Art People (and Pets)

You can make a lot of friends at NYC museums.

Spend an afternoon and New York and you're bound to make a few friends, even if those friends aren't likely to carry on much of a conversation.  An a recent sunny, late-spring day, I wandered the Highline, chilled at the Whitney, and awkwardly invaded the FLAG Art Foundation.  Not surprising, I encountered the creepy, strange, wonderful people (and a few animals) that some of the world's most famous artists have captured for the ages.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Header image features Tony Matelli's delightfully creepy painted-bronze sculpture, Sleepwalker (2014) 

Marilyn Pursued by Death (1963)

Artist Rosalyn Drexler started with a news clipping of Marilyn Monroe fleeing paparazzi with her bodyguard in toe.  Applied to canvas and embellished with acrylic paint, the resulting Pop image would make anyone want to come to the starlet's rescue.

Untitled (after Sam) (2005-6)

This oil-on-canvas self portrait by Rudolf Stingel is stunning not only for its astounding execution but also for the intimacy it creates between the viewer and the artist.

Synecdoche (1991, ongoing)

Byron Kim uses oil paint and wax to capture the skin tones of friends and fellow artists. Included in these "portraits" are Chuck Close, Kiki Smith, Polly Aprfelbaum, Vito Acconci, and William Wegman.

Sling Hook (2007 - 2009)

There's always time to make friends with our aquatic neighbors, especially when one of those creatures is another example of lobsters showing up in art in the strangest ways. In this case, it's an aluminum and steel work by Jeff Koons.

Cat On A Clothesline (Red) (1991 - 2001)

Jeff Koons once described this work in molded polyethylene as "a contemporary crucifixion." He might want to rename it if he's hoping to have a successful YouTube video version.