MoMA and all that

 On a recent trip to New York in March 2022, one 'must see' in our book was MoMA (Museum of Modern Art).

As if by terrible coincidence, before we could decide on a date, on the afternoon of March 12th, this story was all over the news; "2 employees stabbed at MoMA by man whose membership was revoked." and it led to the immediate closure of the museum. 

Yoakum's UFO siting!

Fortunately, the man was quickly nabbed, the employees were not badly injured, and the museum reopened two days later. 

When we arrived at the address, we were quite impressed by the long line of persons trying to get in, which made me wonder out loud if it was a result of the recent assault!

 It was also our lucky day, as when we went to purchase our tickets and asked for 'senior citizen rate,' the nice young man serving us declared; "it's your birthday, so you can come in free today!"

We sure were grateful for it is not normal to get anything free in New York😁. 

It was an interesting and educational visit too, for my experience with art musea, is they tend to highlight famous artists mostly. However, MoMa seems to be different (it was my first visit here) for they did the very opposite, which made it super-educational.

I was very impressed by some interesting works presented as "What I saw" by Joseph E. Yoakum 1891–1972. (He even saw a UFO he said).

I had never heard of him before. He was part Native American, but his mother was a formerly enslaved African American. He left his home as a child to travel with circuses. 

As someone who loves to travel, two aspects of his work intrigued me most; he traveled to every continent except Antartica, he was a self-taught landscape artist who never started to draw until he was 70.

He used anything he could find whenever inspiration took him, but most of his work was mainly with ball point pens, crayons and pastels. 

Amazingly, during the few remaining days of his life, he created over 2000 pieces of which 100 are on exhibit at MoMA, portraying a different perspective of many places that we normally see.

Sex between two starfish!

Another artist that I had the opportunity to learn about was Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, one of Africa’s best known and most celebrated 20th-century artists.

Born in 1923 in the Bété village of Zéprégühé, near Daloa, the major city in west-central Côte d’Ivoire, Bouabré is heralded for his untiring attempts to codify, archive, and share information that connects the human story.

 

In the formative period of his career, Bouabré was concerned with transcribing the history and knowledge of his native Bété ethnic group. He also set out to create the first writing system for the Bété language in the 1950s and pioneered a Bete alphabet.
 

I found his series entitled, "Creation" a bit amusing and even primitive, as he depicted the sex act between numerous creatures from the starfish to the elephant!

Moving on; I thought a particular photograph on display by the Ukranian artist Boris Mikhailov was very timely. For this picture was taken in 1991 and was displayed in his series portraying the hardships Ukrainians suffered after the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

It really shows a lady at her lowest level in Ukraine then!

Depiction of hardship 

There were lots of other photographs and really imaginative creations on display at this museum, even a masterful piece designed from women's panty hose!

The pictural history of the independence of India and separation Pakistan also caught my attention.

I loved MoMa.

Apart from Moma, we went to the New York Natural History Museum but I guess because I had only recently gone back to the comprehensive and educational Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC, I was not particularly impressed.

Made from panty hose!

The Native American Museum had some very interesting information though. 

This is located right opposite the Bowling Green subway station in Alexander Hamilton's Customs house.

There you gain accurate knowledge about the various tribes that lived peacefully in and around the New York area, before their lives and liberty were taken away from the white invaders. 

Native American Museum is in this impressive building

I was especially pleased that they corrected the long-circulated lie that the Dutch bought Manhattan in 1626. What they did was to trick the Native Americans to get it, but I guess that has been the order of the day by the colonizers and invaders since the beginning of time.

This museum is definitely worth a visit.

 

                                                                        MEMORIES

Loved this pic in Natural History Museum

Will and Chris

“To err is human, to forgive is divine.” 

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Want me to go on? For, even the devil can quote scriptures for his own purpose, it is said! 😏

Yes, everyone is getting a word in about the Will Smith affair, so why shouldn’t I.?

To be honest, I have never watched an Academy Award. Yes, I did try once or twice but after about 10 minutes into it, I could not take the boredom.

Don’t get me wrong, I love movies, but I just don’t have the time to watch actors do what they do best.

Act and preen.

This year’s Academy Award inadvertently came to life a bit though, due to Will Smith’s ‘intemperate’ reaction to Chris Rock’s decision to make light of his wife’s illness.

I must say, despite Rock being crass enough to make a joke of the illness of another, I admire his reaction and poise after he was punched by Smith, for all the world to see.

For it could have ended up as a public brawl, but Rock is clearly a man of restraint.

Let me state up front though, I hate violence and despite the propaganda spread by many violent men who love to beat up on women, women do not take any delight from being a men’s punching bag any more than men enjoy being in pain!

But that’s an aside.

I have spent most of my life living in a society where violence against women seems to be acceptable while the issue of a man standing up to defend the honor or feelings of the woman he ‘loves,’ is rare or non-existent.

So, excuse me if I applaud Will Smith for doing it.

Despite growing up in a home where domestic abuse against his own mom by his brutal father was the order of the day, Will Smith is not by nature a violent man, according to his mom and others who know him.  

So, the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident, has to be taken into account.

When you watch the video of the event, it is clear that Smith only reacted when he saw the pain on his wife’s face, as a result of the tasteless joke about her baldness. So, he lost it.

Wrong reaction but I admire him for defending his wife’s honor.

Some people have seized on the well-known fact that the Smith’s marriage is unusual in that it gives both parties the freedom to date other people.

Sure, we may not agree with that version of marriage, but it's their decision to make.

So, whereas even some closet cheaters have the nerve to say Jada has no honor to defend (because of the open marriage), Will clearly disagrees.

As I said earlier, I abhor violence but if a man loses it in a moment of weakness because his wife’s illness is ridiculed, let those without sin cast the first stone!

What I will never applaud is that behavior practiced by many of my cowardly countrymen, uptown and downtown, who though being physically stronger than their women, take immense pleasure from beating up on them.

So, yea, condemn Will Smith for being human and losing it, but at least he stood up for the woman he loves.

In my book,  that is what makes his intemperate reaction forgivable.

The best of New York

I am no fan of New York, having lived there for about six months many decades ago, before escaping to live in Canada.

What turned me off most of all then, was public transportation, especially the subway. As a result of my dislike for that particular state, I never returned for years, but when I finally did, I discovered I had an affinity to Manhattan, nowhere else.

So, on a recent trip there with a former school mate, we decided to do some touring in the city.

Fortunately, we were staying close to Central Park which I had explored some years ago with my daughter and granddaughter, in a carriage. 

I really enjoyed that ride and am always in love with how they decorate those carriages. 

As an animal lover, this time I decided to visit the zoo there, but it is by far the paltriest zoo I have every visited! Their only saving grace were the loveable penguins but apart from them, there wasn't much else to see.

The hop-on-hop off tour we took with Top View, wasn't bad in terms of the attractions selected for stops, but the lack of information was appalling. 

For example, I wanted to spend some time in Harlem but only learnt after we were there, that there were only three buses travelling to that area in a 24-hour day! 

Also, our purchase included the Statue of Liberty cruise, but they gave no information on where the pier was, how to get there, Nothing. 

It turned out that the pier was so far away, that we had to get a ride share car to get to the boat on time, as the bus stop was so far away. 

Also, while the numerous skyscrapers in Manhattan, give the impression of a concrete jungle, many buildings do have attractive facades, but no information on architecture was given on either day or night tour. 

The night tour was good however and gave one a really good view of the city lights. 

Despite these shortfalls, I really enjoyed learning a lot more about Manhattan and the Broadway musicals that we had the opportunity to visit were marvelous.

We had a really wonderful time in New York City but there was one glitch.....transportation.

To begin with we were departing from La Guardia Airport on St. Patrick's Day and despite Lyft finding three different drivers willing to pick us up, none could make it due to the traffic confusion caused by parades which the police did not seem to have a handle on. Eventually after about an hour, we did get a driver that was able to find his way out of the city. 

Then came the real killer. 

La Guardia Airport became engulfed by a thick fog which made it dangerous for planes to land all day. 

This created a logistics nightmare for Delta which had to cancel a whopping 65 flights including ours.

With the airport undergoing massive upgrading, that did not make for a comfortable overnight stay in the adjoining terminal, but we survived after waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, to retrieve our luggage.

 However, the next day, the weather was fantastic and we were able to return home safely.

Such are the hazards caused when Acts of God, but the trip was worth every minute.

Related articles; Joan, my views: Broadway revisited (joan-myviews.blogspot.com).

https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/new-yorks-best-kept-secret.html

                                                                Memories

Broadway revisited

I have often told people that the only thing about New York that I like is Times Square including Broadway.

Pro-Ukraine demonstration

Since my most recent visit, I think I will add the Manhattan waterfront to my likes, although due to time constraints, I just never got to explore it as much as I would have liked to.

On this trip, Times Square was somewhat a disappointment though. I have always enjoyed the amateur performers who show off their skills in the area in the hope of being ‘discovered’. 

This time however, they were missing and all we saw on two consecutive nights, was a few young men doing gymnastics but seemingly being more intent on squeezing out as much money as possible from observers, without doing anything spectacular.

On another occasion, we saw a pro-Ukraine demonstration there where a small crowd, including a few members of the Guardian Angels (allegedly a non-profit international volunteer organization of unarmed crime prevention activists) decked out in their uniforms, in attendance.

Broadway was spectacular though.

                                             THE MJ MUSICAL

My main draw to Broadway this time was the Michael Jackson musical, (MJ) playing at the Neil Simon theatre.

My interest in that musical was not only because I have always had an undying love for Michael but also, proudly, I have a young cousin dancing in that show. 

Yup, performing on Broadway is a big, big deal in my book!

Her stage name is Michelle Mercedes, and she holds a BFA from Florida State University and a MBA from University of Florida.

Posing with Michelle 

I really beamed with pride on seeing her outstanding credentials in black and white in the program.

I must confess though, that I had only met her once, and that was at a relative’s funeral no less. (You know, that seems to be the most popular place to meets relatives these days😏!)

That was also where I was introduced, via video, to her exceptional dancing talent.

I knew from I saw those videos that she would be going places!

It was therefore not much of a surprise when her beaming dad told me about two years ago, that she would be dancing on Broadway no less, in West Side Story.

Unfortunately, covid struck shortly after and Broadway closed down.

No sooner had Broadway reopened though, than I got the good news that she would be dancing in the MJ musical.

 Wild horses therefore could not keep me from seeing it as soon as possible.

The cast of MJ warming up

This musical surely lived up to the words ‘electrifying, vivid and gripping’ which were used in one of the reviews. For from start to finish, as it replayed the biography of the late, great Michael Jackson, the singers and dancers brought his life and exceptional musical performances to life.

Apart from the outstanding renditions, my most lasting impression was that it explains most graphically, Michael’s constant search for his childhood, which his abusive father had caused him to miss completely.

The part of the young Michael (from the Jackson Five days) was brilliantly and melodiously played by 13-year-old Walter Russell 111, who I had the honor of meeting after the performance. 

That young man is surely going to go places!

Walter Russell 111

The main star was Myles Frost who not only shares an uncanny physical representation, voice and agility with the late super star, but also, he was seamless in all his movements.

During the over two-hour performance, the singers and dancers brilliantly performed Michael’s greatest hits, appropriately closing “Man in the middle.”

Seeing all those young people putting everything into their craft, seemingly without effort, forced me to ask Michelle after the performance if she was not tired! She admitted that they often have to get their legs iced after performances.

That’s when it really made me appreciate the super-human effort these talented young people put into entraining us while making it look so easy!

TINA

Tina Turner, with those fantastic legs, is also another big favorite of mine. I was therefore excited to learn that her musical was still on at the Lunt Fontaine Theater on Broadway during our visit.

As most of her life’s story involved her father who abandoned her, a mom who did not like her and that late abusive husband of hers Ike, it was not as entertaining or as upbeat as MJ in the beginning, but in fact, rather sad.

When it started to take on a life of its own, was after she left Ike with just 36 cents in her pocket, the established name Tina Turner and two children to support.

What is especially exceptional about Tina, is how her career flourished after the age of 40, which is usually the stage of life when many other performers start on a downward trajectory.

The role of Tina was played by Nkeki Obi-Melekwe who was chosen by the great Tina Turner herself.

That lady can certainly sing.

What was great about this performance too, is that for the grand finale, we were allowed to take pictures whereas during the entire MJ we couldn’t.

Broadway is surely back in full swing and in all its glory.

UPDATE TONY AWARDS 2022

Myles Frost, the lead in "MJ" won "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical."

Natasha Katz, "MJ"; Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Gareth Owen, "MJ"; Best Sound Design of a Musical

Christopher Wheeldon, "MJ";Best Choreography. My cousin Michelle Mercedes is a dancer so is part of the winning team!

Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, "MJ"; Best Orchestrations

MJ deserved all those wonderful awards as does ADRIENNE WARREN  who  won "Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical". 

I am so happy that I got to see both wonderful musicals on this trip.

New York's best kept secret

 According to Wikipedia, "New York City is the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world, significantly influencing commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, dining, art, fashion, and sports, and is the most photographed city in the world."

It goes on to describe the founding and evolution of that great city, but nowhere does it mention the blood shed by those brought over during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, to develop that “capital of the world.”

Like many people of color from all over the world, I have visited that great city many times, but it was only recently that I accidentally discovered it's most closely guarded secret.

Though late, the contribution made by African slaves are now revealed at The African burial ground located at 290 Broadway in Lower Manhattan; an area full of large, ostentatious federal buildings.

According to the educational video in the museum, in 1991 construction began on a 34-story federal office tower at 290 Broadway, when intact human skeletal remains were located 30 feet below street level.

That’s when, the largest and most important archeological discovery was made: the "Negroes Burial Ground"- a 6-acre burial ground containing upwards of 15,000 intact skeletal remains of enslaved and free Africans who lived and worked in colonial New York.

Photos of some descendants of persons buried there

This Burial Ground dates from the middle 1630s to 1795.

Replica of a Ghanian child's coffin

A brief history reveals that the first enslaved Africans arrived in New Amsterdam in 1625, as forced laborers for the Dutch West India Company.

Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Africans were an important part of the city's population, reaching a peak of over 20 percent at the middle of the eighteenth century.

Pointing to the monument outside

After the discovery of the skeletal remains, between 1991 and 2003, an analysis of the human remains was conducted at Howard University.

In February 2006, by order of Pres. George W. Bush, the African Burial ground was proclaimed a national monument.

In October 5, 2007 the National Monument became the first National Monument dedicated to Africans of early New York and Americans of African descent.

It is now an enduring testament to the history, financial and physical contributions of African people to the development of the great city of New York.

In my book though, it still remains a well-kept secret.

Pics at the African Burial Ground and some of the ostentatious surrounding buildings

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