The redesigned But even at those prices Straight Up poet Leon Freilich, who attended the MoMA opening “The line for MoMA members (not benefactors, for sure) at last night’s party snaked from “Luckily it was a mild evening. And luckily again, my two-hour waiting-time estimate was off “Tiny sandwiches and tall drinks were served on every floor. And the place was manageable; “The interior rises six floors to form a dullish atrium. Floor 2 consists of giant rooms with “I saw not a single chair or bench. Yet the older members — and there were quite a few — “Most people were dressed to the nines, maybe sevens. I thought I’d be the only sucker; Rose “MoMA talked 50 Bush Leaguers and billionair Democrats into shelling out the $425 mil for “In an exotic or ascetic touch, no red wine was served — only white. I was unhappy with that
\narchitecture critics into a swoon. Blair Kamen of the Chicago Tribune echoed the raves of many
\nothers yesterday when he called the $425-million renovation and expansion “serene, urbane and blissfully
\nunderstated.”<\/FONT><\/B><\/A><\/FONT><\/P>
\n
\nSunday night, was underwhelmed. He had to resort to prose for his review: <\/P>
\n
\nmid-53rd Street up to Fifth Avenue and down to the end of 54th Street. My wife Rose and I
\npassed someone who said the museum had signed up 47,000 new members. ‘And they’re all here,’
\nRose commented. <\/P>
\n
\nby an hour and a half. Not so bad. Rose saw someone she knows from the nabe, and I spotted an
\nestablished Park Slope ‘painteress’ (her irascible realtor-husband’s term) who exhibits in Soho and
\nteaches at St. John’s. <\/P>
\n
\ncertainly not like Saturday, when the doors were flung open to the public for a free day.<\/P>
\n
\nlittle on the walls. If only I’d remembered to bring a Magic Marker. The other floors have a series
\nof smaller rooms, which worked better for me. Familiar Matisses, Picassos, Mondrians,
\nDuchamps and a Man Ray (I didn’t know he painted). <\/P>
\n
\nseemed comfortable enough. Toilets on every floor. The sculpture garden was closed; it looked
\ngood through the glass first-floor wall. <\/P>
\n
\npressured me into putting on shoes, but I held fast on socks. <\/P>
\n
\nthis enlarged building. But compare it to any of a dozen concert halls throughout the world and it
\nlooks like an art warehouse. Forgetting about the oranges and comparing it to apples, it lacks the
\nLouvre’s unique glass entrance and the Met Museum’s grand staircases (inside & outside). But
\nRose is happy with the building and considers her $75-membership well spent. She loved the
\npaintings — especially Kandinsky, Miro, I forget who else — immensely. <\/P>
\n
\nlast night. This morning I think I can make out the reason, and appreciate it. While I was backing
\naway from a serving table with a glass of wine, a careless, or tipsy, woman bounced off me,
\nspilling wine all over my jacket and shirt. I was thankful the wine was white. Next time, though, I
\nexpect to see a picket line of dry cleaners at MoMA’s entrance.”<\/P><\/p>\n