Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit at Pier 36

Usually, when we see fine art, it is displayed fixed to the wall of a museum. No matter how vibrant and expressive the images are, the work remains inert, trapped by a frame. But at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibition at Manhattan’s Pier 36, the viewer is plunged into a living painting. The vivid colors and expressive brushstrokes that are Van Gogh’s signature come to life on the walls, floors, and mirrored surfaces of the space. The artist’s huge body of work is animated and projected in a cavernous exhibition space, accompanied by an expertly curated soundtrack. The result is breathtaking – some moments quite literally drew gasps from the attendees gathered in the space. It is a rare experience to step inside of a painting and watch it come to life, and Vincent Van Gogh’s gorgeous post-impressionist style creates a dream-like atmosphere that is unlike anything else.

Merry Wives at Shakespeare in the Park

Some people think of Shakespeare as stuffy, old-fashioned, and difficult to understand. That’s because many people have only experienced Shakespeare’s plays in a classroom, reading cramped text out of a dusty book. The Public Theater aims to change that perception – they stage fun, modern productions of Shakespeare’s plays every summer, and then give out tickets for free. Though the theater remained dark last year, this year Free Shakespeare in the Park returned with a production of “Merry Wives,” a fresh take on “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Writer Jocelyn Bioh moved the setting to South Harlem, in a community of West African immigrants. The cast, which is made up of exclusively Black actors, recites Shakespeare’s words in a variety of accents. Rather than the clipped British tones that you frequently hear from those reading Shakespeare, the characters in “Merry Wives” speak in the cadences of Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, and New York City. Major scenes in the show take place in a Senegalese hair braiding salon, a laundromat, and a city park, rather than in a manor house and its grounds, making the show feel firmly rooted in present-day Harlem. The show is riotously funny, beautifully staged, and superbly acted, and is a fantastic example of Shakespeare for a modern audience.

Re:Growth at Riverside Park

Riverside Park stretches along the western edge of Manhattan from 59th Street to 158th Street, a span of about four miles. It is an open secret that Riverside is the best park in the borough for running, biking, and relaxing by the water. This makes it the perfect location for a new public art exhibition, Re:Growth, A Celebration of Art, Riverside Park, and the New York Spirit. There are works of art scattered around the park, so as you explore Manhattan’s northwestern shoreline, you’re bound to come across work from at least one of the more than 20 artists represented in the event. I took a walk in the park and stumbled upon “Summer Vibe” by Sui Park, “Invasives” by Jean Shin, and “Happiness Is…” by Blanka Amezkua. Re:Growth feels like visiting a gallery, but it’s outside in the warm summer air, with the smell of saltwater all around you. It represents a safe way to experience art as we work through the uncertainties of the pandemic.