Collecting Contemporary Art and creating new airlines that offers the service of a cheap seat and an exciting time of hanging out in an airport, is good business. Many airports inspire to feeling welcome, comfortable and relaxed. Some airports and airlines have collected art work and exhibits it in their terminals, other open a museum to show and stimulate the travellers on their way out in the world.

The above ".125", Made by Alexander Calder 1957 hangs at the International Terminal 4, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. An over sized mobile made for the New York Port Authority that was hung in Idlewild (now J. F.K) Airport. I can also remember a bar names Idlewild on Houston street (NYC) in the 90´s. It had an airport theme and waitresses in 50's styled uniforms.

The above sculpture of "The Young Rembrandt" made by Dutch Wim van Hoorn was donated to Terminal 4, as can be read on below bronze plack.

It is nice to see that The Netherlands promotes art, not only in their own airport Schiphol with a museum of Dutch Masters for travellers waiting for their connections, but also in America. 

There are many examples of good and bad art in airports around the world, but there are also many examples of airports without any art at all. Is there a connection between an airports location, the pride of culture, art & design history and airport interior & exterior design? Maybe so.

In the same way as there was a delightful mobile from Calder in one part of New York's JFK airport, there was a whole area in the airport that was full of what seemed like strange larger than life size carnival costumes. They looked like they were parked and the people inside of them went for lunch. But when I went upstairs to ask about what the exhibition was about, three security guards reading comic books told me it was a special area with no entrance for regular people.

The above film flicker concept is cute, but a bit cheesy. It is made so when you stand on the rolling walkway you move by it as looking through a flip book. Only the walkway is too slow for the flip effect to really work. It can be found in the very nice Geneva airport, where the airplanes taking off is a wonderful sight out of the windows with a mountain back drop.

The above installations was made inside of JFK's Terminal 5. The whole space was turned over to curator Rachel K. Ward who invited contemporary artists to come up with concepts, sculptures and interactive installations. 

The building is to begin with buildt by Finnish Eero Saarinen. His design is made to give the travellers an experience when taking off in an airplane. This was the state of mind in the 50's when space age was near and the future was not what it used to be. The wonderful building has lately been renovated by JetBlue for their booming business selling cheap flights with minimal service. Then again, the service comes in the experience of landing and taking off from the legendary Terminal 5.

 
the above neon sculptures was done on commission by Yan Shu  

British Airways has commissioned emerging artists and designers to create eight contemporary art works for its new home at Terminal 5, Heathrow. This art will hopefully help calm the people in dispair who have been stuck in the rather messy situation Terminal 5 have been dealing with lately.

Copenhagen International Airport Kastrup has gone from the number one airport in the world two times and four times won the award as being "The best airport in Europe", to not be among the 10 best in the world 2007. The above Smoke Cabin Installation by Unknown Artist in Kastrup airport, is however a great example of contemporary art at its best. Better than a gold fish in a blender or a cow in formaldehyde, if you ask me.

The above installation project by Sayed Alavi is an aerial view of the Sacramento River that is woven into a carpet for the floor of a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminal to the parking garage. This image represents approximately 50 miles of the Sacramento River starting just outside of Colusa, California and ending about 6 miles south of Chico. It is a Site Specific Public Art Project for the Sacramento International Airport. It seems to give an experience of flight and flying, along with a feeling of a "welcome mat" for visitors arriving in Sacramento. 

Related Posts:

Dutch Masters behind the passport control 

One Airport Legend re-opens, another closes down

Related Sites:

Eero Saarinen

JFK Terminal 5 Art Installation 

Wallpaper Story about Heathrow's Terminal 5 

Back in 1990 when John Waters film "Cry Baby" was released, it was way too strange for America to take in. Even if the cast was crammed with wonderful actors and cameos, making fun of films like Grease and presenting former porn model Traci Lords and legendary Iggy Pop in his best film role ever, it basically just worked for hardcore John Waters fans.

above the cast of "Cry Baby" and to the right John Waters most famous muse Divine, in one of her best roles of all time in "Pink Flamingos" 

However, in the same way that Mel Brooks films has been turning into Broadway musicals, it seems people are ready to take John Waters into their livingrooms. After they saw John Travolta as the mother in the new film version of "Hairspray", and that "Hairspray" also was turned in to a successful Broadway play, it had to happen sooner or later.

Not that the Broadway version can offer Traci Lords or Johnny Depp, but if you are going to New York and want to see a Broadway play...and you like John Waters; "Cry Baby" is the answer.

"Cry-Baby" stars James Snyder and Elizabeth Stanley at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway in New York. For tickets, contact 212-307-4100 and Ticketmaster.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

 

Now that the DOLLAR is at its lowest in your generation of shopping,
the deals you can make in New York can almost pay for the cost of your
ticket. If you have any way of proving that you work in whole-sale,
you should stroll around the whole-sale area between 5th Avenue and
9th Avenue, from 25th to 39th. I would not set my foot on 5th Avenue
to shop, but for serious power shoppers with a platinum credit card,
this might be paradise. The below are places that either will give you
a good shopping experience or potential for a serious bargain for
stuff you never knew you needed. However, I also want to warn you about going through the customs once you are back (in for example Denmark), since if you have bought too many things, your government most likely wants you to pay 25% in taxes of any imported goods. If they pick you up while walking out of the terminal, you might get busted and not only do you pay the TAX fee, you pay twice as much of the TAX fee in penalty. Just so you know. I will not give you tips how to avoid it, just think about it...

Century 21

Best department store in the Manhattan, right next to Ground Zero.
Here you can get top designer brands cheaper than you expect.
22 Courtland Street
http://www.c21stores.com

Apple Store SoHo & Uptown

The SOHO store is housed inside an old post office, and is good if you
are in urgent need for an apple product when you are downtown.
However, the uptown 5th Avenue location that is open 24 hours is worth
the visit just for the experience, even if you are not a apple user.
The square glass box entrance that pops out of the street like a
window into the underground technological future of mankind, reminds
me of the pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris. But square. Get your
latest I-gadget or pimp your mac product with the latest on the
market, as it is here you will find it first. People stand in lines in
the morning to be able to pay for the latest "I" this or that.
103 Prince St or 767 Fifth Ave.

B&H - Photo and Video

Entering the B&H empire is another experience worth trying out. The
place is run by Orthodox Hasidic Jews living in south Williamsburg,
in full old school gear, great hats, curly sideburns and long black coats.
It is really worth going onto the website and check for any of your needs,
in both the new and second hand product catalogue. It is also an experience to chat with one of friendly the guys on the floor. Just ask them what you want, may it be the latest smallest and cheapest digital camera, or a video camera to make your next feature film. You will stand in lines and wonder why there is baskets floating above your head like some kind of Santa Claus workshop, but its good fun and when you walk out with a brand new toy, it is better than christmas.
420 9th Avenue
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ 
read more about B&H on this blog, where the images are also from 

FAO Schwarz

You are greeted by a jolly man in red uniform, and as you walk let the
inner child in you pop out. If you are with a child, let them run wild
and don't hold them back from exploring the whole places three story
building.

 

The oversized piano featured in the Tom Hanks film "Big" is good fun,
even if you are not a kid, but it might be painful if you are a piano
teacher. There are strange live looking babies that are held out to
you by young women in nurses outfits, incouraging young girls to take
care of babies and if they are lucky, become nurses. There is story
telling time in the basement for the smaller kids by a real princess
and whole rooms dedicated to everything: Starwars, Princess, Barbie,
dolls, cars and fluffy animals. For some extra time in a line, you can
get your present wrapped in FAO gift wrapping paper, so the one who
recieving your gift can see where you actually got it.
This is important stuff in New York.
767 Fifth Avenue
www.fao.com

Strand Book Store

the above image of Strand by newyorkdailyphoto.blogspot.com

"18 Miles of Books!" for your book collecting pleasures. Back in the
70's many well known artists, writers and musicians worked and used
the store as the main meeting spot in the daytime, such as Patti Smith
and Tom Verlaine. In the 1970s, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
George F. Will wrote, "the eight miles worth saving in this city are
at the corner of Broadway and 12th Street. They are the crammed
shelves of the Strand Book Store." Ask one the staff for any of your
book needs, and you will get a tour of the place that is organized in
ways that can seem hard for most to grasp.
Their used book selection is like going into a gold mine, the
accessories, T-shits, book bags are must have items, and the prices are not bad
828 Broadway, at 12th St.
http://www.strandbooks.com

Mondo Kim's

The PUNK staff take pride in treating you for what you are; may it be an annoying eurotrashie with no REAL understanding of film,
a phony looking adult, or wanna-be-New Yorker.

The wide selection of new and second hand vinyls, videos and dvd's are like
entering heaven. Most subgenres of film are neatly arranged, by what country they are from, directors or sexual orientation.

This is also the place to go and get underground mixtapes by local rappers. If you are all out of inspiration in your
local ghetto, buy some tapes from the cutting edge of New York and bring it back to your hood claiming it yours. We'll its been
done before, and a well used trick in the art world. They are so punk, they can't even be bothererd with a working website.
6 St. Marks P

Other Music

Greetings all music nerds. You ask for it; they got it, with a smile and no attitudes.
Check out their website for the latest stuff that might be cheaper to carry home with you, than ordering it online.
15 E 4th St.

Pastis, a trendy French bistro located in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, is one of my tops picks for wining and dining in New York City. My personal favorites are the seared tuna Nicoise salad, the simple french fries and the sinful bread pudding. My drink of choice would definitely be their espresso martini, made to perfection.
The atmosphere is enjoyably loud with locals that come to socialize right after work. The age range of customers is about twenties to forties and fifties and up. It's a mixture of all types of personalities.

Photo by Aturkus

Make sure to make reservations for this leading NYC restaurant because it is almost impossible to be seated without one. And swing by in the summertime to enjoy a coffee break or brunch at their outdoor summer cafe.

Related posts:

Go eat - New York 

A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's Battery Park sits Governors Island, smack in between Brooklyn, Ellis Island, Staten Island and Manhattan.

There have been endless proposals to turn it into everything from a Nickelodeon (think Sponge Bob Square Pants) Theme Park, to a luxury Island with condos, hotels and casinos. However, they have all been thrown out and now new plans are being made to make the amazing location into a place for all New Yorkers to come and enjoy the views and historical aspects of the island.

The Statue of Liberty is next door.

Plans for a walking and bicycle path around the island has been put forward by the Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm West 8.

West 8 suggested designing a 40-acre park for Governors Island, which will include a fleet of 3,000 wooden bicycles free for use by island visitors.

New buildings and modernisations will probably not be erected on the island, thankfully!

The island is perfect for stressed out New Yorkers to go to and chill out on, in the summertime with nice cool sea breezes and large green areas 

Photo copyrights belongs to Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation

The Native Americans of the Manhattan region referred to the Island as Pagganck (“Nut Island”) after the Island’s plentiful hickory, oak and chestnut trees. Its location made the Island a perfect fishing camp for local tribes and many residents of the area used the Island seasonally. In June of 1637, Wouter Van Twiller, representative of Holland, purchased Governors Island from the Native Americans of Manahatas for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails. 

above is a painting of Wouter Van Twiller who bought the nutty island from the indians.

In recognition of Governors Island’s momentous 1624 legacy that is reflective of New York’s identity of tolerance―the lifeblood of American liberty―the Foundation for Historic New Amsterdam has proposed placing a 151 foot (46 m) high version of Barnett Newman's sculpture Broken Obelisk - dedicated by him to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - as a Tolerance Monument.

The Tolerance Monument would be the centerpiece of Historic New Amsterdam; a proposed 50 acre Tolerance Park on the island's southern tip. It would visualize Goverrnors Island as the oldest natural historic National Symbol. The Starshaped Fort Jay is also worth a visit, see a 3D laser animation here

A proposal has been tendered to adaptively reuse Castle Williams (former prison) on the island for a New Globe Theater, designed by architect Norman Foster. Since the fortification was constructed for the War of 1812, to defend America against the British, the not-for-profit organization is working in partnership with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London to create a cultural center.

Governors Island was also the place for one of history's important conversations between Reagan and Gorby back in the last days of the Cold War.

Manhattan skyline seen from the Governors Island Ferry, shot by Edward of "Wired New York"

More visitors information about Governors Island:

http://www.gipec.org/

http://www.govisland.com/