New Whitney Museum’s American Art Experience Amazes

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

New Whitney Museum’s American Art Experience Amazes the lucky New Yorkers who are privledged to attend the 10 days of events leading up to the public opening this weekend. Every report I have read indicates the total experience is nothing less than world class – exceeding expectations. That makes it the topic of choice for this Good News Monday.

I have always held The Whitney close to my heart. It was the first New York Art Museum I ever stepped into on my first trip to Manhattan in my early twenties. It was intimate and thoughtfully curated featuring celebrated American Artists. I saw my first Andy Warhol close up. My first champagne Sunday brunch New York style, drinking my first French Press coffee feeling so sophisticated as we read the New York Times while enjoying my first spinach and tomato benedict.

The famed Italian architect Renzo Piano and his Building Workshop has become the go to source for museum transformations, created one of his finest works here based on the early reviews. The new location is in the Meat Packing District which has become deeply entrenched in the modern and monied cutting edge. Renzo seems to have struck the right chord – the open spacial dimensions of the area inspired by The Skyline and The Standard Hotel as both give the area its definitive flavor.

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The Witney Museum website describes it – “The dramatically cantilevered entrance along Gansevoort Street shelters an 8,500-square-foot outdoor plaza or “largo,” a public gathering space steps away from the southern entrance to the High Line. The building also includes an education center offering state-of-the-art classrooms; a multi-use black box theater for film, video, and performance with an adjacent outdoor gallery; a 170-seat theater with stunning views of the Hudson River; and a Works on Paper Study Center, Conservation Lab, and Library Reading Room. The classrooms, theater, and study center are all firsts for the Whitney.”

Mr. Piano’s design takes a strong and strikingly asymmetrical form—one that responds to the industrial character of the neighboring loft buildings and overhead railway while asserting a contemporary, sculptural presence. The upper stories of the building overlook the Hudson River on its west, and step back gracefully from the elevated High Line Park to its east.

Adding the richness of a total experience is accessible retail shop on the ground-floor level contributes to the busy street life of the area. A ground-floor restaurant and top-floor cafe are operated by renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group. ( I would follow Danny Meyer cuisine anywhere after dinning at my favorites in his Group – The Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke and The Modern in MOMA many times.)

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New Whitney Museum’s American Art Experience Amazes makes Spanista crave being at the heart of this exciting scene on my next trip to New York. Spansita Self Care Rituals include escaping to creatively infused spaces of any fashion. Art experiences expand the mind and feed the soul. If you wish to see more, Spanista recommends Huffington Post’s article ’10 Things to Find at the Brand New Whitney Museum‘  or in the New York Times see Bill Cunningham’s article and video ‘Fashion and Art at the New Whitney Museum” where in he boasts about the expansive and creative expressive of personal style that adorns the guests in attendance – explosive fashion sensibilities abound and he suggests the fashion industry turn to artists for a fresh infusion of ideas. Given Spanista’s works with many such wonderful people she could not agree more. See Bill’s article for the wonderful pictures that show exactly what he means. Enjoy!

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny