Jackson Arn's 10 Favorite Pieces of Art in New York (100 Pieces of Art)

Summary

All Of It: Jackson Arn's 10 Favorite Pieces of Art in New York

Published on January 10, 2025 | Hosted by Alison Stewart | WNYC

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart, the spotlight shines on Jackson Arn, a distinguished art critic from The New Yorker. As part of WNYC’s centennial celebration, the show embarks on a year-long project to identify 100 must-see pieces of art in New York City. Jackson Arn contributes his heartfelt selection of ten favorite artworks, providing listeners with insightful perspectives into the city’s rich cultural tapestry.

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The Centennial Project: Curating New York’s Art Scene

All Of It celebrates WNYC’s 100th anniversary by curating a diverse list of 100 essential art pieces across New York City. Each month, experts from various art fields contribute their top ten picks, reflecting the city’s dynamic and ever-evolving cultural landscape. This collaborative effort underscores the belief that art in New York is not just preserved but actively created and reinterpreted by its inhabitants.

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Jackson Arn’s Criteria: Personal Connection Over Canonical Must-Sees

When asked about his selection criteria, Jackson Arn emphasized a personal and honest approach:

“I sort of just chose 10 pieces that I really like. I didn't think of any like canon or any like absolute must see. I thought I would just be honest with myself and with you and talk about the things that have meant a lot to me.”
(02:37)

Arn’s selections are deeply personal, focusing on artworks that resonate with him rather than adhering strictly to established canons. This approach offers a refreshing take, highlighting pieces that hold significant meaning and evoke genuine emotion.

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Highlighting the Top Ten: A Journey Through New York’s Artistry

1. Trader Joe’s Building in Brooklyn Heights

   Arn reflects on the transformation of historic buildings repurposed for modern use:

   “This is a Trader Joe's, but it used to be this grand, even grandiose bank building... it's the perfect metaphor for being in New York City.”
   (03:31)

   The blend of old architecture with contemporary commercial use exemplifies the city’s ability to preserve beauty amidst constant change.

2. "The Death of Socrates" by Jacques-Louis David at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

   A listener, David from Montclair, shares his admiration:

   “It represents a very important time where the age of faith... is shown here now at the age of Reason.”
   (06:13)

   The painting captures the philosophical tension between faith and reason, resonating with viewers across centuries.

3. Bailey Fountain in Prospect Heights

   Arn describes his personal connection to this public artwork:

   “Nereus is this strange sort of bloated figure, and he just has this expression on his face that I have spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to parse.”
   (07:23)

   The fountain, depicting the sea god Nereus, serves as a tranquil oasis and a testament to Eugene Savage’s sculptural mastery.

4. Jefferson Market Library

   Originally a courthouse, the library’s architectural beauty and serene environment left a lasting impression on Arn:

   “There was a gorgeous stained glass window right next to me... I'm just in one of the most extraordinary places in the city.”
   (08:34)

   This transformation from courthouse to library symbolizes the adaptive reuse of space, fostering community and creativity.

5. "Pasture" by Anni Albers at The Met

   Arn praises the simplicity and emotional depth of this fiber art piece:

   “There's just this heartbreaking simplicity about it. The way that she uses this incredible economy or poverty of material to create this beautiful swooning sensation.”
   (16:06)

   Albers’ work exemplifies the profound impact of minimalism in art, using texture and color to evoke emotion.

6. Siena Show at The Met: "Madonna Dellatte" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti

   Highlighting a unique religious depiction, Arn delves into the painting’s intriguing aspects:

   “Jesus is breastfeeding... it's so bizarre, and it's so, so beautiful.”
   (16:47)

   This piece challenges traditional religious iconography, blending the divine with the mundane in a captivating manner.

7. "Self Portrait" by Lenora Carrington at The Met

   Carrington’s surrealist style and imaginative expression resonate with Arn:

   “It's a painting that defies gravity... almost like a helium balloon.”
   (18:20)

   The artwork captures Carrington’s whimsical and otherworldly visions, inviting viewers into her fantastical realm.

8. Jacob Lawrence’s Great Migration Series at MoMA

   Arn emphasizes Lawrence’s narrative power in portraying historical experiences:

   “They’re spare... you see this mystery and you see this economy of means, and you almost project your own feelings.”
   (21:48)

   Lawrence’s work offers a poignant commentary on the African American experience, blending simplicity with profound storytelling.

9. "Le Moulin de la Galette" by Pablo Picasso at the Guggenheim

   Arn discusses Picasso’s youthful yet mature interpretation of a classic subject:

   “Picasso was 19 years old when he painted that... he still makes it his own.”
   (25:10)

   The painting showcases Picasso’s early talent and his ability to infuse originality into well-trodden themes.

10. "St. Francis in the Desert" by Giovanni Bellini at The Frick Collection

    Concluding his list, Arn shares his enduring admiration for this masterpiece:

    “It's a painting about being in the middle of nowhere, being far from civilization, but I just fell in love with it almost right away.”
    (29:23)

    Bellini’s work encapsulates solitude and introspection, offering a serene escape within the bustling city.

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Listener Contributions: Diverse Perspectives on New York’s Art

Throughout the episode, listeners contribute their favorite artworks, enriching the conversation with varied viewpoints:

• David from Montclair highlights Jacques-Louis David’s "The Death of Socrates" for its philosophical depth.
• Gail from Manhattan reminisces about her father introducing her to Francis Bacon’s impactful painting at MoMA.
• Barbara from Manhattan advocates for the Balto statue in Central Park, celebrating its homage to heroism.
• Nicole from the Upper West Side praises the Duke Ellington Monument in Central Park for its intricate detail and elegance.
• Emily from Ocean Pines shares her affection for the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library, lauding its architectural beauty and literary inscriptions.

These contributions underscore the personal connections individuals have with public art, reflecting the city’s ability to inspire and resonate on multiple levels.

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Insights and Reflections: The Living Canvas of New York

Jackson Arn’s selections and the listener contributions paint a vibrant picture of New York City as a living canvas, where art is interwoven into the daily fabric of life. The episode emphasizes that art in New York is not confined to galleries and museums but is a dynamic presence in public spaces, architecture, and community landmarks.

Arn’s personal anecdotes and the shared stories from listeners highlight the emotional and intellectual engagements that art fosters. From historic transformations of buildings like the Jefferson Market Library to modern installations like Keith Haring’s "Crack is Whack," New York’s art scene is portrayed as both diverse and deeply personal.

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Conclusion

All Of It successfully captures the essence of New York City’s art scene through Jackson Arn’s curated list and the heartfelt contributions of its listeners. This episode not only showcases ten remarkable pieces of art but also celebrates the city’s ongoing dialogue between tradition and innovation, individuality and community. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or a casual observer, this exploration offers new perspectives on experiencing and appreciating the myriad forms of art that make New York City a cultural powerhouse.

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Notable Quotes

• Jackson Arn on Personal Selection Criteria:
  “I sort of just chose 10 pieces that I really like... they just happen to mean a lot to me.”
  (02:37)

• David from Montclair on "The Death of Socrates":
  “It represents a very important time where the age of faith... is shown here now at the age of Reason.”
  (06:17)

• Arn on Anni Albers’ "Pasture":
  “There's just this heartbreaking simplicity about it.”
  (16:06)

• Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s "Madonna Dellatte":
  “Jesus is breastfeeding... it's so bizarre, and it's so, so beautiful.”
  (16:47)

• Arn on Jacob Lawrence’s Great Migration Series:
  “You almost project your own feelings... it’s a universal odyssey.”
  (22:36)

These quotes encapsulate the depth of conversation and the personal connections that make the episode both informative and emotionally resonant.

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All Of It continues to celebrate and dissect the cultural gems of New York City, inviting listeners to engage, reflect, and appreciate the vibrant art that defines the metropolis.

Transcript

[WNYC Studios]

WNYC Studios is supported by Carnegie hall presenting upcoming piano recitals and concertos featuring Igor Levitt, Bruce Liu, Conrad Tao and Mark Andre Hamlin this January and February. Tickets and [e-mail] Piano.

[Jackson Arne]

Listener Support WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studio in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I'm really grateful you're here. On today's show we'll talk about how to winterize your home. The Plant Doctor is in will be in studio. Get ready to call in with your houseplant care questions and Golden Globe winner actor Fernanda Torres and director Walter Salas will be here to talk about the new film I'm still here. That's the plan. So let's get this started with some great art. We here at all of it are celebrating WNYC's centennial with a year long project to identify 100 pieces of art you should see in New York City. It's a totally unscientific but from the heart reminder that art is everywhere in New York City. Each month we are asking an expert in the field who will give us their 10 picks. We've had on Will Heinrich from the New York Times, Sarah Douglas from Art News, Jerry Saltz from New York, Mag Hirag Vartanian from Hyperallergic, Thelma golden from the Studio Museum and artist Glenn Ligam. Today we welcome the New Yorker art critic Jackson Arne. Nice to meet you, Jackson.

[Jackson Arne]

Hello Alison. Good to meet you.

[Alison Stewart]

So when you were making this list, what did you use as your criteria?

[Jackson Arne]

At the risk of just throwing everything out the window at first I, I was told that the idea was 10 pieces of art that every single New Yorker like must see. I was sort of selfish about it and I sort of just chose 10 pieces that I really like. I didn't think of any like canon or any like absolute must see. I thought I would just be honest with myself and with you and talk about the things that have meant a lot to me. I don't even necessarily think that these are the 10 greatest pieces in New York or anywhere, but for various personal and some impersonal reasons, they just happen to mean a lot to me. As you'll find.

[Alison Stewart]

That's an excellent reason.

[Jackson Arne]

Can I also just say it's good to be in a radio station? I was with KCRFM New York in college. Always on your side of the station though it feels a little more nerve wracking to be on the opposite side fielding the questions instead of asking them.

[Alison Stewart]

No problem. I'll be easy with you.

[Jackson Arne]

Oh, thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners. What is a piece of art that moves you in New York City? It could be public art. It could be part of a collection, or maybe it's a gallery show that just hasn't left your mind. Give us a call or text us. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. You can call in, you can join Jackson and me on the air, or you can reach out on social media, lovenyc. You can also text that number, 212-433-9692. All right. On your list. This is great. Various CVSS and grocery stores that used to be other kinds of buildings.

[Jackson Arne]

It's catchy, isn't it? Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Give us an example.

[Jackson Arne]

It's just a cat. Well, the one that comes to mind, the Trader Joe's that used to be a bank, and it's in Brooklyn Heights on Court Street. I'm sure some of the listeners will be familiar. Yeah. So it's a Trader Joe's, but it used to be this grand, even grandiose bank building. And I have done entirely too much shopping and specifically too much waiting in line and fiddling with my phone and reading magazines at that particular building. But the reason that I wanted to talk about it is that I feel like this is an experience that so many New Yorkers have where they're walking down the street and maybe you're on 14th and 8th and you see the bank that is now a CVS or you're on Flatbush. I used to live down in Flatbush, and I think there's a bank that got converted into a CBS or a Duane Reade. I can't remember exactly, but I feel like one reaction to that is you just sort of roll your eyes and think, oh, like this beautiful building. And now it's a, it's a tacky cvs, a chain store. And that's a fair first reaction, but I think that the second reaction should be, wait a second. I'm only stopping and noticing this beautiful old building because it's a CVS or a Trader Joe's. And this is important to me because I think about being inside that gorgeous, gorgeous Trader Joe's in Brooklyn Heights and looking up at those high vaulted ceilings. And I don't know, it's like, it's like the perfect metaphor for being in New York City, isn't it? You're in a line, you're sweating, you're behind schedule, you're A little bit ornery, but just look around you. You're in this incredible, incredible place.

[Alison Stewart]

I always think that when I see the one on 14th and 8th, that dome that's on top of it, and I'm thinking, I'm gonna go get lozenges in there.

[Jackson Arne]

Absolutely. Yeah. Right. And I don't know, that's sort of the story of New York, isn't it? You have these old, beautiful buildings, and they're hollowed out and something else is put inside them. The warehouse becomes the place where you go to a rave and go dancing. The buildings and the artworks in New York are always changing.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a text here. It says, work of art that inspires me. The Chrysler Building. Public art that defines and inspires along our point of buildings being wonderful.

[Jackson Arne]

I give that a murmur of agreement.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to David in Montclair. Hi, David. Thank you so much for calling, all of it. You're on the air.

[David]

Well, thanks for having me. I would have to say the most impressive piece of art to me in New York is the Socrates painting by Jacques Louis. David, that is a very iconic image within the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

[Alison Stewart]

When was the first time you saw it, do you remember?

[David]

Probably about 25 years ago. And I always make it a point whenever I'm at the Met to revisit it. I can share why it really, to me, it represents a very important time where the age of faith, art from the age of faith, the type of composition, the type of richness of character and epic presentation of what would be historically a biblical allegory is shown here now at the age of Reason, where Socrates is at the moment of accepting his fate with all the onlookers. Much like the Last Supper and the fate and the emotion, it's like Dr. Zhivago in a sweeping epic that's a philosophical narrative of just humanity.

[Alison Stewart]

David, thank you so much for calling. Up next on your list, Jackson, is a building. It's actually a monument that says to Brooklyn, the gift of Mr. And Mrs. Franklin Bailey. So what's unique about the Bailey Fountain?

[Jackson Arne]

Oh, the Bailey Fountain, yes. So this is another work of public art that I have a very personal relationship with because I'm living in Prospect Heights and I stroll when it's not as cold and miserable and blustery as it is lately. But when I do stroll, I often found my find myself down by the Bailey Fountain. And the Bailey Fountain is fantastic because my favorite part of it was sculpted by a fellow named Eugene Savage, and it is a sculpture of the sea God, Nereus. And it's a great thing that I love to visit in the middle of the day in between writing and reading. And Nereus is this strange sort of bloated figure, and he just has this expression on his face that I have spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to parse. It's sort of a groan. It's also a gasp that's also a sigh. And in the summer when the fountain is on and the water is splashing over him, it just never fails to put me in a good mood.

[Alison Stewart]

That's the Bailey fountain in proxpect heights. All right. I love what you picked for number three, the Jefferson market library.

[Jackson Arne]

Isn't it just the greatest?

[Alison Stewart]

It's the most beautiful building. Yes. Well, first of all, what do you want people to know about it?

[Jackson Arne]

Well, maybe.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you want them to pay attention to?

[Jackson Arne]

Yeah, so many things. But maybe just sticking with the theme so far. It's a building that was one thing, that became another thing. The Jefferson market library was originally a courthouse. It was designed by the architect Frederick Clark Withers. It is not a courthouse anymore, although you will still find that description written in the stone. It's a library. And it's a library where back in the day when I was freelancing and I couldn't find a cafe, I did a lot of my work. So I would sit in the main building and there was a gorgeous stained glass window right next to me. And it's another one of those buildings where I associate it with work and with sort of mundane things because I did almost all of my writing there for the longest time. But then every so often, I would look up and I would look out and I would think, oh, my goodness, I'm just in one of the most extraordinary places in the city.

[Alison Stewart]

It cracks me up when I used to take my son there when he was little, because you mean you did have to fight for space. They've revamped it ever since, but when it was like 2008, 2009, you had to fight for space a little bit.

[Jackson Arne]

The real challenge for me for most of the time that I was going there, is that they didn't have a public bathroom. So that tended to thin out the crowd a little bit. It sort of separated the freelancers from the casual visitors, you know. But the lenwich across the street, a shout out to lenwich if I can give that. They were very, very generous with letting public library goers use their. Their restroom. So thank you, lenwich.

[Alison Stewart]

We are talking to Jackson Arn, New Yorker art critic. We're discussing the 100 must see pieces of art in New York City. It's part of our olivet coverage of WNYC's hundredth what piece of art moves you in New York City? 212-433-9692. Let's talk to Joe calling in from Manhattan. Hi, Joe.

[Joe]

Hi, Alison. There's a sculpture on Madison Avenue at the IBM building, and it's called Levitated Mass. And I would see this being built when I went to high school every day in 1982. And it's a fascinating sculpture because it's a giant granite slab inside of a stainless steel tub, and they run water underneath it, giving it the illusion that it's levitating. And I love that sculpture. I drag people to see it when they come to the city, if I can get them over there. And also, just in line with what you were saying about buildings, I'm fascinated. And some of them are 100 years old, the remnants of the child's restaurant chain, which was this nautical thing, you know, it was a fish restaurant and beautiful. I don't know what you would call it, Art deco or Art nouveau. Mermaids and seahorses and all sorts of things. And you'll see them all over the city.

[Alison Stewart]

Who knew? Thank you, Joe, for calling in. Let's talk to Leonard, who's calling us from Woodstock. Hey, Leonard, thanks for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[Joe]

Hi, Allison. One of the most wonderful things to see in New York outdoors is the Duke ellington Monument at 110th street and Fifth Avenue. And if you go up there on your bicycle, you can spend a lot of time walking around the monument. There are lots of details, and it's a very elegant, refined sculpture by Robert Graham and another asset. I'll bring your binoculars. If you go there and walk around, you can. There's a lot to see in this monument. Also, there's a public restroom not far from that monument in Central Park.

[Jackson Arne]

That's the key factor in all of these.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Gail, who is calling in from Manhattan. Hi, Gail, you're on the air.

[Gail]

Hello. Yes. When I was a little kid, my parents had split up and my father was an artist, and so he would drag me around to museums and, you know, oh, I gotta see one more painting before we go home. And we were in the Museum of Modern Art, and he wanted to see a Franz Klein painting. And across from that was Francis Bacon's 1946. And I'm looking at this painting as my dad is looking at Francis Kline, and it just scared me. And I just thought, oh, a painting can scare you and make you feel something. And it just changed my total trajectory. And I've been painting ever since.

[Jackson Arne]

They can scares me, too.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling in. Okay, Jackson. Jackson Arne, New Yorker art critic. You have on your list the sculpture garden at the Noguchi Museum.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes, it's another outdoor shenanigan and it, as you can guess, features the work of the sculptor Isamu Noguchi. For me, it's one of the most beautiful places of any kind in New York City. And it sort of is greater than the sum of its parts because Noguchi not only contributed the sculpture, of course, but he designed all the plant he chose, I should say all the plants and shrubs. And he was very particular and exacting about the arrangement of the stones and the gravel and the tiniest detail and the effect when you go there. And I recommend that everybody should. Not just because the Noguchi Museum is having its 40th anniversary rehang this year, but just because it's a great place any day. The effect, I think, is that the sculptures don't feel so isolated from the rest of this environment. They sort of blend or sink into things. They seem like a part of the foliage and the rock.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Barbara from Manhattan. Hi, Barbara, thanks for calling all of it.

[Barbara]

Hi. I suggest Balto. That's the dog sculpture in Central park because for dog lovers, I think he's a, he's a hero. He led the team that took diphtheria, I think, to Nome during an epidemic in the early 1900s. But he's a gorgeous dog and it's a gorgeous sculpture. So I really think people should see that. It's just north of the zoo in Central Park.

[Alison Stewart]

Great. Thanks for calling. This one says Crack is Whack by Keith Haring. When I'm stuck in traffic on the fdr, it is a pleasure to look at. We are discussing pieces of art that we love in New York City. My guest is Jackson Arnold from the New Yorker. We'll have more of his picks and more of your calls after a quick break. This is all of it.

[WNYC Studios]

Since WNYC's first broadcast in 1924, we've been dedicated to creating the kind of content we know the world needs. In addition to this award winning reporting, your sponsorship also supports inspiring storytelling and extraordinary music that is free and accessible to all. To get in touch and find out more, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.

[Alison Stewart]

You are listening to all of it on WNYC I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Jackson R. New Yorker art critic. We are discussing 10 of his picks. They're 10 that will go into our 100 lists of things you need to see in New York City. All right, so the next three things are from the Mets.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes. We had a caller a minute ago talk about how he loved the David painting of the Death of Socrates.

[Alison Stewart]

So these are your three that you've picked. The first is from. Is it Annie or Ani?

[Jackson Arne]

Anni Albers.

[Alison Stewart]

Anni Albers. It's fiber art. It's really interesting. It's green woven in with brown and red. And each kind of texture is different.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes. It couldn't be more different from the other painting at the Met that David mentioned a moment ago. But that's sort of what I like about it. It's phenomenally simp. It has a number of ingredients that you could count on the fingers of one hand. It's a small number of different kinds of cotton thread woven together. And there's just this heartbreaking simplicity about it. And the way that she uses this incredible economy or poverty of material to create this beautiful swooning sensation.

[Alison Stewart]

It's called Pasture, by the way.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes, I should have mentioned that.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, the next one. You wrote a whole piece about this in the New Yorker, so I'm gonna let you explain. The Sienna show.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes. This is a thing that you can only see at the Met temporarily, so I extra, extra, extra, recommend that you do. But the Siena show that is there right now of trecento Sienese painting is not to be missed. And if there were one thing that I could recommend you see there, I would recommend Madonna Dellatte by the great Sienese painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti. It's a very familiar theme in Western art, the image of the Madonna nursing the baby Jesus. What I love about Ambrosio's take on this very familiar religious subject is that it's. It's weird. And you look at it and you see how incredibly weird the subject always is. It's just a subject that you're so used to seeing and so familiar with that you forget how bizarre it is that you have the baby Jesus, who is both an omnipotent deity and also just a baby. And in this particular version of it, Jesus is breastfeeding. And what is so fascinating about it for me is that one half of him is turned toward his mother's breast as he nurses, and the other eye is turned out at us almost as if it's commanding us to watch and worship this strange, almost sort of ritualistic scene. It's so bizarre, and it's so, so beautiful. I love it.

[Alison Stewart]

So this piece, the next piece of the Met is featured in this book, which I love, called the the Story of Art Without Men.

[Jackson Arne]

Oh, Katie Hussle, sure.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. It's really interesting. It's Lenora Carrington. It's called Self Portrait. And she was described in this book as a runaway English debutante.

[Jackson Arne]

Correct.

[Alison Stewart]

She has wild hair in this picture.

[Jackson Arne]

In real life, too, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

So how did she become a painter?

[Jackson Arne]

She became a painter, I think, because she was always fascinated by art, and she ran in circles where art was of pressing daily concern to her friends and her family. I suppose she brushed shoulders with Max Ernst, the famous surrealist painter. But she was indeed a runaway debutante, as the author says, because she ended up in Mexico eventually. You mentioned her hair being so large in the painting, and I think that sort of boils down part of what I love about it. It's a painting that defies gravity. She is sitting in a chair in this painting, and there are objects that are sort of half fixed to the floor or the walls, but you almost get the sense that everything is like a helium balloon. And if you just gave it the tiniest little poke, then it would go floating out the window.

[Alison Stewart]

We've got a let's see here text. Hi, Alison. My favorite artwork in New York City are the Wisteria stained glass windows by Lewis Comfort Tiffany at the Met. The courtyard they are in is so serene and the windows are so beautiful. I swear I look at them and I feel the pain of a corset as they transport you to the Gilded Age. Let's see. Work that inspires. I am always moved by the Atlas statue in Rock Center. It always felt poignant to me, and whenever I'm passing by, I take a moment to reflect on it. Here's another text. The restored ceiling at Grand Central Terminal. It's among the finest pieces of public art and architecture in the country. Let's talk to Nicole, calling us from the Upper west side. Hi, Nicole, you're on the air.

[Gail]

Hi. I sort of especially like the subway tile art, the mosaics that you'll see all over the mta. But there's one in particular at the Bedford Avenue station. It's a piece by Marcel Zama, the list. And everything comes together, and it's just sort of this awesome circus with ballerinas and animals and super vibrant.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for calling. Let's talk to Emily in Ocean Pines. Hi, Emily, thanks for calling. Hi.

[Emily]

Thank you. So I recently moved out of Brooklyn after 23 years of living there. And my alma mater is Pratt Institute, which. That's one thing. The sculpture grounds of the campus are really beautiful. But I wanted to bring up the Brooklyn Public Library, the Central Library, which is a very special place to me. The library is actually shaped like a book, the architecture of it. And the front facade has these beautiful bronze sculptures of American literary figures. And the inscriptions on the side of the library, literary inscriptions. And also just the building and the whole plaza area in general, are beautiful. And it just holds a really special place in my heart, having lived there for a long time and spent a lot of time in the library. Thanks.

[Alison Stewart]

Appreciate your call. Thank you so much. All right, We've arrived at moma. We've left. Met. Going down to moma. Jacob. I mean, sorry, give it away, Jackson. It's Jacob Lawrence.

[Jackson Arne]

Jacob Lawrence?

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, Jacob Lawrence, the Great Migration. He said, I do not look upon the story of the blacks in America as a separate experience to the American culture, but as part of American heritage and experience as a whole. How does he tell the story of the Great Migration?

[Jackson Arne]

He tells the story of the great migration in 60 tempera paintings that are. I used the phrase heartbreakingly simple a minute ago for Alburys, and I think that applies for these as well. They're spare. They're often of rooms that are empty or ever so close to being empty. Just a couple figures in a courthouse or a cathedral or a bedroom. And. And it's the simplicity, I think, that sort of lets you into the image in a way. You see this mystery and you see this economy of means, and you almost project your own feelings about these people and your own hopes for them and your own belief in the power of migration as this sort of universal odyssey that everybody has some feeling about.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Linda from Westchester. Hi, Linda. Thanks for calling, all of it.

[Barbara]

Oh, thank. I'm so delighted to speak with you. I have to speak for the Seagram's building on Park Avenue. I moved to New York from Michigan in the 60s, and that building represented making it in the real world. It was my first job. The sophistication of it just really thrilled me, and I felt like Holly Golightly. And, you know, it really was getting into the real world, I thought.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much for calling. Let's talk to Oren from Manhattan. Hi, Oren, you're on the air.

[Oren]

Hi. Thanks for taking the call. I think it would be really hard to talk or think even think about art in New York without talking about the Frick Museum, which we're very lucky to have reopening in April, I believe. And, you know, it's hard to pick out one painting from that incredible collection which you can keep. You know, the paintings. Paintings never change. I mean, I guess they occasionally get some new works to show, but it's really. It's the same collection that's been there since the museum opened. And you go back through your life and experience the paintings over and over again. So it's hard to just pick one. But I guess I'll go back to one that I remember first loving when I was a teenager, which is the Rembrandt portrait of the Polish Rider, which, like so many of the pictures in the museum, just gets your imagination going and makes you wonder, what's the story behind this painting? Who was this person? And you know, every time I go back to the Frick and look at a painting like that, I see it a different way. And it's a wonderful thing that New Yorkers get to do.

[Alison Stewart]

That's what's wonderful about art in New York. Thank you so much for calling. My guest is Jackson Arn. He's a New Yorker's art critic. We're discussing the 100 pieces of art you must see in NYC. These are his 10 suggestions. Please give us a call if you want to tell us what piece of art really moves you in New York. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. We've arrived at Picasso. It's a very famous painting depicting life in Paris at a dance hall in Montmartre. When Was this? About 1900.

[Jackson Arne]

This was 1900, exactly, yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, I'm gonna let you say it because my French accent is bad.

[Jackson Arne]

Oh, gosh. Mine, I'm sure, is even worse. One thing I like about being an art critic is that I just get to type things. I never have to pronounce them.

[Alison Stewart]

It's truff. It's tough as a. Hard to tell ya.

[Jackson Arne]

All right, here it goes. Le Moulin de la Galette.

[Alison Stewart]

Perfect.

[Jackson Arne]

Did I nail it? Probably not. Whatever. It's at the Guggenheim and it was painted in 1900. And you know what'll make you mad? Picasso was 19 years old when he painted that. He was a teenager.

[Alison Stewart]

Wow.

[Jackson Arne]

He was just getting started. But one fascinating thing for me about this painting is that even though he's just getting started and he's basically just a boy, the painting is late. It's late at night. You get the sense that the viewer is sort of late to the party. Everyone else has already taken their seat and already had way too many drinks and had started to dance. And Picasso was sort of late to the subject, too, because at that point in art history, Le Moulin de la Galette had already been painted dozens of times by the Impressionists and Renoir and Toulouse Lautrec. It was a very well attested subject. But I think that's sort of what I love about it. Picasso's late, but he doesn't care that it's been done before. He still makes it his own.

[Alison Stewart]

This is a text. St. John the Divine, the largest Gothic cathedral in the Western hemisphere in Morningside Height, is magical on its own and full of interesting and inspiring art. Let's talk to Liz from Manhattan. Hi, Liz, thanks for calling.

[Gail]

Yeah. Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi.

[Gail]

I wanted to tell you about the Triangle Fire Memorial. It's newly installed last fall after many years of a wonderful coalition. I remember the Triangle Fire Coalition made this happen. And it's a labor of love from the labor movement and artists and other community activists. It's a memorial to the 146, six mostly young women who died in the tragic fire of the garment factory in 1911. And in the aftermath of this tragic fire, many, many laws changed. And Frances Perkins, the later the first woman cabinet member and first labor secretary under fdr, called it the beginning of the New Deal for all of the reforms that flowed out of it. But I just want to say the memorial itself is elegant, it's moving, it's very original. It requires sort of a deep engagement. You have to actually go up and look and reflect. And it's at the corner of Green street and Washington Place.

[Alison Stewart]

Liz, thank you so much for calling. Let's talk to Richard from Babylon. Hey, Richard, thank you so much for calling in.

[Richard]

Good afternoon. Thank you. Taking my call. Allison, I appreciate it. Love your show. Every day. This is kind of a comic relief thing, I guess. My understanding was that there's a. There's a statue dedicated to William Henry Seward, you know, the Secretary of State who was instrumental in the purchase of the Alaska territories from Russia. And the statue is on the west side of Madison Square Park, I guess, just north of 23rd Street. My understanding was that they kind of, in a cost cutting thing, they used a lower torso from the neck down of Abraham Lincoln, you know, in his normal position, legs crossed. And then they had a separate sculpture of Seward's head on top. And Seward was not a tall man, whereas Lincoln was. And that's kind of part of the I guess it was a cost savings things where they wanted to have something for Seward but saved money by just using the lower part of the body of Lincoln in this seated position. And it's kind of interesting if in fact that is the truth. But yeah, I just wanted to bring that up that people are looking. I walked past it for decades on my way from Penn Station down to my office at Park Avenue South. So it was kind of a comic relief. I don't know if that's a thing you want to take people to just to get a little laugh about it.

[Alison Stewart]

We appreciate it. Thank you so much for calling. I'm going to check that out next.

[Jackson Arne]

Time I'm if anyone ever builds a statue of me, I would like to be yeah, Lincoln from the Necktown would be great.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, we've come to your final choice, Bellini, St Francis in the Desert.

[Jackson Arne]

Yes, we had a caller a moment ago talk about their affection for the Frick, and it's an affection that I definitely share. The Frick was the first museum in New York that I ever went to. I was about 12 years old. And that painting in particular, Bellini's St. Francis in the Desert, is one that I fell in love with almost right away. And it's a painting that I've gone back to see many times. It's a painting about being in the middle of nowhere, being far from civilization, but I just fell in love with it almost right away. And yes, the Frick does reopen this spring. I'm very excited to take another gander at it.

[Alison Stewart]

Jackson Arne is the New Yorker art critic. Thank you for coming to the studio and for making a list for us. We really appreciate it.

[Jackson Arne]

Alison, thank you so much.

[WNYC Studios]

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