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What's The Most Distinctly NYC Item At MoMA?
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 10, 2017
Modified Oct 10, 2017
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 10, 2017
Modified Oct 10, 2017
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What makes something distinctly New York City? What items, works of art, and historic relics best embody this dirty ol' town? Recently we asked several NYC institutions what the most distinctly NYC item in their collection might be (h/t LAist), and we'll be rolling out their answers over the next week. First up is the Museum of Modern Art.
MoMA's Rajendra Roy, The Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film, told Gothamist, "The most distinctly New York piece in MoMA's collection is, I suppose inevitably, Andy Warhol's 'Empire' (1964). Impossibly narcissistic, regally bold, eternally optimistic, ultimately enigmatic."
The silent film was shot on 16mm film, in black and white, and runs for 8 hours and 5 minutes at 16 frames per second. Here's a clip of it:
Warhol said the point of this film—which MoMA declares may be "his most famous and influential cinematic work"—was to "see time go by."
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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