THE LAB: GALLERY is pleased to present Breath of Water, an installation by Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse.

Breath of Water is part of the artist’s on-going exploration into the representation of water both two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally. Their work is framed by the ideas of two Presocratic philosophers: Thales and Heraclitus. Thales discusses the omnipresence of water and it’s shape-shifting ability when he claimed that everything is water. Heraclitus, by asserting that one can not step in the same river twice, argues that identity is deeply rooted in change. Breath of Water looks at winter water as an almost secret environment not unlike the world inside a snow globe.

Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse have been collaborating since 1999. During this time, they have produced large-scale sculpture, painting, and prints. Mickett comes to the collaboration from a background in philosophy, film, radio, poetry, and theater. Stackhouse followed a traditional visual arts path, and his individual work can be found in museum collections around the world including the Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery of Australia, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Both Mickett and Stackhouse hold Ph.Ds: Mickett in philosophy and Stackhouse has an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of South Florida.

All works of art and performances in THE LAB: GALLERY are shown within the confines of the space, and are intended to be viewed by the audience from the sidewalk.  This event is free and viewable 24/7.

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On November 20th 2011, I set up my projections with artist Daniel Rothbart to test out new forms of creative alchemy. The ingredients of the experiment consisted of my intent to drive future success and innovation combined with Daniels perspective as a conductor within the light.

Together we explored the dimension of the empty space in the bowls and played with the shadows as they appeared on the wall behind him. His calm and observant nature provided the an ideal collaborative chemistry.

So what can you as the objective observer take away from this experience? I believe that creative expressions of intent opens the door to new realizations and physical manifestations. By exploring the depths of your creative potential you can imagine and experience any reality you choose. My objective is to inspire and stimulate others to create and participate.

Stay tuned for collaborative art projects in 2012. We will soon be launching an Artist meetup at the Roger Smith where creative personalities be able to meet and experiment.

Reach out and engage to be part of the growing network.

Welcome to @pancity! Where all your dreams come true!

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Warmest wishes from us on the corner of 47th and Lex,

Matt and Danika

THE LAB
[a roger smith  collaboration]
501 Lexington Ave NYC (map)
212.339.2092
email address
www.thelabgallery.com
www.rogersmithlife.com

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The LAB (for installation + performance art) is pleased to present Fantastic Lonely Heart, a light based installation by the Korean artist Hyong Nam Ahn.

Ahn uses “the magical and transcendent” qualities  of neon light as a way of exposing the arduous aspects of the human condition; much like the great Spanish philosopher Ortega Y Gasset did in the 1920′s writing on the conflicts intrinsic to modernity and the impact of industrialization’s rapid spread, specifically regarding the increasing disappearance of human values. Despite being separated by both decades and continents, the importance of maintaining an equal balance between spiritual and material realities is a philosophy shared by both the spaniard and this sculptor here.

Video: Studio Visit with Hyong Nam Ahn

This exhibition was made possible in part by the support of the AHL Foundation.

Hyong Nam Ahn has lived and worked in the United States since 1973. He holds an MFA (1980) in Sculpture with Kinetics and a BFA (1978) in Painting & Experimental Art from School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has worked in the fields of sculpture, installation, and public art installation.He earned Illinois Project Completion Grant (1982), Wiebolt Artist Contest, Gold Key Award Scholastic National Drawing Contest, First Prize Award (1974). He has shown in many solo and group exhibitions in Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Tweed Museum; MN, Jamaica Cultural Center in New York, and IHN Gallery (Korea). website

The AHL Foundation is a non-profit organization formed in 2003 by Sook Nyu Lee Kim to support Korean artists living in the United States and to promote exposure of their work in today’s highly competitive contemporary art world. In 2004, the foundation established an annual competition that is open to all artists of Korean ancestry living in the United States. AHL awards four monetary prizes each year and has been mounting bi-annual exhibitions to display the winning works. Since 2008, AHL has advanced to an annual exhibition, and this year, 2010, AHL has expanded its awards to honor five artists, thus broadening their scope of diversity and opportunity. website

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Mark Kostabi talks about his art work and introduces his new game show “Title this“.

Gail Levin, a biographer, art historian and curator, discusses her new biography of Lee Krasner

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#140conf Community is a loyal and tight network. Many People have been able to connect through the efforts and coordination of Jeff Pulver. Exploring the state of Now is always a great initiative.   On Wednesday Nov, 9th our own Melissa Gonzalez will be speaking at #Brandsconf about the Pop up initiatives that have been going around the Roger Smith Hotel. It is great to have been able to participate as a member of this community.

Reach out to us. Let us know what you are up to and how we can help. The Roger Smith Hotel is not just a center for hospitality. It is place for experimentation in the arts, media, marketing and business. Our objective as a brand is to collaborate and grow our communities with a common interest in energizing our engagements.

If you are interested in learning about what is currently going on @RShotel, you can reach out to me on twitter @RShotel or @Pancity or leave a comment on this blog.

Talk to you soon,

John Knowles

Director of Digital Marketing

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“Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is the gateway to the United Nations and a hub of international activity that serves thousands of people and hosts hundreds of political events each year,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “The new public art installation, BORDERS, will connect many diverse constituencies to new artistic experiences. It will foster conversation and provide a significant backdrop for daily events at this public space.”

video by: John Birdsong

BORDERS was created specifically for Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza and directly responds to the park’s design and infrastructure, as well as the United Nations headquarters located at the eastern end of the park. Thórarinsdóttir’s figures, standing along the main park corridor and seated on park benches, mirror each other in silent conversation and form unseen borders that visitors are welcome to cross—serving as ambassadors between sculptures. The exhibition addresses humanity and cultural diversity, an exceptionally appropriate theme for one of the most culturally and politically active sites in all of New York City.

The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: http://bit.ly/RSrooms

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Over coffee at Lily’s, with myself, Danika Druttman and James Knowles, we tossed around the idea of building a young collectors art program. To be honest the idea might have been in circulation for sometime (you never know where the origin of these things comes from). Whether we came up with it or it had been a rolling stone, nothing is new, just rearranged…

James Knowles as Ben Franklin #RogersRewards

Anyway, out of his wallet he pulls two crisp $100 bills and presents them to the both of us.

The objective is to build a body of work with the intent of capturing and stimulating a collector’s imagination. For a long time our efforts have been focused on the subject and perspective of the artist and their motivations. This new initiative takes into account the mind and eye of the collector, the stories and perspectives of the people who purchase works of art.

Sent into the summer months with an idea, we now revisit the concept with newly acquired works of art. After spending a couple weeks at the Vermont Studio Center, I returned to New York with two works from a fellow artist in residence, Ester Hasskamp.

As I canvassed her studio during the open studio visit, my eye was drawn to a small black piece of paper with a threaded outline of a blue moon and its rays. Without receiving a formal title from the artist, I call it “Blue Moon & Ray”.

The second work that caught my attention was a gravestone rubbing with the name Alice. This stimulated a funny memory that involves my sister Phoebe. Phoebe and I went to support the new Bier Garden that had just opened in our neighborhood. There was a live band that was playing one of those songs similar to “Sweet Caroline” where a full crowded bar participate in the chorus… This song, which neither of us had ever heard, has burned itself into my memory as a bar room classic and will always stimulate the question, “Who the fuck is Alice?”

“Who the fuck is Alice?”

As we begin to build our collectors’ portfolios we have a confidence that our decisions have the potential to appreciate in value with each contribution. The stories that motivate the purchase and relationships that we build with the artist become long-lasting.

This is just the beginning.

As we grow this collection, we embrace artists and collectors alike to participate. As the collector has his/her own identity and personality, so will the collection. I have created my own personal blog that will follow my contributions to the overall collection and will also be providing updates to Roger Smith Life as the project grows.

Not to make it too much of a competition, but I am interested to see what Danika brings to the table.

Cheerio.

Be well,
John Knowles
a.k.a Panman

Follow @pancity on twitter.
Other related links
My100artcollection.tumblr.com
Panmanmixtapes.tumblr.com

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August 3, 2011 – Issue No. 2

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On behalf of the Roger Smith Community, I’m happy to share with you the second edition of The Jolly Roger. Each month we look to share an insider’s perspective on the places and happenings in NYC + hotel news, offerings, and contests. Send us a note about your stay on Twitter or Facebook or review us on Google, TripAdvisor, or Yelp. We would <3 to hear from you.

Use this QR code or click here for 10% off our best room rate!

Sincerely,

John Birdsong, Editor @Johnbirdsong

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by Galo Romero, Sales Manager @RSHotel

Beating the heat with the help of the FDNY

Whether you’re a hard-nosed New Yorker or a thrill-seeking tourist, summer in the city can be brutal and unforgiving. Just walking a few blocks in the sweltering heat can rob you of several liters of water and raise body temperatures to dangerous levels.

Most of us will duck into the comfort and shelter of an air conditioned environment, say in a restaurant or the local shopping mall. I remember that as a teenager, in the dog days of summer, if you couldn’t get a ride to the beach or find a city pool to take a relaxing dip, the best place to find solace from the heat was the local Cineplex. It was the only place I remember shivering during the middle of summer and wishing for a sweater.

For those lacking air conditioning, the local news suggests visiting a cooling center or taking a ride in a subway to take advantage of air conditioning; it made me instantly recall an episode of Married with Children when Al couldn’t afford an air conditioner and decided to move the family into the local supermarket in the episode titled “You Better Shop Around”. Now that was drastic, but I imagine it was a relief. Suffering in the heat is no laughing matter. So what are some simple suggestions one can do to beat the heat in NYC?

#1: Stay Hydrated: This is a no-brainer: drink plenty of fluids, especially plenty of water. Sweating is the body’s cooling mechanism. You’re going to sweat a lot more as the heat index rises so the body will lose water aplenty. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol which stimulates the promotion of urine and thereby dehydration. More info here.

#2: Stay in the Shade: Park yourself under a tree or beach umbrella with a good book, bask under the oblong shadows of skyscrapers, and avoid the UV rays of the sun. It’s cooler in the shade. If you don’t believe me click here.

#3: Dress for the Summer: What’cha wearing? A tight nylon long sleeved shirt? Black wool pants? Who isn’t going to sweat and melt wearing vampire clothing that strangles your skin and absorbs nine tenths of the sun? Dark clothing absorbs the sunlight, thereby increasing your body temperature. Wearing light colors will reflect the sunlight and absorb less heat. Tight clothes…how’s that comfortable? Maybe in winter but certainly not summer. Wear it loose and let the air circulate on your skin. Choose cotton and natural light fabrics over synthetics and heavy fabrics. As for tourists, the order of the day: shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Less is more.

#4: Take it Slow: New Yorkers should take some tips from our West Coast counterparts and slow down a bit. A laid back attitude may just be the right mental prescription one needs to beat the heat. Then when things cool down again come autumn, we can revert back to the hyper-nuttiness of our lives. For those visiting Gotham… don’t rush, don’t stress, just breathe, relax, and enjoy our marvelous city : )

#5: Take a Cold Shower: Begin the day with a refreshing shower under lukewarm to moderately cool water. Then, at the end of the day, repeat and wash off that sheen of sweat and stress to rejuvenate the body. You’re body will appreciate it. Undoubtedly you may have your own preferred methods of dealing with the heat. Definitely do what’s best for you, but most of all enjoy the summer!

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by Daniel Mowles

Executive Chef, Lily’s Restaurant + Henry’s Rooftop Bar

When life gives you lemons…make soda.

One of the most refreshing drinks during summer is a homemade soda. As more and more food trends begin to grow and reach new boundaries, homemade sodas are making their way on top menus of NYC chefs. If you want to add booze feel free, just pick your poison and add away. Use about 1 part syrup to 4 parts soda, and of course plenty of ice. Here are a few of my favorites to cool off with. Here is a link to a cool soda gun you can pick up and impress your friends.

Directions for all sodas: Place ingredients in sauce pan and reduce by 1/3rd. Strain through fine sieve and chill in refrigerator. Mix a few tablespoons of syrup with ice and club soda or seltzer water. Enjoy.

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Blueberry and Thyme Syrup

2 pints Blueberries

1 qt Sugar

2 qt club soda or seltzer

Water

5 sprigs Thyme

1 tsp Citric Acid

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Lemon and Rosemary Syrup

12 Lemons (peel and juice)

1 qt Sugar

2 qt Water

1 sprig Rosemary

1 tbsp Citric Acid

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Orange and Ginger Syrup

12 Oranges (peel and juice)

1 qt Sugar

2 qt Water

1 knob Ginger (fine dice)

1 tsp Citric Acid

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(win free stuff!)

Stunning steak at Lily’s

Win a delicious prime aged porterhouse steak for two @ Lily’s Restaurant! How to Win: ‘Like’ our FB page here and answer this question with a comment on our wall.

Question: What is a prime aged steak??

One answer per person. Winner will be picked randomly and notified via facebook before September 1, 2011. Good luck!

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by Danika Druttman, The LAB Gallery

Ryan Trecartin messes with your head – click here to view video

Inside:

Ryan Trecartin at PS1

Where to eat afterwards: Sage General Store

Maya Zack at The Jewish Muesum

Where to eat afterwards: Yura on Madison

Cory Arcangel at The Whitney

Where to eat afterwards: Vero

David Lachappelle at Lever House

Where to eat afterwards: Lily’s at The Roger Smith Hotel

Outdoors:

Sol Lewitt at City Hall Park

Where to eat afterwards: Industria Argentina

The Andy Monument by Rob Pruitt at Union Square

Where to eat afterwards: The Coffee Shop

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by Ulrika Bengtsson

Director of Food & Beverage @RSHotel

Lots to do downtown…

When you’re in New York don’t miss the pulse, shopping, and great food around Union Square. From Grand Central it’s just one stop with the Express Trains (4 and 5). Great Shopping on “Women mile”, 5th Avenue between 14th & 23rd Street. Whole Foods on 14th Street between Broadway & 4th is a magnificent grocery store with a wide selection of ready to eat/take out food as well. You can bring the food with you to the park or go upstairs and enjoy the view of bustling Union Square. Filene’s basement on 14th Street, at the corner of Broadway, is an outlet where you can find great bargains. Paragon Sports on Broadway & 18th Street is my go-to store when I am looking for active wear/gear. ABC on Broadway &19th Street. AMAZING. ABC Kitchen is wonderful. My favorites are the Asparagus salad and wild mushroom pizza. Dogmatic 17th between Broadway & 5th Avenue has wonderful hotdogs.

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by James Fox

Director of Sales @RSHotel

Nilaja Sun’s one woman show “No Child”

For theatre fans August is a great month: the annual Fringe NYC is in town. First, three ‘off Broadway’ plays to see before they close on August 14th: First time playwright Zach Braff  (he played Dr. John Dorian on the TV series Scrubs) has penned the dark comedy ALL NEW PEOPLE. Set in a New Jersey shore beach house in the middle of January,  A heartbroken Charlie (Justin Bartha) seeks solitude but is interrupted by a motley parade of misfits who show up and change his plans.  Braff recently tweeted “All New People” is a pretty darn R-rated comedy … So leave the kiddies at home.” @ Second Stage Theatre, 305 West 43rd Street

Nilaja Sun’s one woman show  NO CHILD…, examines the  New York City Public Education system.  Sun portrays the teachers, students, parents, administrators, janitors and security guards who inhabit our public schools. NO CHILD played 311 performances  in 2006 and along the way won 17 awards including an Obie Award and the Outer Critic Circle Award.  Tickets are priced at $40.00. @ Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in Greenwich Village.  www.barrowstreettheatre.com

Academy Award nominee Danny Aiello (Do the Right Thing) stars in Susan Charlotte’s  THE SHOEMAKER.  The story, as audiences discover about 10 minutes into the play, unfolds on September 11, 2001.  Set in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, the drama focuses on a shoemaker, an Italian Jew, who confronts yet another part of his past, present and an uncertain future.  Each performance will be followed with a Q & A with Aiello.  @ Acorn Theater, 410 West 42 Street

Opening August 9th for a limited run through September 9th  is the U.S. premiere of British playwright Simon Stephen’s BLUEBIRD with Olivier Award-winning actor Simon Russell Beale (Spamalot). Here’s how the Atlantic Theater explains the play:  “Jimmy MacNeill (Beale) is a London taxi driver who seems to draw personal stories and confessions from his passengers without even trying. Over the course of Simon Stephens’ meticulously observed and deeply compassionate play, the truth of Jimmy’s own life and secret burdens unfurls with each new fare.” @ Atlantic Theater, 330 West 16 Street. www.atlantictheater.org

The big theatre news is the Fringe NYC, celebrating it’s 15th Anniversary August 12-28, 2011, The two week festival, spread across several Manhattan downtown neighborhoods, is the largest multi-arts festival in North America with more than 200 companies from all over the world.  With 200 shows at 18 venues there will be something you will want to see.

With titles like “The Brady Bunch: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady”, “Lipshtick”,  “The Miss Teen Jesus Pageant”,  and “Zombie Wedding” you can expect a unique theatre experience. On a serious side there is “The Rubber Room” a play about what happens when a teacher in New York City is accused of misconduct or incompetence in the classroom. They are sent to the ‘Rubber Room’ while an investigation is launched. They spend months or even years there getting full pay and doing nothing.

You can review all the shows online @ www.fringenyc.org

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by James Knowles

CEO & Artist in Residence @RSHotel

Anna Burden Sings “You’re Gonna Miss Me” (click here to watch)

Everywhere I look music is playing. This music changes me. Some is tonal,  some is percussive, some is voice raised in song, the sound of the poets, the melodic line. Some are the odd sounds of a composer and a player. Someone plays the flute. Street noise, street players, street poets, and some playing musical breakfast songs on orange juice glasses, coffee mugs, cereal bowls and spoons. We see a girl playing on a cup rhythmically singing a song, her video.

“Almost every one of the 800+ videos we have produced for Roger Smith News have a  musical element, if not a desire, and a playful connection between musical and  visual ideas.”

I’m interested in the sounds of our music. The sounds of our environment. The risks music. The intent to be playful. There’s the development and contribution of the person who puts these musical things together which gives to us all. Some perhaps self-conscious. Some practiced and some full of themselves. Some you can appreciate in different ways, but I’m here to say that I am interested in the music.

I look at my little grandson James. He is listening to Peter and the Wolf. I listen to the crying of new little babies or the early morning singing of my local birds.

This music changes me.

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by John Birdsong

New Media Director @RSHotel, Editor, TheJollyRoger

Henry’s is named after an adorable Boston Terrier. No joke.

Henry’s Rooftop bar has been named by Frommer’s Travel Guide as one of the best new rooftop bars in NYC (article here). Amazing drinks and an innovative menu make this laid-back rooftop bar stand out from the crowd, and with a fresh summer menu focused on hot dogs + beer, Henry’s is the perfect place to unwind after work with good company. Join us! Full menu here.

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GoNYC.com

mta.info

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mmmm…artery clogging deliciousness

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FYI: When you check-in to @RSHotel or Lily’s Restaurant on Foursquare or FB you unlock a special: Free coffee, tea, or #bacon any time of day ; )

Use this QR code or click here for 10% off our best room rate!

Let us know what you think of The Jolly Roger. Send submissions or suggestions to

Jbirdsong@rogersmith.com or @RSHotel Have a great summer! See you in NYC : )

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Watch the Teaser

Dennis will be hand drawing a mirrored reflection of the intersection of 47^th and Lexington Avenue, creating a distilled inversion of the urban environment onto the gallery wall.

Helen Dennis’s process typically uses urban architectural photographs projected onto tracing paper to guide the hand drawn sketches of her subjects. In then laying the ink on tracing paper drawings down on top of photographic paper and exposing it to the light, she creates a negative positive line image of her original photograph.

For Projected Drawings the end result will remain the same with a white on black linear distillation of an urban landscape, but the process will be approached from the opposite angle, using light reflective pens on a solid black surface. The lines will no longer be a bi-product as they are in Helen’s typical process, but will become the primary source of the image.

Exhibiting concurrently in the Lobby of The Roger Smith Hotel is also a series of New York-based works by Dennis.

Helen Dennis is originally from the UK and now resides in Brooklyn. Her public art installations include projects with the Downtown Alliance of New York, and NoLongerEmpty. In 2007 Dennis was a Creative Capital Strategic Planning Fellow in the Emerge 9 program at Aljira Center for Contemporary Art. Dennis has participated in various exhibitions worldwide and in the US with the support of the Queens Museum, Queens Council of the Arts, QMAD, Kent County Council, New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and South East Arts UK. She has participated in international art residencies with organizations in Beijing, Cyprus and Iceland. Dennis earned her BA (Honors) at the University for the Creative Arts in the UK and received her MFA degree from Hunter College in 2005. http://helendennis.wordpress.com/

The LAB (for installation + performance art) is a New York based, converted storefront turned fishbowl producing 20+ fast paced performance art and installation exhibitions annually. Aimed at the furious midtown foot traffic, The LAB’s programming is designed to confront modern relationships between art and audience and seeks to force an interaction between the high energy, “outrospective” exhibitions it produces and the nearly 25,000 daily passersby. The LAB is located on the North East corner of 47th and Lex and is a Roger Smith Collaboration. www.thelabgallery.com

The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms

twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/

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