When you are travelling in New York City, attractions get expensive very fast. That said, have you heard of Free Friday Nights at the Museum? Let’s talk about it!
Admission to the Whitney is free on Friday evenings between 5–10 pm. Yes, admission, music, and special programming is all free. It is worth getting there early and perusing the exhibits before it get’s too busy before 7 p.m.. Since the admission is free, tickets are required and capacity is limited. Advance tickets are recommended.
It is the perfect time to check out the Whitney Museum as the Whitney Biennial 2024 is currently on view between March 20, 2024 to August 11, 2024. The Whitney Biennial is the longest-running survey of contemporary art in the United States—features seventy-one artists and collectives grappling with many of today’s most pressing issues.
A memorable piece of art is from Eddie Roldolfo Aparicio titled, Paloma Blanca Deja Volar/White Dove Let us Fly (detail).
This work is made primarily from modified amber, a petrified form of tree resin. Aparicio was interested in resin because of its ability to “move nutrients through [a tree’s] body and heal wounds.” Aparicio uses the material to elevate the history and objects of Central American communities in the United States. The artist often treats amber as a kind of archive, albeit one that rejects the notions of completion and fixity typically associated with that term. In this work, he has embedded materials found near his Los Angeles studio, including pigeon wings, branches, and discarded clothing. He has also included documents of efforts by white activists to promote justice in Central America, drawing attention to the complex relationship between privilege and solidarity. Since the chemical structure of the amber has been altered so that it is not completely rigid, the sculpture will change shape over the course of the exhibition because of gravity and exposure to ambient light. As it does, the objects within will move, suggesting the ways memory and trauma are held in the body and shift over time.
Upon viewing Aparicio art a few weeks ago, the walls of the structure had already fallen. The amber resembled fragmented and crystallized maple syrup on a stick. I could see the remnants of paperwork, cord, and bird wings within a gooey and hardened mass, which was permeating the wooden flooring of the Whitney Museum. Indeed, it is interesting to view this colossal art piece and wonder how it will continue to evolve over time in the summer sun. It is a true character in the room and I noticed that some observers held space for it, whereas others walked by it without an acknowledgment.
After speaking to the security attendant near the piece, they mentioned that the artist is far more interested in how we, the observers, reflect on the art piece. I had so many questions for the poor security attendant. I was transported to a childhood field trip and eating maple syrup on a popsicle stick off a snowy wooden trolley in Montreal. I thought about the long journey from my childhood to where I was in that moment. As a middle-aged woman, I considered recent grief that I had encountered and where I am on my healing journey. Aparicio’s art albeit complex, beautiful, and jarring, provided a wonderful reflective moment for me to check in with myself at the Whitney Museum in New York City.
Thirty Four Flavours 