ART AMONG THE PALM TREES

When I initially started planning my trip to Palm Springs, I met with some questions. Why are you going there? You will be missing Coachella! Modernism week is in February, not now! Will you be the youngest one there? All valid questions, reflecting the questioner’s personal preferences. And, to be fair the timing did put me in this storied resort town a bit off-season. But it fit my calendar, and that’s what matters.

LET’S START AT THE MUSEUM

The purpose of this trip was to relax and unwind. For me, that means finding good contemporary art galleries and museums and taking a peek. The first stop was a mere couple of minutes’ walk from my hotel: the brutalist structure housing the Palm Springs Art Museum. That’s where the first surprise awaited me.

Approaching the plaza in front of the museum I noticed a familiar set of sculptures - the giant crawling babies that I had last seen climbing the TV tower in Prague. A Czech girl comes to Palm Springs to see - Czech art? What are the odds! A closer read confirmed what I already knew - David Cerny’s babies are part of the local public art installation. And they are keeping company to another (infamous?) larger-than-life sculpture: “Forever Marilyn” by Seward Johnson. Caught in her iconic pose with her dress mid flight, Marilyn faces towards the downtown Palm Springs with her “derriere deshabillee” facing the museum. I have heard that perhaps this was a tiny deliberate act of rebellion by the artist? Today, Marilyn has plenty of company every day with tourists posing while peeking up her dress “for the ‘gram.” I chose to take my photo from a bit farther away.

The museum was a pleasant surprise. Currently housing a show by Gonzalo Ebrija, the entrance is unmissable with the upside down car planted among the palm trees. Inside, there is a little bit of everything, including a lot of contemporary art, much to my delight. There are works by John Chamberlain, Robert Irwin, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Kiefer, Donald Judd and right now, also Leon Polk Smith. And, some really good glass sculptures, including my favorite one by John Kiley. A great first stop for this art explorer.

ART IN… PALM DESERT

After the museum, where does one go next? In Palm Springs, you pop over to the Palm Desert neighborhood. That’s where the galleries are. Here, the art is different. As if to provide a bold counterweight to the muted desert color palette, a lot of Palm Desert galleries show art that is bursting with color and attitude. It pops, it leaves little to imagination and it gets in your face. So, if your taste runs towards pop art or bold abstraction, this is your destination. You can start at the large and eclectic CODA Gallery with its unmissable art wall and windmill garden outside. Or, if you want something even bolder, Elena Bulatova gallery is your go-to. My personal favorite was the slightly more minimalist J. Willot Gallery with its many pieces by John Kiley, my new favorite glassblower!

THE MECCA OF MODERNISM

Art is always on my mind. But what truly brought me to Palm Springs are the amazing modernist homes that you can find here.

And - as luck would have it - Modernism Week actually DOES happen outside of its February main slot! I accidentally timed my trip to coincide with its May installment and was able to get a couple tours scheduled. Great vacation karma, once again (friends reading this will understand). Yes, one can book the “celebrity” version, but I would strongly encourage you to find a true architecture tour. Even better if you find one that’s led by modernism guru Trevor, a trusted guide who knows every tiny detail and piece of information about every house. You will get to see the Alexander houses in the Las Palmas neighborhood, Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate, Albert Frey house, the home recently bought by “Leo” (Di Caprio) and many, many others. For me, the tour checked off another “bucket list” item: it brought me to the jewel that I had always admired - the Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra. It was love at first sight.

The second Modernism Week tour took me to the Indian Canyons neighborhood known for its spectacular William Krisel model homes (and for the instagram-savvy folks, the bright colored doors). Home after home dazzles you with its (mostly bright white) exterior, complemented by one of the many (did you know that there are over 70 designs?) breeze block patterns that are so iconic for the modernist architecture. Some have lawns, but most have adopted “zero scaping” to more thoughtfully integrate into the region’s desert climate. You can pass by the house that Mickey (Mouse) built, and if you bring binoculars or simply pay attention, you can also spot the giant masterful Bob Hope Residence on a hill above the city. From afar it looks a bit like a turtle :). All of it is a true feast for the eyes and if you are in the area, do not miss it.

DRIFT AWAY WITH ME... IN NEW YORK CITY

New York City. Hustle and bustle. Traffic. Honking cars. Pedestrians rushing by. A concrete jungle that can swallow you whole.

But what if you could use all that concrete to help you pause? Take a breath. Slow down and let yourself drift away for a few fleeting moments. With The Drift, the show currently running at The Shed, you can.

THE MAGIC OF DRIFTERS

The Drifters are, without a doubt, the main attraction in Studio DRIFT’s art installation currently on display at The Shed in New York’s Hudson Yards. The giant concrete blocks that float effortlessly through the air have been intriguing audiences ever since the Pace Gallery brought one to the Armory Show in 2017.

Designed to float and move at slow speed on a controlled three-dimensional path, The Drifters are meant to provoke thought. The studio founders Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta put it perfectly: “On its own the concrete block is nothing, lost in space and time without reference to anything; it is always searching to be part of something bigger. Drifter wants to make people feel that without context they are lost. Without context, the object feels alien, divorced from its source. Drifter shows how unknown the world and its mechanisms still are to mankind and emphasizes the urge to expand our horizon and evolve in time.”

And they do just that at the Shed. Once you’ve made your way through the other parts of the show (more on those later), you'‘re asked to pause briefly in the waiting room. Here you’re treated to a couple of short films: one showing The Drifters levitate across the world, making their way over verdant highlands, weaving through forests and reflecting in the rushing water of mountain streams below. The other movie hits closer to home: The Drifters navigate the air above Manhattan’s busy streets. Now you’re primed for the “performance.”

The curtain lifts and you make your way into the massive space with several Drifters hovering in a perfect line above your head. Some people sit down, others stretch out on the concrete floors. Lights dim, music starts and The Drifters above you start moving. A forward slide here, a spin there, coming closer and closer until you feel you can touch them, only to have them pull away just out of reach. It’s mesmerizing and it takes some discipline to put the camera away and just enjoy the moment. I loved it.

BUT WAIT… DON’T SET YOUR EGO ASIDE JUST YET

The Drifters are the main draw, but visitors would miss out if they did not stop in the room that showcases another Studio Drift installation, Ego. Introduced in 2020, “Ego” is a kinetic sculpture made out of translucent mesh fabric that morphs, inflates, floats, stretches and collapses, only to lift up again a few moments later. The founders see it as a representation of our hopes, truths and emotions that evolve along with our own mind. Linger, ponder and see how your own belief system works. Is it rigid, or is it fluid?

The Drift is on display at The Shed in New York City through December 19.

Studio DRIFT was founded by Dutch artists Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta in 2007. Based in The Netherlands, the team focuses on creation of experiential sculptures, installations and performances, combining hidden properties of nature and technology to help humans re-establish their connection to the Earth. Their work has been shown at Victoria & Albert Museum; Met Museum; Stedelijk Museum; Biennale di Venezia; Pace Gallery; and now at The Shed in New York City.

EXPLORING ROME AND ITS CONTEMPORARY ART

The Eternal City. Yes. Rome is known for its history, its spectacular monuments, and enduring artworks by art geniuses of the past. Raphael, Caravaggio, Bernini, Borromini, and yes, the unforgettable Michelangelo whose work on Pope Julius II’s commission gave us the spectacular Sistine Chapel. If you love art history, Rome is the destination of your dreams.

For the contemporary art lovers among us, all it takes is a tiny extra bit of preparation. But you too can fall in love with this beautiful place. So, let’s explore together, shall we?

LA GALLERIA NAZIONALE D’ARTE MODERNA E CONTEMPORANEA

I dare you not to fall in love with this gallery. An unassuming neoclassical building just a few steps away from the fab Villa Borghese park, the gallery had my heart from the moment I stepped in. Generously sized rooms that let the art breathe, large skylights that bring in lots of natural light, and a small courtyard with greenery to blend the indoors and outdoors in a way that just works. But that was only the beginning.

What I really loved is the way the art is curated here. A few well chosen antique pieces mixed in with modern and contemporary art, all beautifully and seamlessly blended together. Art placed in ways that show clarity of a curator’s purpose, with each piece standing out individually and ready for your attention, but also working together with others as part of the bigger idea of the entire room. Careful placement, playing with the location of windows, doorways and stairs to create varied vistas that draw your eye in. It is so well done and it is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Finally, don’t forget the special exhibitions. They are done with humor, creativity and imagination. Make this the one gallery that is a “must” on your list.

MAXXI

If your heart pines after conceptual art, this is the place for you. MAXXI (short for The National Museum of XXI Century Arts) has set an ambitious (and a little ambiguous) goal of becoming the first Italian national institution devoted to contemporary creativity. This is reflected in the programming and special projects and the workshops that the museum wants to focus on going forward.

For me, the highlight of the visit was the building itself. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the concrete structure features her signature bold forms and undulating shapes outside and twisting staircases on the inside. Connecting multiple structures into one cohesive self, MAXXI stands out (while also blending in) in the more typical Flaminio neighborhood that surrounds it.

MACRO

MACRO stands for Museum of Contemporary Art Rome, so you know you are in the right place. Built in a former Peroni brewery and warehouse, it was inaugurated in 1999 as the Municipal Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of Rome. It was subsequently redesigned to better suit the exhibition and performance space needs and reopened to the public in 2010. Make sure you check out the events and exhibitions that are on and don’t forget that the museum only opens in the afternoons.

MUCCIACACCIA GALLERY

This was a random find! I passed by the gallery on my way home one evening and liked this small space enough to come back the next day. Three connected rooms provide the perfect white backdrop for the very colorful art by Jim Lambie that was on display during my visit. The gallery is right in the center of Rome so it is an easy addition to your itinerary.

GALLERIA LORCAN O’NEILL

Another good stop on your contemporary art tour is Lorcan O’Neill. The Irish-born gallery has been bringing avant-garde and contemporary artists such as Gary Hume, Anselm Kiefer, Tracey Emin and others to the eternal city and is worth a stop as well.

SEE ART, STAY WITH ART

My focus here is mostly on finding contemporary art while you travel. But every now and then I will share hotels, restaurants or design shops that make the perfect destination for my fellow minimalist design and contemporary art lovers. This time, it is these two hotels:

Crossing Condotti

Hidden on a side street that’s but a stone’s throw from the Spanish Steps and the glam of Via Condotti, this tiny gem of a hotel makes you happy from the moment you step through its dark green doors. Each of its handful of rooms showcases carefully picked iconic design furniture and a mix of classic and contemporary art from artists such as Beatrice Spadea, Benedetta Mori Ubaldini, or Sergio Vanni. Design and art come together to greet you as you enter and to create an amazing backdrop for your entire stay. To top it off, the manager is great. A kind architecture buff, helpful and ready to make your stay a wonderful one.

Dei Barbieri hotel
Do you want to stay in a palazzo that’s both grand and also utterly modern? Dei Barbieri fits the bill perfectly. Tucked away on a side street, the hotel is close to one of the gems of the millenia-old architecture: The Pantheon. For the aperitivo-loving crowd, it’s also not that far from Campo de’Fiori. The building is an impressive renovation of a 17th-century building, mixing and beautifully preserved dramatic period architecture with cutting-edge contemporary design.

With so much to see, a true Roman holiday always makes me smile. Arrivederci Roma. Baci.

ENTER THE DARK BLUE SPACE. ESCAPE THE WORLD OUTSIDE

This year has brought all sorts of emotions. The fear of the unknown pandemic, the boredom of home confinement, the elation when the initial set of lockdown restrictions lifted and we could step out and exhale, even if only for a brief moment. The joy of seeing friends in person for the first time in months. The dread as the infections rate spiked up again and the despair with the reintroduction of lockdowns.

Inspired by the ups and downs that have defined 2020, Artechouse, the recent experiential installation arrival on the NYC art scene, picked a color that is meant to soothe and steady us. Blue. Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year ClassicBlue to be exact. Pairing the reliable, restful color with a search for deeper meaning and inspiration, Artechouse delivers “Celestial”, a “journey beyond the skies.”

So come with me. Enter the dark old boiler room under the sprawling Chelsea Market. Find a (socially distanced) spot and let the swirling, spinning, multiplying array of digitally powered shapes, lines, dots and forms in every shade of blue wash over you. Pulling you away from the world outside. Letting your imagination run wild. Energizing and centering you at the same time.

Sitting in the darkened space watching the shape-shifting scenery, the Czech in me couldn’t help but be reminded of a famous Czech song by Jaroslav Jezek. “Tmavomodry svet” (The World in Dark Blue) was inspired by the composer’s disability (he was almost blind and could only distinguish some dark blue shades) but it would have fit well here, too. A small, fleeting connection to home that is so far, far away right now. One tiny moment to be grateful for. What memories and ideas will the show inspire in you?