Events & Things To Do

Miss Manhattan: The famous artist’s model who sits in iron and marble throughout the city

The Isidor and Ida Straus Memorial at Straus Park, modeled after Audrey Munson. Via Wiki Commons.

September 6, 2016

Miss Manhattan: The famous artist’s model who sits in iron and marble throughout the city

Audrey Marie Munson. The name may not ring a bell, but you've undoubtedly seen her likeness around town. From the New York Public Library to the Brooklyn Bridge, this woman in various states of undress was once the most famous artist's model in the country. The story of Munson began in 1906, when she was 15 years old and was spotted window shopping on Fifth Avenue by photographer Felix Benedict Herzog. After he took a series of portraits of her, she was introduced to well-known sculptor Isadore Konti, who began her career as "Miss Manhattan," immortalizing her in iron and stone. But a short-lived hiatus as a film actress, followed by a murder scandal, changed things for the model.
The full history this way

September 1, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 9/1-9/7

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Summer's over, but you can alleviate some of the pain with a slew of arts events this weekend. Times Square Arts brings it with their September #Midnightmoment partnership with the Met Opera, and the Met Museum's gorgeous Manus X Machina comes to a close. Head over to Governors Island before it closes for the season to check out the Center for Holographic Arts, and head out to the Hamptons to enjoy Dita Von Teese while supporting Housing Works. Revisit the '70s with a Paradise Garage Reunion, or honor Captain James T Kirk with a group show inspired by Star Trek. Experience the hype that is the Japanese pop band Perfume, then educate yourself on the sprawl and settlement of the Bronx.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo: Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society

August 30, 2016

Baby tufted deer is the Prospect Park Zoo’s newest addition

By Metro New York

Oh deer! A baby tufted deer who was born earlier this month at Prospect Zoo Park is making its public debut. The fawn is male and was born to mother Lucy and father Gage on August 2. According to zoo officials, this is Lucy’s seventh fawn. You can watch a video from the zoo featuring […]

Events & Things To Do

10 easy ways to give your rental kitchen a makeover

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we’ve got tips on how to give your rental kitchen an inexpensive makeover.

August 30, 2016

10 easy ways to give your rental kitchen a makeover

By Diane Pham

For renters, the kitchen is often the least attractive area of their home. And this is especially true in NYC where landlords often turn to the cheapest finishes, built-ins and fixtures they can find in order to save a few dollars. But even if your apartment ultimately won't be your forever home, there's no reason suffer through an interior design nightmare. Ahead 6sqft highlights 10 easy and affordable ways to transform a ugly rental kitchen into a chic space—all without putting your deposit at risk.
Our 10 tips here

August 29, 2016

Brooklyn artist’s new book illustrates NYC’s ‘hidden networks’

By Metro New York

Did you check your email while you were on the train or before you left home? If you’re reading this on a smartphone or laptop, does your reading history get stored in “the Cloud,” an all-knowing nebula of information that floats above us? What does the internet look like? Those are some of the questions artist […]

Events & Things To Do

August 26, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/25-8/31

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Summer is winding down, but we're not ready to move back indoors. Jump a ferry and celebrate the season's end on Governors Island with an old fashioned oyster shuck. Get down (silently) outside at the Coney Island Art walls at the Quiet Clubbing Festival, or join artist Santhori in making a giant mural at the park on East 1st Street. Stretch out and appreciate Times Square on Jurgen Mayer H's XXX easy chairs, then head to the Bowery Wall to find your friends in Logan Hicks' giant new mural. Finally, the gallery prince of darkness JJ Brine is bringing his Vector Gallery back to New York, and two artists are turning Brooklyn's Ground Floor Gallery into a giant loom installation.
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Events & Things To Do

August 20, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/18-8/24

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Battle through the end of summer heat by flexing your art muscles. The London Police lads present a new body of work at the art-friendly Quin Hotel, while curator Alfredo Martinez explores philosophies of Picasso at Amy Li Projects. Artist in residence Tracy O'Neill shares her progress at Mathew Gallery, and the Morbid Anatomy Museum explores Twin Peaks for a unique evening. All aboard the legendary drag festival Wigstock, which takes to the high seas this Friday. Mr. Brainwash comes to town for a massive Chelsea show, and Midnight Radio Show treats Bushwick to an evening of fairytales and puppets. Finally, bring a blanket to the beautiful Socrates Sculpture Park for a night of South American music, cuisine, and film.
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Events & Things To Do

August 17, 2016

Your First Look at 2016’s Open House New York Sites!

By Diane Pham

Here's a sneak peek at the more than 250 sites that have made it onto 2016's highly anticipated Open House New York Weekend (OHNY), a two-day festival where usually off limits buildings across the city's five boroughs open their doors to the public for tours, talks, and exploration. Now in its 14th year, OHNY has brought back a number of beloved locales to their roster, including the NY State Pavilion, the Brooklyn Army Terminal, City Hall and Google; they've also rounded up a number of brand-new spaces like the Metropolitan Opera House and the West Village's Westbeth Artists House. The full list won't be released for another few weeks, but we've got some of the highlights ahead.
More sites opening their doors this way

August 10, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 8/11-8/17

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Get outdoors this week: Stay late with a date peeping stars on the High Line; experience a car-free Manhattan during Citi Streets; go back in time at the Jazz Age Lawn Festival on Governors Island; or rent a free kayak and watch a movie from the water at Socrates Sculpture Park. If you need a break from all that sun, check out Ataraxia, an evening of multi sensory art, or head to Booth Gallery for a group show about shattering the Fourth Wall.
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Events & Things To Do

August 4, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 8/4-8/10

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! The amazing experience that is Summer Streets has returned- walk car-free and carefree each Saturday along Park Avenue for the next three weeks. Grab a blanket to catch American Graffiti with a view at Brooklyn Bridge Park, or take in some literary genius outdoors at a community garden in Alphabet City. Get weird on Governors Island for a Klezmer workout, then celebrate the book release of Governors Island's famous FIGMENT Festival with its founder. Head upstate to check out artwork made from VHS tapes or to Brooklyn to witness the artwork of Naomi Campbell (no, not that one). Finally, spend every night in August experiencing Jherek Bischoff's Cistern in Times Square.
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Events & Things To Do

BLOCKS NYC Explores Greenwich Village From Bob Dylan to The Ramones in Coloring Book Pages

By Michelle Cohen

BLOCKS (full name: City Blocks Culture Collective) explores and celebrates the architecture of city neighborhoods, introducing stories of how historic landmarks have evolved and how they fit into the city’s cultural landscape. The organization’s Toronto-based founder Rafi Ghanaghounian’s love for music was sparked by a visit to Greenwich Village as a teen, when he experienced the music vibe, history, colorful street life and architecture of the city. BLOCKS NYC is a way to share this passion for music, art and New York City, from the 1940s jazz scene to the beat generation in the ’50s, the folk scene of the ’60s, and Ramones-era punk in the ’70s. The group’s latest project explores the neighborhood via a super-chill coloring book featuring album covers shot on Village streets in the ’60s and ’70s to celebrate the rich musical history of that era’s folk and rock scene.
Find out how you can help

August 1, 2016

City Releases New Public Art Map With More Than 1,000 Sites

By Dana Schulz

"New York City’s parks are host to the country’s greatest outdoor public art museum," says the Parks Department as an introduction to their new interactive Public Art Map and Guide. First spotted by Brokelyn, the map features more than 1,000 public art sites and monuments across the boroughs. It also plots temporary exhibits and gives a brief description of them.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

July 28, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/28-8/3

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! The beautiful hills of Governors Island has a new sculpture by British artist Rachel Whiteread, and it is yours to discover through the entire season. Bring a tote or a T and get a custom screen print by Brian Leo, or head to GHOST art lounge to talk all things about artists JMR and CRASH. Head outdoors for a day time dance party at MoMA PS1, for a French film at Tompkins Square Park or to the gorgeous Morris-Jumel Mansion for live art and jazz. Celebrate sound at Pioneer Works, or if you're feeling adventurous; hop a train to Asbury Park for sun, surf and the Art Star Craft Bazaar.
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Events & Things To Do

July 26, 2016

Underwater New York Offers Found Objects From NYC Waterways to Spark Imagination and Art

By Michelle Cohen

The collectors of curious things at Atlas Obscura bring us the work of Underwater New York, a fascinating catalogue of all the weird stuff that’s been found bobbing, sinking or washed-up from the murky depths of the city’s waterways, from a giraffe skeleton to a grand piano, with a bag of lottery tickets thrown in for good measure. In a fascinating study in what-is-it-and-where-is-it-coming from, founder Nicki Pombier Berger and the site's editors and contributors (artists, filmmakers, musicians, photographers and other storytellers) create contexts for the curiosities that find their way to this aquatic lost and found. New York City waterways, like the swampy southern Brooklyn beach known as Dead Horse Bay, and their submerged treasures are the inspiration for works in this digital gallery of sorts. Berger and fellow editors Helen Georgas and Nicole Haroutunian compile a growing list (it currently contains 150 objects) of waterfront finds that they've discovered via everything from news articles to anecdotes. Contributors are encouraged to use the objects to weave their stories in whatever medium they choose.
Find out more of the bizarre items found beneath the waves

Events & Things To Do

July 21, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/21-7/27

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! The wall made famous by Keith Haring, now known as the Bowery Wall, gets a fresh coat of paint this week- head down to check out the process of photorealist stencil artist Logan Hicks. The Gallery@Spring opens its doors for a rare look at New York Fashion from the Time LIFE archives, and the irrepressible No Wave performance artists host a night of seedy New York storytelling at the Django. The High Line finally lets visitors stay late to experience a night of illuminated art works, and do-gooders Beauty For Freedom are hosting an art party to benefit young women in India. Be sure to catch a pop up exhibition and book release by Iranian brothers and stencil artists Icy & Sot, and take in a powerful show by female artists at the Untitled Space.
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Huge Tax Disparities Along Central Park Become Visuals in Architectural Art Installation

“Section 581” by SITU Studio, Photograph by Patrick Mandeville

July 18, 2016

Huge Tax Disparities Along Central Park Become Visuals in Architectural Art Installation

By Michelle Cohen

"Section 581" by SITU Studio, Photograph by Patrick Mandeville Billionaires get off nearly tax-free and billions go uncollected due to flaws in the way the city assesses property value. As part of a new exhibit at the Storefront for Art and Architecture in Soho, interdisciplinary architecture firm SITU Studio created visual representations of these inequities in one of their most glaring examples: the buildings along Central Park. New York City's property tax structure assigns higher real property taxes to renters than it does to the infamous absentee owners of the trophy condos on Billionaires’ Row, short-changing the city of millions in annual revenue, according to CityLab. The acrylic bands in the SITU models show the disparity between the taxed value of these properties and the sky-high amounts they’d actually sell for.
Find out how the state law is giving billionaires a free lunch

July 14, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/14-7/20

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! This week, Joseph Gross Gallery's Lynzy Blair presents a two-faced show featuring transformative works that light up at night. The Quin Hotel continues their artist series with Berlin-based ABOVE, and LES's LMAK Gallery offers three floors of art experiences for an afternoon of arty fun. The Rubin Museum's annual block party shuts down 17th street and celebrates the monsoon this year, while the Museum of the Native American explores the variety of native dance with multi-talented performer Ty Defoe. Causey Contemporary's summer show explores the notion of "copy and pasting" in art, and Pippa Zornoza explores the horror of the voice at Grace Exhibition space. Finally, kick off your shoes and frolic in the grass for Bryant Park's Barefoot Ball with Questlove.
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July 13, 2016

Get a Peek at the Modernist Treasures Headed for the Four Seasons Restaurant Auction

By Michelle Cohen

The Wright auction house is gearing up for the July 26 auction of kitchen and dining room items from the iconic Four Seasons restaurant. As 6sqft previously reported, news that the restaurant would decamp from the building surfaced last summer, when Seagram Building owner Aby Rosen did not renew the lease for what has been seen as the quintessential Midtown “power lunch” spot for the last decades of the 20th century since it opened in 1959. The restaurant’s interiors feature custom designs by Pritzker Prize-winner Philip Johnson and furniture, tableware and other modernist treasures by the likes of by Seagram Building designer Mies Van der Rohe, Hans J. Wegner and others and custom-made Knoll furniture. With an emotional forward by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, the auction catalog offers a preview of items up for auction with estimates. Included will be banquettes designed for the space by Philip Johnson Associates, Eero Saarinen Tulip stools, chairs and tables from the bar of the Grill Room, pans, flatware and dishes created for the restaurant by Ada Louise and L. Garth Huxtable and more.
Take a look at the items in the Four Seasons auction

Get Your Grill On: Rules, Tips, and Products for Indoor and Outdoor Barbecuing in NYC

6sqft’s ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week, we provide a comprehensive guide to indoor and outdoor grilling in NYC.

July 13, 2016

Get Your Grill On: Rules, Tips, and Products for Indoor and Outdoor Barbecuing in NYC

By Dana Schulz

Nothing says summer like a perfectly charred burger or buttery ear of corn, but for many New Yorkers these warm-weather goodies are reserved for weekend jaunts to the suburbs or sub-par restaurant versions. If you want to get in on the grilling action without leaving the boroughs, there are plenty of options to barbecue both outside and in. It'll just require a little insider knowledge of the city's rules and regulations, so to help in the process, 6sqft has done the research, as well as put together handy tips and some of the best products.
Things are heating up right this way

July 13, 2016

POLL: Would You Drop $2,000 to ‘Glamp’ in a Yurt on a NYC Terrace?

By Dana Schulz

We're all for glamping here at 6sqft, though we typically reserve these outdoor adventures for places like the Catskills. But the W Hotel chain is hoping to capitalize on the trend and bring it to their Lexington Avenue location. A press release from the company announces their Outdoor Glamping Suite, part of the 17th floor Extreme Wow Suite, which makes nods to camping with "a 12-foot yurt bedecked in a kaleidoscope of fabrics and textures, glowing lanterns, rattan hanging chairs and a fire pit that lights up with a flip of a switch." The W teamed up with interior design company Laurel & Wolf to create the experience, which is going for a whopping $2,000 a night.
Would you spend that for a night of glamping in NYC?

July 9, 2016

Win a Pass to the NYT’s Cities for Tomorrow Conference (Worth $950)

By Diane Pham

Join the world’s leading urban-thinkers for the New York Times’ 3rd annual Cities for Tomorrow conference. 6sqft has teamed up with the Times to give one lucky reader a free pass (worth $950!) to the event happening July 18-19th in Midtown Manhattan. This year’s talks are centered on identifying and dissecting the best ideas that lead to flourishing cities. Speakers on the […]

July 7, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/7-7/13

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! July is heating up in the art world (and on the thermometer!). Take the month to check out my curatorial debut with Times Square Arts every night on the ad screens, head to City Hall Park to enjoy a new sculpture series, and definitely be sure to frolic in the balloon room by Martin Creed at the Park Avenue Armory. Check out the 1920s Chinese screen siren Ruan Lingyu in a film set to a live score by Gary Lucas, or head outdoors for a screening of April and the Extraordinary World in Riverside Park. Head to the Bronx for an all-female show at Wall Works Gallery, or if you're in the Hamptons, spend a day at Market Art and Design at the Bridgehampton Museum.
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Events & Things To Do

July 1, 2016

Gene Kaufman’s Church-Incorporating Hotel Rises on West 36th Street

By Ondel Hylton

Over the past decade, developer Sam Chang and his McSam Hotel Group have built an astonishing number of hotels in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in the process have built up quite the reputation for pockmarking the city with characterless tower blocks that diminish their surroundings. One of the developer's latest ventures is a 26-story, 566-room hotel beginning excavation work at 334 West 36th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Once occupied by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, the mid-block English Gothic structure was built as the Christ Church Memorial Building in 1905. The savvy developer purchased the 15,000-square-foot site in 2013 for $50.8 million in anticipation for yet another hotel. Local preservationists connected with Community Board 4 to convince Chang to save the church facade and incorporate it with the new building. Surprisingly, he obliged, but the Gene Kaufman-designed structure is not quite a miracle.
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July 1, 2016

Spotlight: Pyro Spectaculars’ Gary Souza on the Art of Creating Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks

By Susan Cohen

When America celebrates her 240th birthday on Monday, Gary Souza will be marking the occasion in a very big way. As a fireworks designer for Pyro Spectaculars, he is responsible for creating and overseeing the wondrous fireworks that make the nation ooh and aah during Macy's 4th of July Fireworks. This year’s show will be Macy’s 40th annual production, a huge milestone for the department store, and will take place over the East River in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. Pyro Spectaculars is a multigenerational family business begun by Manuel de Sousa after he immigrated from Portugal to the San Francisco area in the early 1900s. Over the years, the business has grown tremendously from creating small fireworks displays to a company that now spans five generations and is responsible for providing fireworks for some of the biggest names in the sports and entertainment industries, including the Winter and Summer Olympics, Super Bowls, Disney, and at concerts for icons such as the Rolling Stones. When it comes to Macy’s, Pyro Spectaculars has a 35-year collaboration with the store that has propelled the fireworks company to develop technology that allows for safer, more elaborate firework creations to come to life. 6sqft recently spoke with Gary to learn about the magnificence of fireworks, what it takes to produce the Macy's show, and some of the exciting new elements at this year’s display.
Read the interview here

June 30, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – July 4th Edition

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! The Fourth of July is typically for house parties and rooftop barbecues, but if you're too lazy to organize your own party, there are a few choice ways to celebrate in style, whilst also catching the area fireworks. Channel your inner pin-up girl at the DL or sit poolside at the luxe McCarren Hotel. Head down to the revamped South Street Seaport, which has become a cultural center for arts, music and food. Splurge and set sail around Manhattan, and dance dance dance at a secret location- or at the beautiful House of Yes in Bushwick. Independence Day is all about friends and family, so have fun no matter what you do, and be safe!
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