Please Don’t Sit on the Flowers
Long-lost Georgia O’Keeffe landscape goes to auction, Brancusi gets lost at MoMA, interview with Doris Salcedo, and is showing at documenta worth it?
While enjoying the beauty of autumn leaves at September Cafe, news of a Democratic win in the midterm elections arrives. The mood isn't festive, however, as no one is celebrating with champagne. A pregnant black cat passes by, and a dentist's waiting room TV displays serene scenes from distant lands, seemingly unreal. The doctor reveals the X-ray of the patient's mouth, which resembles Beirut during the Civil War.
Nearby, the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge casts a gray sky over Harlem River as the artist steps into Guggenheim Museum, where Taryn Simon's exhibition, Father Country I Do Love You, awaits. The photographs inside depict FBI agent heroics tied to significant American events like the TWA Flight 800 explosion, 9/11 attacks, and more. As the visitor navigates the spiraling galleries, they ponder whether the show is sponsored by the US State Department.
In the museum's cafeteria, the visitor encounters a woman who resembles Judi Dench, devouring a chocolate croissant. As the museum compels visitors to exit through the gift shop, the artist buys a $5 Guggenheim bag. Crossing to Central Park, the visitor spots a small sign urging, "Please don't sit on the flowers."
In a manicured garden, a worker gathers brown leaves and places them in plastic bags, destined for transport. A mother struggles to take a photo of her child, who refuses to pose and ends up sitting on the flowers.
Written by urgent.news from Hyperallergic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
