queens
Two views of passersby in the boroughs: people gawking at the vibrant art of LIC's 5 Pointz, and a woman walking amid a shuttered brick building in Greenpoint dotted with graffiti.
Today, it seems the rain will abate, though we may see some thunder and lightning; on Friday, despite the deluge, I did a bit of exploring in Jamaica, Queens, during my lunch break for jury duty. The signs advertising Alex's Furniture were particularly nice.
It's that time again: time for the LIC Arts Open, nearly a week of gallery nights, events, and open studios spread across Long Island City.
Tonight revolved around Queens Plaza/Dutch Kills; first, we visited the Clock Tower, 29-27 41st Avenue, which is hosting a group show, with standouts like recent prints from Luba Lukova. Next, we wandered over to Space Gallery, 29-09 39th Avenue, and took a peek at Windmill Tap & Grill, still not quite ready for the public, but beautifully restored and looking like a promising addition to the neighborhood. Finally, we headed to Studio 34, 34-01 38th Avenue, and checked out a group show as well as a few studio spaces.
Lots of great stuff---like "Power" in pink plush, below, in addition to pieces by Ayakoh Furukawa, Mary Teresa Giancoli, Sofia Hager, Eric March, Nancy Rakoczy, Helaine Soller, and many, many more. Have a wander in the neighborhood---this weekend, the open studios should be another big draw; Reis Studios and Diego Salazar are a pretty good bet.
The borough's surprisingly green, but in the wilds of LIC, sometimes your beautiful flowers are thrown into relief against varied building sidings.
We went walking through Astoria Park this weekend; in summer, the historic pool is teeming with people, but in winter, it's a peaceful respite from the city.
Saw lots of Duke A. Barnstable pieces around LIC today -- these are just two of many near PS1 and the Sculpture Center. Can't wait to see what the neighborhood block party has in store for us next year!
I wandered around in Elmhurst for a bit yesterday, grabbing bubble tea and banh mi at JoJu (recommended! Get your sandwich spicy!). The light as the sun set was positively ethereal, even on the bustling boulevard.
