Arts and Herbs in LIC

I logged a few hours at PS1 this past Friday. Despite being too busy to justifiably chop the day up, I had made plans to meet a friend there, and hating to cancel, decided to take my 3-year-old too so that I’d get some face-time with her in the mix. What a treat! 

To begin with, PF1, the urban farm, is still up in the courtyard, and it is an amazing meld of artistry, ingenuity, and environmental sanity. You have to see it to truly understand how great it is–herbs, vegetables, and other edibles planted in thick cardboard, industrial-use looking cylinders, bunched together to create a sculpture that rises off the ground. There’s a reflecting pool and the coolest outdoor seating I’ve ever sat in. My little one was especially enthused by the chicken coop. A chicken coop!!

Inside, the exhibit Arctic Hysteria is still going on. It’s mostly video installation, and much of it is, well, hysteria and a bit hysterical, and all good. I loved Mika Ronkainen’s “Screaming Men,” Tellervo Kalleinen & Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen compilation of “Complaints Choir” performances, and Jari Silomäki‘s ongoing photographic project My Weather Diary. A smart, engaging, and thought-provoking exhibition at our local contemporary art center. And since it only runs through Sept. 21, I felt compelled to share.

There are other things going on there too, including three pieces by Olafur Eliasson, you know, the Icelandic guy who’s responsible for the waterfalls along the East River (those, too, make for a fabulous destination). One of his works is none other than a waterfall, though small scale.

Did I mention that PS1 is a 15-minute subway ride (express) away from Forest Hills?