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I went to Johnny Depp’s exhibit in Chelsea and felt like I was inside the actor’s brain

I went to Johnny Depp's exhibit in Chelsea and felt like I was inside the actor's brain

I don’t know Johnny Depp—like most people on this planet, I have never met him—but a walk through his new exhibit in Chelsea feels like a one-way conversation with the actor. Him speaking to me, that is. 

Set up inside the Starrett-Lehigh Building on 27th Street by the western edge of Manhattan, “A Bunch of Stuff,” as the exhibition is called, looks and feels exactly like the personality that the 61-year-old award-winning actor has been broadcasting to the public since first landing on the scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street four decades ago.

Expect a moody atmosphere in a space filled with dark colored pieces and an eclectic mix of gothic elements (including loads of skulls) that feel both edgy and artistic.

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Courtesy of A Bunch of Stuff
A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Anna Rahmanan

It is also impossible to disconnect the art in front of you—created entirely by Depp and on display to the public for the very first time—from the media spectacle that the actor was a part of two years ago, when he sued ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation following an article she wrote in which she claimed that he had physically abused her. 

In a way, the exhibit feels like Depp’s special turn at the stand, where he gets to speak his mind without interruption by Heard, paparazzi or anyone else.

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Anna Rahmanan

Set up in a circular pattern, with a black box in the middle (more on that later), “A Bunch of Stuff” wants to be recognized as an immersive experience and not a traditional exhibit. In addition to the variety of paintings on the walls—including many that usually reside in Depp’s village estate in Provence in the South of France—the space is filled with objects from the actor’s studios: couches, desks, painting paraphernalia and more.

Perhaps the most striking work on premise is that of Depp’s own mother Betty Sue Palmer: a beautiful portrait produced back in 2006, the painting is covered in Depp’s favorite rolling paper by Rizla (it all feels very Depp although I don’t know Depp, of course).

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Courtesy of A Bunch of Stuff

Depp also pays homage to his late dog, Mooh, with a massive works towards the end of the exhibit that leads into a merch shop filled with the sort of objects that guests might feel inclined to purchase after walking through the space: including stuffed animal versions of Mooh, matches with Depp’s face printed on them, sweaters and smaller versions of some of the works on display.

But it’s the kickoff to the exhibition that will likely stay with you long after you’ve left the space. Upon entering, guests find themselves face-to-face with a series of framed paintings featuring seemingly simple sentences and thoughts. 

“Her beauty a spectacle,” reads one.

“It’s hard to speak when you’re frozen in scream,” reads another.

If those sound like commentary on the legal troubles that the actor faced, perhaps thoughts Depp might have related to family and friends, that is because they probably are.

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Anna Rahmanan

“The objective of the show is to take the visitors on an emotional journey going through Johnny Depp’s creative world,” said Anne-Sophie Villemin, an art consultant that worked with the artist closely to set up the exhibition. “Thanks to the concept that marries physical and digital, the artworks, the personal artifacts and the animation, Depp is able to share his personal story and show the scope of his creative mind, resulting in a total immersive experience. The goal is to inspire others to create and not limit themselves by traditional boundaries.”

Given the drama surrounding the defamation case, where Heard was eventually found guilty, and the doubt that many people now cast on the actor, it feels almost wrong to look through the paintings, like taking a stance in an argument that doesn’t directly relate to us. 

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Anna Rahmanan

But is that really wrong? If the show’s raison d’etre is to catapult viewers into Depp’s brain, at least through the artistic portion of his cerebellum, then the decision to kick off the production with such clear statements makes total sense.

That deep dive is complemented by the exhibit’s central (literally, it’s found in the middle of the space) proposition: a 14-minute clip playing inside a curtained-off section of the exhibit in which Depp discusses his inspirations, his relationships with a blank canvas and his musings on life in general.

A Bunch of Stuff
Photograph: Courtesy of A Bunch of Stuff

“I’ve been most people than most people have been,” he says in the video. “Is there anything that I can offer? Is there anything uniquely me that I can add to something?”

Clearly, Depp is trying his best to stand out from the crowd of people—of characters—that he has brought to life throughout his long spanning career. Perhaps, embracing himself wholeheartedly and presenting himself as Johnny Depp, and not as Johnny Depp playing someone else, might end up becoming the most important and difficult role of his life. The jury is still out on whether the public will believe and embrace him. 

“A Bunch of Stuff” runs through November 30. Tickets are available for purchase here

* This article was originally published here

A gorgeous, free flower exhibition is back at Hudson Yards

A gorgeous, free flower exhibition is back at Hudson Yards

With their delicate petals, strong stems and vibrant colors, flowers are art by their very nature. But when they’re gathered together to create a soaring sculpture, that takes the artistry to incredible new levels. Right now at Hudson Yards, you can walk through a trail of 15 stunning floral sculptures in an free exhibition by Fleurs De Villes called ARTISTE.

The show honors a variety of artistic themes, ranging from opera and ballet, to painting, sculpture, theater, and even Martha Stewart as imagined in the Culinary Arts. It renders each discipline as a 10-foot-tall mannequin. See ARTISTE for free at Hudson Yards through Sunday, October 13.

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The sculptures include an opera mannequin inspired by Maria Callas in La Traviata; the mannequin wears white fluffy-looking floral gloves and a dress accented with red roses. A Pop art sculpture seems to evoke Andy Warhol’s print of Queen Elizabeth. Another mannequin embodies a baroque painting with wispy baby’s breath; a sculpture paying homage to architecture bears blue hydrangeas and purple orchids. The show is sponsored by Nikon, so there’s even a larger-than-life camera made up of pink roses and purple mums.  

A floral sculpture with red flowers.
Photograph: Courtesy of Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE

Find ARTISTE on Level 1 of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, 20 Hudson Yards. It’s open daily from 10am to 9pm.

World-renowned bespoke floral show company Fleurs de Villes created the show in partnership with local NYC florists, as it has for the past five years. Last year’s show spotlighted destinations across the globe; the previous year honored remarkable women.

A floral sculpture homage to Martha Stewart.
Photograph: Courtesy of Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE

If you feel inspired by the show, you can sign up to learn from the pros. Workshops and demonstrations led by local florists will take place on Level 2 of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards between Rhone and Stance. Register here.

Or if sipping a cocktail while admiring the flowers is more your speed, you can enjoy Pommery champagne and floral cocktails at Queensyard in the Rose Room. There’s a seven-foot-tall floral Pommery bottle as you enter the restaurant, so you’ll know you’re in the right place.  

A theater made of flowers.
Photograph: Courtesy of Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE

To continue the floral fun, there’s also an exhibition called WITCHERY at Edge. This Halloween floral experience features floor-to-ceiling floral installations and photo opps that will transform New York City’s highest indoor/outdoor sky deck into a “witchy” wonderland. Just a heads up that this one isn’t free; you’ll have to get a ticket to Edge to see it now through October 31.

* This article was originally published here

A new Italian American museum opens in Little Italy next week

A new Italian American museum opens in Little Italy next week

In 1999, Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa felt the history of Italian Americans needed a home after a temporary New-York Historical Society exhibit captured the community’s achievements and contributions. After a stint in a CUNY facility in midtown, Scelsa packed up his artifacts, signed a lease at the location of the former Banca Stabile, a bank patronized by Italian immigrants and opened the single-room Italian American Museum in 2008.  

A new museum of Italian American history will open at the same location in Little Italy next Monday, October 14, coinciding with the Columbus Day holiday. Construction began in 2018 on a new building at 155 Mulberry Street, which now includes exhibits focused on Sicilian puppet theater’s history, Italian Americans who worked in the clothing industry and the journeys of Giovanni da Verrazzano in parts of the new six-story building.

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It has not always been easy but we have much to be proud of, for our contributions to American society are enormous,” said Scelsa, the museum’s president, in a letter on its website. “Now we will have a secular cathedral for all to see, experience and appreciate where we came from and what we have achieved.”

To kick things off, the primary exhibit is of puppets from the former Manteo Theater in Little Italy. Titled “Puppet Homecoming: The Historic Sicilian Manteo Marionettes Return to Mulberry Street,” the display includes evocative, wooden marionettes that date back to the 1920s and 1930s. 

“We were given 32 of these puppets by Michael Manteo, the son of the [Manteo Theater’s] founder, Agrippino Manteo, which we promised that we would bring back to Mulberry Street,” continued Scelsa.

Puppets at the Italian American Museum
Photograph: Christopher Nealon for the Italian American Museum

In celebration of the museum’s opening after years of construction and reorganization, an opening event was held on Tuesday, October 1, with appearances from representative Jerry Nadler and governor Kathy Hochul, who helped secure $1 million in state funding for the museum in 2022. 

“After several years of construction, it is a great source of satisfaction to be present at the opening of the new Italian American Museum,” said Fabrizio Di Michele, Consul General of Italy in New York. “This place highlights and celebrates not only the rich cultural heritage of Italian Americans in NYC, but also their significant contributions to the history and society of this great nation.”

The museum’s permanent collection will be installed through the spring, while walking tours are available for schools, individuals and other groups. Admission to the museum is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 12. The hours are noon to 5pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, while visits on Wednesday and Sunday are by appointment only.

* This article was originally published here

NYC Is Getting A New Holiday Market In Herald Square This Year

Our favorite Thanksgiving hotspot is getting in the yuletide spirit with the debut Herald Holiday Market.

We still have over a month to go before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, yet we’ve somehow bypassed November and catapulted straight into the holiday season. (Well, we are New Yorkers — we work fast.)

News from Urbanspace, the brainchild behind our favorite Christmas markets in NYC, let us in on the secret, and now we’re already mapping out a wishlist.

All about the Herald Holiday Market in Herald Square

While New Yorkers can expect a new celebratory Christmas space in Midtown, there are plenty of details that are still being finalized at this time. The market is dubbed “the modern-day Miracle on 34th Street” and will include some of the city’s best artisans, chefs, and creators, right near the iconic Macy’s Herald Square. It’s too soon to name specifics, as the event is in the midst of taking applications, but we can already envision ourselves with a warm cup of cocoa at hand while perusing fun handmade goods and stocking up for December 25th.

A list of vendors is not the only things under wraps: at this time, we’re still waiting on an opening date, as well as hours of operation. Currently, there is a callout from Urbanspace for interested makers, and a closing note from the organization that reads: “We look forward to seeing you in this new and exciting holiday market, in one of NYC’s most sought after holiday destinations.” It looks like we’re going to have to be patient a little bit longer — and not rush through Turkey Day. But as soon as more info is available, you’ll be the first to know.

If you are interested in learning more or applying for vendor status, visit the Urbanspace website.

The post NYC Is Getting A New Holiday Market In Herald Square This Year appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here