Whitney and High line

Today I enjoyed a delicious omelette and decent coffee at a local cafe before going to the Whitney Museum Of American Art. 2 years ago this moved into a brand new building at the southern end of the High Line.  There were exhibits on 7 floors. I spent most of the time  looking at paintings from their collection in an exhibition Where we Are 1900-1960.  This was organised around 5 themes: family and  community,  work, home, the spiritual  and the nation.  Their selection of paintings was interesting  and thought-provoking. I spent some time watching and listening to a teacher talking to a group of immaculately uniformed all black kids of about 12 about a painting by Joseph  Stella called The Brooklyn Bridge. It had the arches of the bridge but they were also like windows in a church with stained glass pictures. She asked all sorts of questions, age appropriate,  to get them thinking . Later on I bumped into her and she apologised saying she hoped she or the kids had not disturbed me.  On the contrary, I said, I learnt a lot about the painting and thanked her.

There was an exhibition by Laura Owen.  All sorts of quirky , whimsical , abstract stuff. I liked a painting that had a boy and an animal hanging onto a rope that said " when you get to the end of your rope, make a knot and hang on."

After some soup in their cafe looking out over some construction stuff and then the Hudson river I had a quick look at the rest of the floors and then left and walked along the High Line. The weather was significantly better than our previous attempt last week, positively mild at -2 degrees.  I did have a thought that the day after I bought myself 2 pairs of gloves to wear together, it warmed up and I only needed one pair. I really enjoy the elevated view of different Manhatten (and !ew Jersey) buildings. I enjoy the contrasts -old next to brand new, very rectangular next to curves.  The High Line itself was quite bland - white , grey and bare, not the colourful place it is in summer time. Some photos follow of different views of and from the High Line.

After another good coffee from the Think Coffee chain, I went back to my apartment.