Suspected Bomb Outside MoMA

Anyone visiting The Museum of Modern Art today received a special treat. Just after 2:00 pm NYPD closed down 53rd St. (where the museum's main entrance is located) because of a "suspicious bag." Over the course of the next half hour or so, some areas of the building that faced the street were evacuated, including the sculpture garden, although most of the galleries remained opened to the public. Ultimately the package was determined to be harmless, the contents of which was reported to be some fool's clothes. At least one report suggests the bag belonged to a tourist-fool and contained souveniers.

Just as an FYI- MoMA does have a coat/bag check for anyone visiting the museum. You need not lock your bag to a bike rack or fire hyrdrant.

Light Posting for a While

I will be traveling for the next week and will be unable to post anything new. Please check back sometime next week.

The Search for the Greatest Painting...in the UK

The National Gallery-London and the BBC have sought to identify the 10 greatest paintings in the United Kingdom. Personally, I'm not a fan of ranking systems in general, particularly when it involves combining things across various historical periods. The survey is intentionally broad and unlimiting, the only discernable parameters being that the work must be a painting and held in the collection of a public art institution in the UK. The task is made even more complicated by the obvious difficulty in evaluating "greatness," for which no criteria have been established. The National Gallery kindly provides "tips for choosing the greatest painting":

Consider what makes a painting 'great'?
How can one painting be 'greater' than another?
Can any painting really be 'the greatest'?

As far as I can tell these are not tips but rather questions that, when answered correctly, point out that such an exercise as the one the National Gallery and the BBC are conducting is pointless and meaningless. The Director of the National Gallery has this to say on why they are conducting this poll:

This exciting, inclusive project is a chance to celebrate art in Britain. From classical landscapes to edgy commentary on modern life, 'The Greatest Painting in Britain' is an invitation to evaluate every work of art in the country. Old and new, British and foreign, Titian and Damien Hirst.

Above all, the National Gallery wants the event to raise the profile of Britain's arts heritage - across the length and breadth of the country.

My own suspicion is that this is an attempt to draw attention to the fact that the UK actually does have some great works of art in public collections and conducting such a poll will hopefully increase tourism. It also shouldn't come as a surprise that the majority of "great" works of art in the UK are located in...you guessed it- The National Gallery in London.

For what it's worth, here are 10 works of art that may be considered "great":
(in no particular order)

The Bathers at Asnieres- Seurat (National Gallery-London)

The Arnolfini Portrait- Jan van Eyck (National Gallery-London)

Snow Storm- Steam Boat Off a Harbour's Mouth- J.M.W. Turner (Tate)...My personal favorite of the list.

Virgin on the Rocks- Leonardo da Vinci (National Gallery-London)

Salisbury Cathedral- Constable (V&A)

Seated Nude- Picasso (Tate)

Rain, Steam & Speed- J.M.W. Turner (National Gallery-London)

The Hay Wain- Constable (National Gallery-London)

Spatial Concept `Waiting'- Lucio Fontana (Tate)

Bathers at La Grenouillere- Monet (National Gallery-London)

Other considerations: Mr. and Mrs. Andrews- Gainsborough (National Gallery-London); Venus and Mars- Botticelli (National Gallery-London); The Ambassadors- Hans Holbein (National Gallery-London); Summertime: Number 9A- Pollack (Tate); The Reckless Sleeper- Magritte (Tate); Henri Matisse- Andre Derain (Tate)