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W42ST Daily 8/3/2020
Before a homeless shelter moved into the Cachet Boutique Hotel on W42nd St; before it was even the Cachet; it was The Out, a controversial gay-friendly hotel with a cool gallery space in its lobby. And it was here, sometime in early 2016, that we were first introduced to the vibrant stained glass art of Joseph Cavalieri.
Joseph generously customized one of his pieces for the cover of our February 2016 St Patrick’s Day cover and, as we have with so many of our cover artists and contributors, we became firm friends.
Earlier this month, Joseph talked about how coronavirus had forced him pivot from his glass art, which requires a large kiln, now closed, to painting … and discovered a new, feminine alter ego in the process.
One of his pieces has now been turned into a huge, one-of-a-kind flag, flying over Rockefeller Plaza alongside designs by Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer, and Laurie Anderson.
“A call went out last spring asking for designs celebrating the diverse culture, vibrant energy, and strength of New York City,” he says. “Over a thousand responses were submitted.
“My ‘Biking in New York’ design was chosen, and will be flown at Rockefeller Center from now until August 16.
“Why biking? As a kid I was constantly riding my bicycle up in Westchester. During college, I had a part-time job for a company named What’s Your Rush? Messenger Service in Manhattan. It was a great way to get to know every neighborhood of the city and see inside iconic buildings like Grand Central, the Chrysler Building, and the World Trade Centers. I remember once having to bring a golf bag filled with golf clubs from Wall Street to Midtown by subway.”
Right now, his preferred mode of transportation is Citi Bike.
“I would like to invite you to bike, skip, walk, drive, or subway to see the flags in person. No tickets are required.”
NEW YORK STORIES
While we’re on the subject of covers – over the course of five years, W42ST has published 63 magazines (the 64th was halted in March because of COVID-19). Each cover celebrates the creativity of an individual artist – and more than once the ingenuity of the W42ST team – as well as the evolution of the magazine. Earlier this month, we brought you the first 20 – with Issue 1 available to buy as a poster, followed by issues 21-40 – with the Pride cover for sale. Here’s the final 23, from May 2018 to March 2020. Which is your favorite – and do you have a full set?
DO THESE THINGS
MEDITATE
Some of the world’s most successful people – and surely some of the calmest – meditate daily. And what do we need more right now than a sense of calm? The Rubin begins its mindfulness mediation sessions online at lunchtime today. Register here.
TAKE TEA
The Royal Opera House’s glorious hip hop dance, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, is available to stream now. Watch it here.
DRAW
All Arts is streaming its documentary about the life of Keith Haring, featuring archival footage of the artist and the pop art and graffiti scene of New York in the 1980s. Watch it here.
WATCH
You have two more days to buy tickets for a reading of Jesse Eisenberg’s The Spoils, for the New Group, featuring the original cast – Kunal Nayyar, Erin Darke, Annapurna Sriram, and Michael Zegen. Find out more
