CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
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Issue_ Issue_
Still Life with Watermelon, Oil on Canvas 36” x 38” Thanksgiving, Oil on Canvas 36” x 36”
www.julieleff.com
203.434.8655
julie@julieleff.com
FLORA /FAUNA: The Naturalist Impulse in American Art
John James Audubon and Joseph R. Mason, Black-billed Cuckoo, 1828, from The Birds of America, first edition. Engraving, etching, aquatint, and watercolor on paper, 39 x 26 in. Collection of the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon, Bequest of Anna Bemis Stearns, 1995
Now through September 17 An exhibition examining the interconnections of fine art and natural history Flora/Fauna: The Naturalist Impulse in American Art is accompanied by a fullyillustrated catalogue authored by the exhibition’s curator, Jennifer Stettler Parsons, Ph.D., with additional essays by Ellery Foutch, Ph.D. (Middlebury College), and Amy Kurtz Lansing (Florence Griswold Museum). Copies of the catalogue are available from the Museum’s website (florencegriswoldmuseum.org) or at the Museum’s Shop.
96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org
This exhibition is generously supported by The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, the National Endowment for the Arts, Bank of America, the Rudolph and John Dirks Fund of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, the Nika P. Thayer Exhibition and Publication Fund, and the Connecticut Office of the Arts. Additional support has been generously provided by a group of individual donors helping to advance the Museum’s mission through special exhibitions.
AUG. 4-6, 2017
Nathalia Edenmont, courtesy of Nancy Hoffman Gallery
Aspen Ice Garden Opening Night Preview Thursday, August 3
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Summer Issue_35
SPOTLIGHT 16
Happenings Head south for a total solar eclipse
18
Advocacy The Floating Hospital’s response to NYC’s homeless families
20
Marine Conservation SeaKeepers expand to Singapore and Bermuda
22
Education One Art Nation, uniting art collectors & experts around the world
FEATURES
42
A Century of Color Two painters lasting impact on the Palm Beach Art Scene
46
46
Cover Story Dianne Bernhard: Transforming Lives through Art
54
Biennale Bests Antarctic Dreams Come True
58
Travel The Magical Faraway Land of Nantucket
54
24 24 The Arts Arena Coming to NYC to celebrate 10 years
27 All-Natural Mix it up with Keith’s Nervous Breakdown
EVENTS + GATHERINGS 28
FCBUZZ Touring Fairfield County’s art galleries
29
Browngrotta Celebrating their 30 year anniversary
ON THE COVER Wisteria by the Window by Dianne Bernhard. For more artwork by this artist see page 46. 6
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Summer Issue_35
30
ArtsWestchester This season, there’s music in the air to satisfy all tastes
31
Florida Winefest 27 years of raising money for children’s charities
STYLE 32
Architecture A look at The Cunard Building
35
Style & Class Chic showroom and hot buys this Summer
32 62
DECORATIVE ARTS 74
66
On the Block Selection of Spring Offerings
MARKETPLACE
8
APPETITE
YACHTING
PULSE
36
Wine Chardonnays beyond the wine store
62
70
37
The Golden Palate Wine, Dine, and Unwind in Aspen
38
Fearless Chef Maxwell’s Chophouse modernizes the dining experience CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Friends, fun and adventure on a flotilla
WELLBEING 66
Experience deeper healing and wellness on the Island of Bali
Stage Kristen Blodgette Takes Center Stage
FILM & ENTERTAINMENT 72
Peter Fox’s take on American Fango
78
Gordon Fine Arts
HEART & SOUL 84
Changing the world one benefit at a time
IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Publisher’s Letter 82 Gallery + Museum Guide
AD TKEighth Annual
Summer Soirée
You’re invited! Kick-off the summer in style and celebrate
The Floating Hospital, a charity dedicated to providing healthcare to families living in homeless shelters and domestic violence safe houses. Enjoy gorgeous Hudson River views, try your luck at Boardwalk-themed games, strike-a-pose at our photo booth and dance to the Duke Ellington Legacy band. Our Special Guest for the evening is Good Housekeeping Cover Star Katie Lee. Katie is Chef, author, and co-host on Food Network’s hit show “The Kitchen,” and host of the Cooking Channel’s special “Beach Bites with Katie Lee.”
Current @ Pier 59
23rd & West Side Highway, NYC
June 12, 2017 6:30 - 9:30PM Purchase tickets and sponsorships at www.thefloatinghospital.org/soiree/ or contact Ann-Louise at alipman@thefloatinghospital.org
Resilience. If ever a word defined the essence of this summer’s issue, it’s that one. Simply
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Florida’s Winefest would never consider a glass half empty when it comes to the children’s charities they have supported for
stated, resilience is that indefinable quality that allows some people who are knocked
the definition of resilience comes vividly to
down by life, once or over and over again, to
mind. Turn the page to our follow up story
I could go on and on about all the good
come back stronger than ever. Psychologists
on the Antarctic Biennale, and you’ll be
deeds and dedicated determination of the
have identified some of the factors that make
hard pressed to find a more resilient crew
folks and organizations we’ve profiled in the
someone resilient, among them a positive
of Arctic artists. Learn about the non-profit
following pages, but I’d rather their stories
attitude, an indefatigable, always optimistic
cultural movement initiated by Arts Arena,
inspire you as they have us.
let’s make lemonade and glass half full atti-
celebrating its 10th anniversary in New York
Enjoy the bounty of the summer sun, the
tude, and the ability to see failure as a form of
this June, as it opens a 4-day extravaganza of
warmth of your friends and family, and the
helpful feedback. Even after misfortune and
high-profile events, lectures, performances,
blessings we share with those who make our
unthinkable tragedies, resilient people are
festivals and exhibitions, free of charge, to
lives better by their resilience alone. We are
blessed with the outlook that they are able to
a public eager to immerse in the arts and
truly privileged to include them in Venü.
change course and soldier on.
mingle directly with a line up of renowned
When you read the inspiring story of
artists and cultural luminaries. That they are
Herman Margulies, the pastel master who
stepping in to reach and impact audiences
mentored our accomplished cover and
that the government cannot is another study
feature story artist, Dianne Bernhard, as she
in resilience.
traded in her oils for his medium of choice,
The Floating Hospital is unsinkable in its
the past 27 years.
Tracey Thomas Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
mission to heal the homeless. Sara HerbertGalloway is unshakable in her mission to change the world one benefit at a time through her new column, “Heart + Soul”. And the wine makers and gourmands of
The magical island of Nantucket has some of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast. If you are traveling there this summer, you’ll find Venü too. We’ve expanded our summer distribution to Nantucket. See page 58 for details on where to stay, dine and shop on the island. Photo by Christopher Schuch
10
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
BEST OF THE YEAR TONY AWARD NOMINEE DRAMA DESK LORTEL DRAMA LEAGUE OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE NOMINATIONS ®
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THE SMALL PRINT: No responsibility can be taken for the quality and accuracy of the reproductions, as this is dependent upon the artwork and material supplied. No responsibility can be taken for typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to refuse and edit material as presented. All prices and specifications to advertise are subject to change without notice. The opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright VENÜ Magazine. All rights reserved. The name VENÜ Magazine is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without written consent from the publisher. VENÜ Magazine does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. This is a quarterly publication and we encourage the public, galleries, artists, designers, photographers, writers (calling all creative’s) to submit photos, features, drawings, etc., but we assume no responsibility for failure to publish submissions.
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SPOTLIGHT:
Happenings
Left: A total solar eclipse was visible from the Northern tip of Australia on Nov. 13, 2012. The light halo visible around the edges of the moon is the sun’s atmosphere, the corona. Below: Dr. Douglas Duncan models the latest in eclipse-viewing eyewear.
Time for a Corona
Photo by Romeo Durscher
Head South on Aug. 21 for a Total Solar Eclipse Written by Jeff Blumenfeld
THIS SUMMER, YOU WON’T HAVE TO FLY your Lear Jet to Nova Scotia. On August 21, the best total eclipse in 38 years will cross the entire U.S. It will awe an estimated 200 million people who live within a one-day drive of the path of totality which passes west to east over the continental U.S. Alas, New Yorkers will only see a partial solar eclipse that reaches its maximum at 2:45 p.m. EDT that Monday. It will look as if the moon has taken a bite out of the sun.
They let us see parts of the sun’s atmosphere that are otherwise invisible,” Duncan said. A graduate of Caltech and UC Santa Cruz – he likens himself to the “Leonard” character on the hit CBS TV show The Big Bang Theory –
That bite will look larger, as if the sun itself was swallowed up,
Duncan says viewing a total eclipse is worth the trip. “The difference
the closer you get to South Carolina where totality will be over 2-1/2
between a total eclipse and a partial eclipse is like the difference
minutes. The shadow of the moon across the sun then continues on,
between listening to your favorite band on earbuds, versus from the
out over the Atlantic Ocean, not to touch any more land before lifting
12th row of a live concert. Unless it’s a total eclipse, it will never get
off the earth’s surface near Africa about 75 minutes after it left the U.S.
totally dark.”
“If nature is kind enough to deliver a total solar eclipse within
He’s passionate about helping the entire country become
1,000 miles of you, go there,” says astronomer Dr. Douglas Duncan,
equipped with safe $2 eclipse-watching glasses that are 1,000-times
66, director of the Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado, in
darker than sunglasses. Learn how to buy a pair at eclipse-watch.com.
Boulder, who has been chasing total eclipses since 1970. “A total eclipse appears like the end of the world. There is a black hole in the sky where the sun should be.” Duncan has done more to engage the public than your typical
“In a total eclipse, people cry, scream, shout, and celebrate. It gets cold and animals do strange things. There’s a lot of astonishing profanity. During a previous eclipse, I was with a bunch of college students who practically lost their minds.” ¨
college professor. He’s a science commentator on Colorado Public Radio, has appeared on the History Channel and BBC Horizon, leads educational trips to eclipses, and is helping fellow astronomers better communicate with the public. “Pink flames of solar prominences and long silver streamers of the corona stretch across the sky. Total eclipses are important scientifically. 16
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
About the Author: Jeff Blumenfeld, a frequent contributor to Venü Magazine, is editor of ExpeditionNews.com, and author of an adventure sponsorship book titled, Get Sponsored: A Funding Guide for Explorers, Adventurers, and Would-Be World Travelers (Skyhorse Publishing, 2014). He resides in Boulder, Colo.
Alive With Color
denalyonscouture.com CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
17
SPOTLIGHT:
Advocacy safe houses. It provides comprehensive primary medical, dental, and mental health care as well as health education. Its free round-trip transportation service removes the patient access barrier, making it easy for families to visit its main clinic in Long Island City. This is not an easy time to deliver charity healthcare. Many of the essential safety nets that are provided to our families through Medicaid often hang precariously in the balance as healthcare is continuously batted around in various incarnations on the state and federal level. Today we are relieved that the Trump administration’s dramatic overhauls to Medicaid were rejected, however, the administration will most likely still seek
A Promise Kept The Floating Hospital’s Response to NYC’S Family Homeless Crisis Written by Sean Granahan, ESQ, President and General Counsel
18
HEALTHCARE SHOULD NOT BE CHARITY.
to rewrite the existing state of Medicaid and
Even in the most basic terms, healthcare
curb the kind of benefits that have proven
should at least be affordable and accessible
deeply necessary for our families to access
to any person that needs care. 150 years
care. The Floating Hospital also far exceeds
ago, The Floating Hospital was created by a
the charity care rate--or free care--provided
group of New Yorkers that believed that all
by most nonprofit hospitals. We provide
children and families should have the right to
more than 20% of our care at no cost, while
access good healthcare. A name as evocative
most only provide an average of 2%.
as its history, The Floating Hospital was one
Just as those who founded it responded
of the first, and is now one of the last, charity
to the squalid living conditions and health-
care hospitals in New York City.
care disparities of immigrants and working
Driven by the basic promise to provide
families during the nineteenth century,
quality healthcare to all New Yorkers, regard-
The Floating Hospital remains a relevant
less of ability to pay, The Floating Hospital
response to New York City’s current immi-
fulfills this mission by serving families living
grants and working poor, who suffer deeply
in homeless shelters and domestic violence
from housing shortages and stagnant wages.
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
In March, New York Magazine’s DW
It is at this crossroads or cliff’s edge, that
pharmacy to increase the convenience for
Gibson profiled eight New Yorkers on why
The Floating Hospital makes such a pro-
our families, who visit briefly and often face
“It’s so hard to stop being homeless.”
found difference in the lives of families who
continual upheaval, making return trips dif-
Gibson describes a set of New Yorkers,
have nowhere to call “home.” Healthcare is
ficult as well as ensuring their medications
like many in the shelter system, that “cut
expensive and prohibitive to many families,
are filled. The site will have a free, drop-in
hair, serve food, care for the elderly, and
even those with insurance. We take every
day care program, so moms can see their
run after-school programs. They’re not an
prohibitive element out of the equation
providers and be present for any one child
anomaly: 71 percent of the shelter popula-
for the families that need it most and pro-
that needs support. The new clinic will have
tion is made up of families, a third of whom
vide the safety and comfort that homeless
a demonstration kitchen for healthy cooking
have a head of household who is working.”
women and children need to access care.
programs; we know the difficulties our fam-
The homeless families that visit The
The Floating Hospital is a medical home for
ilies face, and we’ll offer practical advice on
Floating Hospital--mainly single, working
its families--from dental care that begins as
how to make the best choices possible with
women with multiple children--are caught in
early as 6 months to primary medical care
limited resources.
a cycle of poverty that disenfranchises and
that also bridges services into mental health.
By 2019, we’ll be serving 24,000 patients
disempowers them at every turn. And yet,
One of the greatest tragedies of the
each year – thousands more than we are
these are women who are fighting, in every
homeless family epidemic is the dispro-
currently able. While many community clinics
way they know how, to care and provide
portionately high rate of domestic violence
nationwide have taken the more conservative
suffered by these families. Over 30% of these women and children are fleeing their homes, their communities and everything they know, often in the middle of the night and to city-owned shelters. When they arrive at our clinic, often feeling uprooted and traumatized, The Floating Hospital addresses their urgent need for specialized mental health care. Many children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Our team is trained to work with these families and help them conquer their psychological damage from abuse, as well as their feelings of isolation and upheaval. These families need immediate, time-sensitive care and for their family every day, sometimes every
long-term support to cope with the com-
path of holding off on any expansion projects,
hour. They are women that perhaps you
plex effects of homelessness, violence and
particularly given the tumultuous political
met today, in line at the grocery store.
trauma. Through compassion and attentive
climate, TFH is holding fast to its plan to
One woman may be caring for your elderly
care these families are able to rebuild their
expand. This is consistent with the annual
parent; another woman perhaps delivered
lives--from maintaining employment or
increase to the family homeless population.
a letter you opened today.
housing to staying in school.
We are embarking on a bold path, but even
While homelessness is complicated, and
In 2018, The Floating Hospital will move
as the future of government services remains
drugs and alcohol can be an accelerant as
to larger clinic in Long Island City Queens.
unclear we are undeterred. We have served
much as a symptom of the problem, the
We are responding to New York City’s
New York City’s most vulnerable families for
main cause of homelessness in New York
extraordinary healthcare and family home-
150 years, and we will continue to evolve and
City is clear. It’s widely published through-
less crisis by expanding all existing primary
expand to meet the incredible demand that
out academia, government, the nonprofit
medical, dental and mental health care ser-
grows larger every day. We exist because
sector and media: rents continue to surge
vices. We’ll add new specialties immediately,
if the past several months have made one
and wages do not keep up with the cost of
such as optometry, podiatry and cardiology,
thing clear to nearly every American, it’s
living. New York City has few, if any, remain-
and will continually add specialties that
that Healthcare should be available to all,
ing safety nets for its impoverished citizens.
are in high demand. We’ll have an onsite
regardless of ability to pay. ¨ CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
19
SPOTLIGHT:
Marine Conservation
life and marine biodiversity, the outreach
Global Awarness
program will take place in two stages.
SeaKeepers expands to Singapore and Bermuda
to act as floating classrooms. Scientists from
Participating schools are invited aboard DISCOVERY Yachts which are volunteered the Marine Biology community of Singapore will then conduct interactive lessons for the students to gain first-hand experience in
Written by SeaKeepers Staff
discovering the wonders of our marine life. The second stage of sharing this knowledge will be delivered at the school premises to
20 20
THE INTERNATIONAL SEAKEEPERS SOCI-
as Deyi Secondary School and the National
allow for deeper facilitation of the program’s
ETY is a not-for-profit organization that
University of Singapore.
curriculum.
supports marine science and conservation
The International SeaKeepers Society, Asia
Throughout its existence, SeaKeepers has
by utilizing yachts as platforms for marine
Awards Dinner 2017 was hosted on April 7th
made it a practice to honor and promote key
research, educational outreach, and to
by Julian and Sandra Chang to recognize Mr.
decision makers and influencers who have
deploy oceanographic instruments. Our
Francis Lee. Mr. Lee is known for spearhead-
made extraordinary commitments to pre-
efforts eliminate vessel costs and permit
ing the marine conservation movement in
serving our planet’s oceans. On June 22nd,
scientists to allocate those funds to maximize
Singapore and beyond to the ASEAN region
an exclusive gathering of yacht owners will
research potential. SeaKeepers enables the
to protect their biological, social, and cultural
come together to recognize the SeaKeepers
yachting community to take full advantage
diversity. The second honoree was The Marine
of Bermuda against the electrifying backdrop
of their unique potential to advance marine
Conservation Group of the Nature Society
of the America’s Cup celebrations. The
sciences and to raise awareness about global
(Singapore) for their extraordinary efforts and
evening will also highlight the work of the
ocean issues.
commitment towards Singapore’s marine
International SeaKeepers Society in partner-
In 2016, SeaKeepers Asia was established
conservation. The event, organized by Sea-
ship with the yachting community through
under the leadership of Julian Chang, Chair-
Keepers Asia, was held at the SEA Aquarium
the DISCOVERY Yachts Program.
man of International SeaKeepers Society,
of Resorts World Sentosa. Fabien Cousteau,
In 2015, The SeaKeepers of the World
Asia. Operations run parallel to SeaKeepers’
world renowned aquanaut and member of
Program was initiated to identify individuals
headquarters in Miami, Florida, with a main
the Scientific Advisory Committee of the
who demonstrate a commitment to ocean
focus on expanding the impact of the DIS-
International SeaKeepers Society, was the
research and conservation in their local
COVERY Yachts Program. An essential aspect
special guest for the evening.
communities. Since its inception, five Sea-
of DISCOVERY Yachts Programming includes
Julian Chang also announced a key
Keepers of the World have been honored
our Education & Outreach Programs tar-
partnership with Rolls Royce Marine Prod-
in French Polynesia, Cayman Islands, Kenya,
geted at youth and learning experiences
ucts Division to undertake the International
Cuba, and Singapore. This year, SeaKeepers
aboard DISCOVERY Yachts that serve as
SeaKeepers Society, Asia and Rolls Royce
is delighted to announce Wendy Schmidt as
“floating classrooms.” These programs
Educational Outreach Program targeting
the 2017 SeaKeeper of the Year and also
focus on marine wildlife, plastic pollution, and
Singapore’s schools. Directed at educating
recognize the efforts of Philippe Max Rouja,
sustainability practices. Participants include
Singapore’s youth about the protection,
Judy Clee, Chris Flook, and John Paul Skin-
local schools and national organizations such
conservation, and restoration of our marine
ner as SeaKeepers of Bermuda. ¨
CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE
A FINE ARTS & BOOKS WEEKEND! The Westport Downtown Merchants Association And Sue Gordon Brown Of Gordon Fine Arts - Festival Director Present
The 44th Annual Westport Fine Arts Festival
JULY 15 &16 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM MAIN STREET 150 Juried Artists Food & Drink Live Entertainment Family Arts Activity Learn more at westportDMA.com
TheWestport Library... Summer Book Sale
July 15 -18 Jesup Green
westportlibrary.org
SPOTLIGHT:
Education
Eliminating Art World Borders Through Education and Technology Leading online and experiential art network, One Art Nation, unites art collectors and experts around the world Written by Matt Beasant • Photography by Rebecca Brianceau
Modern and Contemporary Art specialist, Holly Sherrat, discussing the Californian art market at the 1AN Symposium at Art Silicon Valley
22
THE ONLINE ART MARKET is experiencing
first piece or are building on your collection.
a whole, it became clear to art entrepreneurs
rapid growth like never before. Today,
Thankfully, online arts education is set to
and One Art Nation co-founders Amanda
collectors can buy art from almost anywhere
play an increasingly important role in build-
Dunn and Julia Wehkamp that an accessible
in the world without ever having to leave
ing confidence in the overall art market. In
platform where people could access relevant
home. But purchasing is only one part of the
fact, the Art & Finance 2016 Report released
arts education was missing as a resource.
puzzle. More than ever, online resources are
by Deloitte & ArtTactic states that 78% of
They created One Art Nation as an online
helping eliminate barriers within the industry
art professionals and collectors believe that
and experiential art network with the goal of
by providing invaluable knowledge and tools
online arts education has great potential and
assisting in the development of emerging art
to collectors across the globe.
is essential to evolve the industry.
markets - and a new generation of collectors - while stimulating important discourse in the
While the online art industry has helped
Since launching in 2013 at Art Miami,
connect more people to art, the market isn’t
One Art Nation has become one of the
always straightforward – especially for new
world’s most influential sources of online art
By presenting educational talks, artist
collectors. The art world is often perceived
education for art collectors, enthusiasts and
showcases and expert interviews in key inter-
as exclusive and inaccessible to new buyers.
professionals.
national art markets and then innovating to
established art world.
It can be intimidating to approach the market
After extensively examining the market
make typically exclusive fine art program-
whether you are looking to purchase your
and listening to the needs of the industry as
ming accessible around the world via quality,
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Above: Evan Beard, Global Art Services Executive, presenting at 1AN Symposium at CONTEXT / Art Miami One Art Nation co-founders, Julia Wehkamp (left) and Amanda Dunn (right).
Right: One Art Nation has become one of the most trusted online resources for arts education in the world. Become a complimentary member today!
digital content on their OneArtNation.com
world and engage in valuable, topical art
Most recently, One Art Nation hosted
network, Amanda and Julia have sought
and culture discussions with experts and
the 3rd Annual 1AN Symposium at Art
to demystify and bring greater transparency
practitioners. “We are passionate about
New York in May, also in partnership with
to the art and art collecting world. They
making arts education accessible across the
CONTEXT New York. All sessions are
have parlayed this vision into making One
globe and have relished the opportunity to
recorded and available for viewing online
Art Nation one of the world’s most trusted
develop our art symposium programming
at www.oneartnation.com, along with more
resources for online arts education and con-
over the years with Art Miami Fairs,” says
than100 on-demand videos.
tent today.
Julia Wehkamp, co-founder of One Art
In addition to Art Miami Fairs, 1AN has
For the fourth consecutive year, One Art
Nation. “We strive to bring together leading
partnered with some of the most influential
Nation is curating and producing various
cultural experts, curators, critics and artists
companies in the art industry including US
editions of their signature 1AN Symposium
to inspire thought-provoking discussion
Trust, Deloitte, Dewitt Stern, Association of
art education programs at Art Miami Fairs. As
about issues of interest to fair attendees,
Professional Art Advisors, artnet, Appraisers
these fairs’ dedicated art education compo-
and to our community of art enthusiasts
Association of America, and more. Through
nent, each 1AN Symposium has presented
engaged across One Art Nation’s global
unique events, strategic partnerships and
a new, daily calendar of timely and insightful
online network.” Over the years, One Art
modern technology, One Art Nation is elim-
arts programming geared towards art
Nation has hosted and recorded noted
inating borders within the art world. Along
collector and art lover attendees alike. Key
experts and practitioners at their educational
with its network of art enthusiasts, collectors,
opinion leaders and industry experts have
events including reputable contemporary art
experts and artists, One Art Nation is keep-
been brought together to speak on topics
specialist Gracie Mansion, celebrated artist
ing an ear to the ground to offer various
that range from building, maintaining and
Hunt Slonem, noted advisor Annelein Bruins,
perspectives and guidance for collectors and
protecting a collection, to tax and financial
legendary photographer Bob Gruen, original
art aficionados. ¨
aspects of owning art.
Guerrilla Girl Rosalba Carriera, global art
The 1AN Symposium has been a dynamic
services executive Evan Beard, modern and
Visit www.oneartnation.com to learn
forum for guests with varied interests across
contemporary art specialist Holly Sherrat,
more and access a compelling,
the art world spectrum to enhance both their
and trusted contemporary gallerist Rhonda
complimentary catalogue of arts
practical understanding of the collecting
Long-Sharp.
programming. CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE
23 23
SPOTLIGHT:
The Arts Arena Alexa Meade painted guests for ArtsArenaPLUS at Sisso Gallery
The Arts Arena comes to New York Celebrating 10 Years Photography by Jeanne Grouet
PARIS, 2007: A singular nonprofit initiative in the arts is born, the Arts Arena. Presenting the visual, literary, and performing arts, film, and issues of culture and society, its aim is to break down the silos across these artistic disciplines and to spark connections between the arts and the worlds of business, economics, cultural diplomacy, sciences, technology, and sustainable development. A decade and more than 200 events later, the Arts Arena is This unique policy reflects a deep belief in
coming to New York for its 10th anniversary. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Juliette Binoche,
the power of the arts to impact on issues of
Daniel Buren, Lucinda Childs, William Chris-
society and to reach audiences that govern-
tie, Willem Dafoe, Robert Gottlieb, Isabelle
mental institutions often cannot. The unusual
Huppert, Christian Lacroix, Rufus Wainwright,
mixture clearly works. Arts Arena events are
Robert Wilson… All of them have appeared,
regularly “sold out” with long waiting lists,
often re-appeared, at the Arts Arena. Also,
and the artists keep coming back.
renowned architects, urban planners, envi-
The art world is engaged with the Arts Arena. The artists donate their time. The Arts
ronmentalists, and human rights advocates. The line-up is stunning. What makes it
Arena Advisory Council—James Conlon,
singular is that all Arts Arena events—perfor-
music director of the Los Angeles Opera;
mances, lectures, conversations, screenings,
Vicki Goldberg, former photography critic
exhibitions, festivals—are free and open to
of the New York Times; multi-Academy
the public and include a champagne recep-
Award-winning film director James Ivory;
tion where audiences mingle directly with the
visual arts and theater giant Robert Wilson,
invited artists and cultural luminaries.
among others—donates its expertise. Arts
At the Arts Arena, a woman who could
Arena institutional partners span the Atlantic:
buy the Paris Opéra might be sitting next
Columbia Global Centers I Paris, the Curtis
to a woman who cannot buy a ticket to the
Institute of Music, the Orléans Concours International, Yale School of Art, and the Yale
Paris Opéra, and both have the same access to the same cultural actors and experience. 24
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Vin Cipolla
School of Music.
Margery Arent Safir and Rufus Wainwright
Door Studios in Paris
“The Arts Arena has no dedicated build-
to talk about Art and the City. Cipolla, now
ing,” explains Founder and Artistic Director
Head of the David Geffen Hall Redevelop-
Margery Arent Safir. The Arts Arena, as Hem-
ment Campaign, a partnership of Lincoln
ingway said of Paris, is a “moveable feast,”
Center and the New York Philharmonic, was
with venues as diverse as its audiences.
so impressed with the organization’s philos-
One night it is the Left Bank’s Bibliothèque
ophy, creativity, and spectacular program
nationale de France or La Monnaie de Paris,
quality that in 2016 he agreed to become
another the Right Bank’s trendy Palais de
the Chairman of its Board of Directors.
Tokyo, the patrician Residence of the US
His imprint can be seen in the upcoming James Ivory and Leslie Caron
Ambassador, or the Frank Gehry-designed
10 th anniversary celebration program the
Cinémathèque Française; loft spaces, artists’ studios, but also the Banque de France’s gilded Galerie dorée. Still, for all its Parisian mystique, the Arts Arena has always had a New York axis. Of its 20 Advisory Council members, 17 are New Yorkers. Many of the artists it presents are New Yorkers. Its Board of Directors is overwhelmingly made up of New Yorkers. Its Board and Council meetings are held in New York. It has done New York events with gallerist Sean Kelly, film “guru” Richard Peña, and award-winning screenwriter James Schamus; also, choreographer and dancer Lucinda Childs in conversation with star curator Robert Storr about the impact of visual arts minimalism on contemporary dance. New Yorkers Vin Cipolla, then President of the Municipal Art Society of New York, and businessman and arts patron Fred Iseman travelled to the Arts Arena in Paris in 2015
Friedemann Vogel, Stuttgart Ballet principal Photo by Youn Sik Kim
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
25
SPOTLIGHT:
The Arts Arena
Wolf-in-Skins by Christopher Williams Photo by Andrew Jordan
historian, will offer a tour of the newly opened exhibit of Renaissance portrait medals, part of his initial gift of 450 pieces to the museum from his famed collection; a glass of champagne
Margery Arent Safir, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Robert Wilson, Willem Dafoe
follows in the office of The Frick’s director Ian Wardropper. Dr. Scher and Dr. Wardropper are
Arts Arena is presenting in New York in June:
on the Arts Arena Advisory Council, and Dr.
Spaces that Move People—Stations, Muse-
Scher is on the Arts Arena Board.
ums, Oceans, Homes. High-level participants will feature in a
JUNE 14, Oceans, a public event at the
four-part series on four consecutive days,
mansion of the Consulate General of France.
June 12-15, with two public and two private
In conversation, David Rockefeller Jr., philan-
events. The curation is pure Arts Arena—
thropist, Chairman and founding member of
trans-Atlantic, eclectic, and cross-disciplinary.
the high-impact nonprofit Sailors for the Sea.
Here is a preview:
In images, the arts: the powerful videos of pioneering French oceanographer Jacques
JUNE 12, Stations, a public event opening
Cousteau and pictures by the American pho-
the series at The Yale Club. In conversation:
tographer, artist, and author James Balog,
architect and author Vishaan Chakrabarti,
creator of the award-winning film Chasing
whose vision for Penn Station ran front page
Ice. A reception with the participants follows.
in the New York Times this year; architect
Free of charge. Confirmed reservations
Jill Lerner of KPF; Elizabeth Goldstein, Pres-
required: gabriella.martin@artsarena.org.
ident of the Municipal Art Society of New York; Justin Davidson, Pulitzer Prize-winning
JUNE 15, Homes, a private event closing
architecture and classical music critic of
the series at the New York home of philan-
New York magazine and author of the
thropist and art collector Shaikha Paula
recently-published Magnetic City: A Walk-
Al-Sabah of Kuwait. A member of the Arts
ing Companion to New York. In images, the arts: site-specific choreography in Prague’s
Alexandre de Vogüé, Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Arena Board, Shaikha Paula will invite New York friends of the Arts Arena for a cocktail
subway, a classical pianist in Boston’s South
reception to meet its Founder, Chairman
Station, train station-themed oil paintings
and Members of the Board of Directors, and
in Paris’s Gare Saint Lazare; France’s great
its Arts Advisory Council.
collection of Impressionist paintings in what was the Gare d’Orsay, a train station. Free
Undoubtedly, this is a program series
of charge. Confirmed reservations required:
designed to launch an ambitious expanded
gabriella.martin@artsarena.org.
New York presence for the Arts Arena. The singular and exciting adventure of this
JUNE 13, Museums, a private event for New
distinctive Paris-born nonprofit promises New York still more, upcoming in October.
York friends of the Arts Arena at The Frick Collection. Dr. Stephen K. Scher, collector and art 26
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
William Christie and Les Arts Florissants
www.artsarena.org ¨
SPOTLIGHT:
All-Natural
Keith’s Nervous Breakdown Local, Fresh, and Fabulous! Written by Fred Bollaci
the waves gently kissing the shore and the swaying coconut palms. And to think all began when Keith missed an important putt in a competitive round of golf—as you will soon find out, “when life gives you limes, have a Nervous Breakdown!”™ KEITH E. DAVIS, OWNER OF THE BELOVED
Whether you are in The Hamptons this
Golden Pear Cafe’s and Catering Company
summer, or want to get into that “Hamptons
www.goldenpear.com, a Hamptons institu-
state of mind,” Keith’s Nervous Breakdown
tion and favorite among locals and visitors for
is your passport!
30 years with locations in Southampton, East
“It’s like a party in a bottle,” said Fred
Hampton, Bridgehampton, and Sag Harbor,
Bollaci, a long-time fan of the Golden Pear
has recently launched Keith’s Nervous
and Keith’s friend. Whether you’re invited to
Breakdown Ultra Premium Cocktail Mixes,
a summer barbecue or are hosting your own
featuring all-natural, organic ingredients.
party, you’ll want to bring and serve Keith’s
Summer 2016 saw the debut of Keith’s
Nervous Breakdown. And if you don’t drink,
Nervous Breakdown Ultra Premium Margarita
mix a little of the Margarita Mix or Rum
Mix, which has won over countless fans. The
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tony Hamptons has always been synonymous
the finest limes, oranges, pomegranates,
you have a delicious, all natural sparkling
with style and sophistication, as well as
and cranberries from trusted growers. Then,
beverage! Stay tuned! Keith has plans for
an emphasis on fresh, local, “mom and
sweeten the mix with a touch of agave
additional premium Nervous Breakdown
pop” establishments, and Keith’s Nervous
nectar—not high-fructose corn syrup like
cocktail mixes!
Breakdown is all of these. You really haven’t
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Get your Nervous Breakdown at numerous
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when you can have a ‘Nervous Breakdown?
retail outlets and fine eating and drinking
This summer 2017, Keith’s Nervous Break-
establishments throughout the Hamptons,
One sip of Keith’s now famous hot pink
down is launching their Ultra Premium Rum
Long Island, and the Greater New York Met-
cranberry pomegranate Margarita Mix with
Punch! No matter where you are or what the
ropolitan Area, as well as online, delivered
a splash of Cointreau and Tequila of your
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beach! Think of the song “Kokomo” by
Keith’s Nervous Breakdown Margarita Mix
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For more information, visit:
is made in small batches locally. Start with
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www.nervousbreakdown.com
Nervous Breakdown!
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
27
EVENTS + GATHERINGS
By David Green Director of Programs & Membership Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County
Galleries On Display Across Fairfield County Betsy Jesup, Handwright Gallery Photo by Barbara Loss
Amy Simon Fine Art Photo by Barbara Loss
Isabella Garrucho Fine Art Photo by Barbara Loss
Greenwich • C. Parker Gallery • Isabella Garrucho Fine Art Stamford • Fernando Luis Alvarez Gallery
Tiffany Benincasa, C. Parker Gallery Photo by Elizabeth Agresta Jeffrey Price, Norwalk Artists’ Market Photo by Barbara Loss
THE PROGRESSIVE GALLERY TOUR of Fairfield County is a program designed by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County to bring our artist, cultural nonprofit, and creative business members together once a month to discover the richness and variety of our commercial gallery members. It’s also a way to encourage members to explore and discover the cultural delights of towns other than their own. For the second year now, we start in Greenwich in September and each month move north-east, ending in Stratford in June: each month there’s a new town with new galleries to visit. This year, the numbers of member galleries have multiplied, as have the number of visitors. We encourage you to join us - to mix and mingle and explore the variety of galleries we have in our midst. Interested in what we have planned for next year? Contact david@culturalalliancefc.org
Norwalk • Artists’ Market • LoveArt Gallery • Galeria Isadora Westport • Wendy Nylen Gallery • Amy Simon Fine Art Southport • Southport Galleries Wilton • browngrotta arts Fairfield • Elise Contemporary Cabell Molina, LoveArt Gallery Photo by Laura Schroeder
Looking for something different to do? FCBuzz.org is the place to find out what’s happening in Fairfield County any day of the week–featuring theater, exhibits, music, history, science, family fun, classes and local artists. Click on FCBuzz.org. Pick a great event to attend. Then Go–bring your family, meet your friends or fly solo. FCBuzz.org™ is presented by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. For more information contact the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County by emailing info@CulturalAllianceFC.org, calling 203-256-2329, or visiting the website at www.CulturalAllianceFC.org.
28
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
New Canaan • Special Holiday Pop-up Show by Silvermine Arts Center • Sorelle Gallery • Handwright Gallery • Heather Gaudio Fine Art
Stratford • Forest to Shore (FTS) Gallery
EVENTS + GATHERINGS
HEADLINE TO GOHERE With Sara Herbert-Galloway
Vanessa Bikindou, Leif Vik, Susie Earls Vik, Sandra Muller Artist Jin-Sook So and her fiber work “Fifteen Empty Boxes”
Hagen Freihoff, Angelika and Jens Buettner
Ed Katz, Carter Grotta TkName
Chef Max Fanwick created global bites paired with designer cocktails
Photo: Tkname
Mark Elmore, Matthew Sturtevant
Julie Leff, Charles Douthat
Mary Merkel-Hess (IA); Jennifer Falck Linssen (WI); Helena Hernmarck (CT); Norma Minkowitz (CT); Lewis Knauss (PA); Kiyomi Iwata (VA); Wendy Wahl (RI); Nancy Koenigsberg (NY); Mary Giles (MN); Jin-Sook So (KR); John McQueen (NY); Gizella K Warburton (UK); Hisako Sekijima (JP) Photo by Carter Grotta
BROWNGROTTA ARTS EXHIBITION Still Crazy After All These Years... 30 Years in Art
Nancy Koenigsberg, Hisako Sekijima Photo by Carter Grotta
A spectacular VIP preview party was held, April 21st at browngrotta arts to celebrate their 30th Anniversary. More than 80 artists from Europe, Asia, North and South America and the UK participated in their milestone exhibition presenting wall works, art textiles and indoor and outdoor sculptures in browngrotta arts’ barn, only open to the public 10 days each year. www.browngrotta.com Photography by Mike Lauterborn Media sponsor Venü Magazine
Tracey Thomas, Nancy McTague-Stock
Norma Minkowitz and her artwork “Twisted”
Jin-Sook So, Helena Hernmarck, Jenny Jones, Gizella K Warburton CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
29
EVENTS + GATHERINGS
By Janet Langsam CEO, ArtsWestchester
Listen Up Live Music Fans White Plains Jazz Fest headliner Paquito D’Rivera and his Quintet take the stage on September 16 at the White Plains Performing Arts Center.
Angela Meade headlines Caramoor’s Opening Night Gala Concert, A Night of Italian Opera. Photo: Gabe Palacio. Below: Emmylou Harris plays Caramoor’s Venetian Theater on July 22nd. Photo: Mark Seliger.
THE FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING. The birds are warbling. And, yes, there’s music in the air... Jazz, Rock and Blues. Opera, Classical, R&B, Pop and more...all coming to Westchester’s parks, arts centers and downtowns starting in June through September. This is the season to explore the myriad outdoor music venues in the county, and one of the best is Caramoor. Don’t take our word for it. Check it out for yourself. The seven-week calendar of live music at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts features something for every taste...five operatic offerings, a Jazz Festival, chamber, orchestral and world music, an American Roots Music Festival and family programs. Listen to the music while you luxuriate on Caramoor’s stunning 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens. Bring a blanket, beach chair and basket of goodies. There’s even dancing on certain nights during the summer season. Recognized as “the most talked-about soprano of her generation” (Opera News), Caramoor’s Artist-in-Residence Angela Meade joins tenor Santiago Ballerini to headline the center’s opening –night gala on June 17 featuring a program of beloved Bel Canto arias, heartbreaking duets, popular overtures and rousing choral numbers. In addition to A Night of Italian Opera, the Center’s grandest night of the year offers guests a cocktail reception, Italian dinner al fresco and an After Dark party
with dessert and dancing. If you miss the gala, worry not. Angela Meade reappears the following month to make her role debut in Bellini’s rarely staged masterpiece Il pirata (July 8) in the center’s spectacular Venetian Theatre. If Americana is more your thing, don’t miss Caramoor’s 2017 American Roots Music Festival (June 24) featuring 2016 Grammy nominees Rhiannon Giddens and Sarah Jarosz, The Mike + Ruthy Band, the Lonely Heartstring Band and The Brother Brothers among others. Further roots music events include concerts by fan favorite John Fullbright (July 21) and country legend and 12-time Grammy Award-winner Emmylou Harris (July 22). There’s also family dance parties, picnicking to pops and fireworks, folk, gospel and blues through July 30th so visit www.caramoor.org to find the concert event that suits your taste.
Come September, plan to attend the 2017 White Plains Jazz Fest (Sept 13-17), a five-day festival of jazz concerts and events happening at a variety of arts venues and restaurants throughout the City of White Plains. Jazz Fest is sponsored by ArtsWestchester, The City of White Plains and the White Plains BID. The featured talent is extraordinary including: the Ray Blue Quintet at ArtsWestchester (Sept 14), Pablo Mayor at ArtsWestchester (Sept 15), and headliner and 14 Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera and his Quintet on stage at the White Plains Performing Art Center (Sept 16). Be sure to bring the whole family to the culminating event of the White Plains Jazz Fest (Sunday, Sept 17), where Donald Harrison and others will be on stage outdoors from noon to 5:30 p.m. Jazz Fest is one occasion when people are literally dancing in the streets as on Mamaroneck Avenue right in front of ArtsWestchester’s historic building in White Plains. And, yes – there is even a tent set up for jazz enthusiasts should it rain.
For full concert details and White Plains Jazz Fest event information, visit artsw.org/jazzfest.
For more arts, visit artsw.org The complete guide to the arts in Westchester /ArtsWestchester | @ArtsWestchester For more of Janet Langsam’s cultural musings, be sure to visit her blog at www.ThisandThatbyJL.com. For a full calendar of arts events visit: www.artsw.org. 30
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Justin Preiser of Shadowbox Cellars in Napa Valley.
Bryan Toy, Director of Hospitality at Caldwell Vineyards and Chef Christina Machamer, winner “Hells Kitchen” Season 4.
Fred Bollaci, Amy Bensinger, Shana Overhulser, Tracey Thomas, Mike Donohue, Caryn Asklar, Greg Jung, Chef Chris Covelli (Bottom)
EVENTS + GATHERINGS
Fred Bollaci enjoying the Caldwell Vineyards and Eleven-Eleven wine dinner paired with the amazing cuisine of Chef Chris Covelli.
Chef Chris Covelli
The table is set for 200 guests to enjoy the annual Banquet on the Block in downtown Sarasota.
FLORIDA WINEFEST + AUCTION 27 years of raising money for children’s charities Venü Magazine and food & travel writer Fred Bollaci, CEO of Fred Bollaci Enterprises and author of upcoming gourmet weight loss book “The Restaurant Diet” (Mango Media, Jan. 2018) were on hand as media sponsors in beautiful Sarasota, Florida April 6th-9th 2017 for the 27th annual Florida Winefest & Auction benefiting disadvantaged children on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Winefest has raised over $8.4 million to help area kids, contributing to 84 children’s charities. The events featured top winemakers and great food at exciting venues including private residences, top local restaurants, overlooking Sarasota Bay at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Banquet on the Block, which takes up an entire city block of downtown. Mark your calendars! We will be back as proud sponsors of the 28th annual Florida Winefest & Auction April 5-8, 2018! For tickets and more information, visit: www.floridawinefest.org
Tracey Thomas and Fred Bollaci with Sam Williamson of Williamson Family Wines in Sonoma.
Tracey Thomas with artist William Kelley who’s vineyard oil painting was auctioned at Winefest.
Holly Wyatt of Eleven-Eleven Wines.
Media sponsors Venü Magazine and Fred Bollaci Enterprises CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
31
ships over the previous generation of sailing vessels. His business, the Cunard Steamship Company would begin as a carrier of mail and packages between Boston and England, but soon expanded into passenger travel with the wave of immigration from Europe to North America. At first, these passengers were solely located in steerage, allowing Cunard to profit from a high volume of low-income passengers. Their ships, like most merchant vessels, were fast and safe, but not at all luxurious. That would soon change though, as increased competition between passenger lines – most notably the White Star Line – would see a new emphasis on comfort … well, for those that could afford it. Although Cunard had become a British based company, Americans provided the majority of its paying first class customers on the North Atlantic run. Wealthy Americans would often travel to Europe for business or pleasure - to go on the Grand Tour, to purchase antiquities to furnish their grand mansions, and to visit family members now married into British aristocratic families. The elite of American society, used to a lavish lifestyle, demanded the same of the vessels that transported them across the Atlantic. Determined to become market leaders in this new luxury market, Cunard began negotiations with the British government to secure loans to build two massive ocean liners – the
THE CUNARD BUILDING An Opulent Ticking Hall that Defined the Grandeur of the Gilded Age By Phillip James Dodd • Photography by Jonathan Wallen
Lusitania and her sister the Mauretania – ships that would become bywords for speed, luxury and elegance in transatlantic travel. At the time of their launching in 1907, they were the first of the “grand hotels” at sea, each as long as a skyscraper, and each equipped with palm courts, orchestras, a la carte restaurants, electric lifts (a recent invention), telephones, and daily newspapers printed at sea. Powered by four revolutionary Parsons
32
The period between the end of the 19th century and World War II is consid-
steam engines, they enjoyed the duel distinction of being not just
ered the “golden age” of transatlantic travel, and synonymous with
the largest, but also the fastest vessels which naval architects had
ocean liners named Lusitania, Mauretania, Normandie, and the most
produced, with the Mauretania holding the Blue Riband (awarded
famous of all - Titanic.
to the liner with the fastest transatlantic crossing time) for nearly 20
The most venerable of all the steamship companies was founded
years, between 1909 and 1929. The only proviso to the government
by Nova Scotia businessman Samuel Cunard in 1840, who was the first
loan was that both ships be constructed to be convertible to the
to realize the practical and operating advantages of steam powered
requirements of the Admiralty in time of war. The Lusitania would
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
STYLE:
Architecture
never see active service (she was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915,
and Cunard would purchase the largest parcel of land fronting on to
with the loss of 1,198 lives), but the Mauretania would go on to
Bowling Green - 25 Broadway – to build their New York headquarters.
become a hospital and transportation ship during World War I - most
Completed in 1919, the Cunard Building was first major structure erected in New York after the war, and one of the first designed to
notably transporting 10,000 soldiers to Gallipoli. By the conclusion of what was then referred to as The Great War,
comply with the new planning and zoning laws of the day regarding
New York had become the largest city and busiest port in the world,
lighting and ventilation. The 23-story skyscraper, which includes
and Cunard were determined to build a new glorious headquarters
48,000 sq. ft. of rented office space on each of the floors, has a
that underscored the affluence, power and ambitions of the American
structural steel frame, sheathed with a thin veneer-like granite and
Renaissance as well as the imperialism of Britain’s Edwardian Age.
limestone skin, that straddles a tortuous, curving and steeply sloped
They had already a built a majestic new European Headquarters on
subway tunnel that bisects the site. The Broadway facade features
the docks in Liverpool, and now turned their attention to New York,
slightly projecting end pavilions flanking a wide central section. This
where they wanted a building, and in particular a ticketing hall, to rival
relatively sober facade was enlivened by nautically inspired sculpted
those at Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central in both scale and
elements, with the keystones at the five entrance arches exhibiting
grandeur. To achieve this they turned to architect Benjamin Wistar
the head of Neptune, flanked by the Four Winds, while ship roundels
Morris (1870 - 1944) – who in turn had the good sense to reach out to
and groups of seahorses and grace the setbacks of the side pavilions.
his mentor and past employer Thomas Hastings (1860 – 1929).
While the building’s Broadway limestone façade is elegant, imposing
Along with Charles McKim, Whitney Warren, and Stanford White, Thomas Hastings was one of the most prominent architects of the
and stately, the glory of this building is inside, with a marine-inspired design that truly sets it apart.
day. His legacy warrants repeating the famous epitaph for Sir Chris-
Inspired by the vast vaulted interiors of ancient Roman baths, and
topher Wren - Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice - if you seek
decorative treatment used by Italian Renaissance architect Giulio
his monument, look around you. His design of The New York Public
Romano at the Loggia of the Villa Madama the ticketing hall, referred
Library is a masterpiece in Beaux-Arts architecture, and considered
to as the Great Hall, is among New York’s most impressive interiors.
by many to be the finest building in the City. But perhaps his biggest
Entered and organized along a central axis, the 185 foot long Great
contribution is that as mentor, as notable architects who at one time
Hall consists of a central 65 foot tall domed octagonal space bracketed
graced the office of Carrere & Hastings include Bernard Maybeck,
by two square, ribbed-vaulted spaces which are extended toward the
Richmond H. Shreeve (the designer of the Empire State Building),
north and south by elliptical niches with groined arch ceilings. The
William Adams Delano, Chester Holmes Aldrich, Marion Sims Wyeth
cross axis of the octagon passes through screens of Ionic columns
(the designer of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach), and the afore mentioned Benjamin Wistar Morris. And, although Morris would go on to design many notable buildings – including the annex to the Pierpont Morgan Library and the neo-Georgian Union League Clubhouse - the Cunard Building (his first major commission) would remain by far his finest accomplishment – perhaps in part due to the influence and hand of Thomas Hastings. The area around Bowling Green, at the bottom tip of Manhattan, was referred to as “Steamship Row”, a name that commemorated the now demolished row of pre-Civil war buildings that once housed booking offices for all of the transatlantic liners. In 1899, the land was acquired by the federal government, and in 1907 the United States Custom House (another Beaux-Arts masterpiece designed by Cass Gilbert, architect of the Woolworth Building) was opened. But the vestiges of the steamship industry remained,
Opposite and Above: The technique used to paint the dome of the Great Hall creates a faded look, almost reminiscent of an old worn-in Persian rug. In the four corners are pendentives, showing the voyages of Leif Ericson, Sebastian Cabot, Christopher Columbus, and Sir Francis Drake.
CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE
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STYLE:
Architecture
surmounted by enormous arched windows. The diagonal axes pass through tall arched openings and terminate in luminary squares, or “light wells”, created due to the “H-shape” floor plan of the office floors above. These, combined with vast arched windows on the north and south sides of the central octagon and from the western window, flood the space with natural light. To give some sense of scale to this stupendous space, nearby Trinity Church, including its tower, would easily fit inside. The ceiling, walls and vaults are lavishly decorated with murals, a clear expression of the coordination of the arts so central to the spirit of the American Renaissance – yet lacking in most grand public spaces. The ceiling decoration, designed entirely by artist Ezra Winter, was painted according to a method called fresco a secco, in which the plaster (English Keene cement) was allowed to dry and then soaked with lime water before the paint was applied. The paint pigments are pure earth colors imported from Italy mixed with old slacked lime, milk and cheese, and water. Combined this produces a permanent flat color, which is then given a sand finish to prevent shine. This was a particularly unusual way of applying murals, as most artists would complete the work on canvas in the comfort of their studio, with the piece being applying after completion, much like wallpaper (as at the
Within the entrance lobby, which fronts onto Broadway and is immediately adjacent to the iconic bronze sculpture of a bull, is a small library - the one intimate area in this massive cavernous interior.
Morgan Library – see issue 31 of Venu). The major design elements of the ceiling are framed by highly ornate background surfaces of painted coffers, rosettes and arabesques. The pendentives of the dome are decorated with magnificent compositions representing the voyages of Leif Ericson, Sebastian Cabot, Christopher Columbus, and Sir Francis Drake. Their daring craft rush on through foaming seas and under skies peopled with dolphins, turtles, flying-fish and birds. The ribbed vaults over the square eastern and western sections of the Great Hall feature motifs derived from seals of English shipping towns; the adjacent semi-domes, punctured by windows, are coffered and reveal more stuccowork. Each of the four luminary squares along the diagonal axes of the rotunda has a dome painted with circular medallions separated by bands of nautical and astronomical symbols that converge on a central gilded rosette. Amazingly, Ezra Winter would complete the entire ceiling in four months, atop special scaffolding which allowed for construction to continue beneath him. The decorative program and high craftsmanship of the ceiling is continued onto the other surfaces of the interior, and continues the narrative of the adventure of travel through the depiction of mythical and historical figures associated with the sea. On the walls at the four elliptical niches in the Great Hall, artist Barry Faulkner painted decorative maps – or sea charts – showing the routes of Cunard’s ships. Directly beneath the dome John Gregory designed a giant bronze floor seal, composed of allegorical figures illustrating episodes from Virgil’s poem “The Aeneid.” The remainder of the floor is travertine, trimmed in bands of marble and marble mosaic. Elsewhere, Sculptor C. Paul Jennewein carved circular models of children with animals on the ceiling of the entrance vestibule, square panels of fighting sea 34
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
monsters on the walls, and four spandrels depicting male and female tritons. Iron gates, designed and fabricated by the famed Philadelphia-based metalsmith Samuel Yellin, separate the entrance lobby from the Great Hall, and define a library-like area within the lobby. Combined with walls of Roman travertine, the space does indeed evoke the grandeur of the great ancient Roman baths. Cunard would go on to build other famous luxury Ocean Liners, most notably the Queen Mary, and later the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth 2. But by the 1950’s, with the advent of commercial air travel, the era of the great transatlantic ocean liner was coming to an end. The elaborate ticketing hall became superfluous, and was inexcusably left vacant for almost a decade – hidden away behind chained doors. In the late 1970’s the United States Postage Service would lease the space to serve as a branch of the post office, until Cipriani acquired and renovated the Great Hall in 2004. It now hosts receptions and special events, its decoration once again visible in all its splendor, testament to the golden age of transatlantic travel and the opulent grandeur of the gilded age. ¨ Phillip James Dodd has a reputation as one of the foremost experts on classical architecture and interiors. He is fast becoming one of the most sought-after young residential designers practicing today, and has designs can be found in Manhattan, Greenwich, Napa and Palm Beach. He is also the author of the best-selling books The Art of Classical Details and An Ideal Collaboration, and is currently working on a new book on The Architecture of the Gilded Age in New York, which will feature a foreword by Julian Fellowes – the creator of Downton Abbey. Email: phillip@pjd-architect.com or telephone: 203 900 1030
STYLE:
Guide
NOTEWORTHY Designed to fit Paperless Post’s personalized stationery, up to 5 x 7”, this limited edition leather stationery case is crafted from pebbled Italian leather and features Cuyana’s signature polished gold hardware closure. The case can be personalized with a gold monogram on the top of the box. Available on cuyana.com and in Cuyana stores.
STYLE & CLASS
WINE ON THE ROCKS Rosé Piscine, the French rosé specifically made to drink over ice is arriving for the first time in the US market just in time for summer. Learn more about where to buy at rosepiscine.com
Chic Showroom and Hot Buys this Summer
FIT FOR A BRIDE Walk down the aisle in style, with the Stuart Weitzman Bridal Collection. Perfect for the bride-to-be and her supporting ladies. Now available in stores and online. stuartweitzman.com
SENT OF A WOMAN This special collection perfume from Fueguia 1833 draws from the desire to create hedonistic fragrances, based on the imitation of pheromones. For more information visit fueguia.com
WATCH OUT A round 31 mm, ladies moon phase with diamond-set indexes. Available in a variety of strap colors. Complimentary engraving for all occasions. For this style and more visit baume-et-mercier.com CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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APPETITE:
Wine
Just When You Think You Know Rombauer Vineyards crafts three special Chardonnays besides the one you see in the wine store By Monty & Sara Preiser
IN THE WORLD OF CHARDONNAY, there is no better recognized name in the United States than Rombauer. Selected more than
However, no successful business sits on its
once as the country’s best Chardonnay by
laurels and remains on top. In recent years the
leading newspapers and journalists, and
Rombauers have expanded their line of wines
honored with slews of medals and accolades
to include a number of single vineyard Char-
from wine judges and competitions, Rom-
donnays, a special Chardonnay, and Cabernet
bauer Chardonnay became the epitome of
oak than they enjoyed 15-20 years ago. Thus,
Sauvignons (though this article will only focus
the California style – that excellently balanced
vintners, including Koerner (pictured above)
on Chardonnay). More expensive than the
combination of oak and buttery flavor (the
and K.R. Rombauer, have gently altered their
Carneros Chard, which is a blend of fruit from
latter caused by a secondary – or malolactic
style to accommodate the desires of the day.
many vineyards and widely distributed, the
– fermentation).
The above notwithstanding, the Rombauer
two delicious single vineyard Chardonnays
There is no question that preferred
Carneros Chardonnay still exhibits a full
are designed to reflect their place of growth,
tastes of the public change a bit, and with
mouthfeel, creaminess, butter, and a hint
while the Proprietor’s Reserve is the best of
Chardonnay, most in the industry agree that
of the oak influence. In our judgement, it is
the best. All three are only available at the
Americans now gravitate to wines with less
better than ever.
winery, or by consumer order. ¨
THE SPECIAL THREE 1 The Home Ranch Vineyard comes from 30 year old vines with small yields of dense grapes. This provides an intense wine with aromas of bananas and apples, and flavors of various melons on the palate.
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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
2 The Proprietor Selection is produced from the family’s most elite vineyards and is only offered in years when the wine is spectacular. It has only been bottled eight times in 35 years, for example, and there is a 2015 for sale now. It has a citrusy nose and exhibits melons and vanilla in the body.
3 The Buchli Station is a creamy wine with more minerality than the others. It is suspected that this reflects the vineyard’s close proximity to the sea (San Pablo Bay). As with all Rombauer wines, there is plenty going on – melons, apple pie, vanilla, etc. throughout.
APPETITE
By Fred Bollaci
Wine, Dine, and Unwind in Aspen 1. View from Ute Rock overlooking Aspen, Colorado 2. Fred Bollaci enjoying a signature ‘Red Snapper’ at The St. Regis Aspen 3. Outdoor seating area of J Bar at Hotel Jerome 4. Campo de Fiori’s Linguine Diavola 5. The pool at The Little Nell
1 FAVORED AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL elite for its sophisticated, world-class style, the elegant village of Aspen, perched at 8,000 feet above sea level is a top year-round destination featuring fabulous cuisine, breathtaking Rocky Mountain scenery, world-class shopping, art galleries, and countless recreational opportunities including the best skiing in America, hiking, biking, golf, fishing, and more! Aspen is one of the most family and pet friendly destinations in America! Annual cultural events include: the annual Aspen Music Festival (June-August), Food and Wine Classic (June), and Art Aspen in August! Aspen epitomizes la dolce vita in America! The winter ski season is Aspen’s high season, though the early autumn with golden yellow aspen trees in peak foliage is stunning. Summer months welcome bright sunny days, refreshing mountain breezes and cool nights. Hike the famed Ute Trail, which ascends some 3,000 feet up Aspen Mountain (locally known as Ajax), ride the Silver Queen Gondola to the 11,212’ summit, and find solitude in the peaceful John Denver Sanctuary situated along the Roaring Fork River. And get up early to catch a breathtaking sunrise at Maroon Bells. Where to stay? The luxurious Hotel Jerome, an Auberge Resort captures the spirit of the “Wild West” while pampering guests with modern amenities and excellent service. Enjoy libations and gourmet bites in The Living Room lounge, a cozy, local favorite with a roaring fireplace, grab a burger in the famed J-Bar, or enjoy gourmet all day dining in the contemporary Prospect, and dine al fresco in nice weather. Constructed in 1889, Hotel Jerome has been impeccably restored and blends history with contemporary luxury and comfort. The Little Nell, Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond, Relais & Chateaux resort is known for contemporary elegance, world-class dining and hospitality,
2 3
4
and location directly next to the Gondola at the base of Ajax. Aspen’s only “ski-in, ski-out” hotel, enjoy Aspen’s favorite après ski spot at Ajax Tavern, or the epitome of gourmet dining in Element 47, named after silver, which put Aspen on the map. Enjoy amazing cocktails, a 20,000bottle wine cellar, and in nice weather, dine al fresco on the covered terrace overlooking the pool and gorgeous living garden wall. The St. Regis Aspen brings legendary St. Regis elegance and naturally their famous Bloody Mary (a.k.a. ‘Red Snapper’) created at the King Cole Bar of their flagship New York hotel to Aspen! Enjoy breathtaking views of Aspen Mountain, St. Regis signature service, and great dining from The Portal @ TQD featuring global cuisine, or Chef’s Club Aspen, by Food and Wine Magazine, featuring the cuisine of some
of America’s top chefs! All three properties have been awarded the Fred Bollaci Enterprises Platinum Palate Certificate of Excellence.™ For dining outside the hotels, start with Justice Snow’s, for some of the best drinks and bites. Next, visit Jimmy’s and casual sib Jimmy’s Bodega (great Tequila selection). Rustique Bistro is top for French country favorites, and visit the adjacent Cooking School of Aspen for wine events and dinners! Kitchen Aspen features a cool rooftop lounge and fans of Hillstone will find the quaint White House Tavern much to their liking! For Italian, try Campo de Fiori (also in Vail), Casa Tua (also in South Beach), and L’Hostaria. For fine dining, Cache Cache, and Pinons, two area landmarks for nearly 30 years are a must! Victoria & Co. is a local favorite espresso and wine bar with an Aussie theme, and Pyramid Bistro is the place for healthy “nutrarian” cuisine, focused on delivering the most micronutrients per calorie! All the above restaurants have been awarded the Fred Bollaci Enterprises Golden Palate Certificate of Excellence®! See you in Aspen!
5
For a complete list of Aspen/Snowmass area Platinum Palate™ and Golden Palate® Award-Winners, visit www.fredbollacienterprises.com CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
37
New York Steakhouse Renewed Maxwell’s Chophouse Delivers Dry-Aged Cuts and Modern Dining Experience Written by Emily Davis Photographs by Dillon Burke, Front of House
STEAKHOUSES ARE UNDERGOING AN EVOLUTION in New York with newcomers looking to challenge the city’s standards. Steakhouses are now focusing on fresh interiors and contemporary menus to make the traditional steakhouse experience more accessible for today’s diners. The newest steakhouse in the city, Maxwell’s Chophouse in NoMad, came to New York this past November after a successful 14-year run of its Southern predecessor in Boca Raton, Florida. Maxwell’s Chophouse is sensory experience from the minute you walk in the door. Upon entering, guests are immediately wowed by the grand room and stunning décor with two-story vaulted ceilings and
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CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE
APPETITE:
Fearless Chef
floor-to ceiling mirrors setting the scene. Diners are enveloped by traditional, rich black interiors offset by snow-white marble, gold-leaf accents, crystal, glass, and plush caramel-colored booths. The marble bar, a focal point, stretches nearly the full length of the restaurant with rows of top-shelf liquor lining the wall and lavish, upholstered barstools for patrons to enjoy while sipping a craft cocktail. Minimalistic gold and glass chandeliers top off the setting for an overall feeling of sophistication and luxury. Maxwell’s Chophouse delivers a refreshing take on the traditional, New York steakhouse ambiance with its light, airy feel and feminine touches. Not your grandfather’s steakhouse, Maxwell’s Chophouse is taking on the male-dominated restaurant industry and steakhouse niche with an all-female team driving its suc-
opening a steakhouse after seeing a need
eager college graduate excited to learn a
cess. Maxwell’s Chophouse is owned and
for the restaurant in Boca Raton. With some
business. She jumped into the venture and
operated by mother-daughter duo and Man-
limited family background in restaurant prop-
spent countless hours learning the industry
hattan natives, Babette Haddad and Melissa
erties, the pair dove into the opportunity and
at a local restaurant in Boca Raton. Babette
Haddad Malaga. The idea for the restaurant
began work on Maxwell’s Chophouse.
focused on aesthetics, coming up with new
surfaced when the Haddad’s moved to Boca
“For me going into business with my
renditions on steakhouse classics, develop-
Raton, Florida in the early 1990’s and Babette
daughter was a natural adjunct to our life and
ing the look and feel from plate to interior,
and Melissa found themselves looking for a
relationship,” says Babette Haddad. At the
and learning trends from the butchers,
project. The duo spontaneously settled on
restaurant’s inception, Melissa was a young,
farmers, and bakers that she sourced organic CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY
39 39
APPETITE:
Fearless Chef
elevate our signature dishes– to make them more modern, more New York.” The menus at Maxwell’s Chophouse evoke the comfort of a classic New York steakhouse with a modern twist. By tapping into the city’s wealth of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and creating dishes with unique preparations and simple plating, Maxwell’s shakes the often stuffy, traditional steakhouse experience with a much-needed freshness. Open for lunch and dinner, Maxwell’s menu features classic steak and seafood dishes, plus raw bar options, comfort family-style sides, and a delightful rotating dessert menu. The restaurant recently introduced a prix-fixe, 45-minute Power Lunch menu, available during weekdays for busy New Yorkers in the neighborhood to mix up their lunchtime routine.
40
ingredients from. The mother-daughter team
When the plans were finalized, Babette and
Of all the dishes offered at Maxwell’s,
spent only 6 months conceptualizing from
Melissa were eager to bring on Executive
Chef Scifo deems the Prime Rib Sandwich
start to finish, before Maxwell’s Chophouse,
Chef Christina Scifo, whom also ran the
from the lunch menu her favorite. “It was
named after Babette’s youngest son, was
kitchen at the Boca location, to round out the
a staple on our menu in Florida, and it’s
opened in December of 1993.
operating team. “After years of learning and
not a prime rib preparation that I’ve seen
Over 20 years later, bringing Maxwell’s
new experiences, it feels great be back in the
anywhere else over the years. For me, this
Chophouse to their home town of New
Maxwell’s kitchen,” Scifo says. “I’m excited
sandwich is nostalgic and delicious, without
York City was no easy decision for the duo.
to bring new knowledge to the table and
pretending to be too much,” she says. Other
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
has now evolved into an extensive (and growing) family wine estate. When the Haddads opened Maxwell’s Chophouse, they felt it was important to share their passion for wine and educate their customers, thus the wine portfolio at the restaurant was born. An oenophile’s paradise, Maxwell’s Chophouse continues in steakhouse tradition by offering an extensive, evolving wine menu of over 300 unique bottles, of which 210 are vintage. The bottles, which have been sourced directly from the family’s private collection, are regularly curated by the Haddads and the Maxwell’s managing staff. The portfolio includes a range of bottles from American and European vineyards, with some of the rarest coming from France and Italy, dating popular menu items include the Seared Big
program developed by consulting mixol-
Eye Tuna, Lamb Chops, Lobster Corn Bisque,
ogist, Juan Arboleda of Employees Only.
Babette and Melissa felt it was also
Quinoa Salad, Creamed Spinach and Onion
Inspired by the steakhouse itself, Arboleda
important to have a place to physically
Ring sides, and the MCH Chophouse Burger.
conceptualized a menu of contemporary
showcase their impressive collection at the
back four and five decades.
The star of the menu is, of course, Max-
cocktails and steakhouse classics that
restaurant. This special place found its home
well’s USDA Prime Grade Dry Aged steak,
highlight in-house made, fat washed spirits
in Maxwell’s Chophouse’s 24-seat private
a hallmark of only the best steakhouses in
and fresh, seasonal ingredients. The menu
dining room. Serving as the restaurant’s
New York. Maxwell’s ages their steak for 40
evokes rich, smoky flavors in cocktails such
stunning “Wine Library,” the private dining
days in their “must-have” dry aging room. A
as the Duck, Duck, Goose and Maxwell’s
room houses over 200 bottles displayed in
non-negotiable element for the restaurant,
Old Fashioned, which uses duck fat infused
gorgeous glass cases along the walls. Diners
the owners insisted a dry-aging room be
Micther’s Rye and bacon fat infused Basil
who book the room for a special evening are
installed in both the original Florida location
Hayden Bourbon respectively. For some-
surrounded by the gorgeous presentation
and now in New York.
thing lighter, try the Pansy For Your Thoughts
and history of the collection.
“It’s no secret that dry-aging sets
cocktail with floral notes of St. Germain and
Maxwell’s newest addition is the restau-
high-quality steaks apart” says Chef Scifo.
actual pansy flowers or the Boca Daiquiri,
rant’s exclusive al-fresco rooftop deck
“The dry-aging process is what enhances
a twist on the classic rum drink using mint,
offering gorgeous, unobstructed views of
the flavor. During the process, moisture is
lime, and prosecco.
the Empire State building. In addition to the
removed to develop natural cultures and
For guests who are fundamentalist and
main and private dining rooms, guests can
complex flavor profiles. The result is more
prefer a beautiful glass of Cabernet Sauvi-
book this space for private events ranging
marbling in the steaks and some incredibly
gnon with their steak, Maxwell’s Chophouse
from intimate dinners to cocktail parties.
tender meat.” Maxwell’s Chophouse proudly
impresses with their family-curated wine
Menus include a raw bar items and specialty
serves dry-aged king and queen cuts of Slow
program. Owner Babette Haddad began
grilled dishes, prepared right on the rooftop,
Roasted Prime Rib, Bone In Rib Eye, and the
collecting wine with her husband Calvin
along with a full service bar. ¨
steakhouse classic, Porterhouse for Two,
in the 1980’s for their home. They began
among other mouth-watering standouts on
researching the worldwide vintage market
Maxwell’s Chophouse is located at
their dinner and lunch menus.
and connecting with wine purveyors to
1184 Broadway, New York, NY 10001.
Complimenting the delectable steaks
acquire truly classic wines that they could
For reservations visit www.maxwellschop
at Maxwell’s is the top-shelf, craft cocktail
enjoy together. What originated as a hobby
house.com or call 212.481.1184 CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
41
Under the Lotus Bridge, 1986, Oil on Linen.
C
O
L
O
R
Two painters who made a lasting impact on the Palm Beach Art Scene and kept themselves as well as their art alive for decades. BY NONA FOOTZ
FEATURE
S H E
W A S
S I T T I N G
in an overstuffed armchair wearing what appeared to be the new season’s twin set from J. Crew.
Her wrist full of bangles
clanged as she waved her frosted painted nails and I couldn’t help but notice she was wearing eyeshadow. I was trying to pry memories out of her interview-style when she said, “You know I don’t think about the past so much. I only think about the future.” Ouida George was 96 years old at the time. He, on the other hand, wore a stained white t-shirt, threadbare khaki pants and had to push a walker in order to greet me at the door for our visit. Carl Brown was a charming man yet also acerbic with a bit of snark to his wit. He was close to legally blind and lived in an old dark house packed with furniture, paintings and sculptures in a neighborhood I wouldn’t visit after sun-
initial formal training and by 1948 she had
down. Carl was also 96 years old at the time.
dedicated herself to art full time.
Both of these artists had their heyday
Petite, exotic-looking, dark haired and
during the 1950s extending well into the
reserved, Ouida met and married a com-
1980s but these nonagenarians also had
mercial artist Harold George in 1949 and
their final exhibitions during the last few
their 34-year storybook marriage was full
years of their lives. The Ouida George
of travel and adventure. Ouida became a
Retrospective was held at the King Library
recognizable painter “long favored by the
at the Society for Four Arts in 2009 and Carl
winter set” in Palm Beach and was deemed
Brown’s final show was held at the Anthony
a “phenomenal colorist”.
Building in West Palm Beach in 2013. Both artists were dead by 2016.
Above Left to Right: Korean on Lotus Bridge, Oil on Board; Zinnias with Cherries, 1965, Oil on Board. Below: Ouida George with her collection of lifestyle paintings.
Her 1956 inaugural show was a sell-out at the first gallery to grace Palm Beach.
Ouida Margaret Romanoff was born
Located at 347 Worth Avenue, the Worth
October 1st, 1916 in Chicago and had an
Avenue Gallery was a well-known launching
early inclination she would become an
pad for many budding artists, owned by
artist despite her natural athletic talents.
heiress, art patron and winter colonist Alice
She loved to draw, paint and sculpt. The
DeLamar and managed by Mary “Mimsey”
School at the Art Institute of Chicago and
Benson, former personal secretary to actress
the Norton School of Art gave Ouida her
Eva LeGallienne. Ouida’s popularity started CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
43 2
FEATURE
and then onto Victor Hammer in New York, Obelisque Gallery in Washington D.C., Galerie Juarez in Los Angeles and Savage-North Galleries in Dallas. Ouida and Harold were known for hosting well-attended New Year’s Day parties where the invitation consisted of a color snapshot of one of her paintings pasted onto colored construction paper folded into quarters with a brief scribble inside declaring, “Open House 6-8pm, bring your family and guests!” After Harold died in 1983 Ouida found a new traveling companion, a retired doctor and vast collector of Indian art and antiques. They shared much in common over the next 20 years but by 2013, his health started to decline. Their far and away adventures stopped, and Ouida took on the role of caretaker, driving to his house every day to bring groceries, run errands and take him to doctor’s appointments. I thought it sweet how, at the age of 96 Ouida was a care giver
Above: Watercolor, Paris, 1950. Photo by C.J. Walker. Below: Carl Brown and West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio, at Carl’s last show in October 2013. Photo by Capehart Photography
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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
to soar, selling paintings to the Duke and
but what took me most by surprise was that
Duchess of Windsor, painting the children
she was still driving!
of Ethel Kennedy, as well as the nieces and
Ouida’s daughter has done a yeoman’s
nephews of Tallulah Bankhead and Cornelius
job of keeping dibs on the vast quantity of
Vanderbilt Whitney. She illustrated two books
work which is scattered around the world by
in 1966 and 1972 and like most artists, travel
creating Ouida George LLC. The website
provided intoxicating inspiration for Ouida.
www.ouidageorgeartist.com is a true view
She circled the globe three times and had a
into the entire Ouida collection.
deep love of India. The burgundy colored
The other nonagenarian artist, a contem-
walls at her West Palm Beach home designed
porary of Ouida’s, was Carl M. Brown. Carl
by her husband were covered with masks
was born and raised in Louisville Kentucky
and ephemera she’d collected along the
and knew he was going to be an artist by
thousands of miles they’d trekked through
the time he was 5 years old. He was given a
India, Indonesia, Africa, South America and
set of paints for Christmas in 1923 and never
New Zealand.
looked back. While in his 20s his training
Paris’ influence on Ouida wasn’t minimal.
time at the Louisville Art Center was short-
She was able to frequent one of her patron’s
ened by the war so Carl went off to serve
apartment on the Rue Git-le-Coeur near
as an Infantryman in the U.S. Army. Not
Notre Dame and produced a cache of work
unlike other artists after the war was over,
inspired by the flower markets of Cagnes-
Carl had hardly dropped off his bags back in
sur-Mer, Giverny and the French Riviera.
Kentucky for a quick visit home before flying
Ouida extended her shows beyond Worth
to Paris to start a life of travel to spirit his
Avenue to James Hunt Barker Galleries
creativity. By 1952 he was living in Morocco
building aircraft and then took an extended
a tumultuous relationship but they were
trek through Europe and North Africa.
able to live in his West Palm Beach home
certainly the pretty-boys of the various art
fully functional shuffling amongst the small
Carl had a particular talent as a window
enclaves during the Midcentury. Strikingly
dark rooms, the kitchen, and he could feed
decorator while in between art school and his
handsome they looked like models straight
his fluffy white cat and listen to books on
travels, and the Louisville Courier-Journal’s
out of the era’s fashion magazines – tall,
tape. While he used to be a fabulous cook
published an article showing off his style as
tanned, long and lean, tossed hair, soft flat-
and consummate entertainer decades ear-
“a little bit of {decorator} Peter Hunt, New
front khakis and tight T-shirts.” These artists
lier, the time came for Meals on Wheels to
Guinea and Carl M. Brown”. In their child-
and artisans painted on canvas, produced
make regular visits. The West Palm Beach
hood home, Carl had decorated his studio
and sold rugs painted onto Swedish fiber
Mayor Jeri Muoio happened to be making
and his 12-year old sister’s bedroom with
board, decorated their garage apartment
the rounds with the driver one day, took a
exotic touches and design that caught the
that caught the interest of many since they
look inside Carl’s living room and exclaimed,
eye of the neighborhood and local press.
used “scraps from here and there” that they
“You must be an art collector!” Carl quickly
From the late 50s until early 1980s, Carl’s
had collected such as discarded tables,
set the record straight and the Mayor
haunts became those of the abstractionists
pieces of glass and driftwood, producing a
decided a one-man show was in order for
– The Springs in East Hampton Long Island
work of literal art and adoration.
all of The Palm Beaches to see. In October
and Palm Beach – both lively and colorful
Carl didn’t exhibit much after the late
2013 Carl Brown’s final exhibition, a collec-
art scenes for the painters as well as the
1960s but something magical happened
tion of his paintings from 1949-1953, were
patrons. Carl chummed with Pollack, Kras-
some five decades later. Carl’s eyesight had
seen for the very first time. The show was
ner and remembered de Kooning teaching
significantly declined as he aged yet he was
a success and covered by the Palm Beach
him his first lesson on the business of art. Willem cautioned Carl against selling too much too fast but rather to sell one painting first, let it stew in the gossip amongst the
Above Left to Right: Still Life with Flowers, East Hampton, 1969; Watercolor Sail Boats at Cannes 1949. Photo by C.J. Walker.
Post. Carl attended in a wheelchair but the noticeable glow, pride, and sheer happiness that graced his face was priceless. I’m sad that both of these tremendous
patrons and that would, in time, drive up
artistic souls have left us, but I often think
his value as an artist. Carl’s work started to
about why we should remember people
warrant statements from the press declaring
like Ouida and Carl. They were inspired by
him among the “serious young contempo-
vast and exotic travel, they arrived onto the
rary artists who have something to say and
art scene in the 1950s at a time of great
a definite way of saying it” as well as his
cultural and artistic exploration, and they
“command of fine brushwork”.
produced prolific amounts of rich and
Carl and his long-time companion and a fellow artist Sheridan Crumlish had
varied art leaving an indelible impression on Palm Beach history.
¨
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Wisteria by the Window, 2003, Oil on canvas, 24” x 30”
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“THE OBJECT ISN’T TO MAKE ART, IT’S TO BE IN THAT WONDERFUL STATE WHICH MAKES ART INEVITABLE.” – Robert Henri –
For a natural born artist, the medium doesn’t matter. The intent
Over her lifetime, her career has taken her from coast to
does. And when it’s a work of art created by Dianne Bernhard,
coast and around the world, first as student then as teacher of
it’s a personal gift wholeheartedly bestowed.
the paint-along workshops she helped pioneer, and today as
Dianne views the world as a canvas, rearranging, retouch-
patron to living artists following their dreams. Sharing her love
ing, reimagining, repurposing, revering until the object of her
of painting fuels her passion for a life devoted to – and uniquely
affection is stunningly recast through her eyes. She can fashion
enriched by – the arts.
delicate angelic dolls from fine porcelain and transform cast
As a young painter, she was influenced by the epoch-making
off furniture into gilded, faux-finished heirlooms as precisely
American artist Robert Henri who “gave his students, not a style
as she can brush breath into individually blushing petals on a
(though some imitated him), but an attitude, an approach to
bouquet of long-stemmed painted roses that make you instinc-
art” that spoke volumes about the subjects they immortalized.
tively want to stop and smell them, thoroughly taken with their
His paintings, many of them expressive portraits of people,
arresting natural beauty. Her eye for art informs her life, whether
young and old, evoke a generosity of spirit and personality
it manifests in the gallery of ocean-hued seascapes that grace
that defined his belief that the object wasn’t about making art,
the foyer of her inviting beachfront home, in the hand-painted
“it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”
tiles that embrace her many fireplaces or inside the sanctuary studios she works in to create her acclaimed floral oils and the pastel poetry that resonates with her today.
DIANNE, BY HER VERY NATURE, IS ALWAYS IN THAT WONDERFUL STATE.
An accomplished painter, teacher, arts advocate and
We had the honor of sitting down with Dianne this spring
dedicated patron, Dianne has spent a lifetime perfecting her
at the Westport home she shares with her husband, Van, an
passion. She honed her talented hand under the tutelage of
exceptionally gifted artist as well, surrounded by Long Island
American and European realists, both at home and abroad,
Sound on three sides and an idyllic harbor, inside and out.
learning how to give voice and spirit to her artistic expressions
Blues predominate here, drinking in the setting and accenting
with the same quiet strength she infuses in her convictions.
sink-in-sofas that beg you to stay. Flowers, everywhere, intoxicate with joys unbidden and fireplaces, even unlit, warm the welcomes on offer here. Our conversation began without words, awed appreciation at the Bernhard’s stunning works of living art replacing idle chatter. As we admired poetically hued renderings of land and sea, Dianne pointed out the pastels among the paintings we took for oils. We couldn’t
Oppostise Page Top to Bottom: Texas Grazing, 2005, Pastel on Herman Margulies board, 8” x 16” Pink and Porcelain, 1991, Oil on canvas, 24’ x 30”
readily tell them apart which surprised us, coming from the notion that pastels were created by chalk pencils that with CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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This Page: Integrity, 1990, Oil on canvas, 8” x 16” Opposite Page: NAC 2009 (painting on easel), 2009, Oil on canvas, 48” x 60” Mrs. A. Van H. Bernhard by Everett Raymond Kinstler (painting on wall left of easel), 2004, Oil on canvas, 48” x 90”
WHEN DID DIANNE FIRST BECOME ENAMORED WITH PASTELS AS WE WERE NOW? “I was judging a competition and saw a pastel painting that really captured my attention,” she told us. She sought out the artist to compliment her on both the quality of the work and the techniques she used, taking the opportunity to ask her how and where she learned to create such beautiful work. “The artist was evasive with her answer, leading me to believe that she developed this magical style on her own,” said Dianne, at the time sorely disappointed because she was hoping to be able to study this impressive art form. A short while later, she was surprised to see another painting that exhibited the same impressive signature qualities, again seizing the opportunity to seek out the artist and inquire about her style. “She didn’t hesitate to tell me that she studied with a master pastel artist in Connecticut, and proudly gave me his contact information. His name was Herman Margulies and I quickly became one of his most devoted students and patrons.” A longtime resident of Washington Depot in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and native of Poland, Herman Margulies came to the United States in 1951 after surviving unimaginable horrors in several Nazi concentration camps during World War II. A precocious youth who spoke seven languages, Herman’s talent as an artist was obvious when he was just seven years old, joyfully drawing the world around him until the Germans
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time faded into dust. They become ever more vibrant as
invaded Poland and the Hitler regime took over. He was only 17
Dianne explained the medium, her enthusiasm putting them
at the time and would endure a lifetime of tragedies, including
into a genre of art long due their fame.
the loss of his family, in just six years. When the camp he was
Pastels, we’re reminded, were the medium of choice for
imprisoned in was liberated in 1945, he weighed just 86 pounds
such famous artists like Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, and
and required hospitalization to nurture him back to health. It
Eugène Delacroix whose works grace the walls of some of
was there that a nurse recognized him from their life before the
the most renowned museums and collections in the world.
war and brought him drawing supplies to aid in his recovery.
Picture the ballerinas that dance off of Degas’ canvases; his
Her kind gesture and his enduring love for both his beloved
mastery of pastels raises the bar in this art genre. Manet’s
art and a girl he had met in a concentration camp, renewed
pastel portraits of men and women are remarkably lumi-
his faith in the world, and he would go on to become one of
nescent with light and shading and juxtaposed with colors.
America’s greatest pastel artists.
Critics praised Delacroix for his pastels, too, noting “The
“His life and career followed a circuitous path before I
richest of these full-colored pastels on paper rival his much
met him,” Dianne recalled. In addition to working in several
more frequent oil paintings with a potent originality of
different industries, from coal mining and leatherworks to
tone and hue that has remained vivid while some of his oils
printing, he lived in Belgium and immigrated to the United
appear to have darkened.”
States in 1951. After moving to Connecticut with his second
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DIANNE BERNHARD Former President of the National Arts Club and the Connecticut Classic Arts Association, former board member of the National Academy of Design and an award-winning painter, Dianne B. Bernhard is the founder of the non-profit Art Spirit Foundation and owner of the Bernhard Gallery, both located in Southport, Connecticut. Honorary Vice President of the Pastel Society of America, and member of The Salmagundi Club, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a devoted grandmother and mother, a prolific and gifted artist, Dianne and her husband Van share their time in residences in Westport, Connecticut, Gramercy Park in New York City and their private island in the Bahamas.
Photo by Nathan Kraxberger
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Oppostise Page Top to Bottom: Free and Clear, 2005, Pastel on Herman Margulies board, 8” x 16” Hydrangeas from my Garden, 2004, Pastel on Herman Margulies board, 32” X 40”
paintings, she explained. They go beyond aesthetics, touching heart and soul with an honesty and sensitivity that speak volumes about the inherent resilience and beauty of the world in which we live. “Pastels encourage spontaneous expression,” she said, giving the artist the freedom to work in the moment, without the waits required by painting in oil. For an artist like Herman Margulies, who had so much to say about life, love – and hope, wife, Laura, he was awarded some 22 patents for innovative,
pastels became his legacy, inspiring a renewed appreciation for
life-changing products, the most notable of which was the
an age-old movement that’s worthy of modern-day notice.
disposal syringe, during a 23-year tenure at the Sterling Drug
Pastels have historically lingered under the radar, unjustly
Company, and painted only on weekends. It wasn’t until 1985,
overshadowed by oils and watercolors. As Dianne discovered
when he quit his day job with a leap of faith and the support-
as she first set out to recognize the living artists who worked
ive blessing of his wife, that he became a full-time artist and
exclusively with pastels, no major art competitions had a cate-
tutor to students wishing to learn the art of pastel. Dianne
gory dedicated solely to this medium. Pastels were always thrown
was among his earliest protégées.
into the last and least significant category in the competition.
The first time Dianne saw Herman’s work, she felt an
Recognizing the need for institutional change, she contacted
immediate connection to the artist, recognizing his talent and
leading art associations, clubs and show sponsors, asking why
heart with one glance. While art by its very nature is uniquely
there were no categories devoted to pastels, at the same time
personal, great art traditionally embodies five key elements:
urging them to reclassify these paintings into their own, highly
technique, concept, emotion, quality and honesty. “I knew
deserved classification. Then she did what she asked of them and
that whoever painted these paintings was passionate about
created the Dianne Bernhard Award for excellence in pastels,
his art and the beauty of life,” she said. “That his medium of
with monetary rewards equal to those found in traditionally
choice was pastels made his work all the more enriching. He
recognized genres. Universally, art competitions have been
used color in a way I had never seen in pastels layering it with
considered as incubators for art scouts to discover emerging
his memories and dreams of happier times,” she added. “His
talent and launch important careers for professional artists.
technique elicits a wide range of feelings each time you see
She explained that there are many talented artists living
his work. That’s the way you know great art, how it makes you
today who work in pastels, shading, shaping and redefining their
feel. I could see Herman’s whole emotional processes going
memories, models and landscapes with eloquent, boldly colored
on in each canvas. It gave me a great respect for painting and
strokes that defy any preconceived notions about this genre.
painter,” she explained, adding that she owns some 400 of
Dianne echoed our own thoughts as she told us that people are
his works in her private collection.
now admiring pastels through new eyes, commenting that they
She watched him work and painted alongside him for two
“never thought pastels could do that.”
decades, finding her voice as his grew stronger, and has been
In addition to showcasing her prized collection of Herman
an enthusiastic collector and advocate of his paintings ever
Margulies’ pastels in several prestigious US galleries, including
since. Today she has made it her “commitment to focus atten-
her private Southport, Connecticut, gallery, itself a work of art
tion on the renaissance of pastel and to bring that attention
boasting a blend of hand-selected European antique architec-
to the public regarding the permanence and beauty of this
tural artifacts, Dianne established The Art Spirit Foundation, a
medium. Every movement needs a voice; I think Herman is
non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing outstanding
that voice.”
pastel artists in juried exhibitions and to promoting the arts as a life-changing force for today’s artists.
SHE HAS BEEN SINGING AND PAINTING HIS PRAISES EVER SINCE.
Margulies, Dianne Bernhard has become a dedicated patron in
Herman took his love for impressionism, added his ideas and
support of contemporary pastel artists wishing to make their mark
life experiences, and reinterpreted them through his pastel
in the art world, a role that has truly taken her gifts full circle.
Thanks to the trailblazing genius of Master Pastelist Herman
¨
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As far as dreams go, Alexander Ponomarev’s idea of creating a boundary-busting biennale on the forbidding frozen shores of the uninhabited iceclad continent of Antarctica was one of the wildest ever, in every sense of the word. But if anyone could pull off an art-driven voyage in a ship of dreams that not only accomplished its goals but exceeded everyone’s expectations from start to finish, then Alexander and his talented team of visionaries are the ones you want on board. When we first wrote about Alexander’s cover-worthy expedition in Venü last fall, it was but a dream. Not only were the participating artists yet unknown, but so was all of the necessary funding to complete the round-trip voyage from port to port. But with only a few weeks remaining before its planned March departure – literally at the end of the navigable cruising season to Antarctica
Antarctic Dreams Come True Written By Cindy Clarke
waters – the money, the expedition and its crew were green-lighted, and the rest, as the saying goes, is now history. After seeing some of the unreal photographs of the artists’ on-site installations and reading riveting live blogs from the expedition, we had the privilege of speaking with polar expedition organizing member, philanthropist John Blaffer Royall, who served as the Biennale’s unofficial, über-effective US ambassador, about his impressive first-person impressions on this unrivaled nautical adventure. He told us that from the moment they embarked on their chartered research vessel at the tip of South America in Ushuaia to the stomach-saving patches they donned for the oftdreaded and always challenging two-day crossing through the tempestuous Drake Passage to the natural highs they experienced walking amidst fearless penguins, seals and arctic terns on frozen beaches to the whales that breeched the otherworldly quiet and pastel-hued icebergs that groaned and calved in the distance, the sights, sounds and sensations they encountered defied comparison anywhere else in the world.
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During their 12-landing sojourn in Antarctic waters, they saw leopard seals preying on penguins, killer whales hunting seals and mortal men, alien to these glacial shores, producing art and imagery framed by the great White Continent’s dramatic landscapes and wildlife. “Antarctica is the only place in the world virtually untouched by mankind. It’s a frontier owned by no one, belonging to everyone, a place where humanity has come together to express its hopes and aspirations for the future through scientific research and creativity,” said John, citing the many collaborations and creations produced by the expedition’s multicultural cast. “We
Antarctica is the only place in the world virtually untouched by mankind. It’s a frontier owned by no one, belonging to everyone, a place where humanity has come together to express its hopes and aspirations for the future through scientific research and creativity.”
enjoyed the freedom to forge new understandings and share knowledge at the edge of civilization
a space ride in a sealed bowl-shaped submarine,
where mankind’s potential for new beginnings is left undefined.”
a draped tent made of frozen cotton and Alex-
He said the voyage brought 100 people from around the world
ander P.’s own glowing underwater moon globes
together – scientists, philosophers, writers, artists, musicians, pho-
that served to entertain the fish and two intrepid
tographers, filmmakers, architects, poets and researchers among
wet-suited divers as they swam by.
them – piercing silos so that they could create experiences globally
That they were only temporary underscores the
beneficial, indelibly innovative, ecologically sensitive and uniquely
fleeting moments that John and the stalwart souls
inspiring on a pristine, natural white blank canvas to draft new con-
who sailed with him will treasure for a lifetime. Know-
cepts and visions of the future.
ing full well that there aren’t any adequate words
According to the provisions of the internationally approved
to describe the personal and cultural significance
Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959,” John reminded us, “the continent
of participating in what rightfully can be called an
could only be used for artistic activities and scientific research.”
unprecedented moving work of art, I challenged
Which is exactly what Ponomarev and his crew had in mind.
John to sum up his Antarctic Biennale experience in
The transportable, easily dismantled installations and improvised performances conceived by the expedition’s 16 hand-selected artists
just one word. “It was,” he said without hesitation, “expansive.”
ranged from the outrageous to the sublime, mirroring the surreal
Which led me to my last question, even though
landscapes, glacial seas and adaptable wildlife that evolve as they
I was pretty sure I knew what his answer would be.
thrive there.
“Would you sign on again?” “In a heartbeat.” ¨
Think way outside of the box as you imagine a solar-powered “Glaciator” cartwheeling across the snow as it helps tamp down the
The objects created in the region of the South
glacial melt that’s threatening our planet. Or the huge ceramic egg a
Polar Circle, as well as photo and video doc-
Chinese artist placed in a rocky hideout favored by the local Gentoo
umentation of the voyage, will be shown for
flock. Strip off any preconceived notions you may have about the
the first time in the Antarctica Pavilion during
bone-chilling below-zero temperatures that are the norm here and
the 57th Venice Biennale of Art 2017 in May.
try to picture a naked man, Russian artist Andrey Kuzkin, standing
Thereafter, the artistic work created amidst the
head-first in the snow for over fifteen minutes as if he fell from the sky
ice of the Antarctic will be exhibited at leading
only to play the part of a bare tree in a series he calls “99 Landscapes
venues and museums worldwide, in addition
with a Tree.” Pull up an iceberg to listen to a sitar player singing her
to being featured in documentary films,
hit single “Ships in the Night” amidst ice floes and applauded by
television arts programs, in illustrated books
seals. Among others, there was the artist who brought a fish along for
and photographic albums. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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WRITTEN BY AUTUMN KENT-HOWER
A MAGICAL FARAWAY LAND
Landscape Photography by Christopher Schuch
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In a world of all too instant gratification and technological inundation, one may find it hard to believe that anything in life could still be deemed “magical”. If you have never been to Nantucket, the tiny island 29 miles off Cape Cod, you most certainly relate to this cynicism. Though I promise you all the clamshells in Nantucket
Sound that this Faraway Land is just that extraordinary. Don’t believe me? Imagine this. It is Friday afternoon, a hot, sticky, August day in Manhattan. Your shirt is clinging to you with perspiration and the stench of overheated garbage is causing you to momentarily reevaluate your master plan of living in the big city. You walk over to the pier, desperately hoping for even the faintest of breezes. A helicopter is taking off and you daydream about what oasis could be its destination. Nantucket is the point of arrival. Hop on that Blade helicopter and find yourself almost instantly transported from Manhattan to an awaiting luxurious Pilatus PC-12. In less than an hour, the traffic and smog will be but a distant nightmare. The plane touches down, you step onto the tarmac and your very first vision is a quaint cedar shingle airport. That salty, fresh air fills your lungs. A weight
is lifted from your chest and you feel this indescribable lightness. As you gaze upon a painterly sunset, replete with rich pinks and oranges only one word seems possible to describe it. Magical. You might feel slightly confused as the usual unbearable pushing, shoving, and trekking through the terminal is all but nonexistent. In just a few minutes hop into Chief’s Cab and be on the way to charming accommodations. For a weekend trip, the Chestnut House Inn is quintessentially Nantucket. Historical. Peppered with antiques and thoughtfully decorated with the founders’ artwork. Jeannette & Jerry Carl displayed their paintings and handmade rugs throughout the hotel. Operated now by the third generation, the continued love and care for the property is evident. The rooms are quite comfortable and generous in size. With a front and back staircase, the careful placement of a library joins the two. While breakfast is not served CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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on the property, complimentary vouchers to The Bean are readily available at the
with corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and
front desk. This will prove to be the more worthwhile experience, as the coffee
plastic bib. Getting your hands dirty is half
shop is a mainstay of the island. Go early though if you have any desire of securing
the fun. Embrace it.
a seat. The nearby benches surrounded by impressive sculptures offers a peaceful seating alternative.
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After you have just finished the freshest of lobster dinners at The Lobster Trap, paired
If you have the luxury of time, nothing is more steeped in Nantucket charm than
with a few Whale’s Tale Pale Ales, you mean-
a cedar shingle cottage. Deb Killen of Killen Real Estate is your essential resource in
der through town. The refreshing island air
finding a weekly or monthly rental. Killen is native to the island and utilizes her intimate
begins to nip at your shoulders, and you take
knowledge to secure only the most delightful of residences for her clients. Always
shelter in Samuel Owen Gallery at the top
heed her culinary recommendations as well. She has a delightfully discerning palette.
of Centre Street. The large weathered red
To fully embrace the island lifestyle, a trip to Murray’s Toggery Shop to acquire
building looks warm and inviting. You step
Nantucket Reds is paramount. Another multi-generational institution, the specialty
inside and suddenly find yourself breathless.
store is steeped in history. Be sure to find a sales associate to tell the tale of the
From the unassuming exterior, you did not
Reds’ origin.
expect to find this awaiting you. It is colorful,
If the more colorful island attire peaks your interest, walk down to Current Vin-
vibrant, exuberant yet poetic. What seems
tage for a 1970’s Lilly Pulizter shift dress and a cabernet sauvignon of the same era.
like a million butterflies flutter before you,
Whether wine and cheese is your weakness or Mid Century sundresses, shop owner
so beautifully floating atop entomology pins.
Beth English will cater to your indulgences. After nearly two decades on Nantucket,
They take form to shape the most delicate
English can recommend all the best events and dress you for them!
yet impactful of ringlets surrounding a
Whether its Nantucket Red pants or vintage Key West prints, you’ll fit right in
single star. You cannot look away. You are
at The Lobster Trap. While dining al fresco is always a luxury, sit inside at this local
completely and utterly captivated. And then
spot. You will feel like you are on a boat, an old Hinckley to be exact. The varnished
it happens. You fall in love.
wooden tables and slightly sweet, musty smell will be a pleasant reminder the
The object of your affection? His name
bay is just an oyster shell’s throw away. Order the full lobster dinner, complete
(or more aptly pseudonym) is Charles Patrick.
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
AS YOU GAZE UPON A PAINTERLY SUNSET, REPLETE WITH RICH PINKS AND ORANGES ONLY ONE WORD SEEMS POSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE IT. MAGICAL.
And as far as adoration goes, well you’ll just have to get in line. The wait list for a commissioned piece is weeks, if not months long though, so choose swiftly. Once you’re introduced to his full body of work, it may prove difficult to decide on just one. When gallery owner Lee Milazzo isn’t running around hanging the latest works, and greeting visitors, he is tucked away in a hidden studio as Charles Patrick, precisely pinning butterflies one by one. Whether vintage comic books are the center of your obsession or the worldly fascinations of decommissioned currency captures your attention, the artist assuredly has a medium that will enthrall you. You feel inspired as you step from the gallery, and return to your walk, now along Broad Street admiring the Jared Coffin House and Nantucket Bookworks. Just as you pass the Whaling Museum you notice a line forming around the block. Your nose leads you as the faintest scent of waffle cones beckons like a siren. As you near the thrall of patrons, it becomes apparent that unlike the metropolitan equivalent, everyone in line is happily chattering. Child and adult alike are embracing the anticipation as they decide whether tonight will be Crantucket or Cookie Monster. Now in sight of the faded, wooden green and white sign showcasing ice cream flavors both customary and eccentric, you find yourself making similar contemplations. If only all of life’s decisions could be so simple. ¨ CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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Members of the flotilla
Wandering the Waters Finding Friends, Fun and Adventure on a Florida Flotilla Story and Photography by Kim Cooper
A PRINCESS 48, A MAINSHIP 43, A REGAL 42, A CRUISER 40, A
had lovingly restored, trading the tip of the Keys for the town with
RINKER 40, A SILVERTON 38…
more miles of canals than any city in the world. “That’s what’s so neat
…and the list of beautiful cruising vessels goes on, including the
about Cape Coral,” says Sandra with her sweet, southern drawl, “you
flotilla lead boat, “Truly Blessed”, a Sabre 48, which I was lucky
can go anywhere you want with all the canals.” Though her husband
enough to call home for nine days this past March. “If you’ve got a
has not quite converted his wife to a yachtie, even she realizes the
cruising boat, you’ve got to cruise,” pointed out my host “Admiral”
endless options the location provides, allowing easy access north to
Joe Vizzini, which is what led him to join the Cape Coral Cruise
the Panhandle, south to the Bahamas and beyond, and across the
Club (CCCC), one of the many clubs that bring like-minded boaters
state to the eastern coast.
together for adventures along the Southwest Florida coast. This
Our first challenge upon departing the dock was to make our way
trip was his turn to chart the course leading 14 other boaters to his
through the nearby Chiquita Boat Lock, also known as the Spreader
planned destinations along the Intracostal Waterways (ICW).
Canal Lock, the area’s main and largest lock. But I was mistaken, this would have been a challenge for my long ago live-aboard, a
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CRUISING FROM THE CAPE CORAL CANALS
1938 wooden motorsailer, but not for this newly built SABRE with its
We set sail from his Cape Coral home dock, one of only a few
easily computer controlled Volvo Penta IPS pod system allowing an
charming three story homes known as the Funky Fish Houses built
amazing slide through the narrow gates with the touch of a joy stick.
alongside the Cape Harbour Yacht Club. These narrow lots are a
Although the yacht is number 98 off the production line, it is only the
boater’s dream, providing the rare opportunity to own 20 feet out
second boat with this engine configuration; and as well, at the push
into the abutting water front in which to build your desired dock.
of a button, a digital GPS system holds your position in the locks. I
When the boating bug bit Vizzini with a vengeance, he let go of
felt like we were cheating and couldn’t keep myself from holding a
one of the oldest houses in Key West which he and his wife Sandra
fender at the ready to fend off; not needed!
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
FIRST STOP VENICE The egress from the Lock allows gulf access into the ICW via the Caloosahatchee River, a 67-mile stretch forming a beautiful tidal estuary along most of its course. But the beauty is lost on the locals at the onset of this first stretch of water having earned the nickname The Miserable Mile, a moniker brought on by the posted signs which keep their engines down to a slow pace, a law to protect the endangered Manatee. These signs appear throughout the ICW, a forced stop and go march which often brings the devil’s horns out on a boater luring him to the Gulf of Mexico where the challenge of the open seas awaits. But a cruising club calls out for comfort and camaraderie and so the route is charted along the meandering ICW, with its often narrow channels offering up neighborhood views much like a Sunday drive. On the leisurely three-hour passage to our first overnight at the Fisherman’s Wharf in Venice, a wide body Gulfstar 44 crosses our wake and falls in behind us, but I quickly lose sight of what turns out to be the home of CCCC members Lee and Brenda, complete with two very furry cats. Although Brenda loves to show off her engine room even
Clockwise from Top: The Beer and Boat Shack breaks up the monotony of the “Miserable Mile”, covered in mannequins!; The Crow’s Nest, a favorite lunch spot in Venice; The perfect name for a boat; Beauty at its finest on shore; Members of the The Cape Coral Cruise Club (CCCC) fly their burgee with pride.
before her prized possessions, she likes to try and keep them from flying about the cabin underway so “Moonlighter” keeps her distance. On the other hand, the next boat that comes into view overtakes us with no problem, “Happy Ours,” a Formula 45, the largest that the company manufactures. CCCC members Gary and Kathy are joining us on this open day to Venice, a convenient stop before all the boats meet up the next day in Sarasota. Not long after, our home for the night comes into view and we pull up alongside the dock with the same ease that we slid through the lock, hardly needing the help of the dockhands who were waiting to catch our lines. A quick check-in, and we headed across the parking lot to the Dockside Restaurant which immediately transported us to the Caribbean with its brightly colored walls and Calypso music. Two familiar faces were already seated at our table, beginning my flotilla friend visits as we moved from port to port, a great way to catch up with Florida transplants. Diane and Michael had recently moved to Venice from Connecticut and loved hearing about the CCCC as they had recently
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Navigating the rough waters of Tampa Bay coming out of St. Petersburg.
joined The Freedom Club, a cruising club found throughout the state which provides boats for its members to use. “It’s a great way to try out different boats,” explained Michael, all tanned from his new lifestyle. They would try out another vessel the next day heading to Don Pedro Island for a beach picnic with their boat club. For us, the next day’s destination was Marina Jack’s, walking distance to downtown Sarasota. IT’S DOCKTAIL TIME Our first morning on the boat was greeted with beautiful sunny weather to enjoy the homemade muffins and fresh fruit Sandra had brought for
The gate from Truly Blessed’s dock at Sarasota’s Marina Jack’s opens out to their restaurants overlooking the water.
the trip. Joe’s breakfast was not quite as relaxing as he kept hopping up from his meal to check in on the marine radio with Marina Jack’s dock master. “Are we clear to dock?”, he kept asking her between the static,
for a lunch overlooking the water, with the Gulf breezes sweeping
only to find out the flotilla of sailboats sitting in our reserved docks were
through the tables. Dinner the next night was reserved for the flotilla
having a hard time setting sail in the early hours. Since Joe’s first order
two floors above with beautiful sunset views through the floor to ceiling
of duty was not until 4:30 that afternoon, the very important hosting of
windows. After lunch, we returned to our dock to scrub the salt water
the Docktails, we obviously had plenty of time but Joe is a man of the
off the yacht, a daily boater’s duty, followed by setting up for happy
moment, and he was ready! Our short cruise once underway brought
hour. Friendly faces began to approach the table on the dock with the
us to our berth for the next three nights about 11:30 that morning,
assorted appetizers they had brought and nightly Docktails began.
backing in amongst the other flotilla boats, most of which would share slips along the same dock.
Another Connecticut friend joined us from her nearby Sarasota condo, and we were instantly members of the flotilla. Some had been
Marina Jack’s has none of the Caribbean vibe we had left behind,
members for years, some just two weeks, but there was no way to know,
being a very modern, high-end operation recently voted National
for everyone just chatted it up. Old and new friends wandered off as
Marina of the Year. We headed to one of their three adjacent restaurants
sunset approached, and we returned to our boat to share some Sonoma wine we had brought from our home in Northern California. The next day would be free time till the planned dinner and the following day,
Sunset over Venice
a visit Joe planned to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a short walk away, featuring a special Marc Chagall exhibit. That night would be our last cocktails with my new found way of life, with many splitting off to visit other ports as we would be doing for the next five days. Because after all, if you’ve got a cruising boat, you’ve got to cruise! ¨ About the Author: Kim Cooper, an award winning writer and photographer, was co-founder of The Fairfield County (CT) Minuteman Newspapers. She presently spends most of her time in California’s Sonoma County enjoying the wine country between travels.
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Bali’s Top 10 Rustic to Luxe Retreats Experience Deeper Healing and Wellness on the Island of the Gods Written by Judy Chapman
COMO Shambhala Estate
THE ISLAND OF BALI is one of the world’s most established wellness destinations’ and offers an array of stunning yoga, spa, surf, and Ayurveda retreats for you to explore. What’s inspiring is the design of these incredible retreats. From sustainable bamboo yoga pavilions to luxury villas, and open-air spas beside sacred rivers, these soul-nourishing sanctuaries cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world. If you are looking to stay at a rustic type boutique resort with a sustainable ethos, then Bambu Indah is for you. Created by John and Cynthia Hardy from ‘The Green School’, it is a gem hidden deep in the Ubud greenery. You will sleep in one of the old bridal houses 66 66
COMO Shambhala Estate
CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE
WELLBEING
of yoga, dance and meditation classes are on the menu and, visiting guests are also welcome. There’s also a ‘Happening’ calendar of spiritual workshops such as silent meditations and full moon film nights. Renowned and accredited and renowned yoga gurus facilitate on-going singles, couples and group retreats. Saving the best for last, we love their ‘Merapu Svaasthya Wellness’ spa set in a traditional joglo house - it all feels very rustic and relaxed. desaseni.com When weight gain, digestive issues and fatigue get you down, think of Svarga Loka Resort. This is a medium-priced esotericdetox retreat situated on the banks of the Minang House at Bambu Indah
sacred Camphuhan river in the rainforest of Ubud. It offers 45 comfortable suites, two pools, yoga bales, a detox clinic and
imported from Java. From your verandah you
but wine and coffee are available too (yay!).
meditation spaces. The resort’s Ayusha
can watch your dinner grow (it goes without
The yoga decks, hydrotherapy pools and
Wellness Spa consists of open-air riverside
saying food is all organic and local). The
Pilates studio overlooking jungle greenery
pavilions, river rock bathtubs and two
centerpiece is Minang House, an incredible
are ideal for body-mind regeneration.
Far Infra Red Saunas. The team has put
space (made from black bamboo) that is used
comohotels.com/comoshambhalaestate
together a compelling calendar of retreat
for morning yoga. The spa is rustic (but when
programs that range from ‘Sleep Beautifully’
it comes to spa, what else do you really need
It all feels very down-to-earth at Desa Seni,
through to ‘Life Change – Mapping your
except a comfortable massage table and
a popular (and affordable) yoga-focused
Passion’ and a ‘Silent Retreat’. They have
healing hands?). There’s no place like Bambu
retreat in Canggu. Inspired by the traditional
also curated some exceptional Balinese
Indah in the world – we are ready to move in!
Balinese compound, the retreat features an
experiences. Svarga Loka is the kind of
bambuindah.com
assortment of traditional heritage houses,
place that you can travel to solo, or bring a
open-air yoga shalas, a salt-water pool,
friend to – it all feels very relaxed.
organic restaurant and spa. A daily schedule
svargalokaresort.com
Como Shambhala Estate is a high-end and holistic retreat that offers a sublime backdrop for wellbeing. Check into one of the stunning Retreat Pool Villas that comes with your own private steam room and onsen pool. Pre-book a retreat program and upon arrival, spend time with the resident naturopath, Ayurvedic or TCM doctor, all of whom can prescribe a bespoke program that works for you. Ayurveda, yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine is central to their detox, stress management and rejuvenation retreats. Treatments are very well-executed – the signature massage is devised to counter our digital lifestyles and really works. Food and beverages at the GLOW restaurant are clean, green and raw,
Desa Seni Resort
Desa Seni Resort
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE
67
WELLBEING
Dharma Shanti Bale at Four Seasons Sayan
Mandala Agung yoga pavillion at Fivelements
Situated in the heart of Ubud, Yoga Barn is a
spaces, but for deeper relaxation spend
If you are a follower of the plant-based
yoga-centric retreat. Founder is New Yorker,
time at their Ayurvedic-inspired ‘Darshana
movement and also seek to understand
Megan Pappenheim (I happened to do my
Veda’ spa. Cuisine is primarily Indian and
more about yoga, indigenous Balinese heal-
yoga teacher training with her back in 2002).
vegetarian and it’s all organic produce. The
ing and spiritual growth, then Fivelements
Megan and her husband also head up the
Shala Bali has recently introduced a collec-
is perhaps the most unique sanctuary on
annual Bali Spirit Festival. The Yoga Barn has
tion of Bali Immersion Retreats, where yoga
the island. The retreat consists of spacious
a relaxed village atmosphere and features a
programs are facilitated by notable yogis,
riverside bamboo villas, the iconic bamboo
simple guest house, several yoga shalas, a
including Mathew Sweeney and Louisa Sear.
Mandala Agung yoga pavilion, and a healing
charming Ayurvedic spa and an organic café.
theshalabali.com
spa. Wellness-wise, the focus is on sacred
There’s a daily schedule of yoga, dance,
and holistic healing immersions. Imagine
workshops and retreats – a highlight is the
fire ceremonies with Balinese priests, water
Sunday Dance held in the two-storey circular
rituals and martial arts. Although yoga is
bale overlooking rice fields. On any given
not on the daily schedule, you may book
day you might connect with hula-hoopers,
classes with local teachers, and if you seek
dancers, musicians – and others from all
a detox, then colonic hydrotherapy is avail-
walks of life.
able. At the heart is the Sakti Dining Room
theyogabarn.com
where gourmet plant-based meals and raw desserts are devised by LA-trained raw
The Shala Bali is the new kid on the block. What sets this retreat aside from others is that
food chefs. Depart transformed. . Ayurvedic treatments at Oneworld Ayurveda Retreat
fivelements.org
it is also a yoga teacher training center. The destination itself is a gorgeous property con-
With a resident Buddhist Nun to rock you to
sisting of rather deluxe Balinese bungalows
sleep, full moon yoga and the Dharma Shanti
and villas set around an infinity pool and sur-
Bale, the Four Seasons is a serene sanctuary
rounded by organic gardens. The stunning
of sixty villas and suites, and features river-
open-air yoga shala is constructed from local
side dining, yoga and fitness classes, and
materials and is the place to be to stretch your mind and limbs. The retreat has lots of restful 68
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Oneworld Ayurveda Retreat
a healing spa. The spa offers some of the most beautifully curated treatments in the
world. Another highlight is the yoga bale set
facilities. Highlights are the beautiful yoga
If your idea of a wellness holiday is roaming
amidst the ricefields. It was co-designed with
shala and the spa treatment rooms over-
around barefoot, dressed in a batik sarong,
Elora Hardy and is constructed entirely from
looking green rice terraces and coconut
with endless days of surf, massages and
sustainable bamboo. This is a serene setting
plantations. The minimum stay for your
afternoon siestas, then Temple Lodge is for
for the AntiGravity ‘flying’ yoga, where a silk
Panchakarma is seven nights (there are also
you! Set into a cliff with phenomenal views
hammock supports you into inverted posi-
14, 21 and 28-day programs). A bonus is that
over the Indian Ocean, the accommodation
tions – surprisingly, easier than it looks! The
you have the option to do the entire retreat
is heavenly. Sleep in one of seven bungalows
hammocks transform into a nurturing cocoon
(or part of it) in silence. True to Ayurveda, the
that are beautifully handcrafted out of drift-
for a new Sacred Nap, where you are rocked
consultations are thorough and treatments,
wood (the Coral Cave Suite carved into the
to sleep while listening to Buddha’s life story.
meals and activities individually prescribed.
cliff is rather dreamy). Yoga is central to the
fourseasons.com/sayan
Says founder Claude Chouinard who turned
Temple Lodge experience, and attracts the
to Ayurveda after his own life-changing Pan-
yoga-surf crew – you can share a nutritious
If you have been feeling stressed, sluggish
chakarma: ‘People often do Panchakarma to
meal with them in the communal dining
and overwhelmed, then now could be the
detox and lose weight. However, a Pancha-
area. The cuisine is a blend of vegetarian,
time for a Panchakarma detox at Oneworld
karma can also treat asthma, thyroid, anxiety,
Ayurvedic, Macrobiotic, Italian, and Balinese.
Ayurveda in Bali. This is a sublime retreat
insomnia and stress and much more.’
The no-frills spa is simply a hut with two
with tasteful accommodation and elegant
oneworldayurveda.com
massage tables – all you need, really. With a gorgeous infinity-pool and nearby surf beaches, it’s all too easy to get into the rhythm of rest and rejuvenation. thetemplelodge.com Owned by American entrepreneur, Christopher Burch and hotelier, James Mcbride, Nihiwatu is a luxury surf-centric resort located on a secluded coastline on Sumba Island (while not technically in Bali, it deserves a mention). While most folk are drawn here for the famous Occy’s left-hand surf break, the yoga and wellness make this a stunning retreat destination. The villas are incredible but you could also stay in one of the jungly Mamole Treehouses. There’s a cool Chris and Charlie’s Chocolate Factory for kids to explore, endless white beaches, surf and Horse Meditation led by a horse whisperer and yes – horse surfing! A must-try is the off-the-grid Nihi Oka Safari, a cluster of open-air bales overlooking secluded coves. Staff cook you up a healthy breakfast on the open fire and then you can indulge in Nihiwatu Resort
unlimited treatments – all day! ¨ nihiwatu.com
About the author: Judy Chapman is the former Editor-in-Chief of Spa Asia magazine and author of four books on spas and wellbeing. Over the past twenty years, Judy has travelled the world consulting and creating award winning spas and retreats concepts and indigenous beauty products and treatment experiences for luxury hotels and brands. She has personally created over 200 natural skin, hair and body care products, tea and candle collections. With a relentless pursuit of unique and original experiences, her curiosity has led her to Himalayas spending time with Tibetan and Ayurvedic doctors to onsen bathing in Japan and Ayurveda retreats in Kerala. Just some of the destinations Judy has consulted on spa and retreat projects include Australia, Bali, Germany, India, Maldives, Middle East, Myanmar, Singapore and New York.
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PULSE:
Stage
2 1. Kristen Blodgette. Photo contributed 2. The casts of Andrew Lloyd Webber four musicals celebrate the legendary composer. Photo by Nathan Johnson 3. Michael Xavier with the Company of Sunset Boulevard. Photo by Joan Marcus 4. Glenn Close as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Photo by Joan Marcus
1
“GOD, CAN YOU FEEL IT!” Kristen Blodgette Takes Center Stage 3
Written by William Squier This season Andrew Lloyd Webber marked a major milestone in his illus-
“It’s thrilling,” Blodgette acknowledges, of her turn in the spotlight.
trious career as a musical theater composer when four of his shows
“I’m usually in the pit. I didn’t know what it was going to be when I
were playing simultaneously on Broadway: the long running hit The
said yes. I just knew that it was Sunset and Andrew and Glenn and
Phantom of the Opera, last year’s smash School of Rock and the recent
Lonny – the most wonderful people that you’d ever want to work
revivals of Cats and Sunset Boulevard. But, the Thursday night in
with, whether you’re in the basement or another building! But, this
February when it happened also turned out to be significant for Lloyd
is pretty amazing.”
Webber’s close associate, Kristen Blodgette.
The current Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard began as a
Often the Music Director, Musical Supervisor and/or Conductor
sold-out concert engagement at the London Coliseum with Close and
of the musicals already mentioned, as well as major productions of
her Broadway co-stars Michael Xavier, Fred Johanson and Siobhan
Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Love Never Dies and The Woman in
Dillon. “Everybody in the show is so good and they’d done it before,”
White, Bodgette has stepped into a somewhat different role at Sunset
says Blodgette. “It was me who was the interloper.” So, we caught
Boulevard. She is, in essence, one of the stars of the show!
up with her during the show’s 16-week stay in New York to ask how
When the curtain (or should I say corpse) rises on director Lonny
it was going.
Price’s reimagining of Sunset, Kristen Blodgette is discovered at the
70
head of the 41-piece orchestra that fills much of the Palace Theatre’s
VENÜ: Do you prepare any differently to conduct onstage than
stage. Under her baton, the show’s ornate and ominous overture rolls
when you’re in the pit?
out over the audience, filling the theater’s crimson and gold interior
BLODGETTE: “It’s the same as when I’m conducting Phantom --
with glorious sound, clear up to the dome! And Blodgette remains
the same energy. The difference is not being able to see anyone.
center stage for the entire evening, coaxing the lush, cinematic score
Because my back is to the audience, I don’t see how visible the
to heights as theatrical as that of Glenn Close, in her dazzling portrayal
orchestra is and it’s probably better that way. If I knew, I might be
of the faded screen siren, Norma Desmond.
more nervous.”
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
V: The conductor is often a lifeline for the performers. Is it an issue
V: You’ve been involved in 17 companies of The Phantom of the
that you can’t make eye contact?
Opera in the U.S. and around the world.
B: “It is in that we had to find other ways to communicate. I love being
B: “That’s true. It’s been interesting to do it in other languages.”
able to look at the singers. Love watching them breathing and figuring everything out. Now, I just listen closely and try to feel everything
V: Am I correct that your daughter was the first baby born during
without seeing them.”
the Broadway run of Phantom? B: “She was! She grew up in the theater and went all over the world
V: Was it challenging to fit a huge orchestra on stage?
with me. She’d be on my back while I was teaching Phantom. The
B: “It was more difficult than I can describe. The set designer, musical
original music director, David Caddick, told one of the companies
contractor and stage manager mapped out the space. But, when we
that ‘Kristen’s daughter’s mental health is dependent upon whether
got into the theater, it didn’t work as seamlessly. The set designer
you put the “d” on ‘Masquerade’ or not.’ She’s now Josh Grobin’s
added a suspended platform. But, it still wasn’t enough! Players
dresser over at The Great Comet.”
couldn’t move their arms! They’re still scrunched. But, everyone wants to be there so badly, they said okay. The orchestra is amazing. From
V: You’ve worked with vocalists different as pop star, Ricky Martin, in
the first note, Andrew’s score is cinematic. Being able to have that
Evita and opera star, Deborah Voight, in Annie Get Your Gun. How do approach working with such a diverse group? B: “It’s my job to find ways to merge the dramatic and vocal demands with the performer. To make them feel safe and find ways to help them fly. Ricky was such a love! But, he’d never done anything like eight show a week. I loved finding ways to try and support him. It was the same thing with Debbie. At the peak of her Wagner Ring performances at the Met, here she comes to Glimmerglass to play an Ethel Merman role! She was brave to do that! Just went for it! It was my job to say ‘You’re going to have to not care so much about the sound here and there.’ She was
4
fun, too.” V: Tell me a little bit about your training?
many players makes it expansive and rich in a way that you’d think
B: “I went to Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where I got a degree
something of that period would be. It’s just so pretty that sometimes
in piano performance. And I played in a lot of the vocal studios, which
I can’t believe that I get to do it!”
gave me a great appreciation for voice. I enjoyed working with singers and teachers and realized how much that collaboration meant to me.
V: You worked on the original Broadway run of Sunset Boulevard
So, I went to grad school for accompanying and coaching. I was torn
back in the 90’s. How do the two productions compare?
between opera and musical theater. But, never really torn enough.
B: “That was a joy. I started in L.A. with Glenn. Then, I did it in New
My heart was in musical theater. Always!”
York and I did the tour. Different values were placed on different things. Lonny’s direction is a little more realistic – even with Glenn
V: Did you go straight to New York after school?
being as dramatic as she is! I’m dying to see her performance! All I
B: “I did some road stuff first. My first big break was playing the piano
can do is feel it! But, god can you feel it!”
on the national tour of Barnum. But, my connection there was also the musical director of Cats. He hired me to be the keyboard assistant.
V: So much of your Broadway career has been associated with
When he left Cats, I moved up.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber. What is it about his musicals make them such a natural fit for you?
V: What’s next for you after Sunset?
B: “As a kid, I was an “everything else” fan: Rodgers and Hammer-
B: “I’m getting ready for the tour of Andrew’s Love Never Dies. We
stein, Rodgers and Hart, Lerner and Lowe – I always thought that I was
start rehearsals in August. I’ll put that together and then come back
born in the wrong era! And I loved Sondheim! But, then I got Cats
and do something else. I don’t know what!”
and started working on Andrew’s music. It requires ridiculous voices. That was something that I really liked about his shows. It puts to use
V: Worst case, you can always help your daughter dress Josh Grobin.
my passion for voices and helping people to sing. I’m drawn to that.”
B: “You’ve got it! Exactly!”
¨
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
71
FILM + ENTERTAINMENT
Fox on Film by PETER FOX: about.me/foxonfilm
American Fango Directed by Gabriele Altobelli. Starring Brando Boniver with Samantha Scafidi, Emily Jackson, Deborah Twiss, Joseph D’Onofrio, Maggie Wagner and Victor Colicchio. Producer/Executive Producer Charles Randolph. Written by Brittany McComas, Gabriele Altobelli and Kathleen Randolph
T
he great classic Italian filmmakers of the mid to late twentieth-century made their mark by separating themselves, through their work, with conventions established by their Hollywood contemporaries during the golden age. The works of Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves, 1948) Mario Monicelli (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958) and Michelangelo Antonioni (L’avventura,1960),
paradoxically, broke with stylistic and commercially acceptable methods of cinematic storytelling, and eventually influenced some of the most successful directors of all time. The art of Rome was evident in each of their films; the permanence and authority of ancient culture and its beauty influenced every frame. The locations, no matter how briefly photographed, were
portrayed as characters; their subtleties would interact with the characters. Almost as much a part of the story as the characters themselves, these landscapes demanded that the audience remains still during the explorative process. Undeniably, the influences of Antonioni, Monicelli, and the other masters of Italian cinema exist in the works of Martin Scorcese, Francis Ford Coppola, and even Stephen Spielberg. It was Antonioni who perfected the art of holding the camera on a character for extended periods after their dialogue was complete. This technique takes the audience into the character’s inner world and gives viewers the opportunity to explore their internal conflict; giving the actor full command over where they might take us in any given scene. Examples of this form of cinematic storytelling are rare in present-day
independent films. Ironically, they are even rarer still in big budget features. In American Fango, Gabriele Altobelli’s feature-length debut, the influences of the Italian masters are gloriously evident from the opening scene until the last, and the result is a film that is enchanting and uplifting, yet poignant. Altobelli and his talented cast take us on a delightful journey through beautiful Rome, Los Angeles, and New York City. The uninflected photography by cinematographer Antonello Emidi (whose past projects include The Talented Mr. Ripley and The English Patient) explores these locations while keeping the viewer as up close and personal with the characters as possible. The cast, intelligently assembled by New York Producer/Actor/ Director John Gallagher, are delightful. But each of the two lead actors, Brando Boniver (as Francesco) and Samantha Scaffidi (as Kathy)
Photography courtesy of Gabriele Altobelli 72
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
steal the show in their respective roles. The film explores the challenges that result from being in a relationship based on a false reality. It begins in Rome, where Francesco, an actor with a promising future, finds his life’s aspirations and dignity robbed from him after deciding to accompany his girlfriend, Christine, (Emily Jackson) who is also an actress, on her move back home to Los Angeles. Once they arrive, all seems well as he rides in a red convertible along the Pacific Coast Highway to her beach house. But, when Christine abruptly tells Francesco that she has accepted a film role overseas, she also tells him that he cannot remain in her house while she’s away. Skeptical, Francisco initially accepts her explanation, but learns shortly after from a friend of Christine’s that he’s been deceived: The real reason for the sudden move is that Christine’s real long term boyfriend- a wealthy travelling businessman-actually owns the beach house and is returning home, earlier than expected, from a business trip. Devastated, broke, and with limited command of the English language, Francesco is forced to navigate the throw-away culture of America, starting in Los Angeles. At first, he depends on the mercy of a girlfriend of Christine’s for shelter. He desperately misses Christine and calls her incessantly for an explanation, but to no avail. Francesco’s desperation grows. He calls a friend in New York who promises him overnight accommodations.
Once in New York, he finds himself on a couch tour of temporary places to stay, teetering on homelessness. He meets and is taken in by several benevolent women, toward whom Francesco is utterly respectful and gracious. The cultural differences the between the American and Italian
as a waiter provide great physical comedy. Between stolen morsels of uneaten food taken from the tables, he accidentally spills food on unsuspecting diners. Francesco begins to find his way in New York City, and becomes the platonic roommate of Kathy (Samantha Scaffidi) who is the “kept”
male are bravely explored. Francesco is on a spiritual journey and as such, does not enter into the realm of casual opportunistic sex with the women, as the audience may have expected here. He does not use his handsome European features as bait. Instead, the focus of his actions are on survival, redemption and finding the hidden truths about his relationship with Christine, and they keep him courageously centered on acquiring higher ground. Destitute, Francesco finds work in an Italian restaurant where the affable Pino (Victor Colicchio), takes mercy upon him and gives him a job. While his charisma and humility are a hit with the chefs, waitstaff and ladies, his under-developed skills
girlfriend of a married, wealthy, and barbaric Tony (Brian Kelly). Within these sequences, Altobelli explores the contrasts between cultures, and Francesco begins to discover that he can love again and that his dreams can survive. After Kathy finds out that she’s pregnant with Tony’s child, the arrangement comes to a head. Francesco finally comes full circle and takes a stand. Boniver’s performance is riveting. He brings the character of Francesco to the edge of breaking down in several places, but stops just short, and every moment of his performance is believable. It’s impossible not to root for Francesco and ultimately, for Boniver. His Italian accent (he spent three years of his childhood
in Italy) gradually lightens throughout the film. Said Altobelli: “There was a day (during the film’s production) where we shot a scene from the beginning of the film, and on the same day, had to shoot one of the scenes from the end of the film. He (Boniver) did this, and adjusted his accent with great skill.” This compact and very fast-moving production has the look of a much larger budget feature film. Said Charles Randolph, its executive producer: “Gabriele got the best out of every character, very quickly. He was very demanding of all of our people, but in a very good way. We finished ahead of schedule, and shot in three cities in three weeks.” Added Altobelli: “It is a story about never giving up. This is a wonderful, wildly entertaining film. With its superb direction and quickly juxtaposed scenes and sequences, American Fango could become one of the top breakout independent films of 2017. This delightfully honest, fish-out-of-water journey is at once unpretentious, uplifting and thought provoking. The story comes full circle and, upon its conclusion, posits a state of existence; that of the pain endured and humanity required to overcome the agony of starting over in a foreign land. While the Italian masters influence it, American Fango never comes off as heavy handed or dogmatic. American Fango is a refreshing return to classic cinematic storytelling.
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
73
DECORATIVE ARTS
Selection of Spring Offerings By Matthew Sturtevant
were competitive with a strong 91 percent sell-through rate. Top lot honors went to a fine Pair of Paul Storr Silver-Gilt Wine Coolers for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, which featured multiple bidders and finally realized $62,500 – well above pre-auction estimates. Two other iconic names in the silver trade showed strong interest as A Pair of Georg Jensen Silver FiveLight Candelabra, designed by Johan Rohde, Copenhagen, circa 1945-1977 and a Rare 48 Piece Tiffany & Co. William K. Vanderbilt Pattern Flatware Service, New York, New York, circa 1885, each sold for $23,750.
Rare Velazquez A painting that had been in the same family for generations and was only recently credited to Spain’s famed artist Diego Velazquez was sold April 25th in Madrid for $8.7 million, at Abalarte Auctions. The “Portrait of a girl,” which portrays a young girl with large, sad eyes, her hands held together as if in prayer, is believed to be an early work by the Sevillian artist best known for his masterpiece “Las Meninas”, on display in Madrid’s Prado Museum. It is believed to have been painted by Velazquez around 1616 or 1617, when the artist was only 17 or 18 years old and still living in the southern Spanish city of Seville, the auction house said. Richard de Willermin, a specialist on 17th century Spanish art who 74
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Local House Shows Spine it was by Velazquez. The identity of the buyer was not revealed, but the painting is banned from leaving the country by order of the government, which prohibits any work that could be part of Spain’s heritage from being taken abroad. A slow and meticulous worker, Velazquez is thought to have painted fewer than 200 works in his entire career. About 120 survive to this day, roughly half of them in the Prado.
Silver Gilt collaborates with the auction house, examined the small oil on canvas painting and concluded
More than 450 silver and vertu lots crossed the auction block April 20 during Heritage Auctions’ Fine Silver and Vertu auction in Dallas. Interest and final prices realized
A bronze maquette for the sculpture Draped Reclining Figure by Henry Moore sailed past its high estimate figure of $150,000 to finish at $195,500 held March 25th online and at Cottone’s gallery in Geneseo NY. Henry Moore was born the son of a coal miner but he rose to prominence with his semi-abstract, monumental bronze sculptures that today are located around the world as public works of art. His forms are often abstractions of the human body, typically depicting mother-andchild or reclining figures. It was the top lot in a sale that grossed right around $2.1 million. The maquette was one of many fine items up for bid that came from the Seymour H. Knox Collection of Buffalo, NY.
oyster paintings by nadine robbins
Paintings, limited editions, commissions • www.nadinerobbinsart.com Studio@nadinerobbinsart.com • 845-233-0082
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...CONTEMPORARY CULTURE: art, travel, food & drink, music, film, stage, motoring, boating, architecture & design, style, and more 10 Main Street • Essex, CT • 860.581.8526 • coopersmithgallery.com
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OCTOBER
24 - 25
15 -16
5-6
7-8
29-30
Saratoga Arts Celebration, Saratoga Springs, NY
Norwalk Art Festival, Matthews Park, Norwalk, CT
Westport Fine Arts Festival, Westport, CT
Stamford Art Festival, Harbor Point, Stamford, CT
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SoNo ArtsFest, South Norwalk, CT
19-20
Bruce Museum Fine Arts Festival, Greenwich, CT
14 - 15
NOVEMBER
MAY 2018
11 - 1 2
19 - 2 0
Saratoga Holiday Art Fair at the Dance Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY
Bruce Museum Crafts Festival, Greenwich, CT
Westfarms Arts Festival, WestFarms Mall Grounds, Farmington, CT
For more informaiton vist www.gordonfinearts.org or call 518.852.6478
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
GORDON FINE ARTS GALLERY A Premier Showcase of Contemporary Artwork Representing a collection of One-of-a-kind ART and fine craft including paintings, photography, prints, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry and fiber. Stamford Town Center 100 Greyrock Place, 5th floor Stamford, CT 06901 www.gordonfinearts.org | 518.852.6478
V ERMONT - F LORIDA - N EW Y ORK C ONNECTICUT - C OLORADO
For a complete catalogue and event schedule, please visit us at:
www.edwardloedding.com To set up a private home appointment when we vist your area, please call:
(802) 247-5517
Sonatina IV original pigment print ~ 52” x 52” $4,100 CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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WEDDING VASE Leslie Reich
Personalize your perfect wedding gift. Handmade porcelain vases and bowls. Infinite variety of sayings about love, life, and laughter. Functional and decorative. Custom orders are welcomed. www.potterymountain.com | 914.388.2470
PATENT ARTWORK
TM
Elements are extracted from iconic patents and blended with the photographs of the invention on contextual backgrounds to create a collage showing how the inventor’s dream became a reality. Our prints appeal to a large audience including sports, music, automobiles and professionals. They are a great addition any room in your house or office. These prints also make fantastic gifts that speak to someone’s passion. Prints are on archival paper and metal in standard sizes. Custom sizes are available. Available on our website www.PatentArtwork.com or see us at: Norwalk Art Festival - June 24-25 Info@PatentArtwork.com | 860.514.1215
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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
JANIS CUTLER GEAR PORCELAIN ARTIST
MARITIME WHIMSY
Nature + Culture Intertwined
Meb’s Kitchenwares
www.janiscutlergear.com | 201.452.7678
www.mebskitchenwares.com | 860.974.3504
Flying Sea Turtle, celadon glazed wood-fired bas relief vessel Bohemianwimz Platter, underglaze painted porcelain Stardust We Are, detail, porcelain portrait bowl Instagram: @janiscutlergear
Uncommon woodenwares for decor, kitchen and tabletop. Fun yet functional utensils, boards and vessels. Handmade in Woodstock, CT of New England hardwoods. Whale Hooks, walnut: $300/hook, Whale Trivet, cherry: $140, Oven Pulls: $35
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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GALLERY + MUSEUM GUIDE
CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT Housatonic Museum of Art 900 Lafayette Boulevard 203.332.5052 housatonicmuseum.org HOURS Sept-May: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm, Thurs until 7pm, Sat 9-3pm, Sun 12pm-4pm
ESSEX Cooper & Smith Gallery 10 Main Street 860.561.8526 coopersmithgallery.com HOURS Sun-Mon 11am-5pm, Thur-Sat 11am-6pm Contemporary fine art, in a range of genres and styles, from painters nationwide. Spring exhibit: Skyward, by NY artist Shelia Kramer.
FAIRFIELD Art/Place Gallery 70 Sanford Street (Fairfield Theater Co.) 646.258.6912 or 203.374.9720 artplacegallery.org HOURS Thur-Sat 12pm-4pm, Sun 2pm-5pm or by appointment The Fairfield Museum + History Center 370 Beach Road 203.259.1598 fairfieldhistory.org HOURS Open daily 10am-4pm Fairfield University Art Museum Fairfield University 1073 N. Benson Road 203.254.4046 fairfield.edu/museum •
Bellarmine Hall Galleries Tuesday-Friday, 11am-4pm
HOURS
•
Walsh Art Gallery (Quick Center) Wednesday-Saturday, 12pm-4pm
HOURS
GREENWICH The Bendheim Gallery 299 Greenwich Avenue, 2nd Floor 203.862.6750 greenwichartscouncil.org HOURS Tues-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm C. Parker Gallery 17 E Putnam Ave 203.253.0934 cparkergallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm, Sun 11am-5pm 82
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Samuel Owen Gallery 382 Greenwich Avenue 203.422.6500 samuelowengallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10:30-6:00; Sun 11-3
IVORYTON Six Summit Gallery 6 Summit Street 860.581.8332 or 917.573.0029, NYC sixsummitgallery.com HOURS Wed 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-6:30pm, Fri 10am-6:30pm, Sat 12pm-4pm
NORWALK LoveArt Gallery & Studio 132C Washington Street 203.957.3124 loveartgalleryandstudio.com HOURS Tues-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-4pm Sidewalk Gallery@ Press Proof Studios, Inc. 18 Main Street (corner of Havilande) 203.857.1240 sidewalkgallery@pressproofstudio.com HOURS Call for infromation Stress free art viewing from sidewalk; lights on til’ Midnight
NEW CANAAN
OLD LYME
Handwright Gallery & Framing 93 Main Street 203.966.7660 handwrightgallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm
Florence Griswold Museum 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 860.434.5542 florencegriswoldmuseum.org HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Handwright Gallery & Framing provides a full range of framing and installation services for the Fairfield County area. The gallery also offers an expansive collection of original fine art by emerging and award-winning regional, national and international artists in both traditional and contemporary styles.
Florence Griswold Museum, “Home of American Impressionism.”
Silvermine Arts Center 1037 Silvermine Road 203.966.9700 silvermineart.org HOURS Wed-Sat 12pm-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm
RIDGEFIELD
NEW HAVEN Fred Giampietro 1064 Chapel Street 203.777.7760 giampietrogallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 11-6pm, or by appointment Reynolds Fine Art 96 Orange Street, 9th Square 203.498.2200 reynoldsfineart.com HOURS Tues-Thurs 11-5pm, Fri 11-6pm, Sat 11-5pm, or by appointment Yale Center for British Art 1080 Chapel Street 203-432-2800 britishart.yale.edu HOURS Tue-Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 12–5pm Yale University Art Gallery 1111 Chapel Street (at York Street) 203-432-0600 artgallery.yale.edu HOURS Tue-Fri 10am–5pm, Thu (Sept–June) 10am–8:00pm, Sat–Sun 11am–5pm
Historic boardinghouse of the Lyme Art Colony, modern gallery with changing exhibitions. Gardens and grounds to enjoy.
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum 258 Main Street 203.438.4519 aldrichart.org HOURS Tues-Sun 12pm-5pm Ridgefield Guild of Artists 93 Halpin Lane, Ridgefield 203.438.8863 rgoa.com HOURS Wed-Sun 12pm-4pm
WESTPORT Picture This Custom Framing & Fine Art and Nylen Gallery 772 Post Road East 203.227.6861 picturethisofwestport.com HOURS Mon-Fri 10am-5:30pm, Sat 10am-5pm Westport Art Center 51 Riverside Avenue 203.222.7070 westportartscenter.org HOURS Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm
GALLERY + MUSEUM GUIDE
FLORIDA
NEW YORK
MIAMI
BRIDGEHAMPTON
Institute of Contemporary Art 4040 NE 2nd Avenue 305.901.5272 icamiami.org HOURS Tue- Sun 11am-7pm
Chase Edwards Gallery 2462 Montauk Highway 631.604.2204 chaceedwardsgallery.com HOURS Mon-Sun 10am-6pm (seasonal)
Now Contemporary Art 337 NW 25th Street 305.571.8181 nowcontemporaryart.com HOURS Tues-Sat 10am-6pm, Mon by appointment
Katheryn Markel Fine Arts 2418 Montauk Highway 631.613.6386 Markelfinearts.com HOURS Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
Opera Gallery District Design, 140 NE 39th St. # 239 305.868.3337 operagallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
NAPLES Thomas Riley Studio 26 10th Street South 239.529.2633 thomasrileystudio.com HOURS Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, and by appointment
PALM BEACH Arcature Fine Art 318 Worth Avenue 561.805.9388 Arcaturefineart.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun by appointment
MASSACHUSETTS NANTUCKET Samuel Owen Gallery 46 Centre Street 508.680.1445 samuelowen.com HOURS call for hours
NEW BEDFORD New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! 608 Pleasant Street 508.961.3072 newbedfordart.org HOURS Wed-Sun 12pm-5pm , Thurs, 9pm PLUNGE: Explorations From Above & Below Presented with browngrotta arts Through October 8, 2017
Clay Art Center is a nationally recognized nonprofit center for the advancement and practice of ceramic arts offering exhibitions, clay classes for adults and children, studio spaces for clay artists and outreach programs in the community. The Shop at CAC offers functional pottery and ceramic sculpture by 50 area artists. In 2017 Clay Art center will hos t its 60th anniversary with a series of exhibitions, classes and events.
EAST HAMPTON Lawrence Fine Art 37 Newtown Lane 516.547.8965 Lawrence-fine-arts.com HOURS Call for hours
MANHATTAN HG Contemporary 527 W 23rd Street 212-366-4490 hgcontemporary.com HOURS Tues-Sat 11am-6pm Lumas 362 West Broadway 212.219.9497 lumas.com HOURS Sun-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-7pm
Clay Art Center Boneyard Bayless
POUND RIDGE The Lionheart Gallery 27 Westchester Avenue 914.764.8689 thelionheartgallery.com HOURS Wed-Sat 11am-5pm; Sun 12-5pm and by appointment On View through July 2, 2017: Whit Conrad - PLAYING WHAT’S NOT THERE • Karen Vogel - POSTSCRIPT •
LIONHEART SUMMER SHOW July 8 – Sept 4
Richard Taittinger Gallery 154 Ludlow Street 212.634.7154 richardtaittinger.com HOURS Tues–Sun 11am-7pm, Mon by appointment Rosenberg & Co 19 East 66th Street New York, NY 10065 212.202.3270 rosenbergco.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Rotella Gallery 468 West Broadway 212.260.1140 rotellagallery.com HOURS Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
“New England Roadside”, Helen Cantrell 12x12
PORT CHESTER
RYE
Clay Art Center 40 Beech Street Tel: 914-937-2047 clayartcenter.org HOURS Mon. – Sat. 10-5PM
The Rye Arts Center 51 Milton Road 914.967.0700 ryeartscenter.org HOURS Mon-Fri 9:30am-7pm; Sat 9:30am-1pm
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE To be included in the Gallery + Museum Guide email us at advertising@venumagazine.com
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Changing the world one benefit at a time By Sara Herbert–Galloway
Carol Alt Photo by Steve Mack, sdmackpictures.com
Left to Right: Lorraine Schwartz, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Denise Rich, Kris Jenner and Corey Gambler Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Above: Hugh Jackman and Honoree Heloise Platt Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Angel Ball Rasied Nearly $3.7 Million to Support Blood Cancer Research Annual Gala Honored Dr. Carl H. June, Robert Kardashian and Heloise Pratt New York, NY – Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research raised nearly $3.7 million in support of blood cancer research at Angel Ball 2016. The evening honored the work of Carl H. June, M.D., Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania; the late Robert Kardashian and Heloise Pratt, Chair of The Pratt Foundation. This annual, black-tie benefit, hosted by Grammy-nominated songwriter Denise Rich and her daughters Daniella Rich Kilstock and Ilona Rich Schachter, took place at Cipriani Wall Street. The evening was star studded and was attended by many VIP’s. The Angel Ball honors individuals who have made significant humanitarian and philanthropic contributions in support of cancer research and boasts attendees in the fields of business, philanthropy, and society alike for this annual celebration of life, music and the quest for a cure.
City Seats Unveiling NEW YORK (February 27, 2017) – CITY SEATS, a collective of organizations and individuals came together to re purpose the original seats from Yankee Stadium as one of a kind artist-designed works. The collection of seats was exhibited at 287 Gallery in New York City and offered for auction online to a global audience on Paddle8. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of City Seats was donated to The Boys & Girls Club. This collaboration gave the artists and designers the opportunity to transform iconic Yankee stadium seats into unique works of art. Celebrated artists included Jonathan Stein (Chair featured) Romero Britto, Alec Monopoly, Peter Tunney, Roy Nachum, Peter Anton, Maggie Norris, Paul Gerben, Alexander Mijares, Ali Printz, Christopher Flore, Jojo Anavim, King Saladeen, Laura Flook, Louise Fishman, Michael Manning, Nathan Sawaya, R.M. Drake, Robert Mars, Sandra Chevrier, Santlov, Shanteel Martin, Shelter Serra and Skyler Grey used a range of mediums, from brilliant Swarovski crystals to playful Lego's to create their seats.
NMA Gala
Photo By Olgmiljko.com Rod and Judy Gilbert
I am very proud to have co-chaired for the 10th consecutive year the National Meningitis Associations’ “Give Kids A Shot” Gala which occurred on Monday, May 8, 2017 and honored “Hall of Fame” hockey player and NY Ranger Legend Rod Gilbert, Francesca Testa, Kayla St. Pierre, Dr. Amy Middleman, and the McKenzie Meningitis Foundation. The gala took place at NYC’s ESPACE (635 West 42nd Street). Gala chairs Lenore Cooney, (myself) Sara Herbert-Galloway, Errol Rappaport, and Gary Springer, Honorary Event Chairs Ambassador and Mrs. John L. Loeb, Jr. Heather Randall, Liv Ullman and Donald Saunders will attend along with Nick Springer and Honorary Event Committee includes fashion icon Iris Apfel. The National Meningitis Association works to protect families from the devastating effects of meningococcal disease by educating the public, medical professionals and others about the disease and vaccines available to prevent it. You can learn more at www.nmaus.org
Follow Sara on Twitter at @SaraHerbertG and Instagram at @Sherbertny. For more on Sara’s philintropic affairs visit www.herbertcollection.com
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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
Ultra-Luxury Living on the Miami River A selection of extraordinary homes dramatically redefining the Miami River and waterfront living Residences from $870,000
For inquiries, please contact: Pierre Cameau
pierre.cameau@kw.com 305.298.5715
ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. This is not intended to be an offer to sell, or solicitation to buy, condominium units to residents of any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation cannot be made or are otherwise prohibited by law, and your eligibility for purchase will depend upon your state of residency. This offering is made only by the prospectus for the condominium and no statement should be relied upon if not made in the prospectus. The information provided, including pricing, is solely for informational purposes, and is subject to change without notice. With Respect to NY Purchasers: This advertisement is not an offering. It is a solicitation of interest in the advertised property. No offering of the advertised units can be made and no deposits can be accepted, or reservations, binding or non-binding, can be made until an offering plan is filed with the New York State Department of Law. This advertisement is made pursuant to Cooperative Policy Statement No. l, issued by the New York State Department of Law. File No.: CP17-0033.
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