>>> COMING UP ON NYC-ARTS A VISIT TO THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATIONAL HISTORY AND ITS REVITALIZED NORTHWEST -- >> THE LARGEST SURVIVING CANOE OF ITS SIZE THAT WE KNOW OF IN THE WORLD.

IT SHOWS THE COMING TOGETHER OF THOSE PEOPLES WHO WERE TRYING TO FIND A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AND IN RECENT YEARS THEY RENEWED THAT RECONCILIATION.

>> A PROFILE OF ARTIST JEFFREY GIBSON, WHOSE BEAD WORK, CERAMICS, SCULPTURE AND PAINTINGS ARE INFLUENCED BY CHEROKEE AND CHOCTAW TRADITIONS.

>> KNOWING YOU'RE A FOREIGNER YOU DON'T ENTIRELY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT OR WHAT YOU'RE HEARING ALL THE TIME, SO YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF SUBJECTIVE COMPREHENSION OF THE WORLD GUESS.

>> AND A RIDE-ALONG WITH FLORENCE LOUIS MILLER ON ONE OF THE EARLY MORNING FIRE FLASES.

>> THEY ARE FOR THE PEOPLE AND I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM AND INTERACT WITH THEM AND OBVIOUSLY TAKE A PICTURE AND TAKE A BLOSSOM AND TAKE THEM HOME AND THE MORE WE CAN HAVE SOFT MOMENTS TO ENJOY IF FOR NO OTHER REASON IF IT IS AN HOUR OR TEN MINUTES, THE JOB IS DONE.

>>> FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE: AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, THE THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION, JODI AND JOHN ARNHOLD, THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE MILTON AND SALLY SAVORY ARTS FOUNDATION, THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, THE 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, TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL, WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST HE DID CREE.

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

THIS IS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION, FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY SWAN AUCTION GALLERIES.

>> 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 OR FIRST TIME BUYER OR LOOKING TO SELL, INFORMATION AT SWAN GALLERIES.COM.

>>> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO NYC-ARTS.

I'M PAULA ZAHN.

ON LOCATION AT THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

LOCATED ON FIFTH AVENUE AND 103rd STREET, RIGHT ACROSS FROM CENTRAL PARK, THE MUSEUM HAS LONG BEEN THE CITY'S STORY TELLER.

SINCE ITS FOUNDING ALMOST 100 YEARS AGO, IT HAS ENGAGED NEW YORKERS AND VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BY CELEBRATING, DOCUMENTING, AND INTERPRETING THE CITY'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

IN TIMES SQUARE, FIREWORKS OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AND POLAR BEARS AT THE ZOO.

SUBWAYS, SKYLINES, AND STOLEN MOMENT, ALL OF THESE AND MORE, TELL THE VERY STORY OF NEW YORK CITY.

ALL HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY LENSES OF SOME OF THE MEDIUM'S GREATEST PHOTOGRAPHERS.

THEY ARE ALL ON VIEW HERE IN THE MUSEUM'S ONGOING EXHIBITION CELEBRATING THE CITY.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS FROM THE JOY OF LIVING FOUNDATION.

THIS SELECTION OF ABOUT 100 PHOTOGRAPHS IS JUST PART OF A TROVE OF OVER 1,000 WORKS GIFTED TO THE MUSEUM BY THIS NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY.

ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIONS IN PRIVATE HANDS, IT SPANS THE 19th THROUGH THE 21st CENTURIES.

ORGANIZED INTO MULTIPLE THEMES OR SUBJECTS, IT ILLUSTRATES WHY SOME OF THE BEST-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE RETURNED TO THE SAME SUBJECTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THE EXHIBITION PRESENTS MULTIPLE IMAGES OF HELEN LEVITZ'S DYNAMIC STREET PHOTOGRAPHY AND SILVA PLATT'S PLAYFUL AND ECCENTRIC LOOK OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS WHO ARE PART OF THE FAMILIAR MOMENTS OF NEW YORK CITY LIFE.

OTHER KEY FIGURES IN 20th CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY REPRESENTED HERE ARE BRUCE DAVIDSON, ELLIOT IRWIN, AND INGA MORITT.

NOW, A VISIT TO THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, TO EXPLORE THE RECENTLY-REVITALIZED NORTHWEST COAST HALL.

LOCATED IN THE MUSEUM'S OLDEST GALLERY IT SHOWS THE CREATIVITY, SCHOLARSHIP, AND HISTORY OF THE VIBRANT CULTURES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

ORGANIZED AS A SERIES OF AL COVES FOCUSED ON THE ARTIFACTS OF TEN NATIVE NATIONS, THE GALLERY PRESENTS MORE THAN 1,000 RESTORED CULTURAL TREASURES ENLIVENED WITH NEW INTERPRETATIONS.

WITH FEATURES, WORKS SUCH AS 67 MONUMENTAL CARVING, THE ICONIC 63-FOOT DUGOUT CANOE, AND MORE.

THE WHOLE LIST WAS DEVELOPED BY THE HELP OF CO-CURATOR AND CONSULTING CURATORS FROM NINE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.

THE CURATOR PETER RIGHTWAY IS OUR GUIDE.

>> MY NAME IS PETER WHITELY, I'M THE CURATOR OF NORTH AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY HERE AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

THE NORTHWEST COAST HALL GOES BACK TO THE LATE 1870s, WHEN THE FIRST PIECES STARTED TO COME IN.

AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS UPHEAVAL AS A RESULT OF COLONIAL PROCESSES.

MANY NATIVE PEOPLE CAME DOWN UNDER VARIOUS SMALLPOX EPIDEMICS AND THE POPULATION WAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED.

IT WAS A VERY OPPRESSIVE TIME FOR NATIVE PEOPLE.

SO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT PASSED THE POTLATCH BAN IN 1884, WHICH PREVENTED PEOPLE FROM PRACTICING, YOU KNOW, A GREAT DEAL OF THE TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL LIFE.

ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES OF RENOVATING THE HALL WAS OF COURSE THE FACT THAT THE COLLECTION IS AN HISTORICAL COLLECTION.

THE MAJOR PART OF THE COLLECTION WAS COMPLETED BY THE EARLY 20th CENTURY.

WE'VE HAD FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE, NATIVE PEOPLE COME THROUGH, FOR MANY YEARS, AND THEY SAY, WELL, YOU HAVE SOME WONDERFUL MATERIAL, BUT IT MAKES US LOOK AS IF OUR CULTURE HAS BEEN GONE FOR 150 YEARS, AND IT'S NOT, WE'RE STILL HERE.

THAT EMPHASIS WAS CERTAINLY FRONT AND CENTER FOR OUR CO-CURATOR AND FOR OUR NINE CONSULTING CURATORS.

THEY DEFINITELY WANTED TO COMMUNICATE THE IDEA THAT THESE WERE LIVING CULL TOURS AND WHILE THESE WERE HISTORICAL PIECES, THEY INFORMED THE TRADITION THAT IS STILL VERY MUCH PRACTICED IN THE PRESENT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO BRING OUT WAS THIS FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION PLASTIC, WHICH IS THE CELEBRATION OF A PARTICULAR STORY OF SEWEDE, A CULTURE HERO.

HE DISPLEASED HIS FATHER.

AND HE'S GRABBED BY THIS GIANT OCTOPUS WHO TAKES HIM DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE UNDERSEA WORLD.

HE SPENDS FOUR YEARS THERE, BEING GIVEN POWERS, AND THEN EVENTUALLY, HE COMES BACK TO SHORE, GUIDED BY KILLER WHALES, AND PARTLY TRANSFORMING INTO A KILLER WHALE HIMSELF.

SO THAT TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS IS REPRESENTED IN A VARIETY OF MASKS SUCH AS THE SCULTAN, THE FACE OF THIS LARGE SEA CREATURE AND THEN WHEN IT GETS TO A CERTAIN PHASE, AS IT IS BEING DANCED, THE JAWS OPEN, LIKE THAT, REVEALING A SEA RAY INSIDE.

AND THEN IT DANCES AS A SEA RAVEN, FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, AND FINALLY THE SEA RAVEN'S MASK ALSO OPENS REVEALING SEWEDE.

.

THAT KIND OF EMPHASIS ON TRANS FORMATION, AND THE INTER RELATIONSHIPS OF THE SUPER NATURAL AND NATURAL WORLDS IS A KEY PRINCIPLE OF A LOT OF CEREMONIAL-ISM ALL UP AND DOWN THE NORTHWEST COAST.

THE GREAT CANOE IS THE LARGEST SURVIVING CANOE OF ITS SIZE THAT WE KNOW OF ANYWAY IN THE WORLD.

IT'S 63 FEET LONG, AND IT IS MADE OUT OF A SINGLE VERY LARGE CEDAR TREE, AND IT'S HAND PACKED, IT SHOWS INFLUENCES FROM BOTH HELZUK AND PAINTING ON THERE, THE PAINTING ON THE CROWN STERN IS DEFINITELY HIGHER, THE CARVINGS, THERE ARE FOUR, SO BENCHES ON THE TOP, WHICH ARE IN A DISTINCTIVE DESIGN.

IT SHOWS THE COMING TOGETHER OF THOSE PEOPLES, WHO WERE IN THE DISTANT PAST DID NOT HAVE A FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.

IN RECENT YEARS, THEY HAVE RENEWED THAT RECONCILIATION.

WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE MOON AND MOUNTAIN GOAT AS A FOCAL ELEMENT IN THE ALCOVE.

THAT COMES FROM THE VILLAGE OF SKEDANSK.

THIS BOX IS A CHIEF'S BOX AND IT CORRESPONDS WITH THE CHIEF WHO DANCES THERE.

THE BOX REPRESENTS SOME OF THE CRESTS OF THE CHIEF, SO IT HAS A MOON FACE, A MOUNTAIN GOAT, AND GRIZZLY BEAR.

THE MOST INTERESTING ELEMENT IS THE MOUNTAIN GOAT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO MOUNTAIN GOATS THERE, AND AS YOU SEE THE FACE, THE BACKGROUND IS A DESIGN VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE IN CHILKET BLANKETS.

THE TRADITION OF THE CHILLCAT WAVING COMES FROM THE MAINLAND SO THIS REPRESENTS THE GIFT OF CERTAIN PRIVILEGES FROM THE CHIEF, TO THE CHIEF GEDASKNKA WHICH IS REPRESENTED IN THE CHILLCAT DESIGN.

SO MOUNTAIN GOAT WOOL, WHICH IS THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF CHILLCAT BLANKETS, THAT WAS THEN TRADED TO THE HIGHER FROM THE CHINCIAN.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAK SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WHICH ARE NOT RELATED TO EACH OTHER, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES, BUT THAT PROCESS OF EXCHANGE BY THE MOON AND MOUNTAIN GOAT ENCAPSULATES ALL OF THE NORTHWEST CULTURE AS A WHOLE.

>>> NEXT, WE'LL MEET ARTIST JEFFREY GIBSON.

BORN IN COLORADO SPRINGS, GIBSON GREW UP AROUND THE WORLD, THANKS TO HIS FATHER'S CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

HE SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN KOREA AND GERMANY, BEFORE EVENTUALLY MOVING BACK TO THE STATES.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, HE WENT TO LONDON TO STUDY AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART.

HIS BEAD WORK, CERAMICS, SCULPTURES, AND PAINTINGS ARE INFLUENCED BY CHEROKEE AND CHOCTAW TRADITION, INSPIRED BY SAMPLED AND REMIXED POP MUSIC, HE COMBINES HIS CULTURAL HERITAGE WITH MINIMALISM AND ABSTRACTION.

HIS STUDIO IS LOCATED IN HUDSON, NEW YORK, IN AN OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH GIBSON AND HUSBAND SCULPTOR LOU OLSEN CONVERTED INTO A STUDIO SPACE NOW HOME TO A GROWING ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.

>> GROWING UP, AS A FOREIGNER, IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE A FOREIGNER, DUE ENTIRELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT OR WHAT YOU'RE HEARING ALL THE TIME, SO YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF SUBJECTIVE COMPREHENSION OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU THAT IS AN ESTIMATED GUESS.

I THINK ABOUT THAT A LOT IN TERMS OF HOW I USE MATERIALS.

BECAUSE I USE A LOT OF MATERIALS THAT I THINK MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THE CONTEXT THAT I'M DRAWING THEM FROM, OR WHAT THE CULTURE IS, OR THE HISTORY IS.

SO MY MOTHER'S FAMILY LIVES IN OKLAHOMA.

MY FATHER'S FAMILY LIVES IN MISSISSIPPI.

AND THOSE CHOCTAW AND CHEROKEE CULTURES ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

SO WHEN I WOULD GO THERE, IT WOULD BE TO VISIT MY FAMILY.

I NEVER WANTED TO OBSERVE MY FAMILY.

YOU WANT TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN YOUR FAMILY.

SO YOU DON'T LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND THINK OH, THAT'S ALTERNATIVE -- ALTERNATE IVE AMERICAN.

AND THEN I BEGAN THINKING WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE QUILTS THAT GRANDMA MADE OR THE JEWELRY SHE WORE FOR THE DRESSES THAT SHE MADE AND WHAT DID THE SONG MEAN THAT SHE WOULD SING, AND THEN IT BECAME SOMETHING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC I SUPPOSE, BUT OTHERWISE IT IS INHERENTLY FAMILIAR.

IT STEMS FROM PLACES THAT I WANT TO TAKE PART IN ALL OF THESE THINGS.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO BE, AND THAT STARTS OFF PATTERN, IT STARTS OFF DESIGN, IT STARTS OFF COLOR CHOICES, IT STARTS OFF THE CHALLENGE OF WHAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO WITH BEADS.

I WANTED TO MAKE FOUND OBJECT WORK.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, SOMETIMES THEY ARE MASHED TOGETHER.

I'M INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE TRANSFORMATIVE NATURE OF MATERIALS AND HOW THE LANGUAGE CAN SHIFT FROM A BEADED TRIANGLE TO A PAINTED TRIANGLE TO A WOVEN TRIANGLE.

AND WHAT THOSE THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF A TRIANGLE MEAN.

THERE'S THIS PERIOD OF CLUB MUSIC THAT WITH THE TRANSITION OF ANALOG MUSIC INTO DIGITAL, AND IT WAS THE SAMPLING AND THE TURNTABLES WHERE PEOPLE COULD SAMPLE MUSIC.

AND IT REALLY HAD AN IMPRESSION ON ME.

SO THIS KIND OF REPETITIVE NATURE OF REPEATING AND PICKING SOMETHING FROM ONE CONTEXT AND STICKING IT INTO ANOTHER ONE AND MAKING SOMETHING NEW, I CAN SPEND THE TIME IN MY STUDIO MASHING UP, RE-MIXING, RE-MAKING, TAKING APART, RECONSTRUCTING, AND I CAN INVITE OTHER PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN THAT WITH ME.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE PROCESS.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ASSISTANCE ALL THE TIME, AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

IF IT WAS JUST ME MAKING FOR INSTANCE A PUNCHING BACK, WE WOULD BE SEEING ONE A YEAR.

THE LINES BETWEEN CRAFT AND WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY BEEN THOUGHT OF AS FINE ART, THE DECORATIVE, EMBELLISHMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, ARE EQUALIZED.

IF YOU LOOK AT POWWOW GARMENTS, THEY ARE SO LOUD AND COLORFUL.

WITH THAT AS MY INSPIRATION, IN MANY WAYS, THERE WAS NO LIMIT TO THE COMBINATIONS OF COLORS.

IT'S MORE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE COLOR DOES IN COMBINATION WITH EACH OTHER, SO IT IS EITHER REALLY KIND OF POP OR ELECTRIC OR REFLECTIVE OR OPTIC.

I DO HAVE AN ATTRACTION BETWEEN THE IDEA OF MINIMALISM, AND HOW MINIMALISM LEADS TOWARDS LIKE MAXIMAL DENSITY.

I USED TO BE THINK THAT MINIMALISM WAS ABOUT MAINTAINING THIS QUIET SILENT PLACE, LIKE THIS VOID UNFILLED WITH THINGS.

AND NOW I REALIZE THAT THE REMOVAL OF INFORMATION IS IN AN EFFORT TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH IS PRESENT, IN A VERY SMALL SPACE, OR IN A VERY LIMITED PALATE.

THE IDEA IS TO LIKE SAY SLOW DOWN THE COLOR RED, AND UNDERSTAND HOW MANY SHADES OF RED THERE ARE, SLOW DOWN THE COLOR BLUE, AND UNDERSTAND HOW MANY SHADES OF BLUE, TONES OF BLUE, AND THEN OF COURSE, IT OPENS RIGHT BACK UP INTO INCLUDING EVERY SINGLE COLOR.

MY TRAINING IS AS AN ENTIRELY PROCESS-BASED ABSTRACT ARTIST.

BUT THE TEXT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO NAME THIS ENTIRELY SUBJECTIVE LANGUAGE OF ABSTRACTION.

AND AT SOME POINT, WHEN THE AUDIENCE WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE CONTENT THAT I FELT I WAS PUTTING INTO THE CONSTRUCTION, I DECIDED TO PUT THE TEXT DIRECTLY ON IT.

MOST OF THE TITLES FOR INSTANCE COME FROM APPROPRIATE LYRICS AND THEN IT JUST KIND OF HIT, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE WORDS DESCRIBE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

IT BECAME A REALLY BIG PART OF THE WORK FOR ME.

PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT MY WORK AT THE TIME WOULD ALWAYS QUESTION WELL, HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO WHO YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO YOU, AS A NATIVE AMERICAN PERSON, AS A GAY PERSON, IS THIS SUBJECTIVITY SOMEHOW REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT EXPERIENCE?

AND IT SEEMED NO MATTER HOW HARD I WOULD SAY, NO, IT'S NOT, IT ALMOST COMPOUNDED MORE FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR CONNECTIONS IN THE WORK.

AND AT SOME POINT, I DECIDED TO OWN THE WORDS NATIVE AMERICAN, TO OWN THE WORDS GAY, AND NOT GIVE THEM ANY CREDIT OR POWER OVER DETERMINING WHO I AM, BUT I WAS FINE WITH THE WORK BEING DESCRIBED IN THAT WAY, BECAUSE IT IS TRUE, THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE, AND IN THE 20th CENTURY AT THE TIME, AND EVEN TODAY, THAT'S VERY MUCH HOW WE DESCRIBE EACH OTHER.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE ALL VERY, VERY LAYERED, COMPLICATED PEOPLE.

IN OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THAT, OR TO SHARE THAT WITH EVEN OTHER, BUT IT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO IN ART.

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

TOP FIVE PICKS WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ALL YEAR ROUND.

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

>>> MANHATTAN FLORIST LEWIS MILLER LIKES TO BRIGHTEN UP NEW YORK BY SHARING HIS ART WITH THE PUBLIC.

HIS POP-UP ARRANGEMENTS KNOWN AS FLOWER FLASHES, HAVE APPEARED ALL OVER THE CITY.

SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, HE'S CREATED SEVERAL FLASHES TO HONOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND THE RESILIENT SPIRIT OF NEW YORK CITY.

WE JOIN MILLER AND HIS CREW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON ONE OF THEIR EARLY MORNING ADVENTURES.

>> FLOWERS WERE ALWAYS PART OF MY DNA.

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF GARDENERS.

BUT I WENT FOR SLANZ SCAPE AND HORTICULTURE TO THE FLOWER WORLD.

AND HERE I AM.

>> THE FLOWER FLASH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF MOPPING AROUND MY BRAIN FOR A WHILE.

IT DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.

IT WAS SORT OF MORE OF THIS VAGUE IDEA OF HOW TO TAKE FLOWERS AND FUSE THEM IN AN URBAN CITY ENVIRONMENT, SO IF I GOT TO THE POINT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH THE BUSINESS, THINGS GOING SUPER WELL, AND KIND OF NEEDING TO FEEL CREATIVELY ENERGIZED AGAIN, BUT ALSO FEELING THE NEED IN MY OWN WAY TO GIVE BACK.

I AM SURROUNDED BY FLOWERS ON A DAILY BASIS, AS ARE MY CLIENTS, AND WE TEND TO GET IMMUNE TO HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE AND WHAT AN EXPRESSION OF JOY THEY ARE TO PEOPLE, AND IT IS REALLY ABOUT TAKING THAT, WHICH IS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND EPHEMERAL, AND KIND OF MERGING IT WITH TEXTURE AND THE GRIT OF OUR URBAN CITY LIFE, AND CREATING SOMETHING THAT IS VERY SPONTANEOUS, VERY FLEETING, AND SORT OF ABSTRACT.

WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, YOU KNOW, REALLY FINDING LOCATIONS THAT FEEL NEW YORK FIRST.

SO THAT COMBINED WITH THE SEASON, IT WAS LOOKING GOOD AND ALSO THE FLOWER FLASHES ARE A ACCUMULATION OF OLD FLOWERS IN THE FLOWER MARKET, STUFF THAT IS LEFT OVER FROM THE STUDIO, AND STUFF THAT'S LEFT OVER FROM EVENTS.

SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT AS WELL.

THESE FLASHES HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.

THE PLANT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEN WE JUST DO IT, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THERE IS A LITTLE ANXIOUS ENERGY, SOMETIMES IT IS DARK, AND SOMETIMES IT IS COLD.

FLOWERS ARE FOR NEW YORKERS.

THEY ARE FOR THE PEOPLE.

AND I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM AND INTERACT WITH THEM.

AND OBVIOUSLY TAKE A PICTURE.

BUT TAKE A BLOSSOM.

TAKE SOME HOME.

NEW YORK IS NEW YORK.

ALL THESE PEOPLE PILE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

TO ME, YOU KNOW, THE TWO BIGGEST LUXURIES IN THE CITY ARE NATURE AND SPACE.

SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE KIND OF SOFT MOMENTS OF JUST BEING ABLE TO ENJOY, FOR NO OTHER REASON, EVEN IF IT IS FOR AN HOUR, OR TEN MINUTES, ITS JOB IS DONE.

>>> NEXT WEEK, ON NYC-ARTS, A PROFILE OF IRENA COPEOKOPVA A BELOVED COACH AND OUTSTANDING FRONT TO THE DANCERS OF BALLERINA.

>> BALLET MISTRESS.

A BALLET MISTRESS OR BALLET MASTER IS BASICALLY IN CHARGE OF A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE REP, OF THE REPERTOIRE WE DO, AND IRENA IN PARTICULAR, HER QUALITIES ARE ONE THAT PRIMARILY TAKES THE MATERIAL THAT YOU PRESENT HER AND TRIES TO PUT IT THROUGH A LENS FOR THE DANCER TO SEE MORE CLEARLY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING.

AND IN THAT PROCESS SOMEHOW, IT IS BEING A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR AN ARTIST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SHE TRIES TO TEACH THEM HISTORY LESSONS.

AND WE'LL TELL STORIES FROM HER BACK GROUNDS.

>> AND A VISIT TO THE BROOKLYN STUDIO OF A MODERN DAY VIOLIN MAKER TO DISCOVER THE UNIQUE SKILLS INVOLVED IN CREATING AN OUTSTANDING INSTRUMENT.

>> EVERY VIOLIN I MAKE, I PUT EXHAUSTIVE RECORDS ON IT ON EVERY ASPECT THAT I CAN AND IF AN INSTRUMENT OF MINE COMES BACK AND I REALLY LIKE IT, I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE AND I WANT TO HAVE A RECORD OF WHAT I DID.

>>> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

I'M PAULA ZAHN.

ON LOCATION AT THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

GOOD NIGHT.

>>> 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.

>> AT THE STUDIOS IN JACOB CENTER.

♪ >> LEONARD, PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU.

>> I LOVE IT.

>> WHERE ARE WE?

>> WE ARE AT A MOMENT WHERE WE TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.

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

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

>> THE CARDBOARD GUITARIST, THE VERY FIRST MOMENT OF THAT REALIZATION.

>> YOU COME AND YOU PRESENT SOMETHING AND YOU GET APPLAUSE.

GREAT, YOU KNOW.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, THE THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION, JODI AND JOHN ARNHOLD, THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE, ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN, CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER, THE MILTON AND SALARY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION, THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION, THE 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 IS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION, FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>>> AND BY SWAN AUCTION GALLERIES.

>> 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 LIFE-LONG COLLECTOR, OR FIRST-TIME BUYER OR LOOKING TO SELL, INFORMATION AT SWAN