Ai Weiwei's New York Photographs 1983-1993 At The Asia Society And Museum

Washington Square Park Protest, 1998

Mirror, 1987

Self-Portrait, 1987

Bill Clinton at his last campaign stop in New York, 1992

Ai Weiwei's early New York Photographs (1983-1993) are currently on exhibit at the Asia Society and Museum . The photograph collection chronicles New York City in the 1980's and early 1990s when Weiwei was living in the East Village. The black and white images depict avant-garde scenes, including poetry readings and riots in Tompkins Square Park, as well as self-portraits of the artist and photos of other renowned figures. Ai Weiwei's photo exhibit runs through August 14. Asia Society is located at 725 Park Avenue between 70th and 71st Streets. 

Ai Weiwei is a prominent Chinese conceptual artist and outspoken critic of the Chinese government. His arrest on April 3, 2011 spawned international demonstrations and rallies. He has been recently released from jail but is banned from talking to the media or even posting on Twitter as a condition of his release.

The photos above were taken from the windows of the Asia Society where a few photos are being projected.

River to River Festival: American Ballroom Theater's Dancing Classrooms Colors of the Rainbow Team Match

Culminating this yearʼs Dancing Classrooms program, talented 5th and 8th grade dancers from New York City public schools competed last Saturday in the city-wide competition at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden. The different teams competed for the grand prize as they Fox Trot, Merengue, Rumba, Swing and Tango their way to the gold. The photos above were taken from the competition of the 8th Graders. This event was part of the River To River Festival in downtown Manhattan.

"For Roebling" By Mark di Suvero

On exhibit at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden at the Museum of Modern Art is a steel sculpture called "For Roebling" (1971), created by Marco Polo "Mark" di Suvero. Mark di Suvero is an American abstract expressionist sculptor born in Shanghai, China in1933 to Italian expatriates. He immigrated to San Francisco, California in 1942 with his family. From 1953 to 1957, he attended the University of California, Berkeley to study Philosophy. He later moved to New York City where he was surrounded by an explosion of Abstract Expressionism. While working in construction, he was critically injured in an  accident. He changed his career and focused all his attention on sculpture. He currently lives in New York City.

2011 Heritage of Pride Parade

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (second from right), two days after he signed the gay marriage equality bill into law, together with Mayor Michael Bloomberg (waving a rainbow flag) and other officials.

RuPaul's Drag Race runner-up, "Manila Luzon"

Judge: "Manila, your hair is a little too big!"

Manila Luzon: "How dare you!"

BaranGAY New York

Gay and lesbian police officers

"Stay close, because relationships are too precious to lose."

Proud and Powerful is this year's theme of the Heritage of Pride March that took place yesterday. The parade rolled down Fifth Avenue from 36th Street down to Greenwich Village. Thousands of marchers and spectators carried signs that read "Thank you Governor Cuomo," "Equality For All Families," "Promise Kept!" and "It Does Get Better NY," that embody the parade theme. The parade took a special meaning for New York's LGBT community because two days before the parade, the landmark gay marriage equality bill was passed, making New York the 6th and most populous state to legalize same-sex marriage, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire andIowa - plus the District of Columbia.   

The March began in 1970 as an annual civil rights demonstration beginning the year after the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village. Over the years its purpose has broadened to include recognition of the fight against AIDS and to remember those we have lost to the illness, violence and neglect. It has also evolved to include being a celebration of our lives and our community.