Gracie Mansion’s new exhibit tells the story of NYC during World War II
In honor of the residence’s 75th anniversary, the Gracie Mansion Conservancy has announced a new art installation titled “New York 1942,” a collection of World War II-era objects that tell the story of New York City during this time, as well as of the period when Gracie Mansion became the official mayoral residence under Fiorello La Guardia. The exhibit will display more than 50 artifacts, documents, and pieces of art, including a signed World Series Yankees baseball, the Jacob Lawrence painting “The Migrants Arrived in Great Numbers,” a photo from Weegee, ration tokens, and a first-edition print of “The Little Prince.”
This is the second public exhibit under Mayor de Blasio. After his wife brought in 49 new works of art to better reflect the city in the late 1700s and early 1800s, including portraits of freed slaves and items traded to American Indians, they opened “Windows on the City Looking Out at Gracie’s New York” in the fall of 2015.
According to the Conservancy, the objects in the new exhibit “evoke visions of the people and the city in the shadow of World War II, as it is connected to migrations, labor, civic discourse, creative innovation and popular culture.” There’s an open house this Sunday from 10am to 2pm, but interested parties must sign up for the admission lottery. Otherwise, public tours are held on Tuesdays and require advanced reservations.
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