Must-See NYC Public Art
New York City is home to many world-renowned artists, specifically Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. The city is also home to many of the most respected museums in the world. New York City also has a wide array of public art that makes it quite unique. Whether it is a bold statue in a high traffic area or a massive, brightly colored mural in Bushwick, art in New York is always evolving. The following are some of the most stunning and iconic pieces of art found in the Big Apple.
Crack is Wack by Keith Haring
Originally painted in 1986 during Reagan’s War on Drugs era, this mural is the heart of public art. It a piece that has also defined New York’s graffiti culture throughout the 1980s. The mural has been public for decades and was restored in the mid-2000s. It is an iconic piece of Harlem and was definitely a piece of culture that shaped the 80’s drug epidemic.
Alamo by Bernard (Tony) Rosenthal
This sculpture was placed in the East Village during the 1960s. It is a massive, distorted cube sitting on one corner. This steel sculpture was put in place due to an initiative called “Sculpture the Environment” by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. It was only intended to be on display for a six month period, along with a few other sculptures, but citizens petitioned to keep the statue in its place. The cube also rotates on its access to the combined efforts of a few people.
Alice in Wonderland by Jose de Creeft
This is one of the most recognizable pieces of central park. It has been used in television shows to movies, making it a staple of central park. It has been in the same location since 1959. Based off of Lewis Carroll’s story of Through the Looking Glass, the is a rather large bronze piece surrounded by the mad hatter, the white rabbit, and mushrooms with Alice right on the center. It is a sculpture that kids love to climb on.
Balloon Flower by Jeff Koons
Koons’ brightly polished and oversized balloon sculptures are what he is known for. His red flower sculpture resides right near the 9/11 memorial. It is a jarring piece to see just sitting in a fountain. The post-pop piece is a must see if you are looking for something to talk about!
The Best Museums in NYC
New York is a hub of American and global culture that is upheld by various institutions. Museums preserve history and showcase art, specifically art that is pushing boundaries or have had a cultural impact. NYC has a wide array of museums and galleries but some stand above the rest. Here are the most popular and best museums to see while in New York City.
- American Museum of Natural History
Not only are the pieces within the museum beautiful, the building itself is mesmerizing. It is home to many prehistoric pieces and many artifacts dating back hundreds of years. The museum itself has also been around for over 150 years. The museum has a piece of history for everyone. Whether you are interested in dinosaur skeletons or how cultures lived years ago. The admission to the museum is a suggested donation but has exclusive exhibitions that cost special tickets.
- Museum of Modern Art
The MoMA is known for showcasing some of the most popular pieces of art in the world as well as edgy, thought-provoking works of art, as well. It has one of the world’s finest collections of work that range through the 18th century to today. It is home to Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles. This museum will give anyone something to talk about.
- Guggenheim Museum
Located on the Upper East Side, this museum is home to many impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary art. The building itself is quite recognizable on 5th Avenue. The Guggenheim’s collection has grown over the decades and was founded originally with Solomon R. Guggenheim’s first collection. The overall collection is shared with a sister museum located in Spain.
- The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum
One of the United States’ national travesties, the 9/11 Museum gives incredible insight to the event in 2001. Located in Manhattan, this center provides a strong Memorial and significant information about the events that happened to the World Trade Center. The museum has many pieces of the building, multimedia displays, and exhibits of the history leading up to the events.
- Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Considered the “heart of American history”, the Ellis Island Museum shares the story of the largest migration of humans in history. The exhibits inside include the Hearing Room to the Treasures from Home. The museum has many multimedia rooms that exhibit video footage from the period. It is an incredible story to learn about how the statue of liberty was a symbol of freedom for so many immigrants.
A Brief Overview of NYC Immigration History
New York state alone is full of rich history but New York City has been a hub of history from so many different cultures. In order to enjoy the city today, you must appreciate and respect the history that allows it to be the way it is today. How the city became a staple of American culture and a place of dreams.
Pre-WWII
European settlement began in the 1600’s, which was started as a Dutch fur trading post in Manhattan. Slaves were used to build more and to output walls for protection against native american attacks. The Pavonia Massacre happened right across the Hudson River in 1643. Battles between the native people and the Dutch were common during this period.
Into the 1700s, the English conquered the land and retitle it “New York”. 20% of the population were African with European settlers taking up the majority. The largest migration of human beings in the history of the world was in 1907, with over 1 million immigrants brought through Ellis Island, by the watchful eye of lady liberty.
The Dutch briefly reclaimed the city. You can find remnants of the Dutch influence in the names of boroughs and districts throughout the city. The city was the first national capital of the U.S. under the constitution. Many early pivotal moments in American history took place in New York City.
Into the 1800s, the street grid system expanded and the city continued open immigration after the wars in Europe. Irish immigrants began coming to the city due to the Great Irish Famine. Education and justice were created during this period in reaction to the growing population.
Post WWII
After the war, many veterans and immigrants from Europe returned and created an economic boom. More housing and general demands were raised as the city started growing due to the mass immigration. It grew to one of the leading cities of the world with a big push by Wall Street. It slowly transitioned from an industrial city to a service-based city while jobs in the industrial market began to decline.
Because of the major migration of different races, a lot of violence broke out. This was when groups such as the Black Panthers created rent strikes for improves services for low-income communities. They also began setting up free health clinics in an attempt to give the power to the people. The 1970s in New York City were known for high areas of high crime and violence in many areas.
About Avraham Glattman
Avraham Glattman is the owner of First American Properties Group, a real estate business based in New York City, New York.
Avraham brings over 26 years of experience working as a real estate agent in the city, where he continues to work today. He graduated from Newport University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management and remained at the university to attain his Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.). After graduation, he jumped straight into the real estate field in 1992 in the greater New York City area. Throughout his career, Avraham has explored listings across the New York area, keeping a detailed account of the locations, pricing and comparable properties in the housing market.
After gaining a wealth of knowledge about the real estate marketing in New York, Avraham Glattman decided to take it a step further by creating First American Properties Group with his longtime business partner, Pete Jacov in 2008. First American Properties is a real estate and development company that services the five boroughs of New York. The company currently owns residential and commercial properties in Queens, Downtown Brooklyn, Harlem, and Manhattan. The company focuses on monitoring the growth and development in different areas of the city, so they can work to establish more patterns of growth and help revitalize the area.
While monitoring the different areas of New York City, Avraham Glattman consistently keeps an eye out on up-and-coming neighborhoods that he could potentially invest in. For example, after seeing Harlem, Avraham was immediately impressed by the neighborhood’s charm, leading him to invest in properties in the area. With a convenient location next to the subway and charming business like music venues in the area, it was not hard to see what attracted Avraham to the area.
Today, Avraham Glattman continues to find new investments with First American Properties Group, alongside his business partner, Pete Jacov. Together, they are working towards the goals that they set for First American Properties Group. The goals include acquiring property in the Harlem area to renovate and sell, as well as acquiring properties in all five boroughs.
Avraham Glattman is also the proud owner of 1927 Café Bar Popularr. Located in Harlem, the café serves a variety of open-faced Mediterranean sandwiches, called ‘Toastics’, and many types of coffee. Café Bar Popularr is proud of the rich artistic traditions of Harlem, and invites local musicians, authors, and comedians to visit and share their talents with friends.
Avraham was born and raised in Israel, where he went graduated high school. Not long after, he served in the Israeli army for three years, before he was sent to the United States to work with an Israeli newspaper in Brooklyn, NY. Not long after making the move to New York, Avraham met the woman that would become his wife in 1991. Together, they have three children.
In his spare time, Avraham Glattman enjoys spending his time with his wife and three children and loves to explore new parts of New York City. Avraham’s incredible dedication to both his work and family brings him immense happiness and purpose each day.
To learn more about who Avraham Glattman is, visit AvrahamGlattmanNewYork.com.
