The New York Art Institute, Simmons College

As described by senior curator Jennifer McGregor, Wave Hill truly is one of New York’s hidden treasures. A short shuttle ride from the train station brought our group into what may be the most beautiful natural space we’ve encountered thus far. Rolling hills and manicured gardens embraced us as we explored this space and despite the oppressive heat we were all quite relaxed. Children who had just discovered the art of instrument making through Wave Hill’s family art project cavorted beside their parents. The sound of Indonesian gamelan instruments floated through the air as an audience gathered to listen to Gamelan Son of Lion, a repertory ensemble from NYC. All visitors seemed to be under a certain enchantment that only a place like Wave Hill could generate. I found it interesting to compare such a place so heavily involved in the arts with the many other institutions we’ve visited as a group. Unlike some of the others, Wave Hill is a place that evokes almost instant feelings of accessibility. Tucked away in the acreage, their art gallery exhibits a show intimately connected to the surrounding nature, which I believed helped visitors to feel at ease; the opposite, I feel, is often what occurs at more typical galleries within urban settings. Thus I began to contemplate the impact of alternative art spaces and how they can effectively reach a group of people that more traditional galleries and museums may not. These spaces are important to develop and maintain in order to keep arts communities thriving.