Astrological Aesthetics: May 2015 Horoscopes

Hyperallergic’s horoscopes offer astrological advice for artists and art types, in art terms, every month.

Taurus (April 21–May 21)

The gist of your horoscope this month, Taurus, is don’t be a stick in the mud. In love and in business you will face some serious challenges, and dwelling rather than acting on them will only exacerbate the problems. In other words, don’t be like “Charging Bull,” the immobile bovine bronze forever frozen at a fork in the road in Manhattan’s Financial District. Be more like Arturo Di Modica, the Italian-American artist who illegally installed it in front of the New York Stock Exchange in 1989.

Gemini (May 22–June 21)

You’re going to have a fun month, Gemini: Your professional outlook is full of studiousness, planning, learning, and incredibly enriching experiences; and your love life will be a sexy roller-coaster of intense sensuality, followed by a brief interlude of cuddliness, and then an even more explosive period of passion. You’ll essentially be some kind of art world superhero: On Kawara year reader by day, Niki de Saint Phalle Nanas by night.

Cancer (June 22–July 22)

May will be bad for business, Cancer, but good for romance. Don’t start any new projects or begin any ambitious works — no matter how much planning you do and energy you put into them, you’ll get nowhere. Better to devote your efforts to your love life and, while you’re at it, take a trip with that special person in your life. We hear Venice is really romantic this time of year, plus there’s that big art show about to open.

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Quit being so lazy, Leo! You have all the inertia of a Fernando Botero sculpture right now, but May will be a month for boosting your professional standing and doing some practical problem-solving in your relationships. In the studio, try tackling some new medium or technique, or launching into a series you’ve been developing. In love, focus on the small things — don’t go for grandiose romantic gestures, focus on making decisive little marks, like the executor of a Sol LeWitt wall drawing.

Virgo (August 23–September 23)

Learn from Shepard Fairey’s mistakes, Virgo: When things are going badly, trying to lie your way out of trouble will only make it worse. Keep that in mind this month, as you’re going to face some difficult decisions both in your work and in your relationships, and lying — to yourself or to others — will have truly disastrous consequences. But if you can hang tight, acknowledge your sources, and claim fair use (literally or metaphorically, depending on your situation), you’ll get through the month relatively unscathed and probation-free. OBEY the stars.

Libra (September 24–October 23)

This is a time for long-term projects, Libra, not short-term gains. We’re sorry, but you’re not going to make a splash during Frieze Week, or manage to scrape together a compelling Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program proposal right before the deadline (May 21), so you should devote your time and energy to undertakings that will come to fruition somewhere down the line. Why not set up studio visits with potential collaborators, or get to work on your fall residency applications? It’s never too soon to start planning for Art Basel Miami Beach!

Scorpio (October 24–November 22)

We rarely tell Scorpios this because, let’s face it, you have a tendency to get carried away, which is how people get stung, but this month you cannot fail. Fruitful collaborations will make your successes even more sucessful. If you have assistants or interns, they will be perfect extensions of your hands and mind, so dream big. If you’ve been contemplating embarking on a foolishly ambitious aesthetic adventure, this is the month to set it in motion. Think of May as the Venetian Lagoon, and you are Swoon and the “Swimming Cities,” sailing effortlessly toward the Venice Biennale.

Sagittarius (November 23–December 21)

The planets are pulling you in opposite directions this month. In your work, it’s time to modernize. Try making some internet art or incorporating leaked government documents into a piece. At the very least, update your website. Meanwhile, in your love life, this is a time to go back to nature. Ideal date scenarios include a plein air painting session and picnic, or a sculpture park day trip — when was the last time you went to Storm King, Sagittarius?

Capricorn (December 22–January 20)

You’re looking mighty tired this month, Capricorn, like one of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s soft sculptures, sprawled droopingly in the corner. The sooner you acknowledge and make peace with that, the fewer doomed projects you’ll undertake. You simply don’t have the energy to match your ambitions right now, so best to lay low and recharge until you’re looking and feeling more like a hard sculpture. You’ll be strong as an Ursula von Rydingsvard again in no time!

Aquarius (January 21–February 19)

We hate to nag, and we know there are going to be plenty of occasions to party this month — between the endless celebrations for the new Whitney Museum building, the Frieze New York frenzy, and the Venice Biennale bacchanalia, not to mention your own triumphs — but you really need to keep your drinking in check until June 1. All your success in May will get you attention from both the powers that be and your competitors, and you’ll need all your wits about you to deal with all the collectors, dealers, curators, and jealous colleagues coming at you.

Pisces (February 20–March 20)

It’s time to get in touch with your inner Arne Glimcher, Pisces. The Pace Gallery director has neither the Guy Fieri-of-the-art-world brashness of Larry Gagosian nor the European sophistication of David Zwirner, but damn it if he hasn’t consolidated his control over a major chunk of the art market while pissing off remarkably few people. Make Glimcher your spirit animal for May, because your diplomacy skills will be tested, both in your love life and your career.

Aries (March 21–April 20)

It might start to feel like you’re trapped in one of Henri Rousseau‘s jungle paintings this month, Aries, with poisonous plants and big cats lurking around every tree trunk. Your friends and coworkers will all turn on you in May, but don’t take it personally, you just happen to be at the center of an exceptionally treacherous planetary alignment, kind of like standing in the middle of Damián Ortega’s “Controller of the Universe” (2007) installation at the Cooper Hewitt. It may seem like there’s no way out, but all the antagonism will die down by month’s end.