♪ >>> A LOOK AT THE AUDUBON MURAL PROJECT, WHOSE MISSION IS TO CREATE LARGE-SCALE MURALS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO BEAUTIFUL AT-RISK BIRDS.

>> I SAID, LET'S DO ALL 314, YOU KNOW, THREATENED BIRDS.

DO MURALS OF ALL OF THEM ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> A TRIP JUST TWO HOURS NORTH OF THE CITY, TO THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

>> THE PRESIDENT WANTED FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.

>> AND A VIZ IT TO THE M.E.T.

TO EXPLORE THE POSTWAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART.

>> THIS SPECTACULAR SCULPTURE IS TITLED "MRS. N'S PALACE WATHS A AND IT'S COMPOSED OF PIECES THAT DATE BACK IN TIME TO AS EARLY AS 1964.

>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE LEWIS SUNNY TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, JODY AND JOHN ARNOLD, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION.

ELROY AND TERRY CRUMBHOLZ FOUNDATION AND ELLEN AND JAMES F. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORT IN PART BY THE PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS FIRST THINGS FIRST.

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY, THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP, RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE, BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY -- >> SWAN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS, OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941.

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU'RE A LIFELONG COLLECTOR, A FIRST-TIME BUYER OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANGALLERIES.COM.

♪ >>> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO "NYC ARTS".

I'M PAULA ZAHN ON LOCATION AT THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY ON CENTRAL PARK WEST.

HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF THE WORKS OF JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, THE GREAT AMERICAN ARTIST AND NATURALIST.

THE MUSEUM HOLDS 435 PLATES ON THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, PRINTED BETWEEN 1827 AND 1838, AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE ARCHETYPE OF WILDLIFE ILLUSTRATION.

THE MUSEUM ROTATES AUDUBON'S SPECTACULAR WORKS ON A BIMONTHLY BASIS.

VISIT THIS SBIINTIMATE GALLERY AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW HIS PURPLE FINCH, COMMON GRAKLE, BALD EAGLE, AND MORE.

ANOTHER STUNNING COLLECTION HERE IS THE CENTER PIECE OF THE MUSEUM'S FOURTH FLOOR.

THE GALLERY OF TIFFANY LAMPS.

THIS GALLERY FEATURES MORE THAN 100 ILLUMINATED TIFFANY LAMPS WITHIN A DRAMATICALLY LIT JEWEL-LIKE SPACE.

THE COLLECTION OF 132 TIFFANY LAMPS AND THREE WINDOWS IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE.

DESPITE LIVING IN AN URBAN JUNGLE, NEW YORKERS CAN STILL CATCH SNIPPETS OF BIRD SONG, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRING.

HOWEVER, THOSE SONGS MAY DISAPPEAR OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES.

A REPORT RELEASED BY THE AUDUBON SOCIETY IN 2014 REVEALED THAT ABOUT HALF OF ALL BIRDS ON OUR CONTINENT WILL SOON BE THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF THESE BIRDS, A GALLERY OWNER IN UPPER MANHATTAN TEAMED UP WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY.

TOGETHER, THEY LAUNCHED THE AUDUBON MURAL PROJECT.

ITS MISSION IS TO CREATE MURALS IN HAMILTON AND WASHINGTON HEIGHTS THAT PAY TRIBUTE TO THESE BEAUTIFUL AT-RISK BIRDS.

♪ >> I HAD OPENED THE GALLERY AND WANTED TO BRING SOME ATTENTION TO THE GALLERY.

SO I ASKED THE ONE FINE ARTIST I KNEW WHO DID "STREET ART" TO PAYMENT A MURAL ON THE ADJACENT GATES TO THIS ART GALLERY.

HE'S FROM FLORIDA AND HE SAID I'M GOING TO PAINT A FLAMINGO FOR YOU, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BRING SOME FLORIDA CONNECTION.

AND I MADE THE CONNECTION, JAOH JAMES AUDUBON, BIRDS, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT STARTED.

GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE THREATENED BIRDS, BEAUTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT LET'S BE A LITTLE MORE AMBITIOUS.

LET'S DO ALL 314, YOU KNOW, THREATENED BIRDS.

MURALS OF ALL OF THEM ON GATES AND WALLS ALL OVER THE WEEKEND.

AND HE CRAZILY SAID SURE, LET'S DO IT.

AND WE'VE BEEN CHASING OUR 314 NUMBER EVER SINCE.

SO IT'S NICE TO SORT OF PUBLICIZE ONE OF THE GREAT AMERICANS, REALLY ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING AMERICANS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME BUT UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PERSON.

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON WAS POSSIBLY AMERICA'S GREATEST BIRD AND NATURAL WORLD ARTIST AND AN EXTRAORDINARY PIONEERING PERSON.

HE SPENT THE LAST TEN YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN WASHINGTON HEIGHTS.

THE CENTER OF THE PROJECT HAS SHIFTED TO WHAT WAS ONCE THE AUDUBON ESTATE BETWEEN 155th AND 156th STREET AND BROADWAY.

IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE JOHN JAMES AUDUBON'S FINAL RESTING PLACE IS IN TRINITY CEMETERY ON 155th.

WE MADE A DECISION TO PAINT IN APPROXIMATELY 135th STREET WEST TO 193rd STREET, THE END OF AUDUBON AVENUE.

THERE'S NO GREAT LOGIC, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO KEEP THE PROJECT UPTOWN.

PICKING LOCATIONS IS A CHALLENGE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE DECIDED FROM THE BEGINNING IS WE WEREN'T JUST GOING TO PAINT ANYWHERE, WE'RE LOOKING TO BEAUTIFY.

SO WE'RE SEEKING OUT SPACES THAT ARE IN NEED ONLY SOME SORT OF FIX OR IMPROVEMENT.

SO THE BIG WALLS WE PAINTED ALL HAD CRUMBLING PAINT, IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR.

WE'VE WORKED WITH LANDLORDS TO SECURE SPACES LIKE EMPTY ALCOVES THAT ARE BOARDED UP, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STUDIO ARTISTS THAT ARE PAINTING PANELS THAT WE THEN INSTALL TO THE BUILDING.

WE'RE MOSTLY WORKING WITH ARTISTS WHO ARE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE GREATER NEW YORK AREA.

WE WANT THEM TO CHOOSE A BIRD.

WE TRY NOT TO PAINT THE SAME BIRDS TWICE.

WE REALLY ASK THEM TO DO WHAT THEY WANT, WITHIN REASON.

SOME OF THE MURALS CONTAIN MORE THAN ONE BIRD, SO WE HAVE PAINTED ABOUT 70 BIRDS SO FAR.

THERE ARE CHALLENGES TO PAINTING OUTSIDE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO BENEFITS TO PAINTING OUTSIDE.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT COME WHILE THE ARTIST P IST PAINTS.

THE POSITIVE IS THEY'RE ENGAGING THE ARTIST AND LEARNING ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND LEARNING ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND ART.

I'M FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORIGINALLY, AND I WANTED PEOPLE UPTOWN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE SORT OF ART THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE TO GO TO CHELSEA OR BROOKLYN FOR.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE COMING UP HERE TO LOOK AT THE MURALS IS THAT YOU CAN'T BE SURE ON ANY GIVEN VISIT WHICH ONES YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM ALL.

IN THAT WAY, IT'S LIKE GOING OUT FOR A BIRDING EXPEDITION.

YOU CAN'T KNOW WHICH BIRDS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HALF OF ALL NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS BEING THREATENED, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME BIRDS THERE YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT TO SEE.

THEY WILL SHIFT, THEY WILL MOVE.

THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE IS PREDICTED TO NO LONGER BE SEEN IN BALTIMORE.

THE COMMON LOON, WHICH IS THE STATE BIRD OF MINNESOTA, IS PROJECTED TO NOT BE ABLE TO BE FOUND IN MINNESOTA.

I THINK THAT THE -- THAT SORT OF SEEING THESE MURALS OF BIRDS IN THIS URBAN ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY URBAN SORT OF ART FORM, IS SOMETHING THAT GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, AND I HOPE THEY WILL SORT OF INVESTIGATE AND SEE LIKE WHAT IS THIS?

WHY ARE THESE MURALS ALL HERE?

AND REALLY LEARN ABOUT THIS THREAT TO BIRDS THAT WE ARE USED TO SEEING, EVEN IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

I HOPE THAT IT INSPIRES PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, AND TO KIND OF BE INSPIRED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

ON 163rd IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MURALS, AND IT'S A PAINTING OF THREE TRI-COLORED HERONS.

IN THE MURAL, THE POLAR ICECAPS HAVE MELTED AND SEA LEVELS ARE RISING, AND THE THREE HERONS ARE F FIGHTING FOR THE LAST FOOD, IN THIS CASE, A SNAKE.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I WOULD LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE MURALS.

STARTING WITH THE THREAT THE ENVIRONMENT FACES.

MORE NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE FOR UPTOWN MANHATTAN.

A SENSE THAT ART IS ACCESSIBLE.

I TRSTRONGLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE T GET UP HERE, BECAUSE IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE.

♪ ♪ >>> NEXT, WE'LL VISIT THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

JUST TWO HOURS NORTH OF THE CITY IN HYDE PARK, NEW YORK, THE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IS LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS OF THE BELOVED HOME OF FRANKLIN AND ELLENOR ROOSEVELT.

THE LIBRARY IS THE CENTER FOR RESEARCH, WHICH REFLECTS THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THESE IMPORTANT FIGURES IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

DESIGNED BY FDR HIMSELF, IT IS THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND THE ONLY ONE EVER USED BY A SITTING PRESIDENT.

THE MUSEUM BRINGS THE ERA TO LIFE FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

REAFFIRMING THE ROOSEVELT'S CONTINUING IMPACT ON CONTEMPORARY LIFE.

>> THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IS PART OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION.

THE BUILDING ITSELF WAS CREATED BY THE PRESIDENT AND OPENED IN 1941.

ROOSEVELT WANTED TO DO ARCHIVES WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.

THERE ARE OVER 17 MILLION PAGES AND DOCUMENTS IN THE ARCHIVES.

WE HAVE ALL OF THE PERSONAL AND PUBLIC PAPERS OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND ELLENOR ROOSEVELT, AND OUR MUSEUM COLLECTION TOTALS OVER 35,000 ITEMS.

WE'RE THE ONLY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY TO HAVE THE ACTUAL BEST U -- DESK USED BY THE PRESIDENT AND WE HAVE ALL THE OBJECTS THAT FDR HAD ON THAT DESK AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FDR DID WHEN HE CREATED HIS LIBRARY IN 1941, HE CREATED A PRIVATE STUDY WHERE HE COULD COME AT ANY TIME.

DURING WORLD WAR II, HE VERY OFF USED THAT OFFICE AS A WORKING OFFICE.

AND WE HAVE KEPT IT ALMOST EXACTLY THE WAY IT LOOKED THE LAST TIME HE WAS IN THE ROOM IN THE SPRING OF 1945 DURING HIS FINAL VISIT TO HYDE PARK.

>> SO YOU GET A REAL VISCERAL SENSE OF THE PRESIDENT, IT'S ALMOST AS IF HE'S JUST LEFT THE ROOM.

THIS MUSEUM COVERS A WIDE SPAN OF HISTORY FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH THE YEARS IN WORLD WAR II.

BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN RE-ELECTED TO FOUR TERMS AS AMERICA'S PRESIDENT.

THIS WAS A PRESIDENT WHO PROFOUNDLY CHANGED BOTH DOMESTIC LIFE FOR AMERICANS AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD.

HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE NATION TO TURN AWAY FROM AN ISOLATIONIST VIEW AND ENGAGING WITH THE WORLD.

AND DOMESTICALLY, IT INVOLVED -- THE EXHIBITION WAS CREATED DURING A MAJOR UNDERTAKING TO RETHINK AND REIMAGINE THE ENTIRE MUSEUM.

THE NEW DEAL WAS THE TERM COINED TO DESCRIBE THE WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT ROOSEVELT INITIATED TO COMBAT THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

EVERYTHING FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY TO SOCIAL SECURITY TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, TO THE NOTION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE A ROLE IN THE NATION'S ECONOMY, AND ENSURE A CERTAIN MEASURE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE TO ALL AMERICANS.

INCREASINGLY NOW, WE'RE GETTING VISITORS WHO DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS PERIOD FIRSTHAND.

SO THERE IS A REAL NEED TO RECAST THE WHOLE STORY OF THE ROOSEVELT ERA.

THE PERSONAL STORIES OF FRANKLIN AND ELLENOR ROOSEVELT AND THEIR TIMES.

DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO TELL THE STORY OF ELLENOR ROOSEVELT WAS TO WEAVE IT THROUGHOUT THE STORY OF THE ROOSEVELT PRESIDENCY.

SHE'S SO TIGHTLY INVOLVED WITH HER HUSBAND IN ALL OF THE INITIATIVES OF THE NEW DEAL AND N THE WORLD WAR II YEARS.

SO YOU FIND HER EVERYWHERE IN THIS EXHIBITION.

THE STORY OF FDR'S DISABILITY IS OBVIOUSLY KEY TO UNDERSTANDING HIM AS A PERSON.

WE HAVE OVER 100,000 PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE COLLECTIONS HERE AT THE ROOSEVELT LIBRARY.

BUT WE ONLY HAVE FOUR OF HIM IN THE WHEELCHAIR.

THERE WAS AN UNSPOKEN RULE THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE FILM OR PHOTOGRAPHY THAT SHOWED HIS DISABILITY.

IN 1921, FDR CONTRACTS POLIO AND HE REMAINS PARALYZED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

WE REALLY WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE OF THIS, HE HAD TO PUT TEN POUNDS ON HIS LEGS TO STAND AND HE WOULD HAVE TO SUPPORT HIS WEIGHT ON A CANE AND WALK AROUND WITH A STRONG COMPANION.

THEN HE WOULD PITCH HIS BODY FORWARD.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE WOULD BE SMILING AND LOOKING AROUND LIKE HE HADN'T A CARE IN THE WORLD.

IN FACT, HE WAS REALLY CONCENTRATING AS HE MOVED HIMSELF FORWARD.

WE HAVE HERE FDR'S 1936 FORD AUTOMOBILE.

THIS CAR WAS ESPECIALLY MODIFIED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC, SO THAT THE PRESIDENT COULD DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE USE OF HIS LEGS.

HE DROVE VERY FAST BY ALL ACCOUNTS.

IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL ACCOUNT FROM THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND WHEN SHE VISITED IN 1939, TALKING ABOUT HOW BRACING IT WAS TO RIDE WITH THE PRESIDENT.

WHAT WE TRIED TO DO HERE IN THIS NEW MUSEUM IS TO MIX THOSE TRADITIONAL THINGS THAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN A MUSEUM WITH ALL YOUR VISUAL PRODUCTIONS WITH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU CAN STEP INTO THE PAST.

VISITORS CAN LISTEN TO HIS FAMOUS FIRESIDE CHATS THE WAY PEOPLE LISTENED TO HIM AT THE TIME.

FDR COMES INTO THE OFFICE IN MARCH OF 1933, AND IN HIS VERY FIRST FIRESIDE CHURCH WAS HIS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE.

YOU CAN READ ABOUT THE PRESIDENT OR THE EVENTS IN WASHINGTON IN NEWSPAPERS.

BUT THE WAY YOU GOT THAT DIRECT CONNECTION WAS THROUGH THE RADIO.

>> WE HAVE PROVIDED THE MACHINERY TO RESTORE OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM.

LET US UNITE IN BANISHING FEAR.

TOGETHER, WE CANNOT FAIL.

>> HE'S TOUCHING PEOPLE IN A VERY POWERFUL WAY.

THEY'RE WRITING BACK TO HIM IN GREAT NUMBERS.

>> MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT -- >> THAT SPEECH LAST NIGHT -- >> THANK YOU.

>> THE FAITH YOU HAVE GIVEN US.

>> THIS WAS A PRESIDENT WHO INSPIRED GREAT AFFECTION AND LOVE, BUT ALSO A GREAT DEAL OF CRITICISM, AND EVEN HATRED AMONG HIS OPPONENTS.

IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE NOT JUST INCLUDE SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESIDENT, BUT ALSO SHOW HIS OPPONENTS, AS WELL.

THE SUBJECTS THAT WE LOOKED AT RANGED FROM FDR'S RESPONSE TO THE HOLOCAUST, TO HIS DECISION TO INTERN JAPANESE-AMERICANS DURING WORLD WAR II.

WE FOCUS ON SUBJECTS THAT WERE CONTROVERSIAL IN THEIR DAY AND STILL BEING DEBATED AMONG HISTORIANS.

THE LEGACY OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT IS SUCH A DIFFICULT THING TO PRESENT IN A SUCCINCT WAY.

ONE SAYS THAT WE ARE THE WORLD THAT FRANKLIN CREATED.

A MAJOR GOAL OF THIS EXHIBITION IS TO REACH OUT TO NEW GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS AND DRAW OUT THE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE STRUGGLES OF THE 1930s AND '40s AND ISSUES OF TODAY.

♪ >>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CULTURE EVENTS IN OUR AREA, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE WEEKLY EMAIL AT NYC-ARTS.ORG.

AND BE SURE TO CONNECT WITH "NYC ARTS" ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER.

S >> NEXT, WE VISIT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTS FOR A LOOK AT THE COLLECTION OF POST CAR WAR AND CONTEMPORARY WAR.

WE EXPLORE LARGE-SCALE ABSTRACT PAINTINGS, SCULPTURE AND ASSEMBLIAGE.

THE EXHIBIT SEEKS TO BROADEN THE NARRATIVE OF EXTRACTION, BRINGING TOGETHER 50 WORKS FROM THE METROPOLITAN'S OWN COLLECTION.

REPRESENTED HERE ARE SUCH ICONIC ARTISTS AS JACKSON POLLOCK, AS WELL AS CARMEN GRARA AND MARK BRADFORD.

THE CURATOR OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART EXPLORES ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES IN 20th CENTURY AMERICAN SCULPTURE.

♪ >> THIS SPECTACULAR SCULPTURE BEHIND ME IS TITLED "MRS. N'S PALACE" AND ONE OF THE GREAT WORKS BY LUIS NEVELSON.

IT DATES BACK IN TIME TO AS EARLY AS 1964.

IT WAS ASSEMBLED AS A UNIQUE WORK IN 1977.

THIS IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST WORKS, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN SEEN FOR MANY YEARS.

INSTALLING IT HERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE MET'S MODERN WING TOOK QUITE AN EFFORT BUT WAS WORTH IT.

THE WORK ITSELF IS COMPRISED OF ABOUT 130 INDIVIDUAL SCULPTURAL COLLA COLLAGES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO A LARGE BOX.

IT'S COMPRISED OF SCRAPS THAT SHE COLLECTED ACROSS THE CITY, CREATING THESE ABSTRACT, IN MANY CASES, RELIEF SCULPTURES, WHICH SHE THEN TREATS PRIMARILY BY PAINTING IN BLACK.

SHE DESCRIBED HER MATERIALS AS THE SKIN THAT NEW YORK HAS SHED, AND THAT SHE IS SKCAVENGING AND THEN GIVING NEW LIFE AND MAKING ART THAT IS ABOUT NEW YORK BUT ALSO OF NEW YORK.

IN MANY INSTANCES, HER ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL IS DISCERTAINIBLE WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT.

THERE ARE BOXES FROM FILING CABINETS AND FROM STAIRCASE WHERE IS SHE'S REPURPOSED ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE.

PARTS ARE HEAVY THIS APPEARANCE, AND EVEN SORT OF AGGRESSIVE IN EFFECT.

BUT OTHER PARTS ARE ELEGANT, THIN, WHIMSICAL EVEN.

IN OTHER INSTANCES, HER MATERIALS ARE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCERN AND REGISTER AS UNIQUE ABSTRACT SCULPTURE.

THE TITLE DERIVES FROM A COUPLE OF SOURCE.

ONE IS THE NICKNAME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SHE LIVED WAS MRS. N. AND PALACE IS EVOCATIVE.

SHE INTENDED THIS WORK TO BE HER IDEAL HABITAT OR A KIND OF SHRINE TO HERSELF.

THIS IS HER CREATING HER OWN UNIVERSE, AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S BASED ENTIRELY ON HER OWN SCULPTURAL PRACTICE AND HER VISION AS AN ARTIST, WHICH IN A WAY TIED WONDERFULLY TO HER DESIRE TO LIVE HER OWN LIFE ON HER OWN TERMS.

♪ CONVERSATION WITH THE CURATOR OF INSPIRING WALT DISNEY, THE ANIMATION OF FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS, NOW ON VIEW AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

>> I HAVE PULLED TOGETHER THIS EXHIBITION 18th CENTURY FRENCH DECORATIVE WORKS OF ART AND WALT DISNEY DECK RIGSS.

THERE WERE INFLUENCES OF FRENCH ART ON THOSE FILMS, AND SO MUCH MORE IN TERMS OF SIMILARITIES OF WORKSHOP PRACTICES, OF THE RHETORIC, AND INDEED, THIS ZEAL TO ANIMATE THE INANIMATE.

>> AND A VIZ IT TO THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM, AND ITS ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY, WHICH REPRESENTS 5,000 YEARS OF CHINESE ARTISTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT.

>> THE ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY IS SET UP ROUGHLY CHRONOLOGICALLY WITH THE EARLIEST MATERIAL AT ONE END, AND THE LATER MATERIAL AT THE OTHER END.

BUT THERE IS, IN FACT, A SPRINKLING OF CONTEMPORARY ART THROUGHOUT THE GALLERY.

>> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM THIS EVENING.

I'M PAULA ZAHN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING, AND HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME.

TO ENJOY MORE OF YOUR FAVORITE SEGMENTS ON "NYC ARTS," VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT NYC-ARTS.ORG.

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "NYC ARTS."

I'M PAULA ZAHN.

>> ♪ >> WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU.

>> I LOVE BEING WITH YOU TOO, PAULA.

>> WE'RE IN A MOMENT TO TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.

>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH THE CURATOR OF THIS EXHIBITION FULL OF HOPE.

♪ ♪ >>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY TEA PETCHIK FOUNDATION, THE LEWIS SONNY TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, ELISE JAFFREY AND JEFFREY BROWN, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION, ELROY AND TERRY CRUMBHOLZ FOUNDATION.

AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS FIRST THINGS FIRST.

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY, THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP, RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE, BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY -- >> SWAN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS, OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941, WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU'RE A LIFELONG