♪ >>> COMING UP ON "NYC-ARTS" -- A CONVERSATION WITH THE CURATOR OF INSPIRING WALT DISNEY, THEN MAGS OF FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS.

NONYOU VIEW AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

>> I HAVE PUT TOGETHER 18th CENTURY FRENCH DECORATIVE WORKS OF ART AND WALT DISNEY HAND DRAWN ANIMATION.

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

>>> AND A VISIT TO THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM AND ITS ART OF CHINA GALLERY, WHICH REPRESENT 5S,000 YEARS OF CHINESE ARTISTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT.

>> THIS 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 GALLERIES.

>> 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 PHILIPPE de MONTEBELLO, ON LOCATION AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

CURRENTLY ON VIEW IS AN EXHIBITION THAT IS THE FIRST-EVER OF ITS KIND FOR THE MET, CALLED "INSPIRING WALT DISNEY, THE ANIMATION OF FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS," WHICH YOU SEE IN THESE GALLERIES.

AND IT REVEALS WALT DISNEY'S PERSONAL FASCINATION WITH EUROPEAN ART, AND THE USE OF FRENCH MOTIFS IN DISNEY FILMS AND THEME PARKS.

60 WORKS OF 18th CENTURY EUROPEAN DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN, FROM TAPESTRIES AND FURNITURE TO CLOCKS AND PORCELAIN, ARE FEATURED ALONGSIDE 150 PRODUCTION ARTWORKS AND WORKS ON PAINER FROM THE WALT DISNEY ANIMATION RESEARCH LIBRARY.

WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES IMAGING COLLECTIONS, ARCHIVES AND FAMILY MUSEUM.

THE EXHIBITION ALSO SHOWS THE INFLUENCE OF EUROPEAN VISUAL CULTURE IN DISNEY ANIMATED FILMS, INCLUDING VITAL ARCHITECTURE IN "CINDERELLA" IN 1950, AND INFLUENCES IN "SLEEPING BEAUTY," 1959.

AND ROCOCO INSPIRED OBJECTS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" IN 1991.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE CURATOR OF THIS UNIQUE EXHIBITION.

SO, IT IS AN IMMENSE PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE IN THIS GALLERY, AND THE EXHIBITION OF DISNEY.

AND BEHIND YOU ARE THREE FRENCH 18th CENTURY CLOCKS.

BEHIND ME IS FRENCH 18th CENTURY PORCELAIN.

AND IT IS NOT FRANKLY OBVIOUS THAT THESE OBJECTS WOULD SOMEHOW HAVE A CONNECTION TO DISNEY.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN, THAT YOU LINKED THE TWO?

>> WELL, VERY GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A REAL LIGHTBULB MOMENT.

I HAVE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THIS EXHIBITION TO SUBJECT I WAS INTERESTED IN ALL MY LIFE, 18th CENTURY FRENCH DECORATIVE WORKS OF ART AND WALT DISNEY HAND DRAWN ANIMATION.

SO I LOOKED INTO SOME OF THE FRENCH FAIRYTALES THAT HE RETOLD IN ANIMATION AND REALIZED THAT ACTUALLY THERE WERE SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES OF FRENCH ART ON THOSE FILMS.

AND AS I WAS LOOKING AT THESE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION, I THEN REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE IN TERMS OF SIMILARITIES OF WORKSHOP PRACTICES AND, INDEED, THIS ZEAL TO ANIMATE THE INANIMATE.

>> WHEN YOU SEE THE AUDIENCES WHO COME, DO THEY TEND TO BE OLDER?

>> WELL, THE WONDERFUL THING IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY WIDE ARRAY OF AGES.

ACTUALLY, ALL AGES WE HAVE SEEN AT THE EXHIBITION.

SO IT HAS, YES, AN APPEAL THAT GOES BEYOND CERTAIN GENERATIONS.

SO "CINDERELLA" WHICH RAS RELEASED AFTER WORLD WAR II IN 1950 IS A FILM THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO KNOW.

BUT THEY SEE AND UNDERSTAND THESE WERE ALL DONE BY HAND.

SOMEONE SAT DOWN WITH A LARGE STACK OF PAPER DRAWING CINDERELLA BIT BY BIT.

24 DRAWINGS FOR ONE SECOND OF ANIMATION.

FOR WHEN IT COMES TO ANIMATION, YOU HAVE ONE LEAD ANIMATOR.

HE'S GOING TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE ANIMATION, SORT OF SET IT ALL OUT.

AND THEN THERE'S THE IN TWEENERS, WHO WILL FILL GAPS SO THAT YOU HAVE 24 DRAWINGS FOR ONE SECOND OF ANIMATION.

THESE ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE PIECE OF PAINER TO A PLASTIC SHEET, A CELLULOID, AND THEN PAINTED OVER AND FILLED IN, AND PUT IN FRONT OF THE BACKGROUND, AND THEN FILMED, YOU KNOW, SHOT BY SHOT.

SO FOR A FILM LIKE "CINDERELLA" YOU WOULD NEED 500,000 OF THESE DRAWINGS.

>> ARTISTS AND I GATHER THAT A G GREAT MANY OF THEM WERE WOMEN.

>> YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WE SEE A VERY INTERESTING CHANGE IN THE 1930s AND '40s AT THE DISNEY STUDIOS.

ORIGINALLY, THE STUDIOS WERE DIVIDED UP BETWEEN MEN DOING THE MAJORITY OF THE CREATIVE WORK IN TERMS OF STORY TELLING, DEVELOPING THE STORIES AND DEVELOPING THE CHARACTERS.

GRADUALLY, OF COURSE, DISNEY REALIZED THERE WERE SOME VERY CREATIVE WOMEN OUT THERE WHO COULD HELP HIM TELL HIS STORIES, AND WE'RE ILLUSTRATING THEIR WORK IN THE EXHIBITION, MOST NOTELY LY MARY BLAIR.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT WALT DISNEY.

TELL US ABOUT HIS BACK GROUND, HIS FIRST TRIPS TO EUROPE AND HOW HE DISCOVERED WHAT WAS HIS LIGHTBULB REACTION.

>> SO DISNEY WAS BORN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY AND GREW UP IN RURAL MISSOURI UNDER RATHER TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES.

HE REALLY IS THIS FIGURE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.

HE GREW UP REALLY HAVING NOTHING.

SO HE WAS -- SOMEONE PRESENTED HIM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHIP OUT TO FRANCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF WORLD WAR I, WHERE HE WAS A RED CROSS AMBULANCE DRIVER.

HE ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON THE FOURTH OF DECEMBER, THE 5th OF DECEMBER WAS HIS 17th BIRTHDAY AND HE HAD TO PAWN HIS SHOES TO MY GRENADINE FOR HIS 17th BIRTHDAY.

SO HE RETURNS TO AMERICA ABOUT NINE MONTHS LATER, AND IS A COMPLETELY CHANGED MAN AND WANTS TO BECOME A CARTOONIST.

BUT THEN HE FOUNDS THE STUDIO IN 1923 AT THE ABLE OF 22.

BY 1935, HE'S A GLOBAL SENSATION.

SO HE GOES BACK TO EUROPE ON A GRAND TOUR THAT COVERS ENGLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, AND ITALY.

AND WHILE IN PARIS, GOES TO VERSAILLES.

AND IN THE EXHIBITION, WE HAVE THIS FILM FOOTAGE SHOT BY HIMSELF, SHOOTING HIS FAMILY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SPACE BECAME A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

♪ >> I THINK PERHAPS EXPANDING ON WHAT EXACTLY IS ROCOCO FOR THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE GOOD SH >> SO IT'S A PANNED EUROPEAN STYLE THAT WAS BORN IN PARIS IN THE 1720s, AND OFTEN HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A SORT OF LIGHT REACTION OF A FRENCH DESIGNERS BREAKING WITH THE RIGIDITY OF THE CLASSICAL STYLE.

SO IT'S ALL ABOUT LIGHT COLORS, LIGHT FORMS.

PINK, VERY IMPORTANT ROCOCO COLOR.

TRUE OBSESSION WITH THE COLOR PINK.

ASYMMETRY.

AND REALLY BREATHING LIFE INTO THE FRENCH INTERIOR OF THE MID 18th CENTURY.

WHAT IS NICE IN TERMS OF COMPARING THE STYLE OF ROCOCO WITH DISNEY ANIMATION IS THAT IT SPEAKS TO OUR NOTIONS THAT SPEAKS TO OUR FEELINGS RATHER THAN OUR INTELLECT.

>> DEFINE THE WORD, IF YOU WOULD.

>> SO IT'S OUR PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ATTRIBUTE HUMAN PROPERTIES TO NONHUMAN ENTITIES.

SO WE HAVE A TEAPOT THAT LOOKS LIKE A PERSON, WE HAVE A CLOCK THAT LOOKS OR ACTS LIKE A PERSON.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT RUNS BOTH THROUGH 18th CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS, BUT ALSO 18th CENTURY LITERATURE.

IN THE SPACE WHERE WE'RE SITTING NOW, WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THESE OBJECTS, BRINGING TOGETHER THE DISNEY SKETCHES THAT ALSO EVADE THEMSELVES OF THE LINGUISTIC TERMS WE USE TO DESCRIBE THESE OBJECTS WHICH BORROW FROM THE ANATOMY OF ARMS.

A KABLDZCANDLE STICK HAS ARMS, K HAS A FACE.

SO NOT ONLY DID DISNEY ANIMATORS USE HISTORIC SOURCES AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD TO STREAMLINE THEM, BUT 18th CENTURY CRAFTS PEOPLE TRIED TO BREATHE LIFE INTO THE OBJECTS THEY DESIGNED.

SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT DISNEY, ONE QUESTION YOU ASK YOURSELF, WE LOOK AT AN ARTIST LIKE DISNEY, WHAT DID HE COLLECT?

IT'S NOT LIKE HE, IN HIS HOUSE, SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH GREAT WORKS OF ART AND FURNITURE.

HOWEVER, WHAT HE DID COLLECT WERE MINIATURE PIECES OF FURNITURE.

HE ACCUMULATED ABOUT A THOUSAND OF THOSE.

HE WAS INSPIRED BY A VISIT TO THE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION IN 1939 IN SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE HE AND SEVERAL OF HIS STUDIO ARTISTS SAW THE PRODUCT OF THE WORKSHOP OF MRS. NARISSA, WHO CREATED THESE MINIATURE INTERIORS, WHICH WERE INCREDIBLY ACCURATE -- >> WHICH ARE AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO.

>> AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY THEY LENT US ONE OF THOSE.

THEY ARE BUILT INTO THE WALLS THERE.

SO THEY DON'T NORMALLY TRAVEL.

>> THEY ARE ASTONISHING.

>> WHAT IS SO BRILLIANT ABOUT HAVING THE EXHIBITION IS IT SHOWS WHAT DISNEY TRIED TO DO WITH HIS FILMS.

YOUR FIND TRAVELS.

SBH WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO IS GIVE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE IN THE '30s IS TO SEE THESE SPACES AND LET THEIR IMAGINATION RUN FREE.

♪ >> THERE IS ALSO A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK WITH DISNEY THAT IS BASED ON THE GOTHIC REVIVAL ALSO.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> SO PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED OF ALL DISNEY ANIMATED FAIRYTALES IS "SLEEPING BEAUTY" WRITTEN AT THE DAWN OF THE 18th CENTURY.

WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN, IT WAS INSPIRED BY A VISIT TO THIS LATE MEDIEVAL, HIGH GOTHIC CASTLE.

AND WHEN DISNEY STARTED WORKING ON "SLEEPING BEAUTY," ONE OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT ARTISTS, JOHN HINCH, CAME TO NEW YORK AND VISITED THE CLOISTERS, AND HE SAW THE UNICORN TAPESTRIES AND RUSHED BACK TO LOS ANGELES AND SAID TO DISNEY, WOULDN'T THAT BE A WONDERFUL ESTHETIC TEMPLATE FOR OUR TELLING THE STORY OF SLEEPING BEAUTY" SET IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

SO THEY SET OUT TO CREATE THE ILLUSION OF BRINGING A TAPESTRY TO LIFE.

YOU CAN SEE ALSO ALL THE WATER COLORS, PAINTINGS, ET CETERA, THAT WERE DONE IN PREPARATION FOR THE FILM DEEPLY ROOTED IN MEDIEVAL SOURCES.

>> THE MET ITSELF OWNS WORKS BY WALT DISNEY.

AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IN THE LATE 1930s, WALT DISNEY GAVE A WATER COLOR, I THINK IT IS TWO VULTURES, AND AT THE TIME, I THINK THE QUESTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN ASKED, IS IT ART?

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT TODAY?

>> WELL, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, AT THE TIME I THINK THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE WAS, YES, IT IS ART.

AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS 80 YEARS AGO, THE QUESTION IS STILL RAISED TODAY.

DISNEY PRESENTED THE VULTURES TO THE MET IN 1938, AND MADE A HUGE SPLASH IN THE PRESS.

WHICH OVERWHELMINGLY THE PRESS WAS QUITE POSITIVE.

IT'S QUITE INTERESTING, BECAUSE THEY SAID THINGS LIKE NONE OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM TRUSTEES THREATENED TO QUICK, AND THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM SUSPECT BLUSHING ABOUT IT.

SO THAT WAS GREAT WHEN I WAS MAKING THE CASE TO DO THIS EXHIBITION, BECAUSE I COULD GO UPSTAIRS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MUSEUM AND SAY, WELL, IF IT'S OKAY IN 1938, SURELY IT MUST BE OKAY IN 2021.

>> IT'S BEEN A GREAT PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU.

IT'S BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING, AND WOLF, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE US.

♪ >>> NEXT, WE TRAVEL TO THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM TO VISIT THE ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY.

IT REPRESENTS 5,000 YEARS OF CHINESE ARTISTIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THEY INCLUDE BRONZES, CERAMICS, PAINTINGS, AND SELECTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS.

THE INFORMATION CURRENTLY FEATURES MORE THAN 130 WORKS.

CONTEMPORARY ART IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS DISPLAY.

SINCE 2014, THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM HAS ACQUIRED OVER 50 CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES BY ARTISTS OF CHINESE DESCENT.

THE EXPERIMENTAL INK PAINTINGS ON VIEW CHALLENGE AND TRANSFORM CHINA'S TRADITIONAL ARTISTIC PRACTICES.

THEY RESPOND TO PRESENT DAY CONCERNS, SUCH AS URBANIZATION, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, AND THE RAPID PACE OF CHINESE MODERNIZATION.

>> THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM IS EXCITED TO WELCOME VISITORS TO OUR NEWLY REINSTALLED ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY.

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.

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

THIS MAGNIFICENT JAR, WITH A DECORATION OF FISH ON IT, IS ONE OF THE GREAT MASTERPIECES OF THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM.

IT IS FROM A PERIOD WHEN THEY HAD REALLY MASTERED THE ART OF DECORATING IN COBALT BLUE.

BUT THEY HAD NOT YET FOUND A SOURCE OF COBALT IN CHINA, SO IT HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.

THE FISH ARE, IN FACT, SO WELL PAINTED THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE THE FOUR SPECIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED, AND IF ONE SEAYS THEIR NAMES IN CHINESE IN THE ORDER THEY APPEAR ON THE JAR, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING OUT LOUD, HONEST AND INCORRUPTIBLE.

SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS JAR WAS ACTUALLY MADE FOR A CHINESE CONSUMER, SOMEBODY WHO WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE PUN, WHICH IS UNUSUAL, BECAUSE MOST BLUE AND WHITE CERAMICS IN THIS PERIOD WERE MADE FOR EXPORT.

EASTER TO THE MIDDLE EAST OR SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM HAS AN UNUSUALLY LARGE COLLECTION OF CHINESE OBJECTS.

THE PIECE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS CALLED A CHAMPION VASE.

IT'S A SHAPE THAT WAS OFTEN USED AS A SORT OF TROPHY CUP OR REWARD THAT WAS GIVEN TO HEROES IN BATTLE TO CELEBRATE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MILITARY.

AND THIS DOUBLE VASE SHAPE IS SOMETHING THAT WAS USED IN ANTIQUITY TO HOLD ARROWS.

OURS IS FAR MORE DECORATIVE THAN THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO HOLD ARROWS.

IT HAS A WONDERFUL FALCON, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, A VERY BOLD, STRONG BIRD ON THE FRONT.

STANDING ON ONE FOOT, AND THEN THE WHOLE BODY OF THE VASE IS COVERED IN DECORATIVE PATTERN OF THIS IN BEAUTIFUL BLUE AND VIOLET AND PINK AND WHITE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST OBJECTS IN THE ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT MASTERPIECES OF THE COLLECTION.

IT IS A WINE POURING VESSEL THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED PRIMARILY IN RITUAL SITUATIONS.

IT DATES TO ABOUT 1100 BC.

SO IT'S QUITE OLD, AND IT'S BEAUTIFULLY, BEAUTIFULLY MADE.

IT'S JUST COVERED WITH PATTERNING AND WITH ANIMALS THAT ARE MORPHING INTO EACH OTHER.

AND THE WHOLE THING IS SHAPED KIND OF LIKE A DRAGON WITH THIS SORT OF SNAGLE TOOTH GRIN.

AND WHEN YOU POURED IT, THE WINE WOULD COME OUT FROM BETWEEN THE TEETH OF THE ANIMAL.

THE SHAPE WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE IN CHINA FOR ONLY A BRIEF TIME.

IT'S QUITE AN UNUSUAL SHAPE.

AND AMONG OBJECTS OF THIS SHAPE, THIS IS CONSIDERED A REALLY FABULOUS EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THE QUALITY OF THE FINISH IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

INSTALLED HERE, OUR WONDERFUL WINE VESSEL IS THIS WONDERFUL PIECE BY THE NEW YORK BASED ARTIST.

IT IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, A BRONZE VERSION OF A McDONALD'S BURGER BOX FRY CONTAINER AND FORK.

IT'S VERY MUCH THE ARTIST'S TAKE ON AMERICAN CULTURE.

THE RITUAL BRONZES ON WHICH IS DECORATION IS BASED, WHEN USED IN WORSHIPPING THE ANCESTORS, THEY WERE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE AND SERIOUSNESS.

HERE HE CREATES SOMETHING THAT'S ABSOLUTELY A THROWAWAY OBJECT, USED FOR FOOD THAT YOU EAT ON THE RUN, THAT HAS NO REAL RITUAL SIGNIFICANCE WHATSOEVER.

TO REMIND US OF HOW SORT OF SHALLOW THE EXPERIENCE OF EATING FAST FOOD CAN BE BY COMPARISON WITH THESE MUCH MORE RITUALIZED MEALS THAT TOOK PLACE IN ANCIENT CHINA.

IN AND AROUND THE ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY ARE QUITE A NUMBER OF CONTEMPORARY WORKS THAT REFER TO THE ANCIENT CHINESE PRACTICE OF INK PAINTING.

THE PIECE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS A VERY OVERT REFERENCE TO A CHINESE LANDSCAPE HAND SCROLL.

THIS IS A PAINTING THAT PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT BY UNROLLING GRADUALLY, AND IT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO TRAVEL THROUGH A LANDSCAPE VISUALLY.

AND THIS IS A TIME HONORED FORMAT FOR CHINESE PAINTING, BUT HERE IT'S DONE NOT IN PAINT, BUT IN PHOTO MONTAGE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THE MOUNTAINS AND TREES ARE ACTUALLY COMPOSED OF SKYSCRAPERS AND ELECTRICAL TOWERS.

AND THAT SOME OF THE ROCKS ARE DERELICT FERRIS WHEELS.

THE WHOLE PIECE IS VERY MUCH THE YOUNG ARTIST'S TAKE ON THE CHINESE TREATMENT OF THE LANDSCAPE TODAY.

THERE ARE SO MANY PIECES IN THE ARTS OF CHINA GALLERY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM THAT WE HAVE NOT SHOWN HERE TODAY.

AND I INVITE VISITORS TO COME AND DISCOVER THEM FOR THEMSELVES.

♪ >> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM THIS EVENING.

I'M PHILIPPE de MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>>> NEXT WEEK ON "NYC-ARTS," A PROFILE OF ARTIST JEFFREY GIBSON, WHOSE CERAMICS, SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS ARE INFLUENCED BY CHEROKEE AND CHOKTAW TRADITIONS.

>> YOU SEE HOW THIS KIND OF SUBJECTIVE COMPREHENSION OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU, THAT IS AN ESTIMATED GUESS.

>> A VISIT TO THE MARITIME COLLECTION T THE CULTURE CENTER ON STATEN ISLAND.

>> OUR MISSION IS TO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE AND TRADITIONS OF NEW YORK HARBOR, AND WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE MODERN WATERFRONT.

>> AND A LOOK AT ONE OF THE TREASURES IN THE COLLECTION OF THE AMERICAN FOLK ART FMUSEUM.

>> THIS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTWORKS IN THE COLLECTION.

IN PART, BECAUSE OF ITS EERIE BEAUTY AND THE SENSE OF QUIETNESS IN THE FIGURE'S FACE, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT AT ODDS WITH THE STRANGE MARKINGS ON THE SCALP.

IT'S EXQUISITE AS A WORK OF ART AND HAS ELEMENT TO THE ARTIST'S OWN STORY.

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

>>> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO "NYC-ARTS."

I'M PAULA ZAHN.

>> I'M PHILIPPE de MONTEBELLO AT THE STUDIOS AT LINCOLN CENTER.

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

>> I LOVE BEING WITH YOU TOO, PAULA.

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

WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF SOME OF THE GREATEST SCULPTURES BY THE ICONIC NAMES.

>> CLASSICAL AND MODERN DANCE ARE EXTREMELY DIFFERENT, AND I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN BEFORE I CAN ARTICULATE THE DIFFERENCES.

♪ ♪ >>> 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 COLLECTOR, FIRST-TIME BUYER OR LOOKING TO SELL, INFORMATION AT SWANGALLERIES.COM.