Seeing MoMa's preview of exhibition of Diego Rivera murals with muralist Curphey Forrestall

One of the main museum exhibitions Curphey was interested in seeing while he was here in NYC was Diego Rivera's murals for MoMA at (of course) MoMa. We picked Friday night to go (Free Fridays, not really necessary but time convenient for both Curphey and I) which was lively (LOTS of students and foreign visitors.)
The poster in the lobby though said the Rivera show was only opening on the 13th and yesterday was the 11th. Onward we marched to see the Fluxus show and the DeKooning. The Fluxus show was fascinating, we were both most amused by the music making sculpture pieces.

On exiting the show, Curphey noticed a locked glass door view into the Rivera show and people were circulated about. We found the entrance and were told that it was only open to members as a preview evening. Luckily I had a members card on me, so in we went! The show was fantastic.

Curphey Forrestall by entrance to the Diego exhibition at MoMA.

It was fascinating to listen to what surprised Curphey about Rivera's working methodologies; like making full life size scale charcoal drawings of the murals. He expressed an interest in trying that one day. The colors were so vibrant, and his images were so powerful. Getting to see the murals, which were painted on concrete was fascinating. There was one particular mural "Frozen Assets" (1931) of a landscape of NYC, with a dozen recognizable buildings (Rockerfeller Center, The Empire State) on the top, a cityscape of NYC with above ground subway cars in the center.

A large section towards in the lower quarter of rows of sheeted figures lying down, who were homeless workers on the Depression era construction sites in NYC and finally at the bottom, a bank vault room, with wealthy people in the cages running gold through their hands. Rivera wasn't particularly subtle about his views of the wealthy and the poor in the United States. This mural, in particular felt very poignant and very contemporary in light of OWS, and a growing (unstoppable) movement to tax the rich happening in the US right now. Curphey is working on a mural for a friend while here, so getting to see the work of one of the most famous muralists was relevant.

The rooms of sculpture were interesting to wander around in. 

Curphey looking down into Carlito Carvalhosa's "Sum of Days" installation piece.

Looking down from the sixth floor landing into the center of Carvalhosa's Sum of Days piece was thrilling,
and not for those who suffers from vertigo.