Dear Ms. Lonely Arts
The Brooklyn Museum is so many things to so many people. It can offer sanctuary from chaos and a sense of community. It can provide a dose of inspiration when you need it most. It can be a bridge to other people or a way back to yourself. Some days, it’s just a clean, well-lit place in the city. (Those are hard to find too.)
While the Brooklyn Museum might have what you’re seeking, 560,000 square feet is a lot of ground to traverse on your own. That’s why you should write to me, Ms. Lonely Arts.
Here’s how it works: Maybe you’re super nervous about a first date and need an itinerary. Maybe you’re settling into retirement and want to attend more cultural events. Maybe you’re going through heartbreak and looking for a piece of art that soothes or makes you feel seen. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’ll do my best to recommend something just for you.
Below, you’ll find suggestions for my first few advice seekers. Send your questions to yo@brooklynmuseum.org, starting your subject line with “ADVICE.”
Dear Ms. Lonely Arts,
I’m so burned out right now. I feel overwhelmed and overstimulated all the time. I’m thinking that it might be helpful to be looking more at art, but I’m honestly not sure where to start. (I live in New York City and really enjoy experiencing contemporary art.) Can you help?
Yours,
Burned Out Babe
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Dear Burned Out Babe,
Thanks for writing in with such honesty. The way you’re feeling is so understandable, and you’re so not alone! It’s easy to get overstimulated in NYC. But the flip side of the coin is that art is never far away.
We recently opened The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, a group show of more than 200 artists. It’s a celebration of Brooklyn and the vibrancy of the people who have created art here. To make this sweeping exhibition more manageable, take a virtual tour first to home in on what you want to see.
A few of my personal favorites are Sylvia Maier’s Bodega, Rick Secen’s Game of Crazy Eights, and Mayumi Nakao’s Subway Car, each of which captures an everyday scene with dignity and wonder. Together they serve as a gentle reminder to slow down, take in our surroundings, and see the beauty in small moments. When you leave the show, you might ruminate on your own daily routine. Do any stops along the way make you feel a sense of calm?
I’d also 10/10 recommend that you visit Toward Joy, a transformative reinstallation of our American Art galleries. There are many spaces for reflection, particularly in the framework called “A Quiet Place.” I hope it brings you some peace.
With a hug,
Ms. Lonely Arts
From the top: Robert Brandegee. Writing to Mother, 1867/69. Watercolor. Brooklyn Museum, Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 82.134.2. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Mayumi Nakao. Subway Car, 2022. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the Hort Family Collection. © Mayumi Nakao. (Photo: Courtesy of the Hort Family Collection)
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238
