PS1 MoMA for Summer Fun

July 20, 2009

PS1 MoMA has several great summer exhibits

Okay, so the winner of PS1's Young Architect's Contest this year–the annual competition in which up-and-coming architecture firms vie to design the structure that will dominate MoMA's huge courtyard all summer long decided to go with hair huts. Maybe MOS, who created this "urban shelter", named Afterparty, is correct: that on hot days the Bedouin-influenced design will create a nice breeze and cool down the notoriously smoking-hot PS1 Warm Up party (more on that in a minute). We don't really know – it was already pretty cool on the day we headed out to the Museum of Modern Art's younger, hipper offspring, namely PS1 in Long Island City. But, really: hair huts? Anyway. The structure does look nicely ominous and primitive from a distance, and when the place is jumping, as it most definitely will be every Saturday through September 5th, we might appreciate MOS's vision–with its extra-large swaths of shade, and the mist raining down from the structure's peaks–a little more.

PS1 MoMA Warm Up Party Is One of NYC's Best

As far as Warm Up goes, this season's line-up of local bands and internationally-renowned DJs looks to be as wild and thumping and cutting-edge as ever. If you've never been to one of New York City's best parties, here's the story: from 2:00 until 9:00 every Saturday afternoon, thousands of (mostly young, hip and beautiful) folks cram into the courtyard, drink lots of beer and/or Red Bull; eats lots of barbecue, and laugh and mingle and sweat and dance until they can't take it anymore. Trust us: this is a seriously good time.

Art This Summer at PS1

Of course, whether you go to PS1 during Warm Up or not, there's also plenty of great art to see. The museum's physical space – it really was once a New York City Public School–has such character and urban flavor that a trip here always makes for a memorable couple of hours. We love the stairwells, caged in that inner-city way and featuring soaring wall murals; and the installation rooms on the third floor that you can pop in and out of, like the offices they once were; and even the unisex bathrooms are fun. On view this summer are a couple of terrific exhibitions, including Jonathan Horwitz's witty and often biting And/Or; Kenneth Anger's trippy short films, exceptionally well-curated in the large open space of the building's second floor; and Leandro Erlich's crowd-pleasing bit of visual trickery, Swimming Pool.

PS1 MoMA Contemporary Art Center Directions

PS1 MoMA Contemporary Art Center is located in Long Island City (Queens), just a block or so from subway stops on the 7, the G and the E/V lines. Complete travel directions can be found here. The museum is open 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday through Monday, except on Warm Up Saturdays, when it's open until 9:00 p.m..

MoMA PS1 Warm Up Events

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