While the new website was under construction Verda spent some time at her studio in New York City. Here are her dispatches from the field:
My studio wall.
I spent some of my time experimenting with and screen printing a series of geometric shapes representing an alphabet created around 1516 by Thomas More to accompany his book “Utopia.” I’ve had this idea for quite a while, so it was nice to have the time to play around with it, though i’m not sure it will develop into an actual body of work or not.
A display of ship building tools reminds me of an installation by artist Fred Wilson.
The room was filled with multiples of old old tools. Things like lathes, nogs and beetles that maybe my great grandfather might have had in his tool shed. The exhibit was designed by Cooper Joseph Studio who also did a very smart design for the lobby and other areas of the museum. The museum just re-opened from a major renovation and is seriously worth the $5 admission.
Refrig-Curator exhibit Brooklyn NY presented by B&AB
“Shrine to the Red Jews” by Mike Levin
From Union Square I got a ride from an artist I met the night before to Brooklyn for a one night show at an apartment in curator Adele Balderston’s refrigerator. The artist Mike Levin was inspired by a Christian tale about jews that has been reinterpreted through history. Levin presents a symbolic display of milk and honey in the fridge lined with mini Persian rugs.
Cecil Beaton at the Museum of the City of New York
The $5 ticket from the Seaport got me in for free to the Museum of the City of New York. Though I had to trek clear up to the hundred block of the upper east side. Cecil Beaton was a fashion photographer, costume designer, interior designer, set designer and became an icon himself. I was particularly fond of this self portrait of his, and I plan on doing my own self portrait inspired by it. The other image is of Audrey Hepburn photographed by Beaton in one of his costumes in front of one of his set designs for My Fair Lady.
