Cecilia Alemani has been curator of High Line Art since 2011. The public park and former New York Central Railroad is, as noted on its website, “the only park in New York City with a dedicated multimedia contemporary art program.” Though it is perhaps most often frequented by tourists and passersby looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, it trails alongside the Whitney, the West Village and several Chelsea art galleries, making it an important parallel space in New York’s art scene.
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“I wanted to think about the notion of public art differing from a bronze sculpture that magically lands on a corporate plaza,” Alemani told Observer. “I wanted to think about pushing those borders and those edges to include many mediums.” Along with the distinctive sculptures scattered around the park, High Line Art exhibits temporary, site-specific art, including occasional video screenings and live performances. One recent such boundary-pushing work on the High Line was by artist and choreographer Matty Davis, who performed Die No Die (The High Line).
Alemani’s focus on site is central to her work as a curator and is often the starting point for her exhibitions, which is logical given that spaces inform much of what we see and how we see it, especially when it comes to art. Pamela Rosenkranz’s neon pink tree, for instance, stands boldly on a bridge above 30th Street—a bright contrast to the monotony of glass buildings in that area and a reminder that art can be part of a landscape. “The site means both the actual space, but it can be the city where the space is, it can be a culture,” Alemani explained.
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Alemani has served as artistic director of the 59th Venice Biennale and curated the Italian Pavilion of the 57th........