Ms. Lonely Arts is an advice column offering recommendations to the Brooklyn Museum’s fans, followers, and friends.
Reading through recent letters, I found two things to be true:
- Everyone is going through it right now—from layoffs to love lost to helplessness in the face of global events.
- Despite that (or because of it), people want to be in community, to ignite their own creativity, and to see meaningful art.
In this installment, three brave correspondents bare their souls, seeking artworks and artists that might help lighten their heavy loads.
Dear Ms. Lonely Arts,
My partner was laid off a few months ago from a company she had really grown to like. It’s a tough job market right now, and several companies have strung her along. It has been emotionally draining, and it’s hard to stay motivated (let alone stave off worse feelings) when you’re facing constant rejection and lose your routines.
She loves museums and recently got a membership to the Brooklyn Museum from her family. Do you have any suggestions for pieces I can take her to see? Anything that you find particularly inspirational when things are otherwise feeling gloomy?
Thank you!
Trying to Help
*
Dear Trying to Help,
What a kind question! I’m sorry about your partner’s employment situation, and I hope a stroll through the galleries will bring a smile to both your faces. I asked my teammates which artworks cheer them up when they’re feeling down. Here’s what they said:
- Standing Hippopotamus (Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor)
- Slinky Toy and Box (Decorative Arts and Design Galleries, 4th Floor)
- Venere degli stracci dorata (Golden Venus of the Rags) by Michelangelo Pistoletto (pictured above in Solid Gold, 5th Floor)
- Kiss Me and You’ll Kiss the ‘Lasses by Lilly Martin Spencer (American Art Galleries, 5th Floor)
The last one can be found in Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art, which might be the perfect place to start your visit. Every gallery is a chance to encounter the American Art collection in a fresh and joyful way: You’ll find bloom-covered walls in “To Give Flowers” and a chance to strut the runway before an audience of seated portraits in “Several Seats.”
To gain a sense of structure in this tumultuous time—and to get the most out of her Membership—your partner could consider making the Museum part of a new routine. Our doors are open 11 am–6 pm Wednesday to Sunday. Our Café gets glorious natural light (and has tasty snacks). Our lobby playlist is full of feel-good music. And our galleries offer an abundance of inspiration.
Hang in there,
Ms. Lonely Arts
Write in
Send your question to yo@brooklynmuseum.org, starting the subject line with “ADVICE.” I’ll do my best to recommend something just for you.
From the top: Frederick Childe Hassam. The Writing Desk, 1915. Etching. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Joseph S. Gotlieb, 63.234.2. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Installation view, Solid Gold. Brooklyn Museum, November 15, 2024–July 6, 2025. (Photo: Timothy Doyon)
Letters are lightly edited for clarity and concision.
