I had occasion to walk through Rockefeller Center last week. I was there for an interview. The center is filled with a series of beautiful murals that were commissioned by the Rockefellers in the ’30s during construction. The most notorious was a work done by Diego Rivera. In the sketches he submitted for approval, Rivera forgot to mention that he was going to include scenes from the Communist May Day celebrations and a portrait of Lenin. A small detail. When Nelson Rockefeller discovered what he did, the work was promptly covered up.
My favorite murals are not in the main building, 30 Rock, (although those are pretty great and worth checking out). One block south at 48th and Rockefeller Plaza are murals that are so sexually charged that I can’t believe they weren’t covered over along with old Lenin.
(I’ve loaded these pics larger than normal so you can click on them and give them a good look if you’re interested.)
This mural is on the south wall. I don’t know what the hell it this. Progress? It’s a small touch but I like how the movement of the plane propellers are depicted as thin circles (as on the next mural, as well).
What’s really kind of wonderfully bizarre is how these women’s bodies are depicted. The breasts are clearly very bad implants. They’re also too angled and toned. Even their faces are tight.
This mural is on the west wall. It depicts the history of transportation. I think. Again, I’m not even sure.
I can’t get past the reclining woman in the upper right corner. Clearly, she is in the throws of ecstasy. And so submissive! Fantastic.
Exile on Pain Street 
Ha. Man I wish CT had such interesting buildings/works of art. Talking about sexy – I’m looking all adorable (eyes red and nose constantly running) thanks to my allergic reaction to pollen/spring.
Those girls should sue their plastic surgeon…Very cool artwork. Not sure what naked women have to do with transportation, though. 😉
I like them. but you’re right about the breasts – they look very weird
As we girls know very well raised arms does tauten the bosom which is why some of us walk around wildly reaching skywards much of the time. Ideally if we lie flat at the same time our dewlaps disappear.Excuse me – I must go and lie down.
when i think about the progress in transportation over the past few decades, i become a submissive nymph as well… if i ever get the flying car those futurists of the 50’s promised us? orgy, baby!
Sid: This town is LOADED with interesting buildings/art/art in buildings. Spring!? The leaves just fell here. So strange to think of November as spring.Ponita: I’m thinking the murals wouldn’t garnish HALF as much attention without the nekked bodies up there.Nurse: Prior to marriage, I saw my fair share of breasts and I can tell you that NONE looked like that.Pat: I never thought about it in such clinical terms but it really is one of the sexier poses.Daisy: LOL! Leave it to you to make the logical and necessary connection.
I think it is an advert for the mile high club.
Aren’t they just the inspiration for Thomas Wolfe’s social x rays?