Yayoi Kusama
The 92 year old’s colorful hair and stern gaze in photos is as recognizable as her mirrored fun houses and spot covered installations which have made her one of the most in-demand artists in the world.
For the ones that live in New York or travel to the city, I recommend a visit to Kusama’s “Cosmic Nature” at the Botanical Garden, from April 10 to October 31, 2021.
Visitors will enjoy spectacular installations of Kusama’s multifaceted art, new monumental sculptures, dancing pumpkins, and ‘’I Want to Fly to the Universe’’ will make its debut in the NYBG landscape.
Visit Narcissus Garden, walk around the Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees, followed by a new Infinity Mirrored Room experience, continue to the house of Flower Obsession and follow the Starry Pumpkin, then see the Hymn of Life-Tulips and don’t forget to visit Mertz Library Building Gallery that shows Paintings, collages, early sketches, and other works by Kusama.
Do not forget to make a reservation for the restaurant, it’s a pleasure to enjoy lunch in the middle of the Garden looking at the Dancing pumpkin.
For the ones living or visiting Europe this year, Kusama is having her largest-ever retrospective at the Gropius Bau in Berlin, named ‘’ A Bouquet of Love I Saw in the Universe’’ from April 23 to August 15, 2021.
Alice Neel at the Metropolitan
‘’People Come First’’ exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum is another option for New York visitors.
It is Neel’s largest retrospective in 20 years.
Little Island Park
Little Island, a new, free public park pier within the larger Hudson River Park, opened to the public on May 21, 2021, providing New Yorkers and visitors from around the world with a unique green space unlike any other in New York City.
Planned in partnership with the Hudson River Park Trust, Little Island was funded primarily through Barry Diller and the Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation through an extraordinary philanthropic gift to the Hudson River Park.
The pier is open daily, with the same operating hours as the rest of Hudson River Park (6:00 AM–1:00 AM). Given COVID and crowding, Little Island is offering timed access tickets:
- Reserve your free time-entry tickets.
- Look up important information to know before you go.
Innovative Design
Components of the pier, nestled among more than 350 species of flowers, trees, and shrubs, include a 687-seat amphitheater and an intimate stage and lawn space, along with dazzling views of other portions of Hudson River Park, New York City, and the Hudson River. Little Island was designed by Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio, with landscape design by Signe Nielsen of MNLA.
The landscape provides a visually surprising and inspiring experience as visitors walk across the park. The plantings are varied to provide an environment that changes with the seasons, with flowing trees and shrubs, fall foliage, and evergreens. More than 66,000 bulbs and 114 trees have been planted, some of which will grow to 60 feet tall.
Designed by Heatherwick Studio, Little Island’s distinct exterior is supported by concrete piles. On top of the piles, 132 concrete “tulips” make up the structure of the park. Each tulip’s shape is unique and has a different weight load capacity to hold the soil, lawns, overlooks, and trees. The original Pier 54 piles remain to provide habitat for aquatic life.
