Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart, WNYC
Episode: 100 Pieces of Art All New Yorkers Should See
Date: August 5, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode of “All Of It” celebrates WNYC’s centennial with a spotlight on New York City’s vibrant and diverse art scene. Host Alison Stewart is joined by Sarah Douglas, Editor-in-Chief of Art News, to kick off a year-long project: identifying the top 100 pieces of art every New Yorker—and visitor—should see. The conversation weaves expert choices, personal stories, and listener contributions, illustrating the city’s rich artistic landscape from museums to subway stations and public parks.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Spirit of the Project

• The episode introduces WNYC’s centennial project, spotlighting art as an ever-present force in NYC life.
• Alison Stewart: “We live in a city where you can take a train to see extraordinary works or maybe enjoy the art in the subway or a park or a building. Art is everywhere around you in New York City.” — (02:54)

2. Sarah Douglas’s Top Picks (Detailed Discussion)

a. Nature, Transformation & Time in Art

• Time Landscape (Alan Sonfist, 1978)
  • Living land art at LaGuardia & Houston, recreating pre-colonial NYC flora.
  • Sarah Douglas: “He planted plants and trees there that would have been there in pre colonial times… I like that in a world that’s constantly changing, they’re kind of always there.” — (04:56 - 06:00)
• New York Earth Room (Walter De Maria, 1980)
  • A massive indoor earth installation; notable for its contemplative, sensory experience.
  • Ongoing debate after HVAC upgrades “because the smell and the humidity…was kind of part of the experience.” — Sarah Douglas (06:05 - 07:32)
  • Preservation: Maintained by Bill Dilworth since 1989; supported by the DIA Foundation.
  • Sarah connects this era’s environmental awareness to the evolving meaning of these works.

b. Masterpieces Across Centuries

• Bellini’s St. Francis (Frick Collection)
  • Sarah Douglas: “This is one of these paintings that you can appreciate…It’s in some ways like a perfect painting. The way that…St. Francis was the saint who was sort of out in nature and a friend to the animals…It also seems to be somehow infused with light.” — (12:27 - 13:44)
• A Goldsmith in His Shop (Petrus Christus, 1449, The Met)
  • Renaissance gem noted for its layers and perspective, including a reflection in a mirror.
  • Sarah’s personal connection: “Whenever I would sort of get stuck on something…I would go to the Met and I would sit in a room with this painting.” — (13:55 - 15:23)
• Mark Tansey's The Innocent Eye Test (The Met)
  • Playful, conceptual work: scientists test if a cow recognizes painted cattle.
  • References ancient Greek stories of painting and “the idea that you could judge a painting in that way is just hilarious because…it’s very subjective.” — Sarah Douglas (15:37 - 17:25)

c. Modern and Public Art’s Playfulness

• Calder's Circus (Whitney Museum)
  • Early, whimsical constructions; Calder performed the circus with his miniature figures.
  • Sarah Douglas: “There’s something really pure about that and amazing… It’s experimentation with materials…any of us could sit down and make a little figure out of a wine cork or something.” — (21:39 - 23:14)
• The Rose by Jay DeFeo (Whitney Museum)
  • Monumental abstract painting with mythic, obsessive energy.
  • “She worked on it for 10 years…It didn’t get rediscovered until 1994…it must weigh extraordinarily, and you can sense that about it.” — Sarah Douglas (23:35 - 25:08)
• Rashid Johnson installation (Whitney Café)
  • Plant-filled, modular sculpture references minimalism and organic chaos; interactive and approachable.

d. Iconic Modern Paintings: Technique and Emotion

• Cézanne’s Bather (MoMA)
  • Praised for multiple perspectives and emotional depth. “There’s a tentativeness in the way that he steps forward…The color is just exquisite. The blues and greens and his foot in the pool of water…” — Sarah Douglas (29:11 - 32:00)
• Henri Rousseau’s The Football Players (Guggenheim)
  • Outsider art by a self-taught artist; playful imagery and naive style. “There’s a lot of jouissance in this. It’s very playful and whimsical and beautiful.” — Sarah Douglas (29:11 - 32:00)

3. The Democratic Spirit: Listeners’ Picks and City Gems

a. Subway and Public Art

• WPA tile murals in Newark Light Rail tunnels—1935 canal scenes by Domenico Mortelito (10:10 - 11:09)
• Chuck Close mosaics at 86th St, Second Ave Q-Line station—portraiture reimagined in subway mosaics (11:17 - 11:55)
• Al Held’s “Passing Through” at Lexington Ave/53rd St subway for its vibrant abstraction (26:57 - 27:53)
• Sculptures: Enormous bronze hares on 7th Ave, Manhattan (17:30 - 18:20)
• The old tailor sculpture in the Garment District and Cleopatra’s Needle obelisk in Central Park (21:00+)

b. Museums, Schools, and Community Spaces

• The Met’s Buddha collection (“usually not crowded”) and Klimt’s The Kiss for its eroticism (26:30+)
• The annual “PS Art” exhibition: 126 works by NYC public school students at the Met’s lower level, praised as “my favorite works” by longtime NYC arts educator and caller Karen (28:10 - 28:56)

c. Unexpected Venues & Living Art

• Elliot Arkin’s Salvator Mundy Museum in the Columbia Water District, Brooklyn—interactive, contemporary, and humorous (18:27 - 19:37)

d. Green Spaces as “Masterpieces”

• Central Park and Prospect Park (“Olmsted – a masterpiece”) (21:08 - 21:18)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Living Art:
  “I like that in a world that’s constantly changing, they’re kind of always there.”
  — Sarah Douglas (Time Landscape & Earth Room) (06:00)

• On Experiencing Art Through the Senses:
  “Some people will complain there’s not enough of a smell anymore…and I might be right there with them.”
  — Sarah Douglas (07:00)

• On Art as a Continuous Process:
  “DeFeo didn’t so much finish ‘The Rose’ as simply stop working on it.”
  — Sarah Douglas referring to Jay DeFeo (24:40 approx.)

• On the Importance of “Unfinishedness” in Art:
  “It’s an issue, like, with art: is it finished? Some artists come back to a piece and work on it years later.”
  — Sarah Douglas (24:45)

• On Rousseau and Outsider Art:
  “He was not trained…when you see the lack of perspective in this painting, it’s because he was what was called a naive painter…there’s a lot of jouissance in this.”
  — Sarah Douglas (31:30)

Listener Contributions & Community Engagement (Selected Call-ins)

• Anthony, Nutley, NJ: WPA tile murals in Newark Light Rail tunnels (10:10)
• Duane: Chuck Close tile mosaics at 86th Street Q-Line station (11:17)
• Leanne: Bronze hares and public art on 7th Avenue (17:30)
• Will, Brooklyn: Salvator Mundy Museum, Elliot Arkin in Brooklyn (18:27)
• Wendy, Brooklyn: Al Held’s “Passing Through” in subway transfer corridor (26:57)
• Karen, White Plains: PS Art exhibit at the Met featuring NYC public school students’ art (28:10)

Memorable Moments

• Sarah’s Personal Ritual:
  Frequently seeking inspiration in the Met’s “A Goldsmith in His Shop”—the “green velvet couch” memory (13:55)
• Discussion of “smell” as an essential part of earth art installations: “There’s not enough of a smell anymore…” (07:00)
• **Affirmation of “the park as a masterpiece”—Olmsted’s Central and Prospect Park as living works of art (21:13)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 02:19 – Show introduction, theme explanation
• 04:24 – Interview with Sarah Douglas begins; first selections
• 06:05 – Discussion of the New York Earth Room
• 09:14 – Evolution of environmental meaning in art
• 10:10 – Listener call-ins: public art and subway art
• 12:27 – Italian and Flemish masterpieces at the Frick and Met
• 15:37 – Mark Tansey’s The Innocent Eye Test
• 17:30 – Public sculpture and audience favorites
• 21:00 – Listener text on Cleopatra’s Needle; Central Park as masterpiece
• 21:39 – Calder’s Circus (Whitney)
• 23:35 – Jay DeFeo’s The Rose (Whitney)
• 25:20 – Rashid Johnson’s Whitney bakery installation
• 29:11 – Cézanne and Rousseau at MoMA & Guggenheim
• 32:00 – Wrap-up and thanks

Final Thoughts

This episode paints a joyful, accessible portrait of art in New York, bridging elite masterpieces, community contributions, and the hidden gems of daily life. Art is not only preserved in revered institutions but is everywhere—from subway tunnels to the city’s parks, from cafe installations to student exhibitions. Sarah Douglas’s selections balance expert insight with personal narrative, while listeners’ voices enrich the conversation with authentic local knowledge and enthusiasm. The resulting “100 Pieces” promise an inclusive, evolving portrait of New York’s creative soul.