We discussed it back and forth as to what I’d like to do.  New York City never decides anything herself. It’s always up to you no matter whom or what you are - at least initially. While she craves the excitement of mixing with the caviar and stretch-limo crowd she is equally willing to spend a night with a nobody like me.  So whether she rubs elbows with the rich and famous or simply hangs with the homeboys speaks to her magnanimous and generous democracy. We finally settled on a downtown Saturday night date.  While giggling on the phone New York City insisted we were forbidden to travel above 14th street since we were only to be issued ‘low-life’ visas. “And for God’s sakes,” she said, “DRESS IN BLACK AND WEAR A BERET!” and then immediately broke into shrieking laughter.

It was an unseasonably warm evening in early January when I took the elevator down from my 10th level perch to the front door.  There she was in all her radiant splendor: New York City! You never go to pick up New York City  she always comes to your door. As we walked up Broadway she was as manic as ever honking with a cacophonous good humor and mischievously remarking how the lights on this end of Broadway were not so bright. We were on our way to dinner but New York City wanted to stroll around first to “work up an appetite” she said. We passed one of those 3-card Monty games that seemed to be everywhere back in the 80s.  New York City quickly squeezed in between three of sailors to a get a piece of the action.  “I know it’s rigged”, she insisted when I was finally able to pull her away, “but I still manage to win.” Then she winked at me with a wide foolish grin.

A short while later we heard an Ecuadorian flute and guitar group playing near Washington Square Park.  New York City impulsively broke out in a frantic improvised, uninhibited dance that included whistling, clapping and laughing. A crowd had gathered and soon everyone was laughing and clapping along. Then a wild-looking ragged homeless man joined her and added a few tortured somersaults. New York City just went with it and introduced him as the ‘Mayor of Downtown’ and the crowd loved it.  The whole thing was bizarrely hilarious and tragic in the same moment.  I was mortified and amused in equal parts; something I eventually got used to after spending more time with New York City.

In a statement on her work Susan Ferrari Rowley incorporates a very formalistic take.  She discusses the volumetrics of space in regard to the importance of what is and what is not ‘there’ as creating an equilibrium yin and yang.  In other words the physicality of her forms carve out space but just as important to her is the empty space that surround her objects.   This is all true enough and the work supports it.  But for me the real enticement is the quality of luminosity created by the dramatic lighting of the show.  Nearly each piece, but especially the verticals glow with their own sense of light like so many spectral presences. Look at the well named Precarious for

Susan Ferrari Rowley, Precarious, 2007, brushed aluminum and polyfiber 84(h) X 32.5(w) X 17(d) in