| The summer I graduated from high school, I swung by The Met to check out the John Singer Sargent exhibition. I remember being enthralled by his expressive brushwork, the startling gazes of his sitters, the fantastic and utterly unique way he rendered hands. Ten years out, it was great fun to visit Sargent and Paris, The Met’s new exhibition, which opened Sunday, this time equipped with the tools to put my thoughts into words. Sargent arrived in Paris at the bright young age of 18 and stayed for ten years. And let us tell you, a lot can happen in a decade.
Ride the 6 train straight down from there — or take a stroll, if you can — to the 42nd Street 7 train entrance at Grand Central Station. There, you’ll find a new abstract glass mosaic mural by Hilma’s Ghost, a feminist collective inspired by the mysticism of Hilma af Klint. It celebrates the individual journey made communal, a story that plays out across the MTA millions of times per day. From there — I mean, it’s Grand Central. Go anywhere.
But if you want some guidance, maybe check out some historical clothing at the New York Historical, an exhibition decolonizing color, or a clown-themed zine fair (yes, you read that right). Never boring here, is it?
— Lisa Yin Zhang, Associate Editor |
