Tag: Guggenheim

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Museums Podcasts

The wonderful mysteries of the Guggenheim Museum, the Frank Lloyd Wright ziggurat turned on its head

It’s ancient mysteries week on the Bowery Boys! What, you ask, I thought you only did New York City history? In fact, at least two great Manhattan landmarks evoke the great mysteries of ancient times, meant to bring mystical energy and revelation to one of the world’s greatest cities.

Here’s a replay of a podcast we recorded back in October 2008 on the history of the Guggenheim Museum, a space-age upside-down ziggurat originally designed to hold only the most unfathomable non-objective art in the world.

The spiral-ramped wonder that is the Guggenheim began as the dream of three colorful characters — a weathy art collector, a severe German artist and her rich patron art-lover. So how did they convince the most famous architect in the world to sign on to their dream for a modern art “museum temple”? Come meander with us through the Guggenheim’s quirky history. Co-starring Robert Moses!


Photographed by Walter Sanders, Life Magazine

PODCAST REWIND A special illustrated version of the podcast on the Guggenheim Museum (Episode #67) is now available on our NYC History Archive feed. Chapter headings with images have been embedded in this show, so if your listening device is compatible, just hit play and a variety of pictures should pop up. The audio is superior than the original as well. So dive into this weird, wild history of one of New York’s great museums!

When we recorded this, George W. Bush was still president of the United States, and the Guggenheim was just reopening after a major renovation. So even this podcast is a bit of history in itself!

Download it here or just subscribe to our archive feed — on iTunes or directly here. You can also stream it on Stitcher, although due to file incapability, it won’t be illustrated.

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Podcasts

PODCAST: The Guggenheim Museum

The spiral-ramped wonder that is the Guggenheim Museum began as the dream of two colorful characters — a severe German artist and her rich patron art-lover. So how did they convince the most famous architect in the world to sign on to their dream for a modern art “museum temple”? Come meander with us through the Guggenheim’s quirky history. Co-starring Robert Moses!

Listen to it for free on iTunes or other podcasting services. Or you can download or listen to it HERE

Solomon Robert Guggenheim — his love for artwork late in life culimated in one of the world’s most impressive collection of modern art

“Yellow Red and Blue” by Vassily Kandinsky, a particular favorite of Solomon’s who would end up owning over 120 paintings by the abstract artist.

The enigmatic Hilla Rebay, muse and adviser to Solomon and the original curator to what would become the Guggenheim Museum — until she was unceremoniously dumped by the trustees after Solomon’s death

“Squares”, a work by Rudolf Bauer, whose relationship with Rebay and the Guggenheim would quickly sour

Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captures Frank Lloyd Wright in his final days, an iconic architect who would go out on top with the construction of the museum

During construction: the distinctive curves were created by essentially creating a plywood mold and having the concrete sprayed from the inside.

The museum, right before its opening in 1959. (Pic courtesy New York Magazine.)

Like a typical Wright creation, the museum seems both natural and alien at the same time. Natural light streams in at unusual angles.

Solomon, Hilla and Frank stand admiring a model of their future museum.

CORRECTION: In the podcast I incorrectly state that Wright had already built a house in Staten Island before getting the commission to build the Guggenheim. In fact, he was hired to build the private residence well after receiving the museum job. The home, called The Crimson Beech, is located in Lighthouse Hill. Apparently it leaks.

Having fun with the Guggenheim’s different exterior shades