois works

We didn't catch the exact name or details of the huge Spider...  but here's a brief snip-it we found about her spiders..

In the XXIII Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, Louise Bourgeois showed a series of works in which she debates femininity. Unlike her father's business of mending tapestries, a spider weaves its web. The huge Spider signifies labor, giving, protection and foresight. The potency of the web is in either welcoming or entangling us as if we were prey.

All we can say.. it's big.. it's scary and
actually quite a bit mysterious. (Photo #2, Louise Bourgeois, Spider 1996, Bronze)

Also.. we loved these :
2 sets of huge Black Zimbabwe Granite Eye Benches (yes you can sit on them). But these eyes just seemed to follow you while you walk around...(Photo #3 Louise Bourgeois, Eye Benches II, 1996-1997, Black Zimbabwe Granite.. with a Calder Stabile in the back being restored)

Anyway.. it was an great day..
The park is filled with work from Alexander Calder,  Andy Goldsworthy, Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson, George Rickey, Richard Serra,  and a super impressive collection of David Smith sculptures..

One more amazing then the next..

So don't worry.. there will be more Storm King day trip to follow!!