P.S.1. Contemporary Art Center

P.S.1. is a division of MOMA which was originally a school that was abandoned, and in was converted to a space for art exhibitions. It housed a variety of performances and exhibits over the years from renowned artists all over the world. P.S.1. became affiliated with MOMA in 2001 and is truly a gem. It is a unique division which lacks the pretentious element often associated with modern art and welcomes a diverse array of people.

There is always something going on at P.S.1. so I decided to go there last weekend and check out the new exhibit. Honestly, I had not been there since New York was hot and sweaty, so it really had been a while. The exhibit which I found to be the most powerful was the video series by Yael Bartana. She is an israeli artist who focuses on peace and conflict in Israel. She had two video displays one showing the building of settlements pre-1948 and on the other screen there were images of bulldozers destroying Arab villages in the West Bank. This presentation of construction and destruction was very powerful.

It was the opening of Lutz Bacher, My Secret Life and there were djs spinning. All in all, aside from getting lost in Queens trying to find it, it was a fun and affordable afternoon!