the magic of the 7th regiment armory and the whitney biennial

The cavernous expanse of the 7th Regiment Armory is quite breathtaking.
It is amazing that such a quiet and peaceful expanse exists on Park Avenue and 67th.
If you walk the entire length to the other end (Lexington Avenue), you will
be rewarded in more ways than one:
Mungo Thomson's Silent Film of a Tree Falling in the Forest,
2005-06, 16mm film, color, silent; 7 min
is playing in a little room.


There are quite a few time-specific events to go along with this site specific extension
of the Whitney Biennial which runs from March 6-23.
Admission is free.
Be sure to visit the Whitney Biennial Website and start planning
what you want to see.


My dad said that he used to watch the tennis matches here, around 40 years ago.
I would imagine that if you tried to play tennis here today,
you'd get a lot of bad bounces.

Read more about the Armory's Drill Hall here.
The Armory's notes say that it "is now the oldest extant 'balloon shed'
(a barrel vaulted roof supported on visible arch trusses) in America
and is considered one of the first non-railroad buildings
to employ this type of structural system."


In one of the darkened rooms (they were all dark and moody really),
an unexpected surprise:
Olaf Breuning, The Army, 2008, mixed media.
Company Room M.

The Whitney Biennial notes read: "Identical Chines teapot bodies
and different heads represent a dysfunctional army."


Olaf Breuning, The Army [detail]
This installation reminds me of the excavated Chinese army shown here.
Instead of terra cotta, the soldiers are composed of teapots which sit on top of
Chinese embroidered slippers. Quite whimsical indeed.
One of my favorite 'soldiers' sports a light-up Chinese Scholars Rock for a head.


The various types of lighting in the rooms are amazing in themselves, and worth
the price of admission, which by the way is FREE.
Have you ever come across a hanging candelabra-style chandelier such as this?


Or a chandelier made expressly for a column? I love this shape.


Or a chandelier like this one?
There are more than 6 of these unique chandeliers in the main hall.
The exposed filament bulbs give off a dim orange light
which does not come across in the photo.
You must see them in person.
Originally the fixtures were gas-powered, adapted for electrical current in 1897.


Ellen Harvey, 100 Biennial Visitors Immortalized, 2008.
Sunday, March 9, 2008, to be exact.
I could have been #27, but I didn't want to wait in line...
I probably should have waited in line.


Bozidar Brazda, Our Hour: Radioff [detail], 2008, Mixed-media installation.
I like the striking juxtaposition of this piece...


...installed in this room.

Company Room Ioriginally designed in the Renaissance Revival style in 1880
but "modernized a few years later in the Art Nouveau style.
Original mahogany and rosewood lockers feature carved rosters of the company
member’s names. The room has an Art Nouveau balcony of entwined wrought iron
vines and leaves with a newel torchiere." ~from the Armory notes


Armor at the Armory.


DJ Olive (Gregor Asch), Triage [detail], 2008, Mixed-media installation.
Company Room L.

We walked up to the 3rd floor to view this white tent furnished with army cots
from a balcony. Sitting in the tent you have no idea
there are 7 moose heads just above.