The architecture of the Guggenheim in New York, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, has seen plenty of criticism. Its curving walls are difficult to hang things on, it’s ramp-like floors conflict with 90-degree artwork and the circulation is inferior when compared to more traditional museums.
Perhaps responding to that criticism the curators of the Guggenheim have brought Cai Guo-Giang’s mid-career retrospective to Wright’s New York masterpiece. In addition to “Drawing freely from ancient mythology, military history, Taoist cosmology, extraterrestrial observations, Maoist revolutionary tactics, Buddhist philosophy, gunpowder-related technology, Chinese medicine, and methods of terrorist violence,” Guo-Giang created a site-specific installation that makes the museum seem such a perfect fit…for very specific art.
Then entire main rotunda is overtaken by Guo-Giang’s work. When you enter the museum you’re immediately struck by the Chevrolets that rise to the ceiling in the spirit of a backwards back-flip. (Suspended off the ground is exactly where cars belong in cities, although I’d prefer no cars). At the top of the museum there is a projection of a series of Guo-Giang’s gunpowder performances. This proved good to view first. Wright intended you to start your journey there anyway.
I’ll return later this week (Wednesday?) with a camera and upload some from the camera-friendly ground floor. The installation wasn't completed as of Sunday. Check the Guggenheim website before you go to see if the installation is completed or to read more about the artist and the installation.
This post brought to you by ArtPass, courtesy of my boss, courtesy of his boyfriend, courtesy of Hugo Boss.

If you like making choices, or if you have time to, you should consider your shoelaces a vehicle for creativity.

No doubt people like naming things. Expecting parents stereo- typically spend a good quantity of time finding a name for their child, companies spend millions to find a name that will make them millions more while the upper class enjoy naming lots of spaces and objects after themselves.

“You enter through the Arlene and Robert Kogod Lobby. From there you may choose to ascend to the orchestra level by taking either the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Grand Staircase West or the Philip L. Graham Fund Grand Staircase East. (One wonders: Do the friends of the Cafritz family feel disloyal if they enter on the east side, running late, and choose to head up Phil’s stairs?)

Should you arrive with time for a drink before the curtain, you can linger near the James and Esthy Adler Orchestra Terrace West, or the less personal-sounding American Airlines Orchestra Terrace East. And don’t forget to check your bulky outerwear at the Cassidy & Associates Coat Room, before entering the Landon and Carol Butler Theater Stage to watch the performance.

Two long lists of names of benefactors also cascade down the front of the terra-cotta-colored facade. More are etched into the glass balustrades on the upper level.

Indeed, from top to bottom the new theater is all but covered in this graffiti of the philanthropic class. Attending a performance can be like leafing through somebody else’s high school yearbook. Who are all these people? Should I know? Should I care? How much would I have to give to get my name on, say, a drinking fountain? And would a urinal be cheaper?”

Read the rest of this article on the “Graffiti of the Philanthropic Class” by Charles Isherwood at the New York Times.

After winning the democratic primary in California and New York it’s going to be hard to beat Hillary Clinton. Obama is hanging on, but the momentum of Hillary post Super Tuesday is immense. Even the Republican Party is expected to have a hard time competing. John McCain may have an outstanding amount of support relative to other Republican presidential candidate hopefuls, but will find it hard to obtain the votes of the most conservative voters.

“If John McCain is the Republican candidate I’d vote for Hillary to have the Democrats screwing up the country so the Republican Party can get back the White House in four years,” one loving, but sadly, Republican man said.

At this point a vote for Hillary is a vote I like. I have faith in her. If the contest for the White House will be Clinton against McCain, and assuming whoever is elected is a successful leader, won’t some good come from either scenario? If Hillary wins and has a successful term progressive politics will have gained support in another branch of government. If McCain wins and has a successful term the Republican Party will hopefully become less conservative along with him.

If the Republican Party is reshaped through John McCain I’d be able to put up with him in office for eight years. For now, I’ll focus on the happier, more possible every day scenario of Clinton in the White House.

While perusing the stacks at the Strand Bookstore this week I found Privet Lives. It is easily one of the nicest books I’ve seen. It has dozens of large, beautiful, imaginative illustrations and underneath the dusk jacket is a sleek book of a unique size.

The book is a collection of watercolors by Perry Guillot with short descriptions below each piece. The book tells of how the privet shrub has grown from designating boundary lines to becoming metaphors for the residents and fate of Southampton, the books setting. The book comically addresses the takeover of a natural setting and envisions its demise as well.

Don’t let the price scare you away. What the publisher lists as 95 dollars, the strand lists and 40 and amazon.com lists “New” for under two dollars plus shipping. It could be the cheapest coffee-table-worthy book you buy.