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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 18 OctOber 2019
MoMA reopens with more space, fresh juxtapositions

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mu- lows us to rethink the ex-
seum of Modern Art's new perience of art in the mu-
$450 million, 47,000-square- seum," says Glenn D. Lowry,
foot expansion offers visitors director of MoMA.
more than much-needed To keep creating fresh jux-
elbow room. It emphasizes tapositions, offer up more
new juxtapositions of works of the museum's perma-
to encourage broader per- nent collection, and place
spectives and new narra- greater focus on multicul-
tives. turalism, the revamped
The revamped MoMA, a MoMA promises to rotate
third bigger than the old many of the works in its gal-
one, opens to the public on leries every six months.
Oct. 21. "It's an opportunity to show
While iconic works by the visitors what the museum
likes of Monet, Van Gogh, has been doing in terms of
Picasso and Pollock re- collecting these past years,"
main dependably on view, says Michelle Elligott, chief
visitors are invited to see of archives, library and re-
them in a new light, now search collections.
displayed side by side with In some of the galleries,
less familiar works by wom- This undated image released by the The Museum of Modern Art shows the installation "Artist’s sculpture, painting, design,
Choice: Amy Sillman—The Shape of Shape," part of the renovation and expansion effort at MoMA
en and minorities, and art- in New York. architecture, photography
ists from places like Africa, Associated Press and film are all featured to-
South America and Asia. gether.
The goal is to rethink the MoMA. "On the fifth floor, Picasso's 1907 "Les Dem- on both, and seems to em- "We have now brought var-
familiar and make Modern- for example, Van Gogh's oiselles d'Avignon" now phasize the violence of Pi- ious departments into con-
ism feel fresh and challeng- 'The Starry Night' is now shares gallery space with casso's fractured bodies. versation, which allows visi-
ing again. shown in the same gallery a 1967 painting by Afri- "Inspired by Alfred Barr's tors to explore what differ-
"Sometimes even small as a collection of ceramics can-American artist Faith original vision to be an ex- ent artists were doing dur-
juxtapositions can have made at the same time by Ringgold featuring an in- perimental museum in New ing the same time period,"
a big impact," says Jodi George Ohr, of Biloxi, Missis- terracial gunfight. Seeing York, the real value of this says Martino Stierli, chief
Hauptmann, senior curator sippi. It's interesting to see the two works together expansion is not just more curator of architecture and
of drawings and prints at those things together." provides fresh perspective space, but space that al- design at the museum.q

Musicians Hall of Fame to honor group with New Jersey roots

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — Gerry Polci with the Four
Seven years after hitting Seasons and knew bass-
the road to perform and ist Larry Gates from child-
share their stories of record- hood. Ciccone and guitar-
ing with some of the big- ist Jimmy Ryan had scored
gest names in pop music, hits with the pop group The
a New Jersey-based group Critters in the '60s. All had
of former A-list session mu- extensive credits playing
sicians is being recognized behind artists from Carole
for its efforts. King and Carly Simon to El-
The Musicians Hall of Fame ton John, the Rolling Stones
and Museum in Nashville is and dozens more.
giving its first "Road Warrior" The group added veter-
award to The Hit Men, a an session vocalist Russell
group originally assembled Velasquez and has played
in 2012 by former members 40 to 60 dates per year
of Frankie Valli and Four ever since, adjusting its set
Seasons. The group has list as the "Jersey Boys" phe-
toured steadily since then, nomenon faded.
and its Oct. 28 concert at Along the way, they lost
Nashville's City Winery will Gates to complications
close a month of shows in from multiple myeloma
California, Arizona, Maine, In this July 20, 2017 file photo, The Hit Men play music during a show at the Axelrod Performing Arts and Ciccone to a heart
Louisiana and Tennessee. Center, in Deal Park, N.J. attack. Gates' spot was
"It's an incredible honor to Associated Press filled by Jeff Ganz, whose
be recognized for the work lengthy resume includes
we've each put into our ca- have backed legendary house rhythm section. New Jersey, about 10 miles stints with Chuck Berry, Dr.
reers supporting the great- pop performers. Among its Seeking to ride the musi- from New York. Their roots John, Johnny Winter and
est names in the music in- famous inductees are the cal nostalgia wave and extend decades further. Blood, Sweat and Tears.
dustry," founding member Wrecking Crew, the group the success of the Four Shapiro, keyboardist for Polci left the group and was
Lee Shapiro said. of L.A. studio musicians Seasons-inspired musical Valli during the singer's replaced by Steve Murphy,
The museum opened in that played on numerous "Jersey Boys," The Hit Men mid-1970s comeback, had who has backed Alan Par-
2006 and showcases the of- '60s pop hits; and the Funk formed in 2012 in a base- played with guitarist Don sons, Todd Rundgren, Jack
ten-unsung musicians who Brothers, Motown Records' ment studio in Fair Lawn, Ciccone and drummer Bruce and others.q