Monument in Palisades Park, N.J., Irritates Japanese Officials

Posted on 18th May 2012 in The monuments of world
By KIRK SEMPLE
Published: May 18, 2012

Two delegations of Japanese officials visited Palisades Park, N.J., this month with a request that took local administrators by surprise: the Japanese wanted a small monument removed from a public park.

The monument, a brass plaque on a block of stone, was dedicated in 2010 to the memory of so-called comfort women, tens of thousands of women and girls, many Korean, who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

But the Japanese lobbying to remove the monument seems to have backfired — and deepened animosity between Japan and South Korea over the issue of comfort women, a longstanding irritant in their relations.

Authorities in Palisades Park, a borough across the Hudson River from Manhattan, rejected the demand, and now the Japanese effort is spurring Korean groups in the New York region and across the country to plan more such monuments.

“They’re helping us, actually,” said Chejin Park, staff lawyer at the Korean American Voters’ Council, a civic group that championed the memorial in Palisades Park, where more than half of the population of about 20,000 is of Korean descent, according to the Census Bureau. “We can increase the awareness of this issue.”

Korean groups have been further motivated by a letter-writing campaign in Japan in opposition to a proposal by Peter Koo, a New York city councilman and Chinese immigrant, to rename a street in Flushing, Queens, in honor of comfort women.

Mr. Park said that in the past week or so, his organization had received calls from at least five Korean community organizers around the country — in Michigan, Georgia, Texas and New Jersey — expressing interest in building their own memorials. These would be in addition to at least four memorials in the works in California and Georgia, he added.

“Starting from Flushing, N.Y., we will continue the construction in the areas of major Korean-American communities,” vowed Paul Park, executive director of the Korean-American Association of Greater New York, one of the oldest Korean community organizations in the region. “We Korean-Americans observe the issue on the level of a global violation of human rights.”

Tensions between Japan and South Korea over the legacy of comfort women were reignited in December when a bronze statue in honor of victims was installed across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the South Korean capital. Japanese officials have asked the Korean authorities to remove that statue.

Japanese leaders have said that their formal apologies, expressions of remorse and admissions of responsibility regarding the treatment of comfort women are sufficient, including an offer to set up a $1 billion fund for victims. But many Koreans contend that those actions are inadequate. Surviving victims have rejected the fund because it would be financed by private money. The victims are seeking government reparations.

James Rotundo, mayor of Palisades Park, said the lobbying began obliquely late last month. Officials at the Japanese consulate in New York sent e-mails requesting a meeting with borough administrators. “I called the secretary and said, ‘What is this about?’ ” the mayor recalled in an interview, “and she said, ‘It’s about Japanese-U.S. relations,’ and I said, ‘Oh. Well, O.K.’ ”

The first meeting, on May 1, began pleasantly enough, he said. The delegation was led by the consul general, Shigeyuki Hiroki, who talked about his career, including his work in Afghanistan — “niceties,” Mr. Rotundo said.

Then the conversation took a sudden turn, Mr. Rotundo said. The consul general pulled out two documents and read them aloud.

One was a copy of a 1993 statement from Yohei Kono, then the chief cabinet secretary, in which the Japanese government acknowledged the involvement of military authorities in the coercion and suffering of comfort women.

The other was a 2001 letter to surviving comfort women from Junichiro Koizumi, then the prime minister, apologizing for their treatment.

Mr. Hiroki then said the Japanese authorities “wanted our memorial removed,” Mr. Rotundo recalled.

The consul general also said the Japanese government was willing to plant cherry trees in the borough, donate books to the public library “and do some things to show that we’re united in this world and not divided,” Mr. Rotundo said. But the offer was contingent on the memorial’s removal.

“I couldn’t believe my ears,” said Jason Kim, deputy mayor of Palisades Park and a Korean-American, who attended the meeting. “My blood shot up like crazy.”

Borough officials rejected the request, and the delegation left.

The second delegation arrived May 6 and was led by four members of the Japanese Parliament. Their approach was less diplomatic, Mr. Rotundo said. The visiting politicians, members of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, not only asked that the monument be removed but also sought to convince the Palisades Park authorities that comfort women had never been forcibly conscripted as sex slaves.

“They said the comfort women were a lie, that they were set up by an outside agency, that they were women who were paid to come and take care of the troops,” the mayor related. “I said, ‘We’re not going to take it down, but thanks for coming.’ ”

The Japanese consulate in New York has been reluctant to discuss its lobbying.

In interviews this week, Fumio Iwai, the deputy consul general, would not say whether the consul general had requested that the monument be removed.

But he denied that the consul general had offered to help the borough in return for the monument’s removal. “Ambassador Hiroki did not offer any such condition,” he said.

Mr. Iwai said the issue of comfort women, if not Palisades Park specifically, was the subject of continuing discussions “at a very high level” between the governments of South Korea and Japan.

“So,” he said, pausing as if to choose his words carefully, “things are quite complicated.”

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Museum and Gallery Listings for May 18-24

Posted on 17th May 2012 in The monuments of world
Published: May 17, 2012

Art

Museums and galleries are in Manhattan unless otherwise noted. Full reviews of recent art shows: nytimes.com/art. A searchable guide to these and many other art shows is at nytimes.com/events.

Museums

★ American Folk Art Museum: ‘Jubilation | Rumination: Life, Real and Imagined’ (through Sept. 2) Having escaped the ugly, West 53rd Street tomb of a building it inhabited from 2001 to 2011, the American Folk Art Museum has reoccupied its old space on Lincoln Square. This wonderful show of about 100 works from the permanent collection samples all the varieties of artistic expression under the museum’s purview, from portraits and quilts by anonymous craftspeople to otherworldly fantasies envisioned by so-called Outsiders like Henry Darger and Martin Ramírez. The revival of this irreplaceable institution is cause for rejoicing. 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue, at 66th Street, (212) 595-9533, folkartmuseum.org. (Ken Johnson)

Bronx Museum of the Arts: ‘Juan Downey: The Invisible Architect’ (through June 10) In the wilder moments of his career, Mr. Downey, who died of cancer in 1993 at 53 and is getting his first United States museum retrospective here, reversed the traditional dynamic of sculpture, examining how humans could affect objects rather than the other way around; administered oxygen to pedestrians on the street in New York in “Fresh Air” (1972); and cohabitated as a kind of gonzo anthropologist — or early implementer of art as social practice — with the Yanomami Indians in Venezuela. Central to his vision, which drew on Frederick Kubler, critical theory and hallucinogenic states of mind, Mr. Downey also developed a concept of “invisible architecture,” which he described in 1973 as “an attitude of total communication within which ultra-developed minds will be telepathically cellular to an electromagnetic whole.” 1040 Grand Concourse, at 165th Street, Morrisania, the Bronx, (718) 681-6000, bronxmuseum.org. (Martha Schwendener)

Brooklyn Museum: ‘Keith Haring: 1978-1982’ (through July 8) Heavy on the party photographs and punk-to-New Wave soundtrack, this show repackages the mythic Haring — club kid, Warhol protégé and maker of friendly street art — for a younger generation. But other Harings emerge in rarely seen early drawings, collages, journals and, especially, in short performative videos like “Painting Myself Into a Corner” and “Tribute to Gloria Vanderbilt.” 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, (718) 638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org. (Karen Rosenberg)

Brooklyn Museum: ‘Rachel Kneebone: Regarding Rodin’ (through Aug. 12) Ms. Kneebone, a British artist, has been invited by the Brooklyn Museum to riff on Rodin and chose 15 works from the museum’s permanent collection to show with her own porcelain sculptures. She is drawn to Rodin’s maquettes, or the smaller models on which larger sculptures were based. Some works recall wedding cakes and Baroque or Rococo fountains. Chef d’oeuvre of the show, “The Descent” (2008), recalls Rodin’s “Gates of Hell” and is comprised of dozens of little figures descending into a cauldron-shaped pit. That Ms. Kneebone’s project is installed in the museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art might suggest that you’re going to get a feminist flogging of Rodin, but Ms. Kneebone does not head down that path. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, (718) 638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org. (Schwendener)

★ Brooklyn Museum: ‘Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn’ (continuing) This eclectic, imaginatively thought-out one-gallery immersion experience in world art, all from Brooklyn’s collection and installed in the museum’s revamped Great Hall, serves as a teaser to the fabulous collections in the galleries beyond. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, (718) 638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org. (Holland Cotter)

★ Guggenheim Museum: ‘Francesca Woodman’ (through June 13) Francesca Woodman, the photographer who at 22 took her own life in 1981, is as close to a true saint as the putatively secular world of contemporary art can claim. The dreamy, formally playful and disarmingly erotic pictures she made — mostly of herself partly unclothed or naked — project a self surrendering unreservedly to the spirit of art. Viewing this riveting survey of her sadly abbreviated career, it is hard to shake off the admittedly absurd notion that she was too pure an artist for this muddy world. 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, (212) 423-3500, guggenheim.org. (Johnson)

★ International Center of Photography: ‘Weegee: Murder Is My Business’ (through Sept. 2) From the home of Weegee’s voluminous archive, the latest exhibition about this great documentary photographer (1899-1968) revisits his frenetic, formative first decade of work, starting in 1935, when his often sensational images of murder and mayhem appeared in New York’s daily newspapers. His penchant for self-promotion, the work of his competitors and peers, the evolution of tabloid journalism and the great city that was both his subject and his audience are emphasized, with fresh curatorial precision and deftly used touch screens. 1133 Avenue of the Americas, at 43rd Street, (212) 857-0000, icp.org. (Roberta Smith)

★ Japan Society: ‘Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920-1945’ (through June 10) This beautiful, surprising and sociologically intriguing exhibition reveals how Japanese artists, designers and craftsmen cultivated their own version of Art Deco, that excruciatingly suave style of art, design and décor that prevailed in Europe and America during the 1920s and ’30s. The 200 paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glassware, jewelry, fashion and printed ephemera on display seamlessly blend East and West and old and new. You could almost believe it was the Japanese who invented Art Deco. 333 East 47th Street, (212) 832-1155, japansociety.org. (Johnson)

Jewish Museum: ‘Édouard Vuillard: A Painter and His Muses, 1890-1940’ (through Sept. 23) In the 1890s, Vuillard made some of the most beguiling paintings of fin de siècle Paris: intimate, compact, brushy pictures of his mother and sister in the apartment he shared with them and the dressmaking shop they worked in. Then he reverted to a more traditionally realistic style and produced many portraits of his wealthy friends and benefactors until he died in 1940. This incisive show, sampling works from his more than four-decade career, invites reassessment of the later, heretofore less appreciated paintings. 1109 Fifth Avenue, at 92nd Street, (212) 423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org. (Johnson)

Jewish Museum: ‘Kehinde Wiley / The World Stage: Israel’ (through July 29) After earning a master of fine arts at Yale in 2001, Kehinde Wiley began exhibiting his large, figurative oil-on-canvas portraits of young black men in hip-hop apparel. With their emphasis on bright, acid colors and ghetto-fabulous outfits, the paintings borrowed heavily from the work of Barkley Hendricks, although Mr. Wiley’s contribution was to push things in a more bombastic direction, hijacking the format of old master portraits. Mr. Wiley’s work hasn’t changed much over the last decade, although his scope has gone global. This exhibition, which focuses on Ethiopian Israeli Jews, is shown alongside historic paper cuts and textile works he selected from the museum’s collection. The result is a fusion of Pattern and Decoration painting with figuration, a mash-up or sampling of historical styles and references. 1109 Fifth Avenue, at 92nd Street, (212) 423-3337, thejewishmuseum.org. (Schwendener)

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition’ (through July 8) Concluding the Met’s series of Byzantine art blockbusters, this show tells the story of the Byzantine Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean, from Syria through Egypt and across North Africa, as it made contact with (and lost ground to) the emerging Islamic world between the seventh and ninth centuries. Loans from Egypt could not be secured, because of the continuing turmoil of the Arab Spring, but important pieces from Jordan, Greece and Georgia are among the show’s highlights. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Rosenberg)

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘The Dawn of Egyptian Art’ (through Aug. 5) The predynastic roots of the grand dynastic Egyptian art that we all know and sometimes love are exposed in this sublime, view-changing show. The most riveting and least familiar offerings are a selection of small objects, painted pottery and figures in clay or ivory that date from 3900 to 3100 B.C., quite a few of which are usually on view in the Met’s Egyptian galleries. Here they are supplemented by extraordinary outside loans and elegantly displayed in the Robert Lehman Wing. Sometimes it takes an exhibition. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Smith)

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Naked Before the Camera’ (through Sept. 9) This resonant, illuminating if sometimes fraught exhibition traces the progress of the naked, mostly female body through photography from its early years nearly to the present with some 90 images, all owned by the Met. In works variously artistic, erotic, scientific, ethnographic, forensic and experimental, we see a medium stretched by human use and imagination. The male gaze is often relentless, but as time passes, individual faces, personalities and relationships come into focus on all sides; consciousness rises and oppressiveness decreases, which is a relief. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Smith)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Spies in the House of Art: Photography, Film, and Video’ (through Aug. 26) This exhibition of 17 contemporary works inspired by museums doesn’t mention Theodor Adorno by name, but it nods toward his ideas in a wall text, which jokes that artists often see museums as “mausoleums, places where art goes to die.” Andrea Fraser’s video “Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk” (1989) leans toward the anti-museum view, while a 16-millimeter film by Nashashibi/Skaer, the duo of British artists Rosalind Nashashibi and Lucy Skaer, made by gliding through the Met in the dark with a camera and a flash strobe, treats the museum like a darkened crypt. Lutz Bacher’s video offers another museum tour, while the museum appears in poetically distorted form in photographs by John Pilson, Tim Davis and Lothar Baumgarten. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Schwendener)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso, and the Parisian Avant-Garde’ (through June 3) Like the family it chronicles, this exhibition is fragmented and contentious with flashes of brilliance. It explores the closely intertwined collections of the siblings Leo, Gertrude and Michael Stein (and Michael’s wife, Sarah), casting these wealthy American expatriates as ahead-of-the-curve art patrons whose tastes and social networks shaped Modernism as we know it. And it shows Matisse and Picasso vying for the Steins’ attention. Highlights include Matisse’s Fauvist “Woman With a Hat” and, naturally, Picasso’s proto-cubist portrait of Gertrude. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Rosenberg)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations’ (through Aug. 19) This year’s Costume Institute extravaganza is on the modest side, and has a narrow thesis: comparing and contrasting work by two designers of different generations. Whether a this-looks-like-that approach to history is valid is the question; it seems dubious here. But the installation — with fictional chats on film between the fashion titans — is fun, and some of the Schiaparelli clothes look great. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Cotter)

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Dürer and Beyond: Central European Drawings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1400-1700’ (through Sept. 3) How do we get beyond Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), the ne plus ultra draftsman and all-around Northern Renaissance master, an artist so secure in his greatness that he painted himself as Jesus? We don’t, at least not often in this show, which surveys the Met’s holdings of drawings made before 1700 by artists working in the Holy Roman Empire. But the offerings should nevertheless entice viewers to look more closely at the art of Central Europe, which absorbed diverse religious and stylistic influences from Italian, Dutch and Flemish art. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Rosenberg)

★ Morgan Library & Museum: ‘Dan Flavin: Drawing’ (through July 1) The artist Dan Flavin (1933-96) is so closely identified with his signature medium, the fluorescent light sculpture, that a show of his drawings is bound to surprise. And it’s particularly exciting to find that Flavin was not only a devoted draftsman but also a freewheeling polymath on paper. The Morgan’s show includes drawings from Flavin’s personal collection, which encompasses Hokusai, Mondrian and the Hudson River School and will completely change the way you see his art. 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, (212) 685-0008, Ext. 560, themorgan.org. (Rosenberg)

Museum of Arts and Design: ‘Swept Away: Dust, Ashes, and Dirt in Contemporary Art and Design’ (through Aug. 12) From the department of unsolicited advice for aspiring artists: avoid dust, dirt, ashes, soot, smoke, sand, mud and lint, especially if you want to make a statement about life, death, history and the ephemerality of it all. The dangers are well-illustrated in this 25-artist show. While formally various, almost every piece trades on stereotypical associations with the entropic end to which we all are destined. 2 Columbus Circle, (212) 299-7777, madmuseum.org. (Johnson)

★ Museum of Modern Art: ‘Born Out of Necessity’ (through Jan. 28) The title may or may not have an extra preposition, but the show itself is a fascinating array of recent acquisitions that have a fairly direct bearing on quality of life or actual survival. They range from classic (the 1908 Dixie cup) to cutting edge; cover both analog and digital; and include the tiny (the latest in ear plugs) and the quite large (the 1952 United States Army Jeep). Whether born ‘of’ or ‘out of’ necessity, the displays attest to human ingenuity responding to human need. (212) 708-9400, moma.org. (Smith)

★ Museum of Modern Art: ‘Ecstatic Alphabets/Heaps of Language’ (through Aug. 27) In a drawing from 1966, “Heaps of Language,” Robert Smithson assembled a pyramid of words about words: “Language” at the apex, supported by “phraseology speech,” “tongue lingo vernacular,” and on down through a base of synonyms. This playful exhibition borrows Smithson’s title and runs wild with his vision of words as materials. It includes a timeline of Dada wordplay and concrete poetry, and works by contemporary artists and artist’s groups including Paul Elliman, Sharon Hayes and Dexter Sinister. (212) 708-9400, moma.org. (Rosenberg)

Museum of Modern Art: ‘Exquisite Corpses: Drawing and Disfiguration’ (through July 9) This entertaining little show includes five products of the Surrealist parlor game “exquisite corpse” and rustles up other examples of distorted or disjointed figuration from MoMA’s permanent collection. There’s much here to amuse, provoke and titillate, though the curators don’t include more performance-based forms of collaboration. (212) 708-9400, moma.org. (Rosenberg)

Museum of Modern Art: ‘Cindy Sherman’ (through June 11) Aided by ever-shifting arrays of costumes, wigs, makeup, props, masks and prosthetic body parts, the leading light of postmodern photo-based art spent nearly four decades turning photography against itself, laying waste to a lexicon of mostly female stereotypes and exposing both the tyranny and the inner lives of the images of women that bombard and shape us all at every turn. This retrospective could have been larger, more clearly organized and less familiar, but its strengths, like the achievement it honors, are undeniable. (212) 708-9400, moma.org. (Smith)

★ Whitney Museum of American Art: ‘Whitney Biennial 2012’ (through May 27) With remarkable clarity of vision, striking spatial intelligence and a generous stylistic inclusiveness, one of the best Whitney Biennials in recent memory confidently weaves together art objects and time-based art — dance, theater and performance as well as film and video — on a scale unprecedented in New York. So doing, this especially poetic incarnation also reinvents the museum’s signature show and places future biennial curators in its debt, while offering the out-of-control, money-saturated art world a bit of redemption. Visit early and often. (212) 570-3600, whitney.org. (Smith)

Galleries: Uptown

Frank Stella: ‘Black, Aluminum, Copper Paintings’ (through June 2) This magisterial, museum-quality blast from the past revisits the earliest, most innovative years of Mr. Stella’s development with 13 adamant, quietly pulsing, exceedingly frontal works. Painted in parallel stripes of black, then aluminum and then copper on canvases that start out rectangular and end up emphatically shaped, they bid a moody farewell to Abstract Expressionism and forge a new, nothing-but-the-facts reciprocity between painting as object and image. Forerunners of Minimalism, they also remain powerfully evocative in a time of renewed interest in abstraction among younger artists. L&M Arts, 45 East 78th Street, Manhattan, (212) 861-0020, lmgallery.com. (Smith)

Édouard Vuillard: ‘Paintings and Works on Paper’ (through May 25) This show focuses on some remarkable, large, late paintings on which Vuillard labored for extended periods of time. An eerily gloomy portrait of two women in a cavernous room, one a former lover, took two years to complete, from 1923 to 1925. “Madame Jean Bloch and Her Children” (1927-29) took so long that a fourth child was born before it was done, so he had to make another version, which can be seen in the Vuillard retrospective now at the Jewish Museum. Jill Newhouse, 4 East 81st Street, (212) 249-9216, jillnewhouse.com. (Johnson)

★ ‘Lucian Freud Drawings’ (through June 9) This quietly ravishing show gives a new prominence to Lucian Freud’s works on paper, which aren’t appreciated as much as his paintings. Beginning with a childhood crayon sketch, it includes some small oil portraits and powerful examples of Freud’s late work in etching. And it shows Freud moving from the tightly controlled pen-and-ink drawings that defined his early painting style to looser works that, in the words of curator William Feaver, are “both in the paintings and a reaction or counterpoint to them.” Acquavella Galleries, 18 East 79th Street, Manhattan; (212) 734-6300, acquavellagalleries.com. (Rosenberg)

Galleries: 57th Street

Anne Arnold: ‘Sculpture From Four Decades’ (through June 8) When Abstract Expressionism was casting its triumphal shadow over American art and David Smith was making monuments out of industrial steel, Anne Arnold (born in 1925) created smart and humorous sculptures of dogs, people and other domestic creatures. This delightful show presents 27 pieces from the 1950s to the late ’80s in which the seeming liveliness of the animals and the obviously nonliving materials they are made of, including wood, clay and bronze, are in finely tuned tension. Alexandre Gallery, 41 East 57th Street, (212) 755-2828, alexandregallery.com. (Ken Johnson)

Galleries: Chelsea

Katherine Bradford: ‘New Work’ (through May 26) “Transform, transport and transcend” could be a motto for this veteran New York artist. Painting loosely with infectious joie de vivre, Ms. Bradford creates luminous and sumptuously tactile, sometimes goofy visions of Superman and oceangoing ships. If Superman represents the visionary individual, Ms. Bradford’s ships suggest utopian collectivity, promising voyages of kindred spirits to unknown shores. Edward Thorp, 210 11th Avenue, at 24th Street, Chelsea, (212) 691-6565, edwardthorpgallery.com. (Johnson)

★ Rotimi Fani-Kayode: ‘Nothing to Lose’ (through July 28) “Black, African, homosexual photography” was how the Nigerian-born artist Rotimi Fani-Kayode described his work. And although little seen at the time of his death from AIDS in London in 1989, at age 34, his pictures have become classic examples of the kind of rethinking and re-experiencing of identity that was transforming new art three decades ago, and continues to have power. The Walther Collection Project Space, 526 West 26th Street, Suite 718, (212) 352-0683, walthercollection.com. (Cotter)

★ Lucio Fontana: ‘Ambienti Spaziali’ (through June 30) The most comprehensive survey in this country devoted to the Italian modernist Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) is a delirious revelation. His innovative slashed and punctured paintings show him pushing quite literally through the canvas into real space, where his experiments included four “ambiente spaziale” (“spatial environments”) never before exhibited in this country. Alternately daffy and dazzling, the assembled works focus on the purist side of Fontana’s polymorphous sensibility, but nonetheless reveal a wide-ranging permissiveness, and an inspiring dedication to art as a quest, not a finished product. Gagosian Gallery, 555 West 24th Street, (212) 741-1111, gagosian.com. (Smith)

‘Cindy Sherman’ (through June 9) This innovative photo-based artist’s latest fusions of painting, cinema and fashion are grandly dour, mural-size images that depict somewhat worn, subtly disturbed, luxuriously garbed (vintage Chanel) older women set incongruously into largely barren landscapes textured with ersatz brushwork from Photoshop. The results lampoon painting while their unsettling lack of cohesion stymies the kind of reflexive narrative that Ms. Sherman’s work has typically provoked. The Nordic mood is matched by a kind of visual brain freeze. Metro Pictures, 519 West 24th Street, Chelsea, (212) 206-7100, metropicturesgallery.com. (Smith)

Galleries: Other

Charles Atlas: ‘The Illusion of Democracy’ (through July 15) Since the early 1970s, Charles Atlas has usually made people — artists, dancers, singers — the main images in his work, making us see familiar figures in a way we never quite had before. For his solo debut with Luhring Augustine, he fills the gallery’s new Bushwick space with three big, immersive, pulsating video projections of constantly changing numbers. Luhring Augustine Gallery, 25 Knickerbocker Avenue, Bushwick, Brookyn, (718) 386-2746, luhringaugustine.com. (Cotter)

Bill Bollinger: ‘Aluminum channel, cast iron, paper: 1966-1977’ (through June 9) In the early 1970s, Bollinger (1939-88) created sculptures at an iron foundry by pouring molten metal into lake-shaped excavations in sand. The three craggy and rusty pieces on view have a shocking vitality. Two that stand vertically — the biggest is nearly seven feet tall — resemble Chinese scholar rocks. One lying on the floor with its flat side up bespeaks the sculptor’s preoccupations with gravity, fluidity and raw materiality. Algus Greenspon, 71 Morton Street, (212) 255-7872, algusgreenspon.com. (Johnson)

Bill Bollinger: ‘The Retrospective’ (through July 30) From 1965 to 1970, Bollinger (1939-88) was at the center of avant-gardist action in New York and Europe. Major exhibitions included his elegant, stripped-down configurations of hardware-store materials like chain-link fencing, pipes, ropes, hoses, lumber, saw horses, oil barrels, and nuts and bolts. Then he left New York and became a forgotten man. This selection of his work from the second half of the ’60s tells a fascinating story of ambition, success and failure. SculptureCenter, 44-19 Purves Street, Long Island City, Queens, (718) 361-1750, sculpture-center.org. (Johnson)

★ ‘Picasso and Françoise Gilot: Paris-Vallauris, 1943-1953’ (through June 30) Life was sweet for Picasso during the years of romance and cohabitation with Françoise Gilot judging by this wonderful exhibition. Looking at his regal Cubist portraits of Ms. Gilot and tumultuous paintings of his young children at play you can imagine yourself seeing through the eyes of a worshipful husband and loving, benevolent father. Fictional or not, the paintings of this period are, mostly, infectiously playful and sometimes comically zany. Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue, near 77th Street, (212) 744-2313, gagosian.com. (Johnson)

★ Hans Schabus: ‘Let’s Call It Heimat’ (through June 15) “Atelier,” the centerpiece here, is a brilliant nearly 10-minute video loop that recreates — cut by cut and camera angle by angle — the extended final shootout of Sam Peckinpah’s 1969 revisionist western “The Wild Bunch” by joining the original soundtrack with views of Mr. Schabus’s deserted, serenely ordered Viennese studio and its surroundings. As the gunfire and the cuts accelerate, a seemingly extra-brainy, nostalgic and very male deconstruction gives way to a haunted formalism grim with future implications of terrorism, urban violence and paranoid xenophobia. Simon Preston Gallery, 301 Broome Street, Lower East Side, (212) 431-1105, simonprestongallery.com. (Smith)

‘Storied Past: Four Centuries of French Drawings From the Blanton Museum of Art’ / ‘French Art From N.Y.U.’s Collection’ (through July 14) At first glance this show looks like a dreary affair: a gathering of little-known draftsmen, almost all of them beholden to the Academy. Give it time, though, and like a dull professorial type after a few gin and tonics it may surprise you with sudden flights of vivacity. Shaped by the Suida-Manning Collection (a group of European drawings initially amassed by the Austrian art historian William Suida in the early 20th century), it includes many works by 17th- and 18th-century French artists who studied in Italy or worked in an Italianate style. Grey Art Gallery, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, Greenwich Village, (212) 998-6780, nyu.edu/greyart. (Rosenberg)

‘Terracotta Warriors: Defenders of China’s First Emperor’ (through Aug. 26) Since being exhumed from an imperial cemetery in the 1970s, China’s terra-cotta army has been on a global Long March, moving from one sell-out museum appearance to the next and serving as emblems of China’s neo-imperial clout in the here and now. That army, or a small piece of it, has arrived in New York City. Only nine of an estimated 8,000 soldiers made the trip. But they’re in great shape and, fitted out with weapons, armor, cash and a portable kitchen, they’re a sight to see. Discovery Times Square, 226 West 44th Street, Manhattan, (866) 987-9692, discoverytsx.com. (Cotter)

Last Chance

★ ‘Every Exit Is an Entrance: 30 Years of Exit Art’ (closes on Saturday) This big retrospective archival show documents the history of Exit Art, one of Manhattan’s premier nonprofit spaces, founded 30 years ago by Jeanette Ingberman and Papo Colo. After Ms. Ingberman’s death last year, Mr. Colo decided to close the gallery, and this exhibition will be its last. On Saturday Mr. Colo will perform “Sweeping Memories,” a ritual cleansing of, and farewell to, the Exit Art premises. Exit Art, 475 Tenth Avenue, at 36th Street, (212) 966-7745, exitart.org. (Cotter)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Rembrandt and Degas: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’ (closes on Sunday) This lovely small show, focused on self-portrait paintings and prints, proposes that Rembrandt was a greater influence on Degas than has generally been recognized. Degas as a young man studied Rembrandt prints, copied at least one and made others imitating Rembrandt-type effects. But a group of four captivating self-portraits at the heart of the show — two by each artist painted at age 23 — suggests that the men were temperamentally about as alike as a cat and a dog. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Johnson)

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art: ‘Rembrandt at Work: The Great Self-Portrait From Kenwood House’ (closes on Sunday) This late, magnificently plain-spoken self-portrait finds the artist in his studio, brush and palette in hand, contemplating his homely visage. Surrounded by, and generally overshadowing, several of the Met’s own Rembrandts, it is among the high points of European painting, not the least for the pale background wall where two drawn circles echo, abstractly and much enlarged, the painter’s intent gaze. Its emotional gravity and psychic complexity underscore why Rembrandt is often likened to Shakespeare in his epoch-changing grasp of human interiority. (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Smith)

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Lord Shiva awaits

Posted on 9th May 2012 in The monuments of world

TRAVEL SCRAPBOOK

Once upon a time in a town called Mahabalipuram, a group of royally-commissioned sculptors were working on a big boulder at the foot of a hill. As they were meticulously chiselling out one tiny bit after another from the rock surface, Lord Shiva, with a cobra around his chest and a trident in one of his hands, gradually appeared.

Arjuna’s Penance.

With utmost respect to their Supreme Lord and the order of the king, the artists kept their eyes on the task at hand. Each time their metal tools bit into the rock, the more distinct the image of Shiva became. And he was not alone.

 The people of Tamil Nadu are not only friendly, they are also photogenic. And that is mainly because they like to smile and enjoy having their pictures taken, even if it’s with the camera of a complete stranger. This priest at the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram just walked into the scene as I was shooting the temple’s lion pillars. His presence really makes the photo much more interesting. At any other temple, on the street, in the market, you’re likely to find many cheery faces looking at your camera, giving you a look that says ‘Take my picture!’.

Standing on one leg before Shiva was a self-tortured bearded man raising both hands over his head, revealing the rib cage that signified a long period of starvation. Nearby there were also Shiva’s dwarf followers and many divine figures. Hovering in the air with a halo around his head was Chandra, the Moon god.

All were crowding on the bank of holiest of rivers, the Ganges, which was flowing from Heaven to earth and all the way to the underworld where the nagas reside. The congregation extended to the other side of the great river which was full of all kinds of beings, from celestial ones to earthly creatures of various sizes, from tiny rats and monkeys to huge elephants.

Back to Shiva’s side of the river, not far below him, Lord Vishnu was also present. He seemed to be puny though, even smaller than the dwarfs. The Preserver was standing in a compact shrine surrounded by seated worshippers, some of them headless.

This scene may be based on Indian mythology but it’s not intangible. For over a thousand years _ except for the sculptors, the mere mortals _ Shiva and all those who were there with him the first day he showed up at the boulder were still standing at the same spot, in the 27 metre-long open-air bas-relief sculpture, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. And Mahabalipuram, where the grand masterpiece is located, is not an imaginary place but a real town with a long history.

 For centuries, the Shore Shrine has been the most well-known symbol of Mahabalipuram. And this is because in those days when the town was still an important sea port, the monument served as an unmistakable landmark for passing ships. The shrine is actually a complex made up of three temples, two of which are devoted to Shiva and the other to Vishnu. It represents another level of Pallava architectural engineering. Instead of being carved out of or dug into big rocks, this stone monument by the seaside was structurally built with blocks of granite.

 Known as Krishna’s Butter Ball, this giant boulder near Arjuna’s Penance seems to be ready to roll down the open hillside at any moment. But it has remained firmly fixed to the spot even before Pallava times, perhaps millennia before that. This is perhaps Mother Nature’s own work of art to rival those nearby monuments created by humans. The gigantic ball also provides a shady resting place for goats, as well as anybody willing to take risk.

 A number of cave temples, created by digging into rocky hillside, are among the monuments that put Mahabalipuram on the World Heritage List. These temples features beautifully carved pillars and walls depicting scenes from Indian mythology. Some of the bas-reliefs are so full of life. Take a look at the sculpture depicting a mother buffalo fondly licking her calf at one such temple called Krishna Mandapum, just a few steps from Arjuna’s Penance, and see if you agree with the previous sentence.

 About a kilometre south of Mahabalipuram’s Hill area where the massive open-air bas-relief is located, stands a group of rock temples carved out of huge boulders. Known collectively as the Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots), each of these monolithic monuments is named after the heroes of the Mahabharata epic, Arjuna and his four brothers. But the present names were given centuries after the fall of the Pallava dynasty that created them. Judging from the principal figures depicted on the walls of these stone temples, it is more likely that they were made in honour of the Pallava’s Supreme Lord, Shiva and other deities such as Indra, the god of war, thunder and storms. One of the monuments seems to be devoted to Durga, one of Shiva’s wives. Each of the monuments are in different architectural styles. They were probably not meant to be completed and actually used as places of worship since the crown part, although completely carved, is left near the bedrock, next to the temples instead of being installed at their rightful places on the top of the roofs. No matter what their real purpose was, these stone monuments allow the present generation to see the genuine Pallava architectural styles from almost 1,400 years ago. Between these monuments one can also see handsome stand-alone sculptures of an elephant, lion and bull. The first is the vehicle of Indra and the other two of Durga and Shiva, respectively.

 Kanchipuram, the historical capital of the Pallava dynasty, may no longer be home to ‘‘a thousand’’ temples as it is believed to have in the past. Still, it boasts hundreds. And the Kailasnathar Temple is one of those that you should not miss. Not only that it is one of the oldest in Kanchi (yes, even the locals sometimes think the full name of the town is too long), the Kailasnathar Temple, built in the 8th century AD, also showcases some of the best Pallava sculptural art. Carved on sandstone, the material used to build this religious monument, the intricate bas-reliefs portray Shiva in several postures, accompanied by other deities and Yali, the mythical creatures, which are a mix of several animals. The main shrine is surrounded by a decorated wall that contains numerous meditation cells. In some of these recesses, you can find what is left of Pallava mural paintings from over 1,000 years ago!

 Kanchipuram is considered one of the seven most sacred pilgrimage destinations for Hinduism followers in India. And the Ekambareswarar Temple is one of the places they must visit. First built during the Pallava times, the temple has been maintained and further constructed by the Chola and Vijayanagar dynasties that later took over the city. The temple’s impressive gopurum , the entrance tower, is one of the tallest religious structures in Kanchi. But the real architectural splendour of the temple is seen in its gallery and inner halls, which are supported by hundreds of magnificently sculptured pillars. Visitors to the temple must take off their shoes before entering the pillared gallery. However, be warned that the floor of the temple interior is not so clean and after the visit you will walk out with soiled feet. However, that is a very small price to pay. Like many big Hindu places of worship in southern India, the Ekambareswarar Temple also employs an elephant to give blessing to visitors. However, it is a widely-known fact that these temple elephants are not so blessed themselves. Many are badly treated. Last December the state of Tamil Nadu ordered that these chained animals get a 48-day vacation, during which they were sent to a rejuvenation camp in a forest reserve.

 A French colony from the early 18th century to 1954, the seaside town of Pondicherry gained its independence years after the rest of the country was free from British rule. In the systematically planned French quarters, the so-called ‘‘Ville Blanche’’ (White Town), colonial buildings are still well preserved, some of which have been converted into chic hotels and restaurants. Even names of roads and churches and certain other places remain in French. Just outside the White Town, the sights and sounds remind you that this is nowhere else but India.

 Besides its temples, another thing that makes Kanchipuram famous among Indians is silk, which is considered one of the best in the country. The handwoven fabric is used to make saris, the traditional costume for Indian women, and a host of other products.

TRAVEL INFO

The closest international airport to Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram and Pondicherry is Chennai, the capital of India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Thai AirAsia (www.airasia.com) is the latest airline to operate the Bangkok-Chennai route. Using an A320 aircraft, the budget airline offers five direct flights a week to this destination.

From Chennai you can take buses or hire a taxi to the three towns.

Did you know?

You can introduce your kids to edutainment reading with our Student Weekly magazine: Thailand’s only all-English entertainment and education magazine for teens and all ages.

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St. Louis scores king of chess pieces

Posted on 8th May 2012 in The monuments of world

ST. LOUIS • Now you can add “World’s Largest Chess Piece” to the list of St. Louis monuments.

It’s a king piece that stands 14 feet, 6 inches tall, measures 6 feet wide and is built of stacked plywood.

It’s yet another example of the seemingly unlimited financial resources to make St. Louis the country’s chess capital.

The chess piece sits on a concrete platform, a permanent fixture in the Central West End that was unveiled Monday morning.

The piece represents the latest efforts of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis — and its benefactor, retired businessman and philanthropist Rex Sinquefield — to promote chess in the city.

“We are going to place some cameras discreetly,” Sinquefield joked. “So when somebody steals it, we can see who did it.”

The chance of theft, though, is slim. The piece weighs 2,280 pounds.

“This piece serves as a monument to the chess culture we are creating in St. Louis,” said Mike Wilmering, spokesman for the club.

It’s also an unabashed public-relations move. Still, it’s hard not to smile at the ambition behind it.

Despite its size, the piece took less than a month and a half to build — thanks to R.G. Ross Construction, a local company that formed the piece in a secret location in the Gravois Bluffs shopping center.

“We had this idea,” Wilmering said. “We were thinking: Where are we going to put this?”

The patio in front of the World Chess Hall of Fame, 4652 Maryland Avenue, across the street from the chess club, seemed like the perfect place.

The announcement about the piece was timed to promote the U.S. Chess Championships, which begin today and have been hosted by the club since 2009. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay was present for the unveiling and proclaimed Monday “Gateway to Chess Day.”

The piece, Wilmering said, has already been certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest in the world. The previous record holder is in Sweden and was built by Mats Allanson in 2003. Allanson’s piece is also a king, but it’s a mere 13.1 feet high, according to the Guinness website.

Wilmering said he and members of Weber Shandwick, the Chess Club’s public relations firm, came up with the idea in March.

R.G. Ross Construction used an enlarged three-dimensional image of a king piece as a model. The company documented the construction with time-lapse photography.

“This would be a great piece to have on the Discovery Channel someday,” Ross president Vince Mannino said. “This is by far the most unique project we have ever done.”

The world record is the latest move by the club in the past few years. In addition to the U.S. Chess Championships, it inspired the country’s top-ranked player, Hikura Nakamura, to move here,and prompted the Chess Hall of Fame to relocate to St. Louis from Miami. None of that would have been possible without Sinquefield, who financed the chess club, which opened in 2008.

The club is considered one of the swankiest in the country, and some chess experts have called Sinquefield the most significant benefactor of chess in America.

“I don’t know what we are going to do next year,” Wilmering said.

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The world's largest chess piece is unveiled in St. Louis

Posted on 7th May 2012 in The monuments of world

ST. LOUIS • It’s 14.5 feet high, weighs 2,280 pounds and is yet another example of the seemingly unlimited financial resources to make St. Louis the country’s chess capital.

Now you can add the “World’s Largest Chess Piece” to the list of St. Louis monuments.

The king piece sits on a platform, a permanent fixture in the Central West End.

It’s the latest effort of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis to promote chess in the city, and was unveiled just after 9 a.m. on Monday.

“This piece serves as a monument to the chess culture we are creating in St. Louis,” said Mike Wilmering, spokesman for the club.

It’s also an unabashed public relations move. Still, it’s hard not to smile at the ambition behind it.

Despite its size, the piece took less than a month and a half to build — thanks to R. G. Ross Construction, a local company that formed the piece in a secret location in the Gravois Bluffs shopping center.

“We had this idea,” Wilmering said. “We were thinking: where are we going to put this?”

The patio in front of the World Chess Hall of Fame, just across the street from the chess club, seemed like the perfect place.

The announcement about the piece was timed to promote the 2012 U.S. Chess Championships, which begin on Tuesday and have been hosted by the club since 2009.

The piece, Wilmering said, has already been certified by the Guiness World Records as the largest in the world. The previous record-holder is in Sweden and was built by Mats Allanson in 2003. Allanson’s piece is also a king, but a mere 13.1 feet high, according to the Guiness website.

Wilmering said he and members of Weber Shandwick, the Chess Club’s public relations firm,  came up with the idea in March.

R. G. Ross Construction used an enlarged three-dimensional image of a king piece as a model. The company documented the construction with time lapse photography.

“This would be a great piece to have on the Discovery Channel someday,” said Vince Mannino, president of R. G. Ross. “This is by far the most unique project we have ever done.”

The world record is the latest in a host of moves the club has made the past few years. It brought the U.S. Chess Championships to St. Louis in 2009; inspired the country’s top-ranked player, Hikura Nakamura, to move to here; and prompted Chess Hall of Fame to relocate to St. Louis from Miami.

None of that would have been possible without retired businessman and philanthropist Rex Sinquefield, who financed the chess club, which opened in 2008.

The club is considered one of the swankiest in the country and some chess experts have called Sinquefield the most significant benefactor of chess in America.

“I don’t know what we are going to do next year,” Wilmering said.

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1982 World's Fair: 30 years later

Posted on 1st May 2012 in The monuments of world

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.(WVLT)–It was looked upon as Knoxville’s biggest challenge.

Transform an old railroad yard, foundry and depot into a world’s fair.

The city’s cost, 46 million and many skeptics. The most hurtful, the Wall Street Journal, calling Knoxville the “scruffy little city by the river”.

Local 8 News’ Walter Lambert was Vice President of the event.
“It was going to be disruptive, you were not going to be able to go anywhere, have all these things and didn’t have clue as to what a world’s fair was about.”

Local banker Jake Butcher led the way as the driving force, Bo Roberts was the Executive Director.

A year after the fair closed, Butcher’s bank failed with an ensuing scandal sending him to jail.

Despite its detractors, people came, 87,000 the first day. 387,000 for the first week. .

Bill Schmidt told Local 8 News, “It was just the reality, how could this small city of a couple hundred thousand people put on a world class exhibit?’ And we did. We did.”

Everything from rides to exhibits gave visitors insight into 22 cultures from all over the world, with the center piece a golden sphere with the theme of energy.

President Ronald Reagan gave it a thumbs up. Knoxville Mayor Randy Tyree called it a defining moment in the history of the city.

Former UT athlete, Bill Schmidt had the job as Director of Sports.
“We were able to generate from no budget, a surplus of $300,000, and the fair put it up in fireworks. Literally, they spent it on fireworks. It was fun. It was a blast”

The fair also took care of Knoxville’s infamous I-40 gridlock.
Lambert said, “That in an of itself was worth doing, all those worries about traffic just didn’t materialize they rebuilt malfunction!”

Now, thirty years later the site is now called World’s Fair Park.

The amphitheater is still there, the foundry still stands, as does the iconic Sunsphere soon to be transformed into a nightclub. Even the Rubik’s cube is still around.

All continue to stand as monuments of a time when this “scruffy little city” had something to prove to the world.

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Overheard in D.C.: Memories to Last a Lifetime

Posted on 27th April 2012 in The monuments of world

Washington D.C. is, understandably, a big destination for tourists. It’s the seat of power for the country, the architecture is grand, there are monuments, world-class museums, historical sites, and tons to learn. It’s really a great experience for anybody, even if it does mean the sidewalks are sometimes clogged with middle schoolers wearing neon FBI hats. And everybody comes away with fond memories of the city.

Overheard of the Week

On a Friday afternoon on 14th Street across from the Holocaust Museum:

A family of tourists are walking by, with what appears to be a mom, grandmother, a maybe 10-year-old girl and maybe six-year-old boy.

All but the boy seem to be discussing where to go next, when the little boy walks over to a big pile of horse shit on the sidewalk.

“Hey, look!” he says, pointing at the pile with a smile on his face.

After the jump, tourists, bad party planning, and Metro shenanigans.

As always, Overheard in D.C. relies on YOU to send in the good stuff. Make sure you tell us who said it, where, and in what situation. And make sure to use our special Overheard in D.C. email address.

——

Thank you, The League, for letting us know about this term

Weekend lunchtime at Panera in Columbia Heights:

Two 20s-ish women are talking about a party one organized a couple of days before.

Woman 1: “I need to work on my guest-listing.”
Woman 2: “Yeah what was up with that!? Were you trying to make Eskimo brothers?”

——

Good friends are hard to come by

Outside of Tyson’s Corner Mall:

Two mid-20s skinny girls talking: “…well the thing about [girl's name], is that she doesn’t mind being fat…”

——

And the award for most things wrong in a short period of time goes to…

Outside Union Station:

A family of tourists is walking past the Liberty Bell replica outside Union Station.

Mom, pointing to the bell: “Look, it’s the Liberty Bell. They must’ve relocated it here after the war.”

——

Metro riders, getting aggressive?

At the Cleveland Park station during morning rush hour:

50-ish woman boards the crowded train and falls over her roller bag. The crowd parts, oohs, and helps her to her feet.

She looks behind her at a young woman and says, “Please don’t push me.”
Young woman: “Oh, did I push you?”
First woman: “Yes.”
Second woman: “I was just trying to make sure I didn’t get caught in the doors.”

——

Stupid ambulance jerks ruining everyone’s fun

On the Metro the other day:

Two preppy-looking 20-somethings are talking.

20-something 1: “They just took me to the hospital, can they do that? I mean, I don’t remember, but [name] said I was perfectly coherent when I was talking to them.”
20-something 2 basically says yes, if you’re in danger or dangerously drunk.
20-something 1: “I don’t remember, but [name] said they asked if I wanted to go to the hospital, and I was like, ‘yeah.’ “

——

Being obnoxious: nature or nurture?

At the Fairfax Harris Teeter, Sunday morning:

An early-30s mom in yoga outfit and designer bag with five-year-old daughter in tow are in the dairy section.

Five-year-old: “Mommy, are we getting milk?”
Mom (looking down her nose at another shopper putting store brand organic milk in cart): “Yes, honey, we’ll get the Nature Valley, because that is the true organic.”

——

We’ve heard of the Twinkie defense, but this is ridiculous

Monday morning at D.C. Superior Court:

Two ladies are at the door of a courtroom. One says to the other: “I don’t want to go in there. I have diarrhea.”

——

Who says Federal employees aren’t good at their jobs?

In a federal agency office building, outside a cubicle:

Woman in cubicle, talking on phone: “No, I think pouring Dr. Pepper into your computer would be the opposite of good.”

——

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The Rise of the Caucasus Tiger

Posted on 24th April 2012 in The monuments of world

By Sigrid Lupieri

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: April 25, 2012 (Issue # 1705)



SIGRID LUPIERI / FOR SPT

Admire Yerevan’s colossal Cascade, a flight of stone steps leading to a monument commemorating the 50th anniversary of Soviet Armenia.

YEREVAN, Armenia — A first glance of Yerevan from the imposing central train station may appear uninspiring — bleak empty buildings flank the large square in the gray light of dawn, merchants setting up their stalls stare warily at passersby, and the grandiose monument of a rider on a horse pays tribute to the country’s Soviet past. But as the bustling city gradually awakens, it soon becomes clear that there is much more to Armenia’s capital than meets the eye.

From the ghostly view of Mount Ararat’s snowy peaks looming over the city to the vibrant colors and sounds of the Vernissage flea market, Yerevan possesses a subtle beauty. Yerevan’s citizens have been particularly resilient despite the devastating effects of an earthquake in 1988, dire economic hardship and a war with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave from 1988-94. Over the past decade, a booming economy and flourishing business environment has given Armenia the well-deserved epithet of the Caucasian Tiger.

Yerevan has also proven its mettle. The capital, which contains over a third of the country’s entire population, produces more than half of Armenia’s gross domestic product. The city center, stretching beyond the vast expanse of the Republic Square, offers an abundance of restaurants and coffee bars and, especially during the long summer evenings, residents stroll in the streets or lounge in the outdoor cafes to meet with friends and family. The Opera House, with its renowned theater and symphony orchestra, and a plethora of local museums, create a lively cultural scene for aficionados of history and music.

According to locals, the recent changes in Yerevan have been dramatic. “The ‘90s were dark years where people were sitting in candlelight in the evenings, all packed in one room for heat,” said Ruzanna Tantushyan, a freelance writer and photographer who grew up in Yerevan. “But in the 2000s, living conditions improved. There is electricity and travel, and the city is a lot livelier.”

Tantushyan, who currently lives in Chicago but returns regularly to Armenia, said the most visible changes have occurred in central Yerevan. When she left the city in 2005, buildings were gray and covered in dust. Today, recent business investments and construction work give the city a more cheerful appearance.

Despite the city’s rapid transformation, Yerevan has not eluded the far-reaching grasp of history. On the contrary, modernity has crept around the stunning ancient churches, with their cool and somber interiors, the Armenian stone crosses — called khachkar — with engravings as delicate and intricate as embroidery, and sobering genocide memorials, a tribute to the country’s past of bloodshed.

From the cuisine, a distinctive blend of Arabic, Russian, Greek and Persian influences, to its architecture, an eclectic mix of Soviet-style monuments and ancient traditional buildings, Yerevan’s uniqueness lies not only in its position at the crossroads of the East and West, but in its ability to effortlessly merge the past with the present. As Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda wrote about his trip to the city in 1957, “I think Yerevan is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen; built of volcanic tuff, it has the harmony of a pink rose.”

What to see if you have two hours

As heavy traffic creates Moscow-style congestion in many parts of the city, Yerevan’s center is most accessible on foot. Starting from the circular, stately Republic Square, formerly known as Lenin Square, where imposing Soviet architecture meets elegant Armenian-style buildings, walk down Abovyan Street, the city’s main thoroughfare. On Abovyan Street, you will pass cafes, souvenir shops, restaurants, cinemas and, finally, the miniature 13th-century Katoghike, a chapel so small its congregation has to stand in the yard.

In the northern part of the center, about two blocks west from the chapel on Abovyan Street, visit the grand Opera House, surrounded by a lush park. The cafes and restaurants near the park are a great place to stop for lunch or a snack. Toward the end of the walk, stop to admire the colossal Cascade, a flight of stone steps leading to the monument commemorating the 50th anniversary of Soviet Armenia. If you take the escalator to the top of the Cascade, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of Yerevan.

During the weekends, the Vernissage flea market is well worth visiting. Only steps away from Republic Square, the market offers just about anything under the sun, from plumbing fixtures and remote controls to Soviet memorabilia, hand-woven carpets and, according to vendors, antique religious icons. The Vernissage market, however, is more than a shopping experience. The vivid colors, the lively atmosphere as customers and vendors haggle and bargain for a deal, the intent chess-players whiling away the long hours of the afternoon, offer a glimpse into the culture and traditions of Armenia and its people.

What to do if you have two days

After visiting Yerevan’s main attractions, there are a number of worthwhile day trips that provide a deeper understanding of Armenia’s rich history and culture. Transportation via public bus or the ubiquitous minibuses known for their reckless drivers is very cheap and relatively easy. Tickets average 100 dram or 200 dram ($0.30 or $0.60). However, if comfort is a priority, taxis are also inexpensive and will deliver you safely to your destination. Most taxis do not have meters but charge about 100 dram ($0.30) per kilometer.

About a half-hour minibus ride from Yerevan, Garni Temple lies at the end of a dusty, winding road, nestled among the rugged Caucasus Mountains. Though the Hellenistic Temple has been rebuilt, it is one of the few structures commemorating local pagan religions. With its gray, stone pillars, the temple brings to mind ancient Greek architecture. On clear, sunny days, the view of the surrounding craggy cliffs and valleys is stunning.

Though buses do not continue onward from Garni, a taxi — or, alternatively, a 10-kilometer walk — will take a visitor to Geghard Monastery, which is attributed to the fourth century. Most of the churches from the monastery have been carved into the mountains. Within the deep, cavernous rooms, the air is quiet and cool. Candlelight illuminates intricate engravings on the walls, while locals say a spring of water in one of the chapels can keep skin looking youthful.

Another half-hour minibus ride from Yerevan will take you to Etchmiadzin (+3 7410-51-71-10; armenianchurch.org), the seat of the Catholicos, patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Cathedral of Etchmiadzin was built by St. Gregory the Illuminator at the beginning of the fourth century. St. Gregory claimed to have had a divine vision in which Christ descended from the heavens to indicate where the cathedral should be built. The museum, located in the back of the cathedral, is small but packed with religious artifacts ranging from elaborately embroidered ecclesiastical garments emblazoned with valuable gems, to relics of various saints and even purported fragments of Noah’s Ark. Be sure to see the lance that supposedly pierced Christ’s side during crucifixion.

The majestic monastery of Khor Virap is situated about 35 kilometers from Yerevan. Built upon a hill and an important pilgrimage site, the monastery offers a breathtaking view of the biblical site of Mount Ararat. According to legend, St. Gregory was imprisoned in a deep well (khor virap means “deep well” in Armenian) by the pagan King Trdat III. Twelve years later, King Trdat freed St. Gregory, who had miraculously survived. The king then converted to Christianity, making Armenia the first Christian nation. Within St. Gregory’s chapel, it is still possible to climb into the well and imagine the long years of St. Gregory’s confinement.

What to do with the family

SIGRID LUPIERI / FOR SPT

The Vernissage market offers items from plumbing fixtures to handicrafts.

When temperatures begin to climb, Water World (40 Myasnikyan Ave.; +3 7410-64-97-30; waterworld.am) offers respite from the summer heat. Parents can sip fruit cocktails and lounge in the park’s hot tubs, while children splash in the adventure pools, complete with water games, wave effects, and water slides. The restaurant offers fresh seafood and Armenian as well as western dishes.

Nightlife

If your ideal night out involves listening to the dreamy notes of a symphony or watching acrobatic pirouettes, the imposing circular Opera House (54 Tumanyan Poghots; +3 7410-52-79-92) hosts the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. Billboards around the Opera House and on Abovyan Street advertise upcoming events.

Or you can descend into the bowels of the Opera House to dance to the beat of Russian pop or MTV at the club Opera (54 Tumanyan Poghots; +3 7410-54-12-22). The entrance fee is 3,000 dram ($8).

With first-rate DJs, a large bar and quality food, Relax (105 Teryan Street) is located in the Citadel Business Center and attracts the young and trendy. The club is also popular among expats and members of the Armenian diaspora. Admission averages 2,000 dram ($5).

Where to eat

The Color of Pomegranates (15 Tumanyan Poghots; +3 7410-58-52-04) is a small, charming restaurant decorated with artifacts from the Vernissage market. Its somewhat whimsical name is a tribute to the Armenian film director Sergei Parajanov, whose eponymous film “The Color of Pomegranates” appeared in 1968. The menu offers a mix of European, Georgian and Armenian cuisine for an average check of 3,500 dram ($9) without alcohol.

One of the classiest restaurants in Yerevan, The Club (40 Tumanyan Street; +3 7410-53-13-61; theclub.am) includes a wide range of offerings, from concerts, film nights and art galleries, to French, Italian and Armenian cuisines. You can relax in the simple yet elegant dining room for a hearty meal with an extensive choice of wine pairings for about 10,000 dram ($25). For a more leisurely experience, you can sink into the downy embrace of cream-colored pouf cushions in the tea room, while you sip teas cultivated by a traditional Buddhist family in China.

Old Erivan (2 Tumanyan Poghots; +3 7410-58-88-55; olderivan.am) serves Armenian cuisine amid lively folk music and somewhat gaudy decor. The cave-like venue, overflowing with antiques and traditional arts and crafts, has welcomed illustrious guests, from local artists and celebrities to President Dmitry Medvedev. The average entree costs about 2,500 dram ($6).

Where to stay

Built by the American entrepreneur James Tufenkian in 2001, Avan Villa Yerevan Hotel (13th Street; +3 7460-50-10-10; tufenkian.am) offers a spectacular view of the bustling capital from its hilly vantage point, only a 10-minute drive from the city center. The hotel’s 14 guest rooms present an eclectic mix of modern and traditional styles — from wrought iron bed fixtures to hand-woven 19th-century carpets — conveying an atmosphere of elegance as well as comfort. Prices range from 31,200 dram to 52,000 dram ($80 to $133) per night.

If you’re looking for greater luxury, Denmark’s national women’s football team gave the Golden Tulip Hotel (14 Abovyan Street; +3 7410-59-16-00; goldentulipyerevan.com) a glowing review. The elegant hotel is located in the heart of Yerevan, within walking distance of the Republic Square and the National Art Gallery. Whether basking by the open-air pool or savoring an Italian or Armenian meal at the award-winning Rossini Restaurant, you might just bump into distinguished guests such as actor Gerard Depardieu or musician John McLaughlin and his band the 4th Dimension. Prices hover around 89,000 dram ($228) per night and can soar up to 150,000 dram ($385) for a Senior Suite during the summer season.

The Marriott Armenia Hotel (1 Armiryan Street; +3 7410-59-90-00; marriott.com) is conveniently located on Republic Square. Originally built in the 1950s as the main tourist accommodation during the Soviet era, this international hotel offers classic, comfortable rooms within walking distance of Yerevan’s main attractions. Its meeting rooms and large ballroom are ideal for business gatherings. Prices, which almost double between April and May, start at 65,000 dram ($166) and reach 290,000 dram ($744) for a suite.

Conversation starters

A joke in Armenia says that “if you want to know if you’re a real Armenian, you have to talk about Armenian history, culture and identity three to five times a day.” To win the hearts of Armenians, locals suggest that you begin by praising the country and its rich culture. If you also raise a glass of Yerevan’s famous cognac, you have set the basis for a lifelong friendship.

How to get there

SIGRID LUPIERI / FOR SPT

Mount Ararat looming high above the monastery of Khor Virap, perched on a hill near the Armenian capital.

The easiest and fastest route to Yerevan is by plane. Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport (zvartnots.aero/en), is located 12 kilometers from the city center and has recently been renovated to include duty-free stores and Wi-Fi connections. There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg to Yerevan, but including a short layover in Moscow, the whole journey takes about six hours, with prices for a round trip starting at 13,500 rubles ($460). Once at the airport, you can buy a single-entry visa for 120 days for 15,000 dram ($39), or a single-entry visa for 21 days for 3,000 dram ($8). All children under 18 years of age are free of charge.

To get to the city center, the fastest and most practical route is via taxi. Taxis provide 24-hour service and cost about 2,800 dram ($7) for a trip to the city.

International travel to Armenia by train is limited. While there are no direct routes from Azerbaijan or Russia, there is a good connection with Tbilisi, Georgia. You can buy tickets on the second floor of the Tbilisi train station where the staff speak Georgian, Russian and limited English. Trains from Tbilisi only run every two days, departing in the afternoon and arriving in Yerevan early the next morning after a 15-hour trip. Costs depend on whether you prefer to ride first, second or third class and range from 12 lari ($7) for a bench seat to 45 lari ($27) for a first-class compartment. You can obtain a visa from the border patrol when you reach Armenia.

Yerevan

Population: 1,091,235

Main industries: Carpets, chemicals, primary metals, machinery, plastics, alcoholic beverages, and processed food

Mayor: Taron Margaryan

Founded in 782 B.C.

Interesting fact No. 1: Armenia is considered the first nation to have adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D. According to biblical accounts, Armenians are the direct descendants of Hayk, the great-great-grandson of Noah, whose ark landed on Mount Ararat after the flood.

Interesting fact No. 2: Yerevan is famous for its brandy. The Yerevan Brandy Company, not far from Republic Square, was founded in 1887, and its cellars contain one particular barrel of brandy that will only be opened when the conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region comes to an end.

Sister cities: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Montreal, Canada; Marseille, France; Nice, France; Tbilisi, Georgia; Isfahan, Iran; Carrara, Italy; Venice, Italy; Beirut, Lebanon; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Chisinau, Moldova; Rostov-on-Don, Russia; Bratislava, Slovakia; Damascus, Syria; Odessa, Ukraine; Cambridge, U.S.; Los Angeles, U.S.

Helpful contacts: • Eduard Nersisyan, director of Yerevan City Hall’s development and investment programs department (1 Argishti Street; +3 7410-51-42-27;

yerevan.am).

Major Businesses

• Yerevan Brandy Company

(2 Tsovakal Isakovi Avenue;

+3 7410-51-01-00; ybc.am) is one of the most successful brandy producers in the world and is now owned by the French group Pernod Richard. President Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and French composer Michel Legrand have taken tours of the building.

• Nairit Plant (70 Bagratunyats Street; +3 7410-44-95-11; nairit.am) produces chemicals such as chlorine and caustic soda and chloroprene rubber. The plant opened in 1933 and has recently begun expanding its operations in Moscow.

• Established in 1999, SPS Cigaronne (24 Hovhannisyan;

+3 7410-66-14-32; cigaronne.com) is a cigarette maker that exports its high-end tobacco products to 35 different countries, including Russia and the United States.

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Norton Not So Excited About Changes to D.C. Height Act

Posted on 20th April 2012 in The monuments of world

Lovers of a low-to-the-ground D.C., you have a powerful ally in your midst—D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton today released a statement in which she seemed to back existing restrictions on how high buildings in the city can get.

“The discipline embedded in the Height Act accounts for the distinctive look that sets the District of Columbia apart from any other city in the world,” she said in the statement, which comes in response to reports that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Mayor Vince Gray have entered into discussions about relaxing the height restrictions.

Currently, buildings on commercial streets can be up to 20 feet taller than the width of the facing street, up to 130 feet. On residential blocks, it’s no more than 10 feet taller than the width of the street up to 90 feet high. (Structures on Pennsylvania Avenue between First and 15th streets NW can be up to 160 feet tall.) Urbanists have long complained that this has made D.C. less dense and as a consequence more expensive; proponents argue that it maintains a Paris-like skyline and feel for the city.

Norton didn’t completely close the door to changes, though, but she only elusively hinted that changes to the Height Act outside of the city’s monumental core would pass muster with her. “No idea is beyond examination but the implications range from technical to profound,” she said. “As the Mayor, City Council, city planners, economic and other experts, and particularly residents consider this issue, I have confidence that they will understand best the delicacy of this matter of historic importance.”

Her full statement is below:

“Since this week’s reports quoting Oversight and Government Reform chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) on the Height Act, I have received a number of inquiries concerning my views. My support for the Height Act remains as strong as ever. The discipline embedded in the Height Act accounts for the distinctive look that sets the District of Columbia apart from any other city in the world. Both the livable scale of our city and the vistas that feature its unique historic monuments and sites depend upon maintaining the Height Act discipline that flows naturally from L’Enfant’s original vision and the McMillan Plan. The common understanding that our identity as a city depends on the Height Act is so strong that no one has approached my office about changes in the heights of buildings permitted here.

However, Chairman Issa has raised with Mayor Gray and me the question of adjustments outside of the monumental core of the city. To his credit, Rep. Issa has not proposed that his committee proceed but has recognized the profound home rule implications of such a change. No idea is beyond examination but the implications range from technical to profound. As the Mayor, City Council, city planners, economic and other experts, and particularly residents consider this issue, I have confidence that they will understand best the delicacy of this matter of historic importance.”

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Upstate WWII veterans honored with flight to D.C.

Posted on 17th April 2012 in The monuments of world

GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) -

About 80 World War II veterans will spend Tuesday visiting the memorials dedicated to their military service and American history.

The veterans will participate in an honor flight that departs Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport for Washington, D.C. for a day jam-packed with tours of the monuments and landmarks in our nation’s capital.

The group Honor Flight Upstate South Carolina makes the trip possible, offering many veterans the chance to visit the World War II, Vietnam, Korean and Marine Corps war memorials along with the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

The flight does not cost the veterans anything. It is paid for by the non-profit group dedicated to honoring World War II veterans.

About 12 hours after leaving GSP, the veterans will return. The public is welcomed to attend their return to the airport, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

To help support the flight, Direct To You! Home Warehouse on Main Street in Easley donated 10 percent of its profits in April to support the trip.

Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.

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