Tag: vistingamuseum.com

Bertha & Karl Leubsdorf Gallery Hunter College Campus 132 East 68th Street New York, NY 10065

Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery

Hunter College Campus

132 East 68th Street

New York, NY 10065

(212) 772-4991

http://www.leubsdorf.org

http://huntercollegeartgalleries.org/

https://huntercollegeart.org/galleries

https://hunter.cuny.edu/organizer/hunter-college-art-galleries/

Open: Sunday-Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday: 11:00am-5:00pm-See website when open.

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Hunter College Museum-The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery at 132 East 68th Street

I visited this wonderful little gallery on the main campus of Hunter College on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on my project, “MywalkinManhattan.com”. It is an interesting, small gallery that exhibits more fringe artists and collections. The best part of the gallery is that it is not overwhelming like the bigger museums in the City and you can see the whole gallery in about an hour or a little more (See my review on TripAdvisor).

A former exhibition was: Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A. is an interesting look at the Los Angeles based queer Chicanx artists between the late 1960’s and early 1990’s and is the first of its kind to excavate histories of experimental art practice, collaboration and exchange by a group of artists in Los Angeles (Hunter College Gallery).

The Axis Mundo Exhibition

Currently the museum is hosting the BFA Final Projects and there is a combination of video, paintings and photography to choose from. There is some interesting sculpture work by some of the graduating seniors so take some time in the afternoon to visit the gallery.

The Axis Mundo Exhibition

I visited the Gallery again in March of 2021, when the campus open after COVID rules lifted. The exhibition being shown was entitled “The Black Index”, a series of Black artists were being featured.

“The Black Index” features the works of artists Dennis Delgado, Alicia Henry, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Titus Kaphar, Whitfield Lovell and Lava Thomas. The artists included in The Black Index build upon the tradition of Black self-representation as an antidote to colonialist images. Using drawing, perform, performance, printmaking, sculpture and digital technology to transform the recorded image, these artists question our reliance on photography as a privileged source for documentary objectivity and understanding. Their works offer an alternative practice-a Black Index-that still serves as a finding aid for information about Black subjects, but also challenges viewers desire for classification (Hunter Gallery website).

Artist Alicia Henry’s work “Analogan III”

The works in The Black Index make viewers aware of their own expectations of Black figuration by interrupting traditional epismologies of portraiture through unexpected and unconventional depictions. These works image the Black body through a conceptual lens that acknowledges the legacy of Black containment that is always present in viewing strategies. The approaches used by Delgado, Henry, Hinkle, Kaphar, Lovell, and Thomas suggest understandings of Blackness and the racial terms of our neo-liberal condition that counter legal and popular interpretations and in turn offer a paradigmatic shift within Black visual culture (Hunter Gallery website).

“The Black Index” works (Hunter Gallery)

The nice part of these galleries are that it takes about 45 minutes to view the whole exhibition.

The BFA Art Show at the Hunter College Galleries

In the Spring 2025, I stopped into the galleries to visit the Undergraduate show, CODA.

The students featured in the show

The front galleries

The entrance to the main gallery

This piece is called “Flushed Toast”

Then in the main part of the gallery, there were a few pieces of yarn work that I thought were very interesting.

The works made of acrylic yarn by artist Demi Artemisa Espinoza

Artist Demi Artemisa Espinoza works

My favorite work in the show ‘Smiling Cheek to Cheek’

In the middle of the gallery, there were interesting modern sculptures.

The middle gallery

This was quite unique

Paintings in the show

Video works from student artist Aviella Holle

Video Artist Aviella Holle

The undergraduates in this Art program did an excellent job and I thought the works were very original.

The History of the Berth and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery:

(From the Hunter College Art Galleries website)

The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery focuses on presenting historical and scholarly exhibitions and programming that provide new scholarship on important and often under-represented artists and art movements. Located on the Hunter College’s main campus, the gallery also hosts the BFA degree exhibitions each semester.

The Hunter College Art Galleries, under the auspices of the Department of Art and Art History, have been a vital aspect of the New York cultural landscape since their inception over a quarter of a century ago. The galleries provide a space for critical engagement with art and pedagogy, bringing together historical scholarship, contemporary artistic practice and experimental methodology. The galleries are committed to producing exhibitions, events and scholarship in dialogue with the intellectual discourse generated by the faculty and students at Hunter and serve as an integral extension to the department’s academic programs.

The Museum at the Station 176 Rock Road Glen Rock, NJ 07452

The Museum at the Station

The Glen Rock Main Line Station

178 Rock Road

Glen Rock, NJ 07452

(201) 342-3268

http://www.glenrockhistory.org

http://glenrockhistory.wix.com/grhs

email: GRHistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Open: The last Sunday of each month from 1:00pm-3:00pm

There is no admission fee although donations are gratefully accepted.

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46608-d2661796-Reviews-Maywood_Station_Museum-Maywood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Museum was featured in the project by Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock, NJ: Be a Tourist in your own Town”:

https://mywalkinmanhattan.com/category/exploring-glen-rock-nj

The Video’s of the Presentation in Glen Rock City Hall.

Video One

City Hall Presentation December 2023

Video Two

Glen Rock City Hall Presentation December 2024

Video Three

Glen Rock City Hall Presentation of “I’m Glad I’m in Glen Rock, NJ” December 2023

The museum was given a Digital Marketing Campaign in the videos.

The Glen Rock Historical Society at the old train station.

I visited the Museum at the Station as my last stop on the Northwest Bergen History Coalition 8th Annual History Day tour. The station is managed by the Glen Rock Historical & Preservation Society and is housed inside the original 1905 Erie Main Line Train Station on Rock Road at the tip of downtown Glen Rock.

The Dispatch area of the Museum at the Station in Glen Rock, NJ

The station was at one time a destination and departure point for families and farmers, commuters and immigrants. There are permanent exhibits on the Erie Railroad’s past and artifacts from Glen Rock’s past including clothing, furniture, toys and farm equipment.

Some of the items they have on display are an interesting toy train collection by a local resident, an old Victrola with the accompanying records, period clothing donated from local residents and local artifacts from local residents.

Toys and school set up at the Museum at the Station

They had a small display for the day on how immigration shaped the town of Glen Rock and it grew on the transportation that was brought to this small town. The volunteer docents who operate the museum do a nice job with the tours and in describing all the artifacts on display.

The Museum at the Station in full view

Local historical items at the museum

The museum was hosting an exhibition on the work of artist and cartoonist George Wolfe, who is best known for his jumbles cartoons. The artist had lived in New York City and then moved to Glen Rock in the 1970’s. His works were displayed all over the museum.

The sign for the “George Wolfe” exhibition

The work of artist and cartoonist George Wolfe at the Museum at the Station.

The original artwork of artist George Wolfe;

What is nice is that right down the road is the historic ‘Rock’ that Glen Rock is named for is a block down the road at the corner of Rock Road and Doremus Avenue. This historic landmark is a product of the its movement here in the last Ice Age. During the time of the Lenape Indian living in the area, it was considered sacred and used as a historic marker. During the Colonial era of the town, it was used as a gathering place.

The Rock at downtown Glen Rock, NJ

My blog on the Rock:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1593

The museum is open limited times of the month so please call in advance.

The history of Glen Rock at the Museum at the Station

History of the Museum:

The Museum at the Station is housed in the 1905 Glen Rock Main Line train station. The Erie Main Line was originally part of the Paterson-Ramapo Railroad that was one of the earliest railroads in New Jersey, coming through this area in 1842. The building now houses the Glen Rock Historical and Preservation Society.

Artifacts at the museum

The Borough was incorporated in 1894 and the Museum’s collection contains many artifacts, documents and photographs illustrating the history, growth and development of Glen Rock, NJ.

(From the Northwest Bergen History Coalition)

Disclaimer: This information was take directly from the Northwest Bergen History Coalition pamphlet and I give them full credit for the information. Please call or email the above numbers for more information.

(Please see my blogs under my site, “MywalkinManhattan.com”, ‘Days One Hundred & Nine’ and ‘Day Forty-Three’ for description of my touring days of the sites of Bergen County)

The artifacts in the museum.

Waldwick Signal Tower 1 Bohnert Place Waldwick, NJ 07463

Waldwick Signal Tower

1 Bohnert Place

Waldwick, NJ 07463

http://www.wctower@optimum.net

http://www.allaboardwaldwick.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erie-Railroad-Signal-Tower-Waldwick-Yard/135792839782599

Open: Please note the website for when the two buildings, the tower and the railroad station museum are open.

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46892-d10366154-Reviews-Erie_Railroad_Signal_Tower-Waldwick_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

This was the second time I visited the Waldwick Signal Tower, one of the last surviving of its kind on the railroad line. The architectural Queen Anne Style depot was built in 1886. The depot was called ‘Waldwick’ meaning “Light in the Woods”. The railroad signal tower was erected in 1890 in a similar style as the depot (Waldwick Historical Society).

The Signal Tower sign welcomes you.

The history of the Signal Tower as it was once one of six towers between New York and New Jersey.

The tower is a two story museum right next to the tracks in a rather obscure location in the back which you have to reach coming off Hopper Road to 1 Bohnert Place and the parking lot is off to the side.

The Signal Tower still sits on the Pascack Line that leads into New York City.

There is some walking here and not ADA accessible as the building was built so long ago but you can see it from a car from the parking lot and get a feel for its look and purpose at an earlier time in history. The main room downstairs had an interesting exhibition of railroad deeds from the various railroads that used to be part of the system of Bergen County whereas the upstairs which can be reached from the outside.

The outside of the Waldwick Signal Tower.

On the lower level of the Signal Tower has the exhibitions on the artifacts of the train station that includes the signal lightening, telephone pole protectors and items used at the station.

The downstairs gallery at the Waldwick Signal Tower.

The schedules and signal lights of the tower.

The map of the railroad into New York City and out into the suburbs.

The exhibition on the signal lights used by the conductors on the rail line.

Upstairs you get a better view of the tracks and the surrounding area. There was a train video going the first time I was there and there are members of the Waldwick Historical Society on hand to answer any questions.

The upstairs Conductor’s office is set up as it would have during the time of the tower in service.

The tower’s signal board on the second floor.

The tower is well organized with exhibitions on both floors and in a very interesting way. The displays are interactive and very detailed and the volunteers were there to talk to visitors about the site.

Waldwick Signal Tower History:

Waldwick’s Train Signal Tower is both historically and architecturally significant. It is a rare historical treasure for its residents and railroad enthusiasts from far and wide. Before the turn of the 20th Century, the Waldwick rail yard was an active repair depot and turn station for the Erie Main Line from Jersey City, NJ to Port Jervis, NY and was a major employer in Waldwick thus contributing to the borough’s residential and commercial growth.

The ornate Queen Anne style building was built in 1890 and housed the mechanism connecting switches and signals allowing trains to safely move from one track to another. The tower men who operated the switches by hand had great power indeed in their time.

Another view of the signal tower.

By the mid-1980’s, upgrades in computerized signal equipment warranted the elimination of the tower. The tower was slated for demolition in June 1987. The Waldwick Historical Society members led by Kay Williams campaigned to place the tower on The National Registry of Historical Places. This accomplishment allowed the tower to at least stay dormant till the next wave of enthusiasts came along in 1999.

The tower before the renovation

Michael Brunkhorst and Glenn Corbet banded together a group of citizens to form the All Aboard committee of Waldwick’s Historical Society. Curtis Springfield of Wanaque, who is the great-grandson of the renowned locomotive engineer, Harvey Springfield, got wind of the tower’s trials. He stepped up to the plate and purchased the tower for $6,000 then gave the Tower to the Borough of Waldwick as a gift to preserve for future generations in honor of the trainman’s family name.

The small All Aboard group set out to create awareness of the tower’s existence and it’s plight. Before long, fund drives were organized grant applications were filed. The response of a number of supporters including Mr. Robert Keeble, have given this project a solid start.

Meticulous measures are currently being made and can now be witnessed at the track end of Bohnert Place, to maintain the tower’s historical authenticity. Attention is being given to the placement of exact shaped decorative shingles and the repair and replacement of the original slate roof are among the initial stages of it’s restoration.

The Waldwick Signal Tower in the Spring 2024.

The Mission Statement:

The All Aboard continues seeking membership and financial support to complete the tower with the vision of becoming “The Harvey Springfield Memorial Tower at Waldwick” for generations of Waldwick citizens and for rail enthusiasts everywhere. If funding continues the tower is sure to be the pride of Waldwick with time and care.

This information comes from the Waldwick Historical Society’s pamphlet.

All Aboard Waldwick

Bless this tower, standing tall,

With Memories we share with all;

Bless the levers standing there,

Their work now finished,

with a prayer;

Bless this time in history now,

Remembering its always, this we vow;

Bless the ones who share this song,

And keep us all in health and strong.

Words by Helen Taylor.

A Brief History of the Borough of Waldwick

Pre-1700: Lenni-Lepane Indians inhabited the land.

1600’s: European farmers settled the land.

Late 1700’s: Franklin Turnpike is a toll road.

1840’s: The railroad connecting Jersey City with Suffern is built and ran through Waldwick, then named New Prospect.

1852: Erie Railroad Company takes over the railroad.

1880: New Prospect becomes a depot.

1886: An architectural Queen Anne Style depot is built. The Depot is called ‘Waldwick’ meaning “Light in the Woods”. The depot brings more commerce to the area also called ‘Orville Township’.

1890: The Railroad Signal Tower is erected in a similar style as the Depot.

1919: The small railroad hamlet is incorporated as the Borough of Waldwick.

The history of the tower.

Disclaimer: This information is taken directly from the Waldwick Historical Society pamphlet and I give them full credit for the information. Try to take time to see both the tower and the museum by the train station. The Whistle Stop Restaurant is around the corner and has a reputation for excellent sandwiches and ice cream.

The Waldwick Whistle Stop Restaurant at 27 Fredrick Street.

https://www.facebook.com/waldwickwhistlestop

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46892-d8660054-Reviews-Waldwick_Whistle_Stop-Waldwick_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

Waldwick Whistle Stop Restaurant 27 Frederick Street Waldwick, NJ 07463

The burgers here are really good as are the chicken fingers.

The Cheeseburgers and fries are excellent and very reasonable at the Waldwick Whistle Stop Restaurant.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park 1 Four Freedoms Park Roosevelt Island, NYC 10044

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

1 Four Freedoms Park

Roosevelt Island, NYC, NY 10044

(212) 204-8831

Open: Sunday-Monday 9:00am-5:00pm/Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm

Fee: Free

Homepage

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d3595273-Reviews-Franklin_D_Roosevelt_Four_Freedoms_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The park on a sunny July day

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is the first memorial dedicated to the president in his home state of New York. Located on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in New York City, it is the last work of Louis I. Kahn, an iconic architect of the 20th Century.

The interior of the park facing Roosevelt Island

The memorial, which opened to the public in October 2012, celebrates the four freedoms, as pronounced in President Roosevelt’s famous January 6, 1941 State of the Union address: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom of want and freedom from fear. This has been prominently etched on the memorial.

FDR Four Freedoms Park from a view

Our Mission:

As steward of this civic space, Four Freedoms Park Conservancy advances President Roosevelt’s legacy and inspires; educates and engages the public in the ideals of the four freedoms. The Conservancy does this by:

*Safeguarding the memorial as a space for inspired use.

*Fostering community and understanding.

*Igniting conversation about human rights and freedoms today.

The Four Freedoms that were the goals of the President

On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his eighth State of the Union address, now known as the Four Freedoms speech. In his address, Roosevelt presented his vision for the world, “a world attainable in our own time and generation,” and founded upon four essential human freedoms: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.

Roosevelt’s call for human rights has created a lasting legacy worldwide, forming the basis for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

For a richer of FDR, his legacy and the four freedoms, visit fdr4freedoms.org.

The view from Roosevelt Island of the Upper East Side

Franklin D. Roosevelt Island: A History

Originally called Minnahannock by Native Americans and Varkins Island by the Dutch settlers, the island was acquired by the Blackwell family in the 1600’s, who renamed the land Blackwell Island. The Blackwells lived on and farmed it before selling it to the City of New York in 1828 for $30,000.

In the 19th Century, the island was used by the City for institutional facilities, including the Workhouse, Penitentiary, Lunatic Asylum, City Hospital and City Home and given the name Welfare Island in 1921. These institutions served the City until the 1930’s., before gradually being relocated to areas more easily accessible to public transportation.

The Roosevelt Island Main Street

In 1969, this two-mile island was lease to the State of New York for 99 years. Under New York State’s Urban Development Corporation, Welfare Island became a beacon for the affordable housing movement within the City. Construction of the Island community was completed in 1975 with four housing developments. In 1973, the island was renamed Franklin D. Roosevelt Island.

The Gardens in the Main Street of Roosevelt Island

Today, Roosevelt Island has a small town feel with approximately 20 buildings and 14,00 residents. The island is home to six landmarked structures and proudly houses Four Freedoms Park, one of the original visions for the Island. To learn more, visit the Roosevelt Island Visitor Center at the Tram Plaza.

The Visitors Center at Roosevelt Island

(Judith Berdy, President, The Roosevelt Island Visitor Center)

A Memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt

Nearly 40 years before the Park opened its gates to the public, Louis I. Kahn presented his vision for what would become Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. It was a simple idea. “I had this thought,” Kahn said. “that a memorial should be a room and a garden.”

The FDR Hope Memorial

This was 1973. Less than a year later, Khan had died; Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who had announced the project with Mayor John Lindsay, became Vice President of the country and the City of New York neared bankruptcy.

The bust of President Roosevelt

The future of the memorial seemed a fragile and tenuous dream. Yet, through the power and determination of a small but dedicated group, nearly four decades after Kahn completed his architectural design, Four Freedoms Park became the place he envisioned. In 2012, following 30 months of construction, the Park opened to the public. The Park is operated and maintained by Four Freedoms Park Conservancy in partnership with New York State Parks.

(Part of the New York State of Opportunity: Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation)

I admired the FDR Hope Memorial in which the statue of the President reaches to a young girl with a disability herself. The statue offers encouragement to those with a disability and the power to persevere.

http://www.fdrhopememorial.org/

FDR faces the young girl

the young girl facing FDR

The statue was designed by artist and sculptor Meredith Bergmann, who herself was inspired by the photos and stories of the President (FDR Hope Memorial).

Artist Meredith Bergmann (Cooper Union Alumni Picture)

https://meredithbergmann.com/

Ms. Bergmann is an American born artist with BFA from The Cooper Union School of Art and attended Parsons School of Design and Wesleyan University. Her public works explore history, social justice, human rights and disabilities (Author’s bio).

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Points Freedom Park is the first memorial dedicated to the president in his home state of New York. Located at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in New York City. It is the last work of Louis I. Kahn, an iconic architect of the 20th century.

FDR Four Freedoms Park

The memorial, which opened to the public in October 2012, celebrates the four freedoms, as pronounced in President Roosevelt’s famous January 6, 1941, State of the Union address: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.

The skyline from the southern part of the park.

Disclaimer: this information was taken from the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation pamphlet. Please call the park or email to check on opening times when in season.

The islands just south of the park.

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