100 Pieces of Art' with the Bronx Museum

Summary

Podcast Summary: "All Of It" Episode - "100 Pieces of Art' with the Bronx Museum"

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Producer: WNYC
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, doers, makers, and creators in discussions about the what and why of their work. The show fosters a community that embraces diverse perspectives, reflecting the vibrancy of New York City’s cultural landscape.
• Episode Title: 100 Pieces of Art' with the Bronx Museum
• Release Date: June 3, 2025

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Introduction

In the landmark episode celebrating WNYC's centennial, host Alison Stewart delves into the rich tapestry of New York City's art scene with special guest Eileen Jane Lynch, Director of Curatorial Programs at the Bronx Museum of Art. The episode is part of the "100 Pieces of Art" series, which invites art experts to highlight ten must-see artworks that embody the city's diverse cultural fabric.

Notable Quote:

"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things." – Cristina De Rossi (Referenced by the host)

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Criteria for Selection

Eileen Jane Lynch outlines the thoughtful criteria behind her selection of the top ten artworks:

• Accessibility: Art that is easily accessible to the public, whether in museums, on the streets, or through other public installations.
• Diverse Perspectives: Pieces that offer varied viewpoints and represent different cultural, social, and historical backgrounds.
• Engagement: Artworks that provoke thought, invite interaction, and encourage viewers to explore and experience them firsthand.
• Longevity: Preference for exhibitions and artworks that are either part of permanent collections or have enduring displays, ensuring that listeners have ample opportunity to visit.

Notable Quote:

"I was thinking about accessibility, different perspectives, engagement... giving the listener some time to go see the show." – Eileen Jane Lynch [02:25]

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Highlighted Artworks

1. Beacons by Rico Gesson (167th Street Subway Station)

Located just up from the Grand Concourse, this MTA-commissioned piece celebrates influential Bronx figures like Gil Scott-Heron, Tito Puente, Audre Lorde, and Maya Angelou. The artwork features radiant rays emanating from their portraits, symbolizing their enduring impact on the community.

Notable Quote:

"It's a celebration of the energy and spirit of these really influential figures within the Bronx community... it's really just an uplifting, really positive piece." – Eileen Jane Lynch [04:21]

2. Double Dutch by John Ahern and Rigoberto Torres (Banana Kelly, 1982)

This public artwork pays homage to the Bronx's history and community, capturing the dynamic energy of girls engaged in double Dutch. Positioned at 912 Kelly Street, the piece reflects the artists' commitment to making art belong to the public.

Notable Quote:

"Their ethos is the community... capturing these girls doing double dutch is just really amazing." – Eileen Jane Lynch [05:28]

3. Animal Kingdom at the Oculus

Introduced by caller David, a crane operator involved in setting up the exhibit, this installation features a dozen lifelike animal sculptures in their habitats. Created in England, manufactured in China, and displayed for a one-year run, Animal Kingdom offers a whimsical escape adjacent to the World Trade Center.

Notable Quote:

"They're so realistic looking. I gotta tell you, I highly recommend it if you're looking for something nice to do." – David [06:13]

4. Aristotle Aesthetics by Futura 2000 (Bronx Museum of Art)

An 18-foot-tall mural created specifically for a 2022-2023 exhibition, this piece stands as Futura's largest-scale museum exhibition in his hometown. It showcases his extensive work, including paintings, collaborations, and photographic works, highlighting the importance of preserving graffiti culture.

Notable Quote:

"It's really important to be able to preserve and care for that culture." – Eileen Jane Lynch [08:22]

5. Bronxbot by Stephanie Dinkins (Bronx Museum of Art)

Utilizing AI, Bronxbot is a multi-personality chatbot with three distinct "heads" representing indigenous peoples, the doo-wop era of the 1940s-50s, and contemporary times. This interactive piece encourages dialogue between humans and AI, fostering a unique artistic experience.

Notable Quote:

"She sees it as gifting intelligence to AI... you talk to it and it talks back and it's very amazing." – Eileen Jane Lynch [09:08]

6. Everything by Adrian Piper (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

A mirror etched with the phrase "everything will be taken away," this installation invites viewers to engage with themes of existentialism and introspection. Part of the "Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt" exhibition, it challenges perceptions and evokes deep reflection.

Notable Quote:

"It's part of their exhibition... talking about this proclamation, it's talking about this existentialism." – Eileen Jane Lynch [10:31]

7. Jungle Jungle by Mark Bradford (Bronx Museum of Art)

Created during the pandemic using readily available materials, this abstract piece features colorful torn paper, string, and abstracted animal figures within a fantastical jungle scene. Bradford's work symbolizes a new creative direction, likening the process to childlike play.

Notable Quote:

"It's almost like treating it like a child playing. And so it's this fantasy jungle that he's created." – Eileen Jane Lynch [12:03]

8. Works at the Whitney Museum of American Art

• Martin Wong and Amalia Mesa-Bains: Both pieces are part of the Whitney's permanent collection. Amalia Mesa-Bains' work in "Shifting Landscapes" addresses political, ecological, and social issues through a central feminine archetype, blending Aztec spiritual elements with Western art history.

Notable Quote:

"When you come upon Amalia's piece... it was just very powerful to see that." – Eileen Jane Lynch [16:43]

9. Public Library Art

• Jean Shin's "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" (Brooklyn Heights Branch): A suspended upside-down tree wrapped in denim, symbolizing ecological themes and the sustainability of repurposed materials. The installation includes lettered lights featuring titles of widely circulated books.
• Additional Library Installations (Hunts Point Branch): Further artworks not detailed in the transcript but contribute to the library’s cultural offerings.

Notable Quote:

"It's thinking about, you know, different types of knowledge. It's thinking about ecology." – Eileen Jane Lynch [17:19]

10. Empathic Universe by Saya Wolfak (Museum of Arts and Design)

An immersive installation featuring an upside-down figure with flowing water elements, representing human relationships with nature. The exhibit includes interactive pillows, allowing visitors to engage physically and emotionally with the artwork.

Notable Quote:

"It really takes you into this, this different place... exploring our human relationship with nature." – Eileen Jane Lynch [18:31]

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Listener Engagement and Additional Highlights

Throughout the episode, Alison Stewart invites listeners to share their favorite pieces of art in New York City. Several callers contribute their recommendations, further enriching the discussion:

• Larry from an Unknown Location: Highlights the mosaic of Lou Reed at the 86th Street Q subway station, emphasizing its vibrant representation and location-specific experience.

  Notable Quote:

  "It's an incredible picture of Lou Reed in his later years. I think he's probably in his 60s in the mosaic..." – Larry [13:39]

• Matthew from Harlem: Mentions two significant pieces:

  • "Angel of the Waters" by Emma Stebbins: A statue in Central Park's Bethesda Fountain.
  • Keith Haring's Triptych for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: A dynamic work reflecting Haring's iconic style.

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Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by thanking Eileen Jane Lynch for her insightful contributions and encouraging listeners to explore the diverse art offerings in New York City. The episode not only highlights ten pivotal artworks but also underscores the communal and interactive nature of experiencing art within the city's vibrant cultural landscape.

Notable Quote:

"Thank you so much for calling in. So, Eileen, we're going to go back to your list as people call in." – Alison Stewart [19:20]

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Additional Information: Listeners are encouraged to visit the Bronx Museum of Art and other featured locations to experience these artworks firsthand. The episode serves as both a guide and an invitation to engage with New York City's multifaceted art scene.

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Disclaimer: This summary is based on the transcript provided and is intended to capture the essence and key points of the podcast episode. For a complete experience, listeners are encouraged to tune into "All Of It" on WNYC.

Transcript

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[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Learn [e-mail].

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on WNY. I'm Alison Stewart. It's time now for the next installment of our 100 pieces of art series. For the past year, in honor of WNYC's centennial, we've asked an expert in the art world to come up with a list of 10 pieces of their favorite art that's in New York. From museums to street art. We've spoken to Thelma golden from the Studio Museum, Glenn Ligon, Jerry Saltz. We created the series, which began last July. And that means we have just a couple of weeks left to wrap this whole thing up. There's more than that to come. So for the penultimate 100 pieces of art conversation, I've got Eileen Jen lynch, now in studio. She's director of curatorial programs at the Bronx Museum of Art. Welcome to the show.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Thank you, Alison. Pleasure to be here.

[Alison Stewart]

So we asked you to put this list together. 100 pieces of art, 10 pieces of art you think are just really important and everybody should know about. You know, it's unscientific. What was on your criteria? What was important to you about what you would include on this list?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Sure. I was thinking about a number of things. So accessibility, different Perspectives, engagement. Also wanting to give the listener some time to go see the show. So shows that if they're on now, are on through the fall, or the works are permanent or in permanent collections. And at first I thought, oh, 10. That wasn't gonna be that many. And then the more I thought about it, it was like, oh, just 10. So it was, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, we'd like you to share your favorite piece of art to the city for our 100 pieces of art series. Let's hear it. Shout out your favorite pieces of art. You think that everybody should get a chance to see if they can. Our phone number is 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. You can call in, you can join us on air, or you can text to us at that number. 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. Okay, your first P piece is a piece of subway art at 167th street.

[Art Expert]

The stop just up from the Grand Concourse.

[Alison Stewart]

It's called Beacons by Rico Gesson.

[Art Expert]

Rico Getzen.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me a little bit more about this piece.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Sure. So I see this piece every day when I head up to the museum. And so the piece, which is an MTA commission, is a celebration of the energy and spirit of these really influential figures within the Bronx community. And so he's featured portraits of Gil Scott Huron, Tito Puente, Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou. I mean, they have these rays that radiate, you know, from their heads. And it's really just an uplifting, really positive piece. You know, when you get off the.

[Art Expert]

Subway, New York has some famous, you know, obviously famous museums.

[Alison Stewart]

But when you think about street art.

[Art Expert]

When you think about the subway as a place to display art, why do you think subway art plays such a natural role in the New York City art system?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

I think it provides a canvas, so to speak, that is accessible. You know, we take the train and we can see it every day. We can see it on the tile. Of course, it makes me think of, you know, artists who did graffiti, you know, early on in days, right in the 70s. And so, yeah, thinking about, I think that accessibility and providing the opportunity for everyone to see.

[Art Expert]

Okay, next on your list is John Ahern and Rigoberto Torres, Double Dutch. It's another public art piece in the Bronx, Banana Kelly, double Dutch from 1982. This piece plays homage to Bronx's history, is really important. Could you explain?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Sure, it sure does. And we had an exhibition of theirs, a survey of theirs back in 2022. And so this work is at 912 Kelly street and it is at the ethos of their practice is the community. And so really engaging with them from the process, casting them on the sidewalks outside of their studios. And so to be able to capture, you know, these girls doing double dutch is just really amazing. And they, you know, they see these works as belonging to the public.

[Art Expert]

Yeah, let's talk to David who's calling in from Inwood. Hey David, thanks for calling all of it.

[David]

Hi, how are you doing?

[Alison Stewart]

Great.

[David]

Great. I just want to tell you I was, I'm a crane operator and I had the lug I was lucky to assist with setting up exhibit right now that's happening from last July and it ends the end of this July at the Oculus next to the World Trade Center. It's like Animal Kingdom and it's about a dozen sculptures of all different kinds of animals in their habitat. Oh my God. It's a must see if you could research it or look it up. This Animal Kingdom at exhibit, it's outside of the oculus, it's in a wide open and these structures were designed in England, manufactured in China and then shipped over here for a one year display. And it's just, they're so realistic looking. I gotta tell you, I highly recommend it if you're looking for something nice to do.

[Alison Stewart]

David, thanks for the tip. We really appreciate it. We are talking about 100 pieces of art you should see in New York City. You want to shout your favorite piece, you, you can do it right now. 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc it could be a piece of art you see in the subway or something. At a museum, anything is possible. 2124-339692-21243. WNYC my guest along for this ride is Eileen Jeong Lynch. She's director of curatorial programs at the Bronx Museum. Okay. You selected some pieces from the Bronx Museum's collection. Love that. You picked something by Futura 2000. Who we tell us what you've picked.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Sure. So right now we have his piece Aristotle Aesthetics. He created this piece during his exhibition that we had last year into earlier this year. And so it's a mural that he, that's almost 18ft tall that he created specifically for that exhibition. And we're thrilled to still have it on view at the museum right now.

[Verizon Representative]

What do you see as the Bronx.

[Art Expert]

Museum's role in curating and preserving graffiti culture?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

I think it's it's very important to think about that history and our role in doing so. This was Futura's largest scale, you know, museum exhibition in his hometown, you know, in, in New York City. And so to be able to showcase that, to show that, you know, his survey of paintings, of collaborations, of, you know, works on paper, photographs of his work, I mean, all come into play. And it's really important to be able to preserve and care for that culture.

[Alison Stewart]

I want to go off on this tangent a little bit because you've got another piece at the Bronx Museum. It's called Bronxbot by Stephanie Dinkins. And the piece uses AI. Tell me more about that.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

It does, it uses. It's a multi personality AI chatbot. So it was created for this exhibition currently on view for mid August. Working Knowledge, Shared Imaginings, new features. And it has three heads, this chatbot. So one head represents the indigenous peoples. The second head represents the 1940s, 50s era, the doo wop era. And then the third head represents today as a day. And it talks about its. Stephanie refers to it as gifting intelligence to AI because she created this chatbot specifically, especially the present day figure with the community. And so she came to one of our first Fridays, had these cards available for all of us, the community, to contribute our stories. And basically she sees it as gifting intelligence to AI. And so you talk to it and it talks back and it's very amazing.

[Alison Stewart]

I wanted to ask you about that. Okay, let's get back to your list. Number four. You selected something at the Met, Everything. Number four by Adrian Piper. This piece is a mirror and it has something etched on it.

[Art Expert]

What's etched on it?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Etched on it is everything will be taken away. It's very ominous. Yes, I actually stumbled upon it came up from the Lorna Simpson show and yeah, I came across it and I just stopped and I looked into the mirror. It's part of their exhibition Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt. And so it's works in their collection and it's talking about this proclamation, it's talking about this existentialism. And you can take that phrase any way that you feel that resonates with you. But it was a really powerful piece to stumble upon.

[Art Expert]

Let's talk to Larry.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi Larry, thanks for calling all of it.

[Art Expert]

We're gonna actually, we're gonna pull you down and we're gonna check on your connection. We'll keep going through this. We're at number five, Mark Bradford.

[Alison Stewart]

Jungle, Jungle.

[Art Expert]

We're at Moment now, I should say you've chosen this piece by Mark Bradford. And this was made during the pandemic?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Yes, it was, yes.

[Art Expert]

Tell us a little bit more about the piece.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

So it just stopped me in my tracks when I walked into the gallery and saw this colorful large scale piece by Mark Bradford. And he used only materials that were immediately available to him in his studio.

[Art Expert]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

During the pandemic.

[Art Expert]

So is it.

[Alison Stewart]

What does it look like?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

It's abstracted. It has torn very colorful pasted paper. There's string, there's kind of abstracted animal figures in it in this nature scene. And so it seemed like, because I saw that person's show, is that sound like that for a little, you know, a new direction than what he was doing. And so it was saying that this is a new territory for him and it's almost like treating it like a child playing. And so it's this fantasy jungle that he's created.

[Art Expert]

Oh, that's interesting. That's Jungle Jungle by Mark Bradford. We've got some text coming in. Favorite subway art Reach New York. An urban musical instrument. The motion activated sound instrument on both the platforms of the r train at 34th Street. Created by artist Christopher Janney in 1996. Wave your hands in front of the motion sensors. It's fun. This one says, hi, Alison. The Nevelson Chapel, a room inside St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Nevelson fills the Chapel of the Good shepherd with works on each wall. It's white on white. Then it's newly restored. It's an amazing respite from New York City. You sit on a small bench, engrossed by her work. It's almost completely quiet and you can see New York City outside the few windows. It's just wonderful. Thank you for that call. Let's try. We'll try Larry again. Let's see if we got him. Hey, Larry.

[Larry]

Okay, you got me.

[Art Expert]

Gotcha. You're on the air.

[Larry]

Okay. And it's funny because you just spoke about subway art and I was calling about a piece of subway art that is on 86th street on the Q train. And I just got a chance after the queue's been there a long time. But you don't go to that subway station very often. It is a mosaic of a true New Yorker, Lou Reed. And it is amazing. And I think the artist. There's two mosaics there. I think there's a also mosaic of the man that made the mosaic of Lou Reed. But it's incredible picture of Lou Reed in his later years. I think he's probably in his 60s in the mosaic that's displayed in the 86th Street Q subway station. And it's really beautiful. So I recommend anybody that's in that Q sub station to go see it. And it's a great thing because they tell you when the next train is coming. So if you go down there and you have like six minutes, you have to find it because it's a long train platform.

[Art Expert]

Get Larry. Thanks a lot. Let's talk to Matthew in Harlem. Hi, Matthew. Thank you for calling all of it.

[Larry]

Hi there. So there are two that I couldn't choose between that were just my head at the same time. The first one is the angel of the Waters, which is the Angel Bethesda Fountain in Central park by Emma Stebbins. And then the other one that always blows me away is Keith Haring, did a triptych for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

[Art Expert]

Oh, good choices. Thank you so much for calling in. So, Eileen, we're going to go back to your list as people call in. Our number is 212-433-WNYC 212-43392. Okay. Whitney pieces. You can find two pieces at the Whitney for your next pick. Both are in the permanent collection. One is by Martin Wong, another by Amalia Mesa Baines. Why did you highlight these two pieces of art?

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

I wanted to highlight them because they really stopped me in my track. So the Amalia Mesa Baines opens up the exhibition basically Shifting Landscapes. And so Shifting Landscapes is talking about political, ecological and social issues and various landscapes. When you come upon Amalia's piece, it is on the floor. There is a large central feminine body, an Aztec spirit representing those who have died in childbirth. And it's facing a mirror, a hand mirror. And it was just very powerful to see that, especially at the level that you would see it. And then it, you know, it's thinking about or I think it speaking to that Western history or countering that Western history, too. Right. The Venus from Western Art History. And so it really focuses on this feminine archetype. And I was just really struck by it.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. You have public library art as your number seven. And you've highlighted two pieces for us. One in the Brooklyn Heights branch, one in the Hunts Point branch. Tell us briefly about each.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

So the one in the Brooklyn Heights branch is by Jean Shin. It's Something Borrowed, Something Blue, created in 2023. It's a permanent artwork. It was commissioned by the library for the 125th anniversary. And it is a suspended upside down tree.

[Alison Stewart]

Cool.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

And the branches speak to the branches of the library, but also of course, the branches of the tree. Its. And it's thinking about, you know, different types of knowledge. It's thinking about ecology. It's the whole tree is wrapped in denim. And so there's a sustainability aspect to it where she asked the people worked in the library or the community to contribute denim to this piece and it's reused. And she does this in her practice in general. And so and then when you look up upon it in lettered lights are different titles of books that have been like most widely circulated.

[Art Expert]

That's awesome.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm gonna read out your next three cause we're run out of time.

[Art Expert]

We've got Candida Alvarez, Partly Cloudy. We had her on the show. She talked about that. Seiya Wolfak holding space at the Museum of Arts and Design. And Lorna Simpson for Beryl Wright 2021. We had her on. She explained Beryl. Right.

[Alison Stewart]

So I want you in our last.

[Art Expert]

Tell us about Saya Wolfak holding space at the Museum of Art and Design.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Sure. It is such an amazing installation. The whole show called Empathic Universe is a survey of 20 plus years of her work. And it really transforms you. And so this piece is an upside down figure in homage to her friend Candida Alvarez. You see these, these, the water kind of running through the body. And so it really takes you into this, this different place, of course, like exploring our human relationship with nature. And so there are also pillows in the front for everyone to come in and kind of engage and immerse themselves in it.

[Art Expert]

We have got her entire list. It'll be part of our transcripts. You can check it out when we post it later today. My guest from the Bronx Museum has been Eileen Jane Lynch. Thank you so much for making this list for us and sharing it with us.

[Eileen Jane Lynch]

Thank you, Alison. That's so fun.

[Art Expert]

I'm so glad you could come to the studio. That's all of it for today. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I will meet you back here tomorrow.

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[Dr. Horton Representative]

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