FASHIONABLE NEW YORK ART LOVERS (c) By Polly Guerin

Fashionable New York steps into the limelight with a major show at the MET; Two Divas Talk about Fashion, Churchill in the news and book launches, and SIX Centuries of Music tunes up the cultural happenings this week. Here’s the scoop!!! 
THE CHURCHILL ARCHIVES at THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM launches a new website http://www.discoverchurchill.org/, which is developed in conjunction with the upcoming exhibition, Churchill: The Power of Words.  The site was created to generate interest in Churchill among a younger audience and includes video footage, photographs and surprising facts. Such remembered phrases as "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few," are among so many powerful, humorous and clever statements, which still resonate in today's politics, and referred to in Presidential speeches,  nearly fifty years fater Churchill's death. Visit http://www.discoverchurchill.org/.

CHARTWELL BOOKSELLERS, The world’s only bookshop devoted to the works of Winston Churchill books presents bookseller and author, Barry Singer’s new book, CHURCHILL STYLE, The Art of Being Winston Churchill at a champagne reception Wednesday, May 2 at 55 E. 52nd Street. RSVP: 212.229.7188. Barry Singer is a New York Times’ notable author and a regular contributor to the New Yorker and New York Magazine.
THE CANTERBURY CHORAL SOCIETY, under the direction of founder and conductor Charles Dodsley Walker opens its 60th season with a polychoral-with-brass Spring Concert entitled, “Six Centuries of Music for Chorus, Brass and Organ.” Come and revel in the sonorous sounds of voices and a brass ensemble of trumpets, trombones and tuba. A resounding experience, not to be missed, two of the compositions to be heard include kettledrums. Soloists include Kathleen Kelly, Soprano; Joan Fuerstman, Mezzo-Soprano; Thomas Mooney, Tenor and Ralph Braun, Bass-Baritone. Neal Campbell and Mollie Nichols, Organists. On Sunday, May 6 at 4 pm. At Church of the Heavenly Rest, Fifth Ave. at 90th St. Tickets $20, general admission; seniors and students $15, children 12 and under, free. Advance tickets visit, www.smarttix.com or www.canterburychoral.org.
ELSA SCHIAPARELLI and MIUCCIA PRADA: Impossible Conversations. Fine talking Divas, one dead, one alive explores the striking affinities between these two Italian designers from different eras. Given the role that Surrealism and other art movements play in the designs of Schiaparelli (pronounced Skap-a-relly) the blockbuster exhibition by the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a ‘must see.’ Schiap’s collaborations with Dali and Cocteau as well as Prada’s Fondazione push art and fashion ever closer and young accessory designers are taking note. Just this morning in Women’s Wear Daily the front page, “Hello Dali,” suggests Surrealism is alive and chic for fall.” Experimental videos in the MET galleries will juxtapose masterworks from the designers in an unexpected series of conversations on the relationship between fashion and culture. An impressive display of Schiap and Prada designs: Hard Chic, Surreal Body and Waist Up/Waist Down in the galleries. May 10-August 19. www.metmuseum.org/impossibleconversations .
MANHATTTAN, MANITOULIN, A new novel by Bonnie Kogos, author of Manitoulin Adventures 2001, shares with readers the magic of Manhattan and Manitoulin Island, the pastoral Canadian island in Lake Huron, part of Rainbow Country. It is a romantic, a love affair novel dealing with universal themes; love, conflict, loss and learning. The novel, a result of 20 years living and writing on both the islands of Manhattan and Manitoulin delights with Bonnie’s universal humor and candid observations. Publisher, Scrivener Book’s Spring launch is May 8th, in Sudbury at the Art Gallery of Sudbury, Canada. Contact Bonnie in NYC at 212.679.9438. for local openings. BonnieKogos@aol.com.
Ta Ta darlings!!! I’m looking forward to Canterbury concert in more ways than one, because I’m singing in the chorus. It’ll be quite a brilliant music experience…so be there!!! Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. Visit Polly’s Blogs at www.pollytalk.com. Just click on the link in the left-hand column list like thefashionhistorianpollyguerin or amazingartdecodivas.

SPOTLIGHT ON CULTURAL PURSUITS(c) By Polly Guerin

Never has there been so rich a selection of cultural pursuits in New York City, and never has there been more reason to take pride in the city and its rich diversity of painter exhibits and book talks to fill your date book with calendar listings. Here’s the scoop!!!

WESTERN WARFARE IN THE AGE OF THE CRUSADES(1000-1300) by John France is a FREE Friday evening talk April 27, from 7-8:45 at The Soliders Sailors Club, 283 Lexington Avenue (between 36th and 37th streets). The author manages to cover a massive breath of topis and fields that by the end you will have a pretty clear idea of how differently war was conducted in feudal societies. http://www.nymas.org/.

RENOIR, IMPRESSIONISM and Full-Length Painting: This delightful exhibit takes you on another journey into the kind of impressionism we know little about. Through nine large-scale canvases dating from the mid-1870s, Renoir uses a format of nearly life-size works that showcase the artist’s virtuosity at rendering figures but also gives us a sneak preview into the sumptuous fashions of Belle Époque Paris. Pleasures meet the eye viewing the Frick’s “La Promenade” of a mother out in the park with her two young daughters or “The Umbrellas” (Les Parapluies), and “The Dancer,” a portrait of a young ballerina longingly looks out at us with youthful yearning. There’s much more to meet the eye at The Frick Collection, through May 13th. http://www.frick.org/.

 EDOUARD VUILLARD, A Painter and His Muses: Ordinary friends and patrons portrayed in Vuillard’s paintings shows us the many ways in which the master drew inspiration from these people and lovingly portrayed them in some 50 works in assorted media. The show spans Vuillard’s career, covering his artistic beginnings as a member of the avant-garde Nabi movement and the domestic interior scenes for which he is best known, his graphic art for the periodical La Revue blanche, his decorative commissions and his lesser-known later portraits. At The Jewish Museum, 5th Ave. at 92nd St., May 4- Sept. 23. http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/.

REMBRANDT AND DEGAS, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: While it has been tradition for artists to copy Old Masters to perfect their craft, it is obviously dominant in the exploration, an insider’s view, of the 17th century Dutch master’s influence on Degas, his 19th-century French admirer. The exhibit illustrates how the artist spent much time during his formative years copying Old Masters both at the Louvre and in Italy and despite his later association with impressionism; he remained devoted to those early exemplars throughout his life. The show unites some 20 of their earlier self-portraits both painted and graphic in a stunning review at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue through May 20th. http://www.metmusuem.org/.  

CINEMA TUESDAYS at the French Institute Alliance Francaise, FIAF, continues its Cinema Tuesdays series in May and June dedicated to the films of Romy Schneider in commemoration of the actress’s death. At Florence Gould Hall and Tinker Auditorium, http://www.fiaf.com/.  At The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, the Fashion and Film Festival, “If Looks Could Kill, runs May 4-13 with headliner Marlene Dietrich in the 1936 “Desire.” The films give us a bird’s eye connection between fashion, film and extravagance. http://www.museumofmovingimage.org/. .
Ta Ta darlings, I always love going to the Frick, its serene ambiance is the perfect setting for Vuillard’s vernissage. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net. To view Polly’s four Blogs go to www.pollytalk.com and in the left-hand column click on the link to quickly access, for example, amazingartdecowomen (women determined to succeed).

DAZZLING ART and FASHION DIVERSITY in the BIG APPLE(c) By Polly Guerin

Art and fashion in spellbinding proliferation adds sparkle to New York City this week with openings to dazzle your intelligence and entertain your muse. Here’s the scoop!!!
SOFA NEW YORK 2012 Grab your walking shoes and head out to the not-to-be-missed destination---the 4-day sculpture objects and functional art fair, a pageant of art jewelry to dazzle the eye with objects crafted by a roster of internationally recognized artists. The Annual Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Fair celebrating its 15th anniversary opens Friday, April 20 through Monday, April 23, at the Park Avenue Armory, 67th Street and Park Avenue. Lola Brooks and the Sienna Gallery in Lenox, Mass. creates playful heart-shaped pastiches that delicately combine steel, gold and semi precious and precious stones. Sally Rosen of Dallas’s Nexxt20 spotlights jewelry by renowned Belgian sculptor Poi Bury and London’s Flow gallery presents award-winning Scottish goldsmith Andrew Lamb. Much, much more wonders to view. For info: www.softaexpo.com or 800.563.7632.
GUSTAVE KLIMT 150th Anniversary Celebration: The month of May’s birthday party celebrating Klimt’s birthday, at the Neue Galerie, showcases major paintings as well as a number of rare and never-before-seen photographs of the artist and his close companion, fashion designer Emile Floge. Café Sabarsky will feature its special Klimt cake and the Design shop will offer gold and silver cufflinks designed by Joseph Hoffmann for Gustav Klimt; the Book Store will offer two newly published studies that feature Klimt’s portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer on the cover. The exhibition Henrich Kuehn and His American Circle: Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen, on view April 26-Aug. 27 offers a rich survey of these artist’s work and the international development of photography. Neue Galerie New York at 1048 Fifth Ave., 86th Street & Fifth Avenue. www.neuegalerie.org.
FRANCESCA WOODMAN’s Retrospective on view at the Guggenheim is the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work since her untimely death in 1981 at the age of 22. Spanning the breadth of her production, the exhibition includes more than 120 vintage photographs, artist books, and a selection of recently discovered and rarely seen short videos, presenting a historical reconsideration of Woodman’s brief but extra ordinary career. Woodman’s favorite subject was herself. From the very first time she picked up a camera, she used it to thoroughly plumb the genre of self-portraiture. The presentation covers work from her earliest student experiments at RISD, her time in Rome, and her forays in New York. Thru June 13th. At 89th St. & Fifth Ave. www.guggenheimmusum.org.
FASHION ON THE AGENDA: Mark your calendar. Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada are to be the focus of the Spring 2012 Costume Institute Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art May 10 to Aug. 19. A full report coming up in one of the next PollyTalk. www.metmuseum.org. The MUSEUM at FIT continues its tony exploration of modern and contemporary design with FASHION, A-Z: Highlights from the collection of part two, the second of two consecutive exhibitions that showcase selections from the museum, which is dedicated solely to the art of fashion. FREE Info: www.fitnyc.edu/museum.
Ta darlings!!! I’m heading out for the SOFA show…to dazzle my eyes on the rich pageant of art jewelry. Fan mail: pollytalk@verizon.net. Or go to www.pollytalk.com and just click in the left hand column on direct links to my Blogs like thefashionhistorian to read about PIXIE HAIRDOS and PEPLUM FASHION, or click poetryfromtheheart for my latest poem Nature’s Rainbow.

STREET ARTIST KEITH HARING, ART and DESIGN NYC(c) By Polly Guerin

One of the best known American artists of the twentieth century gets his due recognition in a major museum exhibition and at Sotheby’s; the Art and Design Fair takes to the tents on Lincoln Center and the Classic metamorphism converges on the Big Apple this week. Here’s the scoop!!!
KEITH HARING: 1978-1982 the first large-scale exhibition to trace the development of Haring’s extraordinary visual vocabulary in a life so short-lived but so productive, includes 155 works on paper, numerous experimental videos, and over 150 archival objects, among them rarely seen sketchbooks, journals, exhibition flyers, posters, subway drawings and documentary photographs. It chronicles the period in Keith Haring’s career from the time he left his home in Pennsylvania to attend New York’s School of Visual Arts, through the years when he started his studio practice and began making public and political art on the city streets. Picture right: Untitled, 1978. Various pencils and inks on graph paper and unlined paper(c) Collection Keith Haring Foundation. At the Brooklyn Museum, Through July 8, 2012. www.brooklynmusum.org.
SOTHEBY'S KEITH HARING: SHINE ON selling exhibition, installed in its S/2 galleries until April 23 includes a wide range of mediums in which the artist worked, including canvases, tarps, sculpture, found objects and works on paper and will be on view and available for private sale, with music and guests meant to evoke Haring's time at Club 57 and the Pop Shops that he opened in New York and Tokyo. The show falls at a time of great interest in the artist, with the Brooklyn Museum's exhibition currently on view. Shine On is an incredibly rare show of some of the artist's works, like a series of 8 masks which have never been seen in a public exhibition. For viewing dates and information contact www.sotheby.com. Tel: 212.606.7176.
NYC20 ART and DESIGN FAIR Istdibs and Dolphin Promotions presents the inaugural New York 20th Century Art and Design Fair opens at the Tent at Lincoln Center in Damrosch Park, celebrating the iconic designs of the 20th century. NYC20 features stunning presentations by 40 carefully selected international exhibitors each showcasing curated decorative and fine arts from all movements of the 20th century including furniture, lighting, paintings, jewelry, silver, glass, ceramics vintage clothing and accessories. The early bird preview party benefiting the Bard Graduate Center will be held on Thursday evening April 12. The show opens to the public Friday April 13-Sunday April 15. For more info contact NYC20.net or Dolphin at 708.366.2710.
PUT ON YOUR KILTIE DEARIE In celebration of New York City's celebration of Scotland-Tartan Week the Museum of American Finance and the American Scottish Foundation jointly hold a panel discussion this evening on the life and legacy of Andrew Carnegie. Reception 5:30 pm, panel discussion, 6pm and reception 7 pm. The exhibition "Andrew Carnegie Forging Philanthropy," on display spotlights Carnegie's life and work and his love of Scotland, his business life and his philanthropic activities. A little know fact is that Peter Cooper's son-in-law, Abram Stevens Hewitt the one-time mayor of NYC in 1887-1888, himself a philanthropist, business man and iron master and administrator of Cooper Union brought young Carnegie over from Scotland. . The exhibit will be up through October 2012. General Adm. $45 (includes Museum membership) Reservations reequired 212.908.4110. At MOAF 48 Wall St. (corner of William and Wall) Or email info@moaf.org.
AL HIRSCHFELD, CHARACTERIST The life and work of America's most beloved "characterist," stands as one of the most innovative efforts in establishing the visual language of modern art through caricature in the 20th Century. Hirschfeld's signature work, defined by a linear calligraphic style appeared in virtually every major publication of the last nine decades as well as numerous book and record covers and 15 postage stamps. Among his many awards, he was given the ultimate Broadway accolade on what would have been his 100th birthday in June 2003. The Martin Beck Theater was renamed the Al Hirschfeld Theater. To attend the lecture and view the exhibition on Wednesday April 11th from 6:30 pm to 9 pm, purchase tickets $25 non -members, $15 members, $10 students at www.societyillustrators.org. The exhibit is ongoing.
Ta Ta darlings!!! Keith Haring's legend as a street artist captures the imagination of art aficionados today...I'll be there. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net or go to my website www.pollytalk.com and in the left hand column click on the Blog of interest, such as a direct link to amazingartdecodivas.

ART and DESIGN, UNIQUE VENUES IN THE BIG APPLE(c) By Polly Guerin

Art and Design aficionados need go no further than the Big Apple to indulge their sensitivities in new ways of viewing art and design budding like a spring bouquet at museums and installations. Here’s the scoop!!!
THE WORLD STAGE: ISRAEL One of the most significant young artists today, American-born Kehinde Wiley’s vibrant, large-scale paintings of young urban men shed a new light on Ethiopian, and native-born Jews and Arab Israelis who are rendered in the self-confident, empowered poses typical of classical European portrait painting. Wiley’s work is based on photographs the artist took of men of diverse religions and ethnicities living in Israel and scouted his subjects in discos, malls, bars, and sporting venues in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Lod. He places them against vivid decorative backgrounds inspired by Jewish papercuts, an intricate form of folk and ceremonial art. Wiley’s painting Alios Itzhak, pictured here, portrays an Ethiopian Jewish Israel man entwined in an ornamental background on a papercut. At The Jewish Museum, through July 19, 2012. www.thejewishmuseum.org.
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE The contemporary art organization, NO LONGER EMPTY uses public art initiatives to help New Yorkers re-discover their neighborhoods’ history and architectural lost treasures. For the last several weeks a group of more than 30 artists have been at work in the once abandoned Andrew Freeman Home on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, a posh retirement home for the formerly well-to-do, and turning old bedrooms and bathrooms into installations that mine the building’s eccentric history. ‘This Side of Paradise’ art installations draw attention to the grand 1924 Italian Renaissance-style palazzo building located at 1125 Grand Concourse in the Bronx at 167th St. It’s worth the trip. Among the artists’ work, painter and graffiti artist John Matos, better known as ‘Crash,’ worked on a subway theme that will cover the walls of a second-floor bedroom. The opening April 4, from 6 pm is followed by a speakeasy fundraiser. Call 508.272.5699. www.nolongerempty.org.
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ANDREW CARNEGIE Join the Museum of American Finance and the American-Scottish Foundation on Tuesday, April 10th at MoAF, the Museum of American Finance for a program on Andrew Carnegie in connection with New York City’s celebration of Scotland-Tartan Week, which kicks off with the Caledonian Club’s pre-parade Ceilidh on Friday, April 13th at the Abigail Adams Auditorium, 417 East 61st St. Following a panel discussion at MoAF guests will have the opportunity to view “Andrew Carnegie Forging Philanthropy,” the Museum’s display on Carnegie’s life and work, with a spotlight on his love of Scotland, his business and philanthropic activities. Registration required. Call 212.908.4110. Members Free. Gen. Adm $45 (includes museum membership). 5:30 Registration, 6pm panel discussion, 7pm reception and viewing. At MoAF, 48 Wall St. (corner of William and Wall) www.moaf.org.
ART DECO NEW YORK: BIRTH OF A MODERN METROPOLIS, an illustrated lecture by bon vivant raconteur, author, lecturer and historian David Garrard Lowe, sheds more light on the subject of New York’s celebrated landmarks which are also pictured in Lowe’s book by the same name. The lecture, Thursday, April 12th, 6 to 8 pm takes place at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, 2 East 90th St. Reservations are required. For tickets and questions about the event contact rickbruner@nylandmarks.org.
Ta Ta darlings!!! I’m tripping up to the Bronx to ‘THIS SIDE OF PARADISE,’ see you there. Fan mail welcome: pollytalk@verizon.net or go to www.pollytalk.com and click the link to any of the Polly Blogs in the left-hand column of the page.