Sock Monkey recently had the incredible privilege to return to his most beloved of all jungles: New York City. Of course, he wasted no time in heading to his favorite spots, most of them museums; where better for him to revisit some of his greatest inspirations!?! Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get photos of all of his great loves, but The Red Studio by Matisse lives in his heart so profoundly, that he can survive without the digital picture. At least he was able to beat the crowds to the works below.

Alex Katz’s Ada may be upside down, but Sock Monkey was not deterred…When he asked if Mr Katz had painted it while standing on his head, I didn’t know how to answer…Either way, Ada looks lovely…

He was also a little confused by The Vertigo of Eros by Roberto Matta. It’s not easy to explain surrealism to a Sock Monkey but he did give it his best effort to understand it…

And Tanguy’s The Furniture of Time left him searching for signs of a sofa for several minutes. I had to reassure him that it was there before he would move on. Someday he will understand… it just takes time, right Mr Tanguy?

Now THIS he loved right away. If there is one thing monkeys like, it’s trees! Sock MOnkey was so excited by Gustav Klimt’s interpretation, I had to restrain him!

And he went bananas for Monet’s Agapanthus! Can you blame him!?! I wish I could jump in there myself!

Of course, who doesn’t feel awestruck when standing in front of a Jackson Pollock’s White Light? Yes, Sock Monkey, it is a humbling experience…

Incredible, isn’t it!?!

Can’t leave out Clyfford Still…Sock Monkey loves Clyfford Still…Even if this is his No. 2!

Sock Monkey’s observation about Edward Ruscha’s painting was simply this: sometimes he takes the word right out of your mouth. Sock Monkey also liked that the title of the painting was easy to guess. I still owe him $10 for that little bet. I don’t have a very good poker face.

The MoMA is a beautiful and relaxing place to view incredible works of art… Thanks to Michelangelo Pistoletto, and his casually posed Man With Yellow Pants, we shall never forget that…

Sock Monkey has more photos that simply did not turn out very well, but he looks forward to returning to the MoMA someday soon to remedy that situation. Sadly, I his handler, only have a camera phone with which to capture his ideas. While I was photographing Sock Monkey with the Monet, I noticed a (if I may say so) rather handsome gentleman with fabulous glasses and a very nice shirt photographing me. This caused immediate embarrassment and I tried to exit the room. The gentleman followed me and it turned out that he was photographing patrons for the MoMA. I signed a waiver to allow Sock Monkey’s image to be used should they decide to put a photo of us in a brochure or something. It’s a long shot, which does not bother me. But I can say, that I’ve rarely been so flattered than I was to have a stranger smile at what I do. After all, that’s why Sock Monkey does what he does: to make you laugh and maybe just to enjoy a moment in a world where life’s pressures don’t exist.