The doorbell rang, but bebop jazz trumpeted loud and wild across what appeared to be an empty room. A frost brow of a head poked out of a side door, with an exclamation for lip-readers, "the door is open." Or, so he seemed to say. A woman followed shortly after, "Welcome, a visit to the museum is two dollars." She said, as she pointed to a big kettle with money stewing on the bottom. On the desk, next to the kettle, and laying on a photo, was a LED attached to a battery disc. Adjacent the photo were Chinese fortunes, bare of a cookie, and neatly arranged. they offered me one. I asked about the photo, and they explained that the display was a memorial for Red Burns, founder of the ITP Program at NYU, who passed peacefully in August.
"She was the reason I came to New York." William paused to reconnect the LED to the battery. "I was interested in the video toaster because I was thinking of buying one, then I ended up teaching there for a little bit." William and Kathryn Laziza have been running the MicroMuseum for over 25 years. For a non-profit, that is quite remarkable. In the way Kathryn describes it, "We have done just everything that an arts institution can do." And they have. From having residences, educational programs, exhibitions, happenings, performances, publications, you name it, they have seen and done it all. They admit, that a large part of the institutions survival has been their willingness to diversify.
Currently, the museum hosts a variety of interactive art with (mostly) analog technology. One installation is includes a couch with built-in phones and a T.V. set with a variety of colored lights. If one picks up the phone, the other phone rings. The activity of the phone colors the television monitor. (photo above)
There was also a really big chair, a prop from a video work in which the Lazizas placed children in the chair and asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. There was a rack of ornate flower fashion, video feedback between two wheelchairs; one cradling the camera, the other a T.V. monitor. There was a row of clowns that started to laugh when you walked by, and a victrola record player. You can request any type of philharmonic music, as the museum has the MET's de-accessioned victrola collection.
These are just some of the treats you can enjoy at the museum, and is cheaper than a subway ride or a cup of coffee. The museum holds regular hours on Saturday from 12 to 7pm.
website: http://www.micromuseum.com/
