Culture: The "Met" Museum Becomes Modern - A Photo Essay

(Drivebycuriosity) - If you like modern & contemporary art New York`s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is the place to go when you are in the metropolis. The other gigantic museum in Manhattan, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met), stands more for ancient art and the classics (metmuseum). But the place is increasingly muscling into the turf of the MoMA. The Metropolitan is acquiring more and works created post WW II and is building a fine selection of modern & contemporary art. Vanity Vair  already sees New York´s largest museum at war (vanity).

Recently I visited their department for "modern and contemporary art" and I enjoyed the selection very much.

I show here my favorites of the post-WW II exhibits. Above you can see Mark Tansey´s very funny , The Innocent Eye Test, 1981, Oil on canvas.

Above Joel Shapiro´s, Untitled, 200-2001, Oil paint on cast aluminium before Al Held`s, Mercury Zone III, 1975, Acrylic on canvas; followed by Roy Lichtenstein, Stepping Out, 1978, Oil and Magna on canvas

Above this paragraph William de Kooning, Attic, 1949, Oil, enamel, and newspaper transfer on canvas & Willem de Kooning, Easter Monday, 1955-56, Oil and newspaper transfer on canvas

I am big fan of the elegant paintings by Cy Twombly. Above: Untitled (Rome), 1962, Oil paint, wax crayon, and graphite on canvas  elegance




                                                               Tomorrow Is Never

Kay Sage, Tomorrow is Never, 1955, Oil on canvas

 Joan Mitchell, Sunflowers, 1969. Oil on canvas

 Alex Katz, Black and Brown Blouse, 1976, Oil on canvas

You can find there of course some Rothkos. Here his  No. 16, 1960, Oil on canvas

                                

This is  Jackson Pollock`s famous and inspiring Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950, Enamel on canvas

Another Jackson Pollock. Number 7, 1952, Enamel and oil on canvas



                                                           



                                                           Böhmen Liegt Am Meer

 Anselm Kiefer is one of my favorites because of his powerful and original paintings. Here: Böhmen Liegt am Meer/Bohemia Lies by the Sea, 1996, Oil, emulsion, shellac, charcoal, and powdered paint on burlap

 George Condo, Rush Hour, 2010, Acrylic, graphite, Charcoal, and pastel on canvas

 Susan Rothenberg, Galiesto Greek, 1992, Oil on canvas  James Rosenquist, House of Fire, 1981, Oil on canvas; Franz Kline, Untitled, 1952, Enamel on canvas

 Clifford Still,  Untitled, 1950, Oil on canvas

  Robert Rauschenberg, Winter Pool. 1959, Combine painting: oil, paper, fabric, wood, metal, sandpaper, tape, printed paper, printed reproduction, handheld bellows, and found painting, on two canvases, with ladder

Barbara  Hepworth, Oval Form with Strings and Color, 1966, Elmwood and painted Elmwood with cotton strings. I cannot identify the blackish painting, but like it anyway.

Being a resident of New York City I enjoy the contest. Competition is always good for the customers. If there is a tournament between Met & MoMA and smaller museums like Guggenheim, Whitney, Frick Collection and the New Museum, New York City will benefit a lot.



Enjoy