♪ >>> COMING UP ON "NYC-ARTS," A TRIP TO THE MET AND ART OF NATIVE AMERICA, THE CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER COLLECTION, WHICH REPRESENTS MORE THAN 50 NORTH AMERICAN CULTURES.

>> NATIVE AMERICAN ART IS FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.

EXHIBITIONS LIKE THIS ARE MEANT TO MOVE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THAT IDEA THAT ALL NATIVE PEOPLES ARE THE SAME, HOMOGENEOUS.

THEY WERE NOT AT ANY TIME, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT TODAY.

>> THE PROFILE OF THE AUDUBON MURAL PROJECT WHOSE MISSION IS TO CALL ATTENTION TO AT-RISK BIRDS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND A VISIT TO THE HARLEM STUDIO OF ARTIST FAITH RINGGOLD.

>> THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO I ASSOCIATE WITH MY LIFE GROWING UP IN HARLEM, THE MUSICIANS, THE ARTISTS, THE POLITICIANS, ALL THESE TRULY GREAT PEOPLE.

>>> FUNDING FOR "NYC-ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, THE PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ 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.

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 SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

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

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU ARE A LIFE-LONG COLLECTOR OR A FIRST-TIME BUYER, OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANN GALLERIES.COM.

♪ >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "NYC-ARTS."

I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT FRICK MADISON, THE TEMPORARY HOME OF THE FRICK COLLECTION.

LOCATED AT MADISON AND 75th STREET, MOST RECENTLY THE SITE OF THE MET BREUER, THE COLLECTION WILL RESIDE HERE WHILE ITS HISTORIC BUILDINGS ON EAST 70th STREET UNDERGO RENOVATION.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FOREMOST COLLECTION OF EUROPEAN ARTS AND DECORATIVE FINE ARTS, THE FRICK'S HOLDINGS HAVE GROWN OVER THE DECADES, MORE THAN DOUBLING ITS SIZE SINCE THE OPENING OF THE MUSEUM IN 1935.

THE COLLECTION ORIGINATED WITH INDUSTRIALIST HENRY CLAY FRICK, WHO BEQUEATHED HIS GILDED AGE MANSION ALONG WITH ITS PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND DECORATIVE ARTS TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT.

CURRENTLY ON VIEW IS THE SPECIAL EXHIBITION THE EVEILLARD GIFT.

IT REPRESENTS THE LARGEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT PROMISED GIFT OF DRAWINGS AND PASTELS IN THE FRICK COLLECTION'S HISTORY.

OVER THE PAST 45 YEARS, BETTY AND JEAN-MARIE EVEILLARD HAVE ASSEMBLED AN OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF EUROPEAN WORKS ON PAPER RANGING IN DATE FROM THE END OF THE 15th CENTURY TO THE 20th CENTURY AND REPRESENTING ARTISTS WORKING IN FRANCE, BRITAIN, ITALY, SPAIN, AND THE NETHERLANDS.

THE GIFT INCLUDES 26 OF THESE WORKS, 18 DRAWINGS, 5 PASTELS, 2 PRINTS AND ONE OIL SKETCH.

ALONG WITH PREPARATORY FIGURATIVE SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS ARE TWO VIVID LANDSCAPE SCENES.

AS FITTING ADDITIONS ORDERISTS REPRESENTED INCLUDE BOUCHER, DEGAS, FRAGONARD, GOYA, AND MILLET.

THE GROUP ALSO INTRODUCES THE FRICK'S HOLDINGS WORKS BY ARTIST THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN ITS PRIMARY AREAS OF COLLECTING.

THEY INCLUDE GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE, MAURICE QUENTIN DE LA TOUR, JAN LIEVENS, JOHN SINGER SARGENT, AND ELISABETH VIGEE LE BRUN.

THE EVEILLARD GIFT WILL BE ON VIEW THROUGH FEBRUARY 26th.

MUSEUMS HAVE LONG BENEFITTED FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY FORESIGHT OF UNTREND COLLECTORS.

TODAY CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER CONTINUE THIS TRADITION.

IN 2016, THEY PROMISED THEIR COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL NATIVE AMERICAN ARTWORK TO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

NOW ON VIEW IS ART OF NATIVE AMERICA, THE CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER COLLECTION.

THE COLLECTION OF 116 OBJECTS REPRESENTS MORE THAN 50 NORTH AMERICAN CULTURES AND IS PRESENTED IN THE MET'S AMERICAN WING.

ITS PRESENCE HERE OFFERS A NEW INTERPRETATION OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AN EXPANSION OF WHO IS INCLUDED IN ITS NARRATIVE.

THE EXHIBITION WAS CURATED BY GAYLORD TORRENCE OF THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART IN KANSAS CITY.

AND THIS WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH NATIVE AMERICAN SCHOLARS AND CULTURAL LEADERS.

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I THINK ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION, OTHER THAN THE CELEBRATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN ART AND THE ARTISTS THAT CREATED THESE WORKS IS THE FACT THAT IT IS BEING SHOWN, THESE WORKS ARE BEING SHOWN IN THE AMERICAN WING, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS MUSEUM SINCE THE WING OPENED IN 1924.

SO IT'S MOMENTOUS MOVEMENT IN TERMS OF RECOGNIZING NATIVE AMERICAN ART AS FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.

EXHIBITIONS LIKE THIS ARE MEANT TO MOVE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THAT IDEA THAT ALL NATIVE PEOPLES ARE THE SAME, HOMOGENEOUS.

THEY WERE NOT AT ANY TIME, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT TODAY.

IT'S NOT CHRONOLOGICAL, AND WE DID DECIDE TO LAY IT OUT BY GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THESE CULTURE AREAS DID NOT HAVE FIRM BOUNDARIES.

WE ENDEAVORED IN THE GALLERY DESIGN TO KEEP THINGS OPEN AND PERMEABLE AND VISIBLE SO THAT ALMOST ANYWHERE YOU STAND WITHIN THESE GALLERIES, YOU'RE PERHAPS IN A CULTURALLY RELATED AREA, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO OTHER AREAS AS WELL, SUGGESTING A GREATER UNIVERSEALITY.

MOST OF THESE OBJECTS WERE CREATED WITHIN THE BACKDROP OF COLONIZATION, WHICH MAKES THE ACHIEVEMENT EVEN GREATER.

I FIND THE PAWNEE WAR CLUB TO BE ONE OF THE MOST ASTONISHING OBJECTS IN THE DIKER COLLECTION.

FIRST OF ALL, JUST SCULPTURAL WORK, IT'S SUBLIME.

IT IS A FUNCTIONAL WEAPON.

IT WAS CARRIED TO WAR, BUT IT WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF ARTISTIC SUPPRESSION.

FOR THE OWNER THIS CLUB WAS INVESTED WITH A GREAT DEAL OF SPIRITUAL POWER.

THE DESIGNS ON ONE SIDE CONSIST OF SOME ZIGZAG LINES AT THE TOP, THEN A CIRCLE WITH A SINGLE SHARP ZIGZAG LINE EMANATING FROM THAT, THE FULL LENGTH OF THE CLUB.

THESE ARE GENERALLY KNOWN TO BE SYMBOLS OF POWER.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE CIRCLE AND THE SINGLE LINE MAY REPRESENT THUNDER AND ONE STRIKE OF LIGHTNING.

ON THE OTHER SIDE IS I THINK THE MOST AMAZING DESIGN I'VE EVER SEEN ON A NATIVE AMERICAN WAR CLUB.

IT'S COVERED WITH STARS LIKE THE NIGHT SKY, INCLUDING THE CONSTELLATION PLEIDES.

WE BELIEVE THE CLUB COMES FROM THE PAWNEE BECAUSE STARS WERE SO IMPORTANT IN PAWNEE RELIGION.

THE MASS OF OBJECTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING IMAGES THAT ONE CAN IMAGINE.

THIS PARTICULAR MASK, AND I WOULD SAY MOST UPIC MASKS REPRESENT THE PREY ANIMALS THAT THEY DEPENDED ON FOR THEIR SURVIVAL.

THESE MASKS WERE WORN IN ANNUAL CEREMONIES.

IN THE DANCES, THEY WERE INTENDED TO THANK THE ANIMALS THAT HAD GIVEN THEMSELVES IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONTINUOUS FLOW OF NEW LIFE.

IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT THESE MASKS REPRESENT SOMETHING CALLED UA, WHICH IS PROBABLY EASIEST TRANSLATED AS THE ONGOING SOUL.

WHEN YOU SEE AN IMAGE OF A FISH OR A SEAL OR A BIRD, IT DOESN'T REPRESENT SPECIFIC CREATURES.

IT REPRESENTS ALL OF THOSE OF THAT GENUS THAT HAVE EVER LIVED OR WILL LIVE IN THE FUTURE.

SO THE MASK IS TIMELESS IN THAT RESPECT.

AND IT PLACES THE UPIC PEOPLE IN A TIMELESS RELATION WITH ALL OF THE ANIMALS WITH HOME WITH THEY SHARE THEIR WORLD.

STANDING BEAR WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN.

HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME.

THAT WAS IN 1876.

IN THE 1880s, STANDING BEAR WENT TO EUROPE WITH BUFFALO BILL'S WILD WEST SHOW.

HE MET AN AUSTRIAN WOMAN.

THEY FELL IN LOVE.

HE MARRIED HER, BROUGHT HER BACK TO PINE RIDGE RESERVATION, AND STANDING BEAR BEGAN TO DEVELOP HIS ART.

HE BASICALLY TRIED TO BRING TOGETHER IN THIS PAINTING SIX DIFFERENT EPISODES THAT HE REMEMBERED.

NOW THEY DIDN'T ALL HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME, BUT WITHIN THE TRADITION OF WARRIOR ART, STANDING BEAR REPRESENTED THEM ALL AS THOUGH THEY WERE OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE ARE HORSES THAT ARE BEING RUN OFF, SEPARATED, LEAVING THE SOLDIERS ON FOOT.

THERE IS A DEPICTION OF A GROUP OF SOLDIERS THAT RAN DOWN FROM THE HILL AND WERE KILLED IN A RAVINE.

ANOTHER GROUP OF SOLDIERS TRIED TO BREAK AWAY ON HORSEBACK, RIDING BACK TO THE SOUTH.

THEY WERE OVERTAKEN AND KILLED.

AND THEN THERE IS THE FINAL BATTLE ON THE HILL, INCLUDING A DEPICTION OF CUSTER HIMSELF.

THEY ALL ARE GREAT KIND OF SWEEPING BATTLE AMERICAS LIKE ONE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN THE GREAT PAINTING, BATTLE PAINTINGS AND TAPESTRIES IN EUROPE, WHICH HE UNDOUBTEDLY SAW.

CARRIE BETHEL WAS A MASTER BASKET MAKER.

SHE WAS PROMINENT IN THE 1920s AND '30s IN CALIFORNIA.

THIS PARTICULAR PIECE WAS HER FIRST ATTEMPT TO CREATE A BASKET OF THAT SCALE.

IT TOOK HER THREE YEARS.

MAYBE THE BEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT IN THAT BASKET IS TO THINK ABOUT IT FIRST IN RELATION TO THE MATERIALS, WHICH REQUIRED AN ENORMOUS BODY OF EXPERT KNOWLEDGE IN TERMS OF KNOWING WHICH PLANTS TOGETHER, HOW TO PREPARE THEM BEFORE THE BASKET WAS EVER BEGUN.

A BASKET OF THAT KIND IS CREATED USING A COIL TECHNIQUE, WHICH BEGINS IN THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM.

AND THEN STARTED UPWARD AND OUTWARD TO FORM THE SIDES OF THE OBJECT.

AND THEN AT A CERTAIN POINT, THE MID POINT, BEGAN TO CURVE INWARD TO REACH ITS FINAL FORM.

THERE WAS NO REVISION POSSIBLE.

SHE SIMPLY WOVE IT FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

AND WHEN YOU SEE THE PERFECTION IN THAT FORM, IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THAT TWO-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN TO THE VOLUMEETRIC SHAPE OF THE OBJECT AND ULTIMATELY THE KIND OF TENSION THAT FORM HOLDS, THE ACHIEVEMENT IS VISIBLE AND AMAZING.

THE OBJECTIVE IN PRESENTING THESE OBJECTS IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IS TO RESPECT THEM AS WORKS OF ART, AS SOPHISTICATED AND BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS.

♪ >>> DESPITE LIVING IN A METROPOLIS OF SKYSCRAPERS AND TRAFFIC, NEW YORKERS CAN STILL CATCH THE SOUND 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, AVI GETLER, A GALLERY OWNER TEAMED UP WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY.

TOGETHER, THEY LAUNCHED THE AUDUBON MURAL PROJECT.

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

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

I ASKED THE ONE FINE ARTIST I KNEW WHO DID QUOTE, UNQUOTE STREET ART TO PAINT A MURAL ON THE ADJACENT GATES TO THIS ART GALLERY.

AND HE IS FROM FLORIDA.

AND HE SAID TO ME, I'M GOING TO PAINT A FLAMINGO FOR YOU, BECAUSE I'M FROM FLORIDA.

I'M GOING TO BRING SOME FLORIDA FLAVOR.

R. AND I MADE THE CONNECTION, JAMES AUDUBON, BIRDS.

THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.

GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THREATENED BIRDS, BEAUTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUT LET'S BE A LITTLE MORE AMBITIOUS.

LET'S NOT DO A DOZEN BIRDS.

LET'S DO ALL 314 THREATENED BIRDS, MURALS OF ALL OF THEM ON GATES AND WALLS ALL OVER THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WE MADE THE DECISION TO PAINT FROM APPROXIMATELY 135th STREET WEST TO 193th STREET, WHICH IS THE END OF AUDUBON AVENUE.

AND THERE IS NO GREAT LOGIC TO IT, BUT WE SORT OF THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO KEEP THE PROJECT UPTOWN.

PICKING THE LOCATIONSIS A BIT OF 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 OF SOME SORT OF FIX, SOME SORT OF IMPROVEMENT.

SO THE BIG WALLS WE'VE PAINTED ALL HAD CRUMBLING PAINT AND REALLY WERE IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR.

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

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

WE WORK WITH 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'VE PAINTED ABOUT 70 BIRDS SO FAR.

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

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME WHILE AN ARTIST PAINTS, AND THEY'RE ENGAGED IN THE ARTIST AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISTRACTING.

BUT THE POSITIVE IS THEY'RE ENGAGING THE ARTISTS AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE PROJECT.

AND THEY'RE LEARNING NOT JUST ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING, THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT ART.

I'M FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORIGINALLY, AND I WANTED PEOPLE UP TOWN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS ART THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE TO GO TO CHELSEA OR THE LOWER EAST SIDE OR MAYBE PARTS OF BROOKLYN FOR.

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

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

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

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

THEY WILL SHIFT, THEY WILL MOVE, THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE IS PROJECTED TO NO LONGER TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN IN BALTIMORE.

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

I THINK THAT THE SORT OF SEEING THESE MURALS OF BIRDS IN THIS URBAN ENVIRONMENT, IN A PARTICULARLY URBAN SORT OF ART FORM IS SOMETHING THAT GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

AND I HOPE THEY WILL SORT OF INVESTIGATE AND SEE WHAT IS THIS?

WHY ARE THESE MURALS ALL HERE?

AND REALLY LEARN ABOUT THIS THREAT TO THE BIRDS THAT WE ARE USED TO SEEING AROUND US, 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 WE HAVE ONE OF MY FAVORITE MURALS.

IT'S BY THE ARTIST CRUZ, WHO IS A NEW YORK-BASED ARTIST.

IT'S A PAINTING OF THREE TRICOLORED HERONS.

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

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

AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREATS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT FACES, MORE NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE FOR UPTOWN MANHATTAN, A SENSE THAT ART IS ACCESSIBLE.

>> I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET UP HERE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE.

♪ >>> FAITH RINGGOLD IS A PAINTER, SCULPTOR, TEACHER, AUTHOR, ACTIVIST, AND A RECIPIENT OF OVER 80 AWARDS AND HONORS.

SHE WAS BORN IN HARLEM IN 1930.

SHE WAS ONE OF A SMALL GROUP OF BLACK WOMEN WHO HELPED GALVANIZE THE BLACK AND FEMINIST MOVEMENTS IN THE 1970s.

LAST SPRING THE NEW MUSEUM HERE IN NEW YORK CELEBRATED HER WORK WITH A 50-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE CALLED "FAITH RINGGOLD: AMERICAN PEOPLE."

NOW LET'S LOOK BACK AT A VISIT TO RINGGOLD'S STUDIO.

AT THE TIME, SHE WAS REFLECTING ON HER WORK IN MOSAIC TILE THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE MTA'S ART UNDERGROUND PROGRAM.

♪ >> SO I SAID OH, BOY, I WANT TO DO 125th STREET.

YEAH, I WANT TO, BECAUSE 125th STREET IS WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE ARE.

THAT'S THE CENTER.

AND I WENT IN THERE AND GOT IT.

IT WORKED FOR ME.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO I ASSOCIATE WITH MY LIFE GROWING UP IN HARLEM, THE MUSICIANS, THE ARTISTS, THE POLITICIANS, ALL OF THESE TRULY GREAT PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MY LIFE AND MADE ME KNOW THAT I COULD DO ANYTHING I WANTED, BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING IT.

125th STREET WAS JUST THE CENTER OF CULTURE IN THOSE DAYS.

AND I SAW THEM ALL, AND WE ALL LIVED TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, LIKE W.E.B.

DUBOIS LIVED RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM ME, AND THURGOOD MARSHALL.

OH MY GOODNESS, WE SEE THOSE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

THOSE PEOPLE WERE -- THEY JUST WERE NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE.

WE USED TO WAIT UNTIL 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND THEN WE WOULD GO UP TO 155th STREET AND CATCH DUKE ELLINGTON COMING OUT OF THE 155th STREET SUBWAY, AND HE WOULD STOP IN THE LITTLE DINER RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER, AND WE'D BE IN THERE WAITING FOR HIM.

AND HE WOULD COME IN, AND HE WOULD ORDER A PINT OF ICE CREAM TO GO, AND WE JUST SIT THERE AND JUST DROOL OVER HIM.

BUT YOU COULDN'T RUN UP TO THESE PEOPLE AND START YELLING GIVE ME AN AUTOGRAPH.

NO, DON'T DO THAT.

JUST, YOU KNOW, BE COOL.

AND WE DID.

BUT WE ALSO GOT THERE TO SEE HIM.

HE WAS SO WONDERFUL.

THERE'S NO LAW SAYING YOU CAN'T GET RID OF PERSPECTIVE.

THERE'S NO LAW SAYING YOU CAN'T GET RID OF CRIAROSCRURO.

IF YOU WANT THINGS TO BE FLAT, AND I DON'T, I WANT TO USE THE COLORS.

I WANT THEM SEEN.

I DON'T WANT THE LIGHT IN THE SHADE.

I LEVITATE ALL OF THEM.

WELL, IT'S A CERTAIN KIND OF FREEDOM, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD.

IT'S ALSO AN INTERESTING WAY TO USE THE SPACE, YOU KNOW, INJECT THE PEOPLE IN THE SPACE, HAVE THEM MOVING THROUGH IT.

>> HOW COME YOU DIDN'T PUT YOURSELF FLYING UP ON THE WALL?

NO?

>> I HAVE MYSELF FLYING SOMETIMES SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW.

PLEASE.

I DON'T LEAVE MYSELF OUT OF ANYTHING!

THAT'S AN IDEA.

I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT.

I SHOULD PUT MYSELF OVER THERE WITH THE ARTISTS.

DIDN'T GIVE IT A THOUGHT.

>>> NEXT WEEK ON "NYC-ARTS," A PROFILE OF THE AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA, THE ONLY ORCHESTRA IN THE WORLD DEDICATED TO THE CREATION, PERFORMANCE, AND PROMOTION OF MUSIC BY AMERICAN COMPOSERS.

>> YOU'RE HEARING WHAT'S BEEN IN A COMPOSER'S MIND, WHICH THEY PUT INTO A BIG ORCHESTRAL SCORE.

THEY WROTE IT ALL DOWN.

AND NOW THEY'VE PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE CONDUCTOR, AND THE CONDUCTOR IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTING THIS IN FRONT OF 60 MUSICIANS WHO ARE MAKING THE MUSIC HAPPEN LIFE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

♪ >> I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS JUST FANTASTIC BECAUSE THE COMPOSERS NOT ONLY GET THE FEEDBACK FROM COMPOSERS, BUT ALSO THE PLAYERS FROM THE ORCHESTRA.

I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

>> MAYBE A LITTLE FORTE PIANO.

>> AND A VISIT TO THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL, THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF KWAME BRAITHWAITE.

>> KWAME DOCUMENTED A VERY IMPORTANT PERIOD OF HISTORY OF HARLEM, JAZZ, WOMEN'S CLOTHING, HAIR, EVERYTHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH BLACK EXPRESSION.

THESE ARE GOING TO LIVE ON AS VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND ALSO VERY WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS.

♪ >>> I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT FRICK MADISON, THE TEMPORARY HOME OF THE FRICK COLLECTION.

GOOD NIGHT AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪ ♪ >>> FUNDING FOR "NYC-ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, TEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION, THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ 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.

>> 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 SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

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

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU ARE A LIFE-LONG COLLECTOR OR A FIRST-TIME BUYER, OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANN GALLERIES.COM.