Remember when you had a print of Monet's Water Lilies hanging on your dorm room wall? The one you bought at the mall? That was sweet. And now you can relive your college years again, because Monet's BACK, baby.
First up, over in the East Village a new exhibit, called "Giverny," has recreated Monet's water lilly paintings. The Hole Gallery on Bowery has transformed itself into the "Water Lily Pond," with an arched Japanese bridge and all. This one is sponsored by Playboy, which means that on that bridge you may find a naked Kembra Pfahler body-painted in neon, presenting "an interesting alien injection into the almost Disneyland-esque, iconic landscape of Giverny." Your college boyfriend probably would have been real into this.
Meanwhile, The New York Botanical Garden's has also recreated the artist's masterpieces. From May 19th through October 21st you'll be able to see "floriferous panoramas in the Botanical Garden’s Conservatory in Spring, Summer, and Fall evoke the French garden that inspired the artist—featuring water lilies, irises, weeping willows, and other favorites of Monet." (July and August will be the best months for water lilies.) The NYBG is going all out for their tribute to the French Impressionist, with Monet poetry walks, crafting for kids, mobile apps, a salon series, concerts, two rarely before seen Monet paintings, and all this—stay tuned for photos from the installation closer to opening day. Until then, dust off that old Monet print, he's back in trend!
