STUPENDOUS ART WORKS PRIME NEW YORK SHOWS(c) By Polly Guerin

Extraordinary, wunderbar, stupendous works of art draw enthusiasts to the wonder of creativity that blankets the city with rare exhibitions. Only in New York my friends, its the very best of culture that proves that New York is the Center of the Art World. Here’s the scoop!!!
MAURIZIO CATTELAN ITALIAN ART PRANKSTER in an amazing ‘not to be missed,’ site-specific installation at the Guggenheim, Maurizio Cattelan suspends his entire body of work on a disorientating, seemingly haphazard mass in the center of the building’s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed rotunda. The unorthodox presentation, which is visible from the ground floor and from each ascending ramp, brings together every work the artist has created since 1989 in a wild array of some 120 sculptures, paintings, photographs, works on paper, taxidermied horses, dogs and shrouded Carrara marble forms in a sculptural environment that functions as a unified artwork in its own right. I preferred to take the elevator to the top floor and to descend the ramps which devoid of any mounted art work provide a stark canvas for this extraordinary show, which in itself is an engineering feat. Multiple tiers in a huge mobile though suspended in motionless animation seem to have some mysterious movement like a wild, wonderful merry-go-round. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave. at 89th St. through Jan. 22, 2011. For behind the scenes footage of the installation a multimedia app is available for download at guggenheim.org/cattelan-app.
MECHANICAL WONDERS: ANTIQUE AUTOMATONS and CONTEMPORARY WATCHMAKING, The Sandoz Collection, is another extraordinary show, a Russian tour de force at La Vieille Russie, the venerable store-like museum located on the corner of 59th Street and Fifth Ave. Faberge’s Golden Peacock Egg along with many other treasures from the Maurice Sandoz’s collection are being seen for the first time by New York’s admiring public. Parmigiani Fleurier restored the collection which in addition to Fabrege’s Miniature Piano, the Youssoupoff clock and the Imperial Swan Egg includes timepieces, gold, pearl and enamel perfume spray gun and snuff boxes. Don’t miss the automation animals which include the gold, diamond, pearl enamel and turquoise frog, snake, mouse and a caterpillar. Other marvels include varicolored gold snuff box which opens to reveal a magician answering questions such as “What gives an illusion of happiness?” (money) and a bronze, enamel and glass cage with singing birds are on loan from a Swiss watch museum.
ERTE, THE FATHER OF ART DECO is synonymous with gorgeous illustrations and Harper’s Bazaar covers featuring his fantastical, chic but imaginary women. Born Romain de Tirtoff, Erte began his career working for the flamboyant French fashion designer Paul Poiret, who freed women from the restraints of corsets with his famous harem pant silhouette and waistless dresses. ERTE who continues to captivate and to weave a spell of magic in his illustrations gets his due at New York’s Martin Lawrence Galleries located at 457 West Broadway in a new retrospective that is a feast to the eyes. Opens Thursday, November 10 and lasts for a mere four days then travels on to other cities. 212.995.8865.
BOULUD SOU, NEXT DOOR BAR BOULUD AND EPICERIE BOULUD are Polly’s Restaurant pick of the week. Bouloud Sud, 20 W. 64 Street 212.595.1313 in a pristine sunlit setting serves Mediterranee style, while Bar Boulud, 212.595.0303, around the corner at 1900 Broadway satisfies the Lincoln Center rush crowd and adjacent Epicerie Boulud, 212.595.9605 offers quick lunch and take away delicacies including those famous macaroons.
Ta Ta darlings, I’ve already been to Erte and La Vieille Russie so I’m off to the Milk Gallery for the two-day, Nov. 10 to 12 exhibition of never before seen photos of Marilyn Monroe. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’s Blogs at www.pollytalk.com.