With the Olympics right around the corner, the world has its sights set on gold. And just in time for us New Yorkers, a new exhibit celebrates one of the most prominent gold-leaf artists: Gustav Klimt (most famous for The Kiss). Tomorrow would be the Austrian artist’s 150th birthday, bringing his infamous technique back into the spotlight.
Get in on the action by paying a visit to the Upper East Side’s resident Austrian museum, the Neue Galerie, which is currently hosting a three-month-long exhibit--“Gustav Klimt: 150th Anniversary Celebration”--in his honor. In addition to displaying renowned paintings like Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I and The Dancer, the exhibit also features rare sketches and a photographic retrospective on him and his Bohemian life partner, Emilie Flöge.
After viewing the goods firsthand, dive into even more history on Klimt’s influence at the museum’s Design Shop with two new books: The Lady in Gold by journalist Anne-Marie O’Connor, and The Age of Insight by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Eric Kandel.
Just don’t blame us when you’ve gone on a Klimt-inspired shopping spree.
"Gustav Klimt: 150th Anniversary Celebration" is on display through August 27 at the Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave. (at 86th St.); 212-628-6200 or neuegalerie.org. Admission is $20.
