Met Bulletin—"A Time of Crisis"
This spring, in response to the pandemic, The Met closed its doors for an unprecedented six months.
In this special issue of the #MetBulletin, voices from The Met present their personal perspectives on issues and challenges facing us all—while connecting these difficult times to art, artists, and the Museum’s history.
Conceived and written during the Museum’s closure, this compelling publication reflects on art’s power to inspire, comfort, and heal.
Purchase a hard copy from The Met Store → met.org/2UaJbFd
Read it online for free on #MetPubs → met.org/2IlbmP9
360º Exhibition Walkthrough—Gerhard Richter: Painting After All
Go inside "Gerhard Richter: Painting After All" in 360 degrees.
Developed in close collaboration with Gerhard Richter, "Painting After All" was the final major show at The Met Breuer. Just nine days after opening, the exhibition was forced to close prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This immersive 360º experience provides a new opportunity to explore the exhibition digitally for those who were not able to visit in person—or for those who simply want to experience the work of Gerhard Richter.
Richter's "Birkenau" series is on view at The Met Fifth Avenue through January 8, 2021. Learn more: met.org/2GKJDqq
#MetRichter
This production was made possible by the Director's Fund. Thank you to corporate sponsor Morgan Stanley for making the exhibition possible. Support for the related education programs was provided by Christie's.
Met Stories—Ahmed Badr, author, founder of Narratio
"Permanence is a luxury"
Ahmed Badr—founder of Narratio and author of "While the Earth Sleeps We Travel"—shares how being a resettled Iraqi refugee gave him a unique understanding of the tensions at play in the Ancient Near Eastern galleries at The Met, which helped him gain power over his own story of displacement.
What's your Met story? Share it with #MyMetStory, or submit it at met.org/MyMetStory.
🎥 Watch more #MetStories at met.org/MetStories.
#Met150
The Met on Jeopardy!
Thinking today of Alex Trebek, an icon who brought learning and curiosity into our homes every night. It was an honor for The Met to be featured on "Jeopardy!" in 2018. Rest in knowledge, Mr. Trebek.
Balcony Bar From Home with ETHEL and Friends—Ron Carter
After a long week for all of us here in the United States, join us to take in the music of ETHEL and this week's special guest, legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter.
Here's what's coming up:
🎵 "Noodling on an Idea" by Ron Carter
🎵 "Serenade" by Ron Carter
🎵 "On the Bass" by Ron Carter
#MetLiveArts
Teens Take The Met Fall 2020
Hey teens—it's time to go virtual with The Met! 🎉📲
Join us online today from 3–8 pm for Teens Take The Met! Explore art-making activities, performances, music, games, and much more, and discover what you can do with other cultural and community organizations from NYC and beyond.
All you need to participate is a device (computer, phone, or tablet) with an internet connection to access Instagram, Zoom, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Follow @metteens on Instagram for a full list of activities.
There's still time to register for access to exclusive content! Learn more and sign up at met.org/TTTMFall2020
Storytime with The Met—"Going Places"
Going somewhere? We sure are—grab your creativity and join us! 🏎️ 🏎️
This week on Storytime, Met educator Julie Marie reads “Going Places” by Peter H. Reynolds, and then takes a look at “Locomotion: Walking by Steam, Riding by Steam, Flying by Steam," an 1830s etching in the #MetCollection.
Take a closer look at the print: met.org/2HXPxoQ
Come back every Thursday to look, listen, sing, and have fun with picture books! Recommended for families with children ages 18 months to 6 years.
Virtual Teens Take The Met
Is your teen registered for #TeensTakeTheMet yet? 🤔
This Friday, November 6, young people ages 13–18 are invited to participate in free online art-making activities, performances, live music, games, and more.
Join #TheMet and more than 20 community partners from 3–8 pm on Instagram, Zoom, Twitch, and beyond.
Learn more and register for free to gain access to exclusive content ⤵️
met.org/3jORYaQ
#MetKids–Painting without a Paintbrush
Learn how to paint without a brush with a little help from #MetKids. Let gravity do the work of making a mini-masterpiece inspired by Morris Louis' 1960 painting "Alpha-Pi."
Share your creations with us below, and explore more art-making tutorials over on our YouTube channel ⤵️
met.org/YouTube
Met Stories—Sue Jeiven, Tattoo Artist
"I'm not alone"
Sometimes art supports us in ways that nothing else can. Sue Jeiven, a tattoo artist, shares how vitally important The Met became to her when faced with a diagnosis of terminal breast cancer.
What's your Met story? Share it with #MyMetStory, or submit it online at met.org/MyMetStory.
Watch more #MetStories at met.org/MetStories.
#Met150
MetSpeaks—Reckoning with American History: Jacob Lawrence's "Struggle"
Tonight, join us as writer and Harvard professor Jill Lepore and Harvard professor Philip Deloria discuss the historical context in which the iconic American modernist Jacob Lawrence painted his epic series "Struggle: From the History of the American People" (1954–56).
Explore the continuing relevance of Lawrence's distinctive take on America's revolutionary past.
This program is resented in conjunction with the exhibition "Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle," on view at The Met through November 1. Learn more at met.org/JacobLawrence
#MetJacobLawrence
Balcony Bar From Home with ETHEL and Friends—Rana Sanatacruz
Ready to celebrate the spirits this weekend? 💀 This week on Balcony Bar From Home, we're so excited to welcome musician Rana Santacruz who shares a special performance in honor of #DíadelosMuertos.
Here's what's coming up:
🎵 Marinero De Ley by Rana Sanatacruz
Rana Sanatacruz, voice & accordion
🎵 Déjala Entrar by Rana Sanatacruz
Rana Sanatacruz, voice & accordion
Ralph Farris, violin
🎵 Cucurrucucú Paloma by Tomás Méndez
Rana Sanatacruz, voice & jarana
🎵 Ya Me Voy by Rana Sanatacruz
Rana Sanatacruz, voice & accordion
Dorothy Lawson, cello
Cajita De Barro by Rana Sanatacruz
🎵 Rana Sanatacruz, voice & jarana
Kip Jones, violin
Ralph Farris, violin
Dorothy Lawson, cello
#MetLiveArts
Exhibition Tour—About Time: Fashion and Duration
Journey through "About Time: Fashion and Duration" and explore 150 years of fashion along a disruptive timeline—with The Costume Institute's Andrew Bolton as your guide.
Learn more about #MetAboutTime and reserve your tickets to visit in person at met.org/AboutTime.
From The Vaults—The Spectre: A Legend of Old New England (1925)
Gather ye round for a ghoulish tale #FromTheVaults 👻
In 17th-century New England, superstition and fear ran rampant causing many people to conjure up visions of ghosts—which they believed could only be exorcised with certain rites.
This uncanny short—filmed partially in the period rooms of @metamericanwing— recounts a young couple’s struggle with a malevolent spirit intent on stealing their baby.
Make sure to switch your audio on to experience the spectacularly spooky new score composed and performed by Rob Schwimmer. 🎶
🎥 Watch the full 17-minute video and more from The Met's moving-image archive by visiting met.org/FromTheVaults. #FilmFriday
Fall Into The Met
Join us tonight and fall into The Met as we bring you a special, virtual evening 🍂
Since reopening our doors after the longest closure in the Museum’s history, The Met is once again welcoming visitors to The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. In addition to the extraordinary scope of The Met collection and special exhibitions, we have a variety of opportunities for our visitors to engage with the Museum beyond our walls.
🎥 Tune in tonight to:
▪️ Watch a performance by ascendant countertenor John Holiday, who has created an urgent program for The Met—"Hold On! Freedom Is Coming!"—that juxtaposes classical Italian opera with Civil Rights-era songs by African American composers, including Margaret Bonds and H. Leslie Adams.
▪️ Experience the virtual audio tour of "Making The Met, 1870–2020" voiced by actor Steve Martin together with current and former Met staff.
▪️ Hear from poet Ahmed Badr, a former Iraqi refugee, about a program he created to foster the empowerment of displaced youth through storytelling, where participants created poetry inspired by objects in The Met’s Ancient Near East Art galleries.
▪️ Appreciate the complexities of Lattice Detour, the latest installation on the #CantorRoof, as explained by its creator, artist Héctor Zamora, in discussion with Met curator Iria Candela.
▪️ Preview "About Time: Fashion and Duration" with Met curator Andrew Bolton to celebrate the opening of #MetAboutTime, with an introduction by Louis Vuitton's Nicolas Ghesquière.
Your support means more now than ever! A gift to The Met helps sustain the Museum’s extraordinary level of programming, conservation, and research, enabling millions of visitors to experience the power of art. Show your support at met.org/Give
Storytime with The Met—"Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"
Chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room?!
This week on Storytime, Met educator Hannah is reading the iconic book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert, then she takes a look at an 1806 embroidered sampler by Sally Cornelius in the #MetCollection and leads us in a fun activity.
#FunFact: Sally Cornelius was just 14 years old when she made this!
Take a closer look: met.org/34AaBKN
John Holiday: Hold On! Freedom Is Coming!
Join us for a special #MetLiveArts virtual event featuring a performance by the incredible vocalist John Holiday.
Inspired by the iconic American modernist #JacobLawrence's painting series "Struggle: From the History of the American People," countertenor #JohnHoliday creates an urgent program that juxtaposes selections from classical Italian opera with songs by African American composers from the era of the American civil rights movement, including Margaret Bonds and H. Leslie Adams. Read his artist statement below.
This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition "Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle," on view at The Met through November 1. Learn more: met.org/JacobLawrence
Artist’s Statement: "After The Met invited me to do this recital in the summer of 2019, I walked through the Museum’s massive and jaw-dropping exhibitions and collection. During my time in the Museum, I was enamored by all of the ways in which this iconic institution recognizes humanity, and the contributions of artists to make our world a better and more beautiful place.
As an African American, I was particularly moved by The Met’s choice to display that beauty, coupled with the sadness that has sometimes plagued our world—most notably artwork depicting slavery and oppression in its many forms. It was then that I decided I wanted to do something different, something that was meaningful, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and soul-stirring. It was in Jacob Lawrence’s 'Struggle' series that I found my inspiration for this evening’s recital. Specifically, I was gutted by panel 5, titled 'We have no property! We have no wives! No children! We have no city! No country! —petition of many slaves, 1773.'
It immediately evoked a visceral reaction within my body, mind, and spirit. Seeing these men in chains, grasping for freedom—fighting for every single thing that they were, indeed, worthy of—reminded me of a quote that is often attributed to Harriett Tubman: 'If you hear the dogs,
Met Stories—Tomás Vega, Paralegal
"Our ticket to the outside world"
What do museums open us up to? Tomás Vega describes his lifelong dream to work at The Met and how he finally had the chance to make that a reality when he received DACA status. #Met150
Watch more #MetStories at met.org/MetStories.
What's your Met story? Share it with #MyMetStory, or submit it online at met.org/MyMetStory.
Artists on Artworks—Dread Scott on Jacob Lawrence
Join artist #DreadScott for a discussion about his creative practice—including his recent community-based performance "Slave Rebellion Reenactment" (2019), which tangibly addressed the legacy of enslaved people's struggle to liberate themselves and the resonance of this struggle for freedom in contemporary Louisiana and beyond.
In conversation with Met curator Sylvia Yount, Scott also reflects on the work of iconic American modernist #JacobLawrence and his series "Struggle: From the History of the American People," a powerful visual reckoning with America's past that remains profoundly resonant today.
This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition "Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle," on view at The Met through November 1.
Learn more: met.org/JacobLawrence
Please note: This is a repost of a program that premiered virtually on Friday, October 23.
#MetJacobLawrence
Insider Insights—The Year Turns in The Met Cloisters Gardens
How do the gardens at The Met Cloisters change with the seasons? 🍃
This week on Insider Insights, join horticultural staff from The Met Cloisters to learn about behind-the-scenes activities at the end of the gardens' growing season that also pave the way for next year's bounty and display.
Artists on Artworks—Dread Scott on Jacob Lawrence
Tonight, join artist #DreadScott for a discussion about his creative practice—including his recent community-based performance "Slave Rebellion Reenactment" (2019), which tangibly addressed the legacy of enslaved people's struggle to liberate themselves and the resonance of this struggle for freedom in contemporary Louisiana and beyond.
In conversation with Met curator Sylvia Yount, Scott also reflects on the work of iconic American modernist #JacobLawrence and his series "Struggle: From the History of the American People," a powerful visual reckoning with America's past that remains profoundly resonant today.
This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition "Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle," on view at The Met through November 1.
Learn more: met.org/JacobLawrence
Please note: Due to a technical problem, this video ends prematurely. Watch the full program here: met.org/2HuayXR
#MetJacobLawrence
Balcony Bar From Home with ETHEL and Friends—Lara Downes
This week on Balcony Bar From Home, ETHEL is joined by pianist Lara Downes, who shares a special program of American music titled "Come Together" to inspire hope and unity. #MetLiveArts
Here's what's coming up:
🎵 "America" by Paul Simon, arranged by Noah Luna
🎵 "Your Hands in Mine" by Florence Price
🎵 "Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington
🎵 "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin, arranged by Art Tatum
🎵 "The Gift to be Simple," arranged by Bob Chilcott, performed with ETHEL
🎵 "Solace" by Scott Joplin
📸: Phil Kampel
Artist Interview—Wangechi Mutu
"I think of these women as characters that have the capacity, the freedom, and the opportunity to be where they need to be, to say what they have to say. They're here, and they're present, and they've arrived." — Wangechi Mutu
For more than a year, Wangechi Mutu's "The NewOnes, will free Us" has graced the #MetFacade—the inaugural work for our facade commission series. Join us at the Museum for the final weekend of these incredible sculptures on view.
Learn more → met.org/WangechiMutuFacade
#MetWangechiMutu
From The Vaults—Dwellings, The Art of Charles Simonds (1974)
Talk about a tiny home! 🏠
Since the 1970s, #CharlesSimonds has created enigmatic dwellings for an imaginary civilization of tiny beings. These miniature built environments can be found tucked away on street corners and window ledges in more than 30 cities around the world.
This #FilmFriday, watch the artist at work in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in this short documentary by Rudy Burckhardt that reminds us how art survives—and even flourishes—in the most unlikely conditions.
🎥 Watch more from The Met's moving-image archive by visiting met.org/FromTheVaults. #FromTheVaults
Digital Rendering Design—About Time: Fashion and Duration
#MetAboutTime opens to the public in one week! ⌛ Fly through this digital rendering of the exhibition design for a sneak peek.
🎧 Listen as exhibition designer Es Devlin reads from Virginia Woolf:
"But Time, unfortunately, though it makes animals and vegetables bloom and fade with amazing punctuality, has no such simple effect upon the mind of man. The mind of man, moreover, works with equal strangeness upon the body of time. An hour, once it lodges in the queer element of the human spirit, may be stretched to fifty or a hundred times its clock length; on the other hand, an hour may be accurately represented on the timepiece of the mind by one second. This extraordinary discrepancy between time on the clock and time in the mind is less known than it should be and deserves fuller investigation."
— #VirginiaWoolf, "Orlando: A Biography," 1928
Timed tickets are required for entrance to the Museum. In addition, a timed exhibition ticket is required for #MetAboutTime. Tickets to the exhibition are now available online.
Learn more: met.org/AboutTime
Read our ticketing FAQs: met.org/AboutTimeFAQ
P.S. Take a virtual tour through the real thing next Thursday, October 29, during our "Fall into The Met" event. Register at met.org/FallIntoTheMet2020
Storytime with The Met—“The Sandwich Swap”
Lunchtime means sandwiches and stories! 🥪 📚
This week on Storytime with The Met, Met educator Christina reads “The Sandwich Swap” by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio, and then takes a look at “The Afternoon Meal (La Merienda)" by Spanish painter Luis Meléndez ca. 1772.
Take a closer look at the painting: met.org/2TbGdzN
Join us every Thursday to look, listen, sing, and have fun with picture books. See you next week! 👋
The Met Fellowship Program
📣 Applications are now open for the 2021 Met Fellowship Program 📣
Join a community of global scholars whose dynamic and interdisciplinary projects require close study of objects in the #MetCollection.
Met fellowships are awarded to junior scholars, postdoctoral and senior academics, and museum professionals for independent study or research. Applications are due Friday, November 6.
Learn more and apply now: http://met.org/2TcfmDy
Fall Into The Met
This autumn, fall into The Met 🍂
On Thursday, October 29, join us for an exciting virtual event with artist Héctor Zamora, countertenor John Holiday, poet Ahmed Badr, and more—plus a special look inside #MetAboutTime with Andrew Bolton.
Learn more ⤵
met.org/3425ORM
Drop-in Drawing—Harvest
Harvest season is here—what's your favorite thing to draw this time of year? 🍂
This week on Drop-in Drawing, Met educator Darcy celebrates the fall harvest with an exercise inspired by the changing seasons in the gardens at The Met Cloisters.
Grab your favorite drawing materials, your fall inspiration, and get started whenever you're ready.
Take a closer look at the medieval manuscript featured in this session: met.org/31dkoV0
#MetSketch
MetCollects—Kerry James Marshall on his painting "Untitled (Studio)"
Happy birthday to the one and only Kerry James Marshall. ✨
Celebrate the artist by revisiting his #MetCollects episode from 2016. Listen as Marshall describes the intentions and strategies behind his practice and explains the detailed elements within "Untitled (Studio)," which joined the #MetCollection back in 2014.
Read about and explore more #MetCollects: met.org/3lV8WoJ
