Fordham’s Magis Sculpture Exhibition

Energized by the warming temperatures and our trip to the Pratt Institute’s sculpture walk a few weeks ago, we decided to explore the art offerings of other schools in New York City. We were happy to find the newly installed “Magis Sculpture Exhibition” on Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus. Tucked away in a calm grassy plaza just above street level, the installation features works on loan from Nantucket’s Cavalier Galleries. We were thrilled to see the work of Bjørn Skaarup, having enjoyed his “Hippo Ballerina” since 2017. This installation included Skaarup’s “The Majestic Lion,” “The Frog” and “The Giraffe,” as well as works like “After Shopping” from artist Bruno Lucchesi. As we begin to thaw from winter, we hope you get a chance to catch this great installation.

“The Space Between Us” by Risha Gorig

Floating fifteen feet above New York’s Union Square Park are two bright pink chairs, facing each other. “The Space Between Us,” (“TSBU”) is by Brooklyn based artist Risha Gorig, who is known for taking a whimsical approach to bleak themes. Gorig says the floating chairs, which represent public discourse, serve “as a poignant reminder of our essential need for communication.” As one of New York’s oldest town squares, Union Square has historically served as a “space for expression, protest, and exchange,” making it the perfect backdrop for the thought provoking and conversation starting installation.  This eye-catching piece will be on display for visitors until May 1, 2025.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We are getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit early with a celebration at our New York office. Ahead of Monday’s holiday, Fiona baked a loaf of Irish Soda Bread for us, a family recipe from her great-grandmother who hailed from Clifden, Ireland that her family has been making for decades. The recipe was even shared by Family Circle Magazine many years ago. Of course, we enjoyed it with a generous spread of Kerrygold butter. No Guinness yet, but we have a feeling this weekend’s festivities might bring a pint or two.

Pratt Institute Sculpture Park

Nestled away in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn is the sprawling campus of the Pratt Institute (“Pratt”). For over a century, Pratt has educated bachelor’s and master’s students in the arts, serving as an incubator for creativity in New York City. As temperatures began to rise here in New York, we took a lovely stroll through Pratt’s sculpture park. The park includes a collection of over seventy sculptures by artists, faculty, and graduates on display throughout campus, which is open to the public.

Pratt’s sculpture collection is constantly evolving, with works on loan to the university for a few years at a time. On this visit, were able to appreciate the works of artists like James Tyler, Nova Mihai Popa, Wendy Klemperer, Santiago Calatrava, and Martha Walker. The grounds have pieces to enjoy and explore every few meters – the sculptural lions, spheres, and “brickheads” we enjoyed barely scratch the surface of what the park has to offer.  We look forward to return visits to continue exploring Pratt’s extraordinary displays!

Yayoi Kusama at Melbourne NGV

We recently visited the National Gallery of Victoria, or “NGV,” for the amazing Yayoi Kusama exhibition. Kusama has emerged as one of the most celebrated artists in the world, known for her work with pop art and minimalism and we have been fortunate to experience her work several times before at the Tate Modern in London, a public art festival in Rockaway, and the David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea.  At the NGV exhibition, Kusama displays some of her iconic pumpkin sculptures, which she first began to create in 1946. Comparing the ritual of painting a pumpkin to Zen meditation, Kusama credits pumpkins with contributing “to the peace of mankind across the world and to the celebration of humanity” making her “feel at peace.” In fact, the artist’s affinity for the winter squash has elevated it to one of the most recognized icons of contemporary art around the world.

Kusama is also known for her use of polka-dots within her art, seeing them as a way to infinity. Her polka dots come to life in this exhibit through infinity rooms, sculptures, and paintings. We loved this journey through Kusama’s career, exploring the artistic themes she’s developed over the decades. The exhibition is open through April 21, and we recommend viewers stop in to catch Kusama’s masterpieces before the exhibit ends.

“Love Ever After” by Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio

At the heart of Times Square, Swedish designer Pernilla Ohrstedt is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a love… for Oysters? Her sculpture, titled “Love Ever After,” features three dimensional hearts constructed of oyster cages. The installation was created in partnership with the Billion Oyster Project, a New York nonprofit that aims to rebuild oyster reefs in New York Harbor. New York used to be known as the “big oyster” for its abundant shellfish population, and these installations aim to bring awareness to the efforts to clean up the harbor, and bring back its biodiversity. Visitors can circle the art installation to interact with the oyster cages, watching the hearts contained change color and shape as they move. Conservation and shellfish make for a lovely romance in this installation! Although we try our best, the photos don’t do this stunning sculpture justice, we recommend you visit it in person before the exhibition ends on March 4th.

Winter Glow

Though the holiday season is over, we are happy to see the light displays continue setting NYC aglow on these short winter days. In downtown New York, visitors can bask in “Winter Glow,” a collection of interactive art installations lighting up Flatiron Plaza . Two exhibitions, “The Diamonds” and “Spectrum,” use movement and light to dazzle spectators. “The Diamonds” by Perséides Studio consist of three colorful structures that light up when they spin, featuring music by Stefie Shock that changes as the speed of rotation varies. Across the plaza is “Spectrum,” by Mirari from QDSinternational, which plays off of communication as it lights up to show sound waves pass through its circles. These interactive exhibitions are perfect for a little light therapy to brighten winter’s gloomy evenings.

Year of the Snake

Happy Lunar New Year! As we leave behind the year of the Dragon and head into the year of the Snake, we are enjoying one of our favorite Lunar New Year displays at Atrium at Crown Towers in Melbourne, Australia.  Though many think of snakes with negative connotations, Dr. Xuan Wang, a senior lecturer in Chinese studies at Cardiff University, puts us at ease explaining that the Snake is intuitive, mysterious, and very smart. Like all zodiac symbols, the snake is rich with symbolism. Known for shedding their skin, the Snake teaches us to shed off any toxicity and negativity as we head into the new year. Sounds promising!

Hello from Melbourne!

While some members of our team endure the cold winds and snow that have been swirling around our New York office, we are enjoying the January summertime in Australia. Between the summer heat  and the excitement of the 2025 Australian Open, Melbourne is, as always, our happy place! In particular, we have been appreciating the views of hot air balloon tours floating over the city at dawn, dotting the skyline with bursts of color. Oh and did we mention the coffee?  After too many “magics” we are buzzing over here…

“moonGARDEN” by Lucion

After touring the world with stops in Athens, Brussels, Jerusalem, Moscow, Washington, Mexico City, Medellín, Houston, and Beijing, moonGARDEN has made its way to New York City. The art installation features glowing, color-changing spheres which were created by Lucion, a multimedia production firm based in Quebec.  Currently planted at the Seaport District, the spheres are inspired by set theory, a branch of mathematics that Lucion says “illustrates the notions of sets and belonging.” Each city gets a new perspective, and New York’s installation is titled “Chronicles of the Abyss Walkers,” featuring an underwater themed marine exploration. A peek inside the porthole of one sphere reveals a new world, with giant jellyfish, robotic fish, and an intricate coral reef. The installation is sure to delight visitors of all ages, and art lovers can catch the exhibit through February 2025, before the garden travels to its next destination.