New York comforts me in grief. It’s the combination of old friends, good food, and art. First art stop was the austere yet complex work of Richard Serra on view at Gagosian. In addition to the wonderful texture of his works, there is also the great emptiness—the space all around them. In the presence of his sculpture, I return to calm.

Eva Hesse

At the reopened Museum of Modern Art, be sure to use the restroom before you embark on your journey in the new galleries. They feel endless. It’s like the Louvre. You lose track of where you are, but you don’t have to see it all. The museum unwinds the long narrative they’ve spent decades making. Unexpected juxtapositions are one reward. Checking in with some of my favorites, Rothko, Twombly, Mitchell, reminds me that all is not lost. Searching for expression feels a lot like love.

Mark Rothko and Louise Nevelson

Who pays for this reverie? The very billionaires we are trying to tax, or in some cases, elect president. Transcendence does not come cheap. For years, part of my attraction to modern art was its being rooted in resistance. Richard Serra epitomizes artist as resister. Larry Gagosian epitomizes art world elite. Above MoMA’s capacious new galleries, Jean Nouvel’s intimidating 53 West 53 residential tower for the rich helped fund this latest expansion. Like so much in New York City, it comes down to real estate.

Donald Judd and Agnes Martin

One positive note about MoMA’s latest renovation and expansion is that you can’t really find Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s heavy-handed design approach. It’s like their collaborator, Gensler, won the argument. Background building! The new galleries are really about the art. You have to dig to follow the money. Right now, I feel like enjoying some of the best of what I call Modern.

Franz Kline and David Smith

Richard Serra