All Of It: Local Art Alert - The Frick Has Reopened!

Episode Release Date: July 3, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Podcast: All Of It by WNYC
Description: ALL OF IT delves into the intricacies of culture and its consumers, engaging thinkers, creators, and community members to explore the what and why behind their work. This episode spotlights the reopening of the Frick Collection, offering listeners an in-depth look into its history, recent renovations, and future exhibitions.

Reopening of the Frick Collection

Alison Stewart kicks off the episode by announcing the reopening of the Frick Collection in April, after five years of extensive renovations. Situated in the former mansion of Henry Clay Frick, a turn-of-the-century steel magnate, the Frick Collection provides a glimpse into the opulent lifestyles of New York's elite during that era.

Alison Stewart [00:30]:
"You can hear all of those conversations and take a look at the full list@wnyc.org art100 and you can find our cheat sheet at allofnyc on Instagram. And when you do, you'll notice that a few of the pieces can be found at the Frick Collection, which just reopened in April after five years of renovations."

Interview with Curator Amy Eng

Curator Amy Eng joins the conversation to discuss the Frick Collection's unique position as both an art museum and a historic house.

Dual Identity of the Frick Collection

Amy Eng highlights the Frick's dual identity, emphasizing its appeal to both art enthusiasts and those fascinated by historic homes.

Amy Eng [01:34]:
"Some people love the house, simply being in a house that looks nothing like their own home, it looks nothing like mine. And then those who come for those great, you know, the big iconic names of European art history, your Vermeers and your Rembrandts and your Titian."

Amy Eng [01:34]:
"So I think there it has this special identity as both an art museum and, and a historic house. So you have both sides of the experience together."

Renovation and Curatorial Challenges

The conversation shifts to the challenges faced during the renovation, especially in integrating the Frick's historic art collection with the modernist Breuer Building.

Integration of Old and New Art

Amy Eng explains the complexities of merging classic European masterpieces with contemporary artworks within the Brutalist architecture of the Breuer Building.

Amy Eng [03:09]:
"So just putting the old master paintings and sculpture and decorative arts into this modernist, brutal as 1960s building just invited a totally different experience of the old works and made it sort of obvious to invite newer art and put the Frick's historic paintings into a new dialogue."

Amy Eng [03:09]:
"I mean, you don't get a Berkeley Hendrix very often. I mean he really was one of a kind. And so that was such an extraordinary experience to bring and Bridge 20th century paintings that were inspired in many ways by the Frick's collection together with the Frick's actual collection."

Porcelain Floral Arrangements by Vladimir Kanievsky

To honor the Frick's tradition of floral displays, the museum commissioned Ukrainian-born Russian artist Vladimir Kanievsky to create porcelain floral sculptures.

Significance of the Floral Arrangements

These porcelain arrangements replace the live flowers originally arranged by Helen Clay Frick in 1935, addressing conservation concerns while maintaining aesthetic continuity.

Amy Eng [04:08]:
"The flowers in the galleries are made of porcelain. They're not real. You don't have to go up and touch them. I can tell you now they're not real. They are produced by a Ukrainian born Russian artist called Vladimir Kanievsky. He works locally in New Jersey and he has produced an unbelievable arrangement of plants and flowers made of porcelain throughout the galleries."

Amy Eng [04:08]:
"This is a tribute to when the Frick first opened to the public in 1935, Helen Clay Frick arranged to have real flowers in all of the galleries. You can't do that now because of conservation reasons."

Amy Eng [04:08]:
"So instead of having live and fresh flowers in the galleries, we decided to commission Vladimir Kanievsky to produce these really gorgeous. And they're also paired interestingly with some of the works in the room. So there’s pomegranates underneath the Virgin Mary and artichokes underneath the Bellini St. Francis."

Current and Upcoming Exhibits

Drawings by Degas and Rubens

The Frick is currently showcasing an exhibit featuring drawings by renowned artists Edgar Degas and Peter Paul Rubens. These works on paper offer a deeper appreciation of Henry Clay Frick's personal collection.

Amy Eng [05:38]:
"A lot of people don't know that the Frick has a collection of works on paper. It's just not something that is, you know, one of our strongest suits. It's relatively small, but very strong. Drawings are also things that because of the light sensitivity, they can come out for three months, and then they go back into their dark boxes for a few years. So this is a really nice moment to celebrate further what's in the Frick's collection by showing objects that Henry Clay Frick collected, works on paper, as well as what the trustees have augmented in the collection."

Vermeer's "Love Letter" Collaboration

In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Frick joins forces with the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin to present "Vermeer's Love Letter." This exhibit features three interconnected paintings exploring themes of love and correspondence.

Amy Eng [06:11]:
"So we are bringing together three paintings. This is based on the Frick's famous Mistress and Maid picture. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin is sending two other pictures of mistress maids, and letters that are being exchanged among them."

Exhibition Design and Labeling Policy

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the Frick's approach to labeling artworks. Unlike many museums, the Frick maintains a minimalistic approach to didactic labels to preserve the ambiance of a historic home.

Minimalistic Labeling Approach

Amy Eng explains that the absence of extensive labels allows visitors to experience the art without predetermined narratives, fostering personal interpretation and engagement.

Amy Eng [06:44]:
"The reason we don't have didactic labels, and I mean labels that tell you not only who made it and what it is and when, but what it's about or, you know, the themes and iconography. The reason we don't have that is because this is a historic house museum, and it is part of the mission of the museum to preserve that sense of a home."

Encouraging Personal Interpretation

Visitors can access detailed information through plaques, guidebooks, or the free app, ensuring that those interested in deeper knowledge have ample resources without overwhelming casual observers.

Amy Eng [06:44]:
"What's very important to us is that every object can be identified. So on every painting, there's a little plaque that tells you the name of the author or the artist and the subject. And so you can look those up both on a guide guide that's, you know, a $5 guide where you can look everything up, or the free app where you can look anything up, plus audio commentary, etc."

Preserving the Home Atmosphere

This approach maintains the integrity of the Frick as a historic residence, allowing artifacts to coexist with art in an authentic setting.

Amy Eng [06:44]:
"The more important thing, not only retaining the sense of a house, but it's important for us to have people walk in and not be told what to think either that they can let their eye wander and decide what they want to look like, look at and decide what they want to think about it."

Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up her conversation with Amy Eng, highlighting the ongoing exhibits and anticipating future discussions with Met curator Jeff Rosenheim about New American Photography.

Alison Stewart [08:14]:
"That was my conversation with Frick Collection curator Amy Eng. You can catch Vermeer's Love Letters exhibit until August 31st and Porcelain Garden Vladimir Kanesky until October 6th. Up next, Met curator Jeff Rosenheim joins us to discuss the New American Photography 1839-1983, 1910, which features never before seen images from the earliest days of photography."

Note: This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, focusing on the key discussions surrounding the Frick Collection's reopening, curatorial decisions, and current exhibitions. Notable quotes are included with timestamps for reference, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened to the episode.