Katonah, NY.- The Katonah Museum of Art is pleased to present “New York! New York! The 20th Century”, on view at the museum through December 31st. Empire City, Gotham, The Big Apple — whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that New York City has impacted millions of hearts, minds, and imaginations throughout history. Organized by the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL, this exhibition features over 50 works from the Norton collection, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, and works on paper, which capture the essence of New York throughout the 20th century.
“New York! New York!” includes works by Berenice Abbott, Diane Arbus, Stuart Davis, Andreas Feininger, William Gropper, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Marin, Reginald Marsh, and Edward Steichen, among others, and celebrates the city as muse to photographers, painters, and sculptors, encompassing the varied cultures and lifestyles of its inhabitants. Looking back on a century of tumultuous change, this exhibition is divided into five themes. ‘On the Waterfront’ showing the docks of the Hudson and East Rivers which have seen the arrival of industry and immigrants, marking the beginning of a new life for millions of people. The bridges that connect Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens are emblematic of the five boroughs’ consolidation in 1898 into what we know now as New York City. ‘Avenues and Streets’ looks at the architecture and life of the city itself.
Fifth Avenue evokes style and society, while power and money are the hallmarks of Wall Street. Sidewalks, storefronts, and public spaces reflect the vibrant character of the city’s hundreds of distinct neighborhoods. ‘In the Park’ looks at how artists have long found inspiration in the abundance of life found within the city’s parks. Whether picnicking in the grass or people-watching on a bench, the modern day flâneur can enjoy nature’s wonders away from the hustle and bustle of crowded urban streets. ‘On the Town’ presents views of New Yorks social life. Teeming with culture and entertainment, New York is a place where there’s always something happening no matter what the hour. The kinetic energy of gallery openings, concerts, and restaurants are the pulse of the “city that never sleeps.” Finally, ‘Tall Buildings’ considers New York’s famous skyline. A view of the top of the Empire State Building above a sea of clouds is the unofficial “welcome” to the city for air travelers. New York’s inimitable skyline, which was considered daring in the early twentieth century, made way for today’s aesthetic and environmental progress in architecture.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Katonah Museum of Art originates ten to twelve exhibitions annually, covering a broad range of art and humanities topics. As a non-collecting Museum, the KMA has the opportunity to develop an aspect of art historical concern from a focused and original point of view, and presents it within a fully developed educational context. Committed to making itself accessible and relevant to its community, the Museum offers lectures, symposia, films, workshops, concerts and other events for a general audience; and presents innovative and substantive programs for its member schools. The Children’s Learning Center, which is open to the public free of charge, is the only interactive space in the community where children can come on a daily basis to explore, interpret, and create art. The Katonah Museum of Art serves a primary population of 850,000, with an annual attendance of approximately 40,000 people. Visit the museum’s website at … http://www.katonahmuseum.org