In a city of great diversity, art plays a role in bringing us all together to consider the world anew. Art helps us imagine new possibilities and offers us moments of thoughtful reflection in these rapidly changing times.
Focusing on museums, art nonprofits, galleries, and community events, this guide is designed to help you navigate the world of contemporary art in New York City. We encourage you to explore the artistic happenings of our great city based on recommendations from our expert team, which has been covering the arts daily for over a decade.
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Now On View
Alchemyverse: Messa in Luce
Bicheng Liang and Yixuan Shao, better known as the artistic duo Alchemyverse, have showcased the visual culmination of their research in Chile’s Atacama Desert, considered the driest and sunniest region on the planet. The anchor of the duo’s exhibition is an installation of fragmented ceramics sourced from wild clay harvested and pit-fired during their onsite visit. The ceramics are supplemented with field recordings of the dried-out Rio San Pedro and abandoned Mina Victoria, fostering a multisensory connection between geological time and the anthropological experience.
International Studio & Curatorial Program (iscp-nyc.org)
1040 Metropolitan Avenue, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Through Nov. 17
Phyllida Barlow: PRANK
The late Phyllida Barlow’s 60-year career is celebrated in this presentation of one of her playful series of sculptures constructed for City Hall Park. PRANK consists of seven steel and fiberglass sculptures of familiar objects that could be found in Barlow’s studio, either in supersized formats or warped in irregular ways to inject a comical incongruity into their banal existence.
City Hall Park (Public Art Fund) (publicartfund.org)
Broadway and Chambers Street, Financial District, Manhattan
Through Nov. 26
Light from Water: Heidi Howard & Esteban Cabeza de Baca, with Liz Phillips
The collaborative and individual portraits and landscapes of Heidi Howard and Esteban Cabeza de Baca in this Wave Hill exhibition suggest alternative views of humans’ relationship to nature and encourage collectivity within a global ecosystem. Howard and Cabeza de Baca’s works are joined by a sound-responsive sculpture created by Liz Phillips.
Glyndor Gallery at Wave Hill (wavehill.org)
675 West 249th Street, Riverdale, The Bronx
Through Nov. 26
Cecily Brown: Death and the Maid
Cecily Brown is known for revisiting and reinventing Western art history, from well-trodden Classical themes like shipwrecks to the canon of Abstract Expressionism. The 50 works in this exhibition explore the inspiration she has drawn from historical genres like Dutch vanitas paintings, luxurious still lifes that served as visual reminders of the inevitability of death.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Through Dec. 3
We didn’t ask permission, we just did it…
This show reexamines the present-day legacies of select exhibitions that took place in Puerto Rico between 2000 and 2016, including M&M Proyectos’s PR invitationals; Pablo León de la Barra’s The Gran Tropical Bienals; and Cave-In, initiated by Mike Egan. The three experimental projects helped inspire a self-sufficient arts community in San Juan during a period rife with political tension and economic hardship on the island. Anchored in archival research, the show features works by Puerto Rican and international artists who use nontraditional materials, and includes several public events with artists and curators.
Mishkin Gallery at Baruch College (weissman.baruch.cuny.edu)
135 East 22nd Street Gramercy Park, Manhattan
Through Dec. 8
Sheila Pepe: My Neighbor’s Garden
For Sheila Pepe’s first outdoor exhibition, the artist, along with a local community of makers, cycled through more than 15,000 yards of crochetable materials to construct web-like structures that span the Madison Square Park Conservancy. Imbued with a colorful optimism, Pepe’s crocheted canopies are rooted in the feminist act of women departing the confines of domesticity and unleashing their potential in the greater outdoors. The artist will host a variety of public programs associated with the exhibition, including collaborative crochet sessions and tutorials.
Madison Square Park (madisonsquarepark.org)
23rd Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues, Flatiron, Manhattan
Through Dec. 10
Vulnerable Landscapes
Focusing on the susceptible shorelines of Staten Island, this interdisciplinary exhibition explores the environmental challenges faced by this oft-overlooked New York borough. Delving into the past to make sense of the present, Vulnerable Landscapes investigates themes of rebuilding, reimagining, resiliency, and environmental advocacy through contemporary artworks, collected objects, and archival materials.
Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (statenislandmuseum.org)
1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Randall Manor, Staten Island
Through Dec. 30
Staten Island Mode: Identity, Memory, Fashion
This archival exhibition of Staten Island fashion history explores the links between local dress, memory, and identity. Led by fashion history scholars Jenna Rossi-Camus and Alexis Romano, who both grew up in the borough, Staten Island Mode is the result of a research project chronicling the “self-fashioning” of a seaside community’s past and present residents. The show features installations of garments and photography across four rooms, in conjunction with several public events.
Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (snug-harbor.org)
1000 Richmond Terrace, Building C, Randall Manor, Staten Island
Through Dec. 31
Death Is Not the End
From thangka paintings to illuminated manuscripts, this exhibition features 58 objects representing Tibetan Buddhist and Christian traditions that span 1,200 years. As its title suggests, the show explores concepts of death and the possibility of an afterlife, pondering what the curators suggest is the universal human condition of impermanence and tendency to embrace life.
Rubin Museum of Art (rubinmuseum.org)
150 West 17th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Through Jan. 14, 2024
Rich Man, Poor Man: Art, Class, and Commerce in a Late Medieval Town
As proven by Hollywood’s enduring fascination with Robin Hood, modern-day perceptions of Medieval Europe often hinge on two socioeconomic groups: peasants and greedy royals. This exhibition shines a light on the lesser-known demographic of the late-Medieval middle class, delving into a set of sculptures commissioned by a 16th-century merchant in Exeter, England, named Henry Hamlyn. Contextualized within 50 artworks, the show explores why Hamlyn selected the imagery he did, ultimately questioning how his artistic choices conveyed both his position on the economic ladder and his personal taste.
The Met Cloisters (metmuseum.org)
99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort George, Manhattan
Through Feb. 4, 2024
Something Beautiful: Reframing La Colección
El Museo del Barrio’s year-long rotating exhibition will feature approximately 500 works from its permanent collection, including recent acquisitions and new commissions. The show’s first phase consists of eight sections encompassing Amerindian, African, and European influence on American and Caribbean visual culture through spirituality, migration and culture retention, gender exploration, and underrepresented histories. The exhibition spotlights seven artists: Jorge Soto Sánchez, Alejandro Diaz, Papo Colo, Antonio Lopez, Myrna Báez, Maria Gaspar, and Glendalys Medina.
El Museo del Barrio (elmuseo.org)
1230 Fifth Avenue, East Harlem, Manhattan
Through March 10, 2024
Nicholas Galanin: In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra
At 30 feet tall and constructed from the same steel tubing used for the United States-Mexico border wall, Nicholas Galanin’s installation spells out the word “LAND” with a tilted “A” as a nod to Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculptures from the 1960s. Galanin, a Tlingit and Unangax multidisciplinary artist from Sitka, Alaska, riffs off the manufactured reproducibility of Pop Art, infusing it with Indigenous resistance.
Brooklyn Bridge Park (Public Art Fund) (publicartfund.org)
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dumbo, Brooklyn
Through March 10, 2024
Nina Chanel Abney: San Juan Heal and Jacolby Satterwhite: An Eclectic Dance to the Music of Time
In this installation, artist Nina Chanel Abney remembers the Black and Brown communities that have been displaced from Manhattan’s San Juan Hill to make room for the development of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A constellation of vivid prints covering the center’s windows celebrates notable residents of the neighborhood, including jazz legends James P. Johnson and Thelonious Monk. Also, don’t miss artist Jacolby Satterwhite’s multimedia installation inside the building, which pays tribute to generations of players in the New York Philharmonic.
Lincoln Center (Public Art Fund) (publicartfund.org)
10 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Through March 31, 2024
Gabriel Chaile: The wind blows where it wishes
Gabriel Chaile is known for his large-scale sculptures, installations, and drawings informed by his experiences growing up with Spanish, Afro-Arab, and Indigenous Candelaria heritage in Argentina. “The Wind Blows Where it Wishes,” an adobe public sculpture he conceived for the High Line’s 24th Street section, is the result of many inspirations — most notably Chaile’s observations of pre-Columbian ceramics in northwest Argentina.
High Line (thehighline.org)
High Line at 24th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Through April 2024
Opening in September
Playscape Performs
Described as the first improv theater in a New York City playground, the ShowBox Theater is presenting a diverse lineup of music, dance, and puppetry performances on the weekends. Audiences can attend performances by Adelka Polak, Brad Shur, Chinese Theatre Works, and Loco7 in September. The October programming will feature performers including Bill Gordh, Puppetsburg, Creative Stage Collective, Parallel Exit, and 3AM Theatre.
The Battery Conservancy (thebattery.org)
ShowBox Theater, across from 17 State Street, Financial District, Manhattan
Sept. 3–Oct. 29, every Sunday at 10:30am and 1:30pm
El Dorado: Myths of Gold
The legend of El Dorado looms large in our collective imagination. The South American metropolis with streets of gold and unfathomable riches has made frequent appearances on the silver screen, and a simple Google search returns pages of restaurants and businesses bearing the fictitious city’s name. Now, in collaboration with the Fundación PROA in Buenos Aires and Museo Amparo in Puebla, Mexico, the Americas Society is offering an artistic take on the unshakeable myth. An exhibition of historical and contemporary works will speak to — and challenge — the legend of El Dorado and explore its role as a forceful narrative about the Americas.
Americas Society (as-coa.org)
680 Park Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Sept. 6–May 18, 2024
What Models Make Worlds: Critical Imaginaries of AI
“It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories,” feminist scholar Donna Haraway once wrote. Curated by Mashinka Firunts Hakopian and Meldia Yesayan, the Ford Foundation’s fall exhibition expands upon her conception of storytelling through a critical analysis of artificial intelligence and how algorithms might propel us toward a more equitable future.
Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice (fordfoundation.org)
320 East 43rd Street, New York
Sept. 7–Dec. 9
Art for the Millions: American Culture and Politics in the 1930s
This exhibition investigates the visual culture and modes of political and social messaging amidst the Great Depression through various media, including fashion. The works manifest the uphill battle toward stability and an established cultural identity during an era of divisive politics and crippling nation-wide debts.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Sept. 7–Dec. 10
Michael Richards: Are You Down?
This is the first museum retrospective celebrating the work of the late Michael Richards, an artist who died in the September 11 attacks while working in his top-floor art studio in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The show spotlights the artist’s sustained interest in flight and aviation across histories and ancient mythologies through sculpture, drawing, and installation work created between 1990 to 2001.
Bronx Museum of the Arts (bronxmuseum.org)
1040 Grand Concourse, Concourse Village, The Bronx
Sept. 8–Jan. 7, 2024
Drawing as Practice
Though often relegated to second place, drawing is the backbone of visual art. This exhibition brings drawing to the fore, celebrating it as both a thread that connects disparate art forms and a significant art form in its own right. Focusing on the history of the National Academy from its beginnings as a drawing club, the show brings together representational, abstract, and architectural drawings that emphasize both technique and invention.
National Academy of Design (nationalacademy.org)
519 West 26th Street, Second Floor Chelsea, Manhattan
Sept. 14–Dec. 16
Anatomy of a Fresco: Drawings of José Clemente Orozco from the Wornick Collection
Providing a close-up look at José Clemente Orozco’s artistic process, this exhibition takes viewers from preparatory sketches and preliminary cartoons to digital reproductions of large-scale murals that defined the early-20th-century Mexican Muralism movement. The show contextualizes muralism in the scope of post-Revolutionary Mexico and considers how social and political issues impacted the art form.
Hispanic Society Museum & Library (hispanicsociety.org)
613 West 155th Street, Washington Heights, Manhattan
Sept. 15–Nov. 19
Taking Space: Contemporary Women Artists and the Politics of Scale
How do women artists consider space and scale in their work? That’s the question asked in this exhibition including Kara Walker, Mequitta Ahuja, Jennifer Bartlett, Eiko Fan, Elizabeth Murray, and others.
Montclair Art Museum (montclairartmuseum.org)
3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey
Sept. 15–Jan. 7, 2024
Ruth Asawa Through Line
Ruth Asawa is best known for her intricately woven sculptures built of concentric mesh forms, whose webs and networks recall patterns of the organic world. The Japanese-American artist, educator, and activist’s first love, however, was drawing, a practice she continued to develop throughout her lifetime. This show features over 100 works on paper including sketches, watercolors, collages, prints, sketchbooks, and more dating from the 1940s to her late period, attesting to her experimentation with techniques and mediums as varied as stamps and calligraphy. The pieces on display, many of them rarely exhibited, trace Asawa’s obsession with line, rhythm, and form to the simple pleasure of mark-making.
Whitney Museum of American Art (whitney.org)
99 Gansevoort Street, Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Sept. 16–Jan. 15, 2024
A Model Workshop: Margaret Lowengrund and The Contemporaries
In 1951, artist Margaret Lowengrund became the first woman to open a printmaking workshop in the United States when she created The Contemporaries, a New York City creative space that also functioned as a gallery. Her organization turned into the Pratt Graphic Art Center when she died in 1957, but throughout the previous decade, Lowengrund developed a vast network of artists and contributed heavily to the resurgence of printmaking in the US. This show pays homage to Lowengrund’s own artistic work and her major influence on the medium she loved.
Print Center New York (printcenternewyork.org)
535 West 24th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Sept. 21–Dec. 23
Barkley L. Hendricks: Portraits at the Frick
From the late 1960s on, Barkley L. Hendricks established himself as a preeminent portrait painter. His works were astonishing not only for the way they center Black people and identity, but also for his integration of Old Master compositions and techniques. With deep commitment to the artistic process, he makes a political statement about the whitewashing of art history and broader American culture.
The Frick Collection (frick.org)
945 Madison Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Sept. 21–Jan. 7, 2024
Christian Walker: The Profane and the Poignant
Twenty years after his death, the late artist and curator Christian Walker is finally being honored with his first museum show. Walker, a gay Black man who worked in Atlanta and Boston, probed queerness and race in his experimental photography, examining the AIDS epidemic, drug use, and interracial relationships while becoming a fixture in artistic and activist communities across his two cities. This show contextualizes Walker within those circles while offering a close look at his art, writing, and curatorial contributions.
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (leslielohman.org)
26 Wooster Street, Soho, Manhattan
Sept. 22–Jan. 7, 2024
Acts of Faith: Religion and the American West
This exhibition takes a close look at the role of religion in 19th-century US expansion. Although White pilgrims, preachers, and places of worship dotted the country, the exhibition extends beyond White Christianity to explore the diverse array of spiritualities, including those of Indigenous peoples, African-American migrants, and Chinese immigrant workers, woven into the country’s spiritual fabric.
New-York Historical Society (nyhistory.org)
170 Central Park West, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Sept. 22–Feb. 25, 2024
In Practice: Devin T. Mays
Empty cigarette packs, cement blocks, trash bags, and a deflated basketball have all made appearances in Devin T. Mays’s arrangements of discarded objects. The artist is the focus of one of four solo exhibitions at Long Island City’s SculptureCenter this fall.
SculptureCenter (sculpture-center.org)
44–19 Purves Street, Long Island City, Queens
Sept. 23–Dec. 11
Shary Boyle: Outside the Palace of Me
A multisensory presentation of new work by the Canadian visual artist and performer Shary Boyle, this show features drawings, ceramic and coin-operated sculptures, life-sized automatonic mechanisms, two-way mirrors, and an interactive score that transform the institutional museum space into one of collective performance.
Museum of Arts and Design (madmuseum.org)
2 Columbus Circle, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Sept. 23, 2023–Feb. 25, 2024
Manet/Degas
The Met reinvestigates the relationship between two of the most important 19th-century artists: Edouard Manet and Edgar Degas, who may be best described as “frenemies.” The exhibition offers a new perspective on these artists, contextualizing their work side by side along with their intersecting social and professional backgrounds.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Sept. 24–Jan. 7, 2024
A Glorious Bewilderment: Marie Menken’s ‘Visual Variations on Noguchi’
At the Queens institution, Marie Menken’s groundbreaking film is projected in a second-floor gallery filled with related works by Noguchi, illuminating the artists’ individual contributions and their collective force.
Noguchi Museum (noguchi.org)
9-01 33rd Road, Astoria, Queens
Sept. 27–Feb. 4, 2024
Amazonia
Curated by Berta Sichel and Patricia Capa, this show features 11 international artists who explore ecological, Indigenous, and spiritual narratives of the Amazon.
Pratt Manhattan Gallery (pratt.edu)
144 West 14th Street, West Village, Manhattan
Sept. 28–Dec. 9
We Tried to Warn You! Environmental Crisis Posters, 1970–2020
Any exhibition that calls its artworks “failures” must have something to say. We Tried to Warn You begins with this sentiment. The collection of posters on environmental issues dating from 1970 to 2020 failed not “in their graphic intent of communicating a message, but rather that they failed to successfully modify behavior,” according to Poster House. Far from artifacts frozen in time, though, the posters are evidence of the many decades we’ve had to address these issues and serve as a record of the debates and deadlocks that have made the climate crisis ever more imminent.
Poster House (posterhouse.org)
119 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Sept. 28–Feb. 25, 2024
Art Deco: Commercializing the Avant-Garde
A curated collection chronicling Art Deco’s evolution from avant-garde commercialism to World War II nationalism, this exhibition features more than 50 posters by master graphic designers that exemplify the rise and decline of the European art and design movement. Beginning with the 1925 Paris Exhibition and ending with wartime nationalistic graphics, this show examines a variety of Modernist ephemera and the political and economic forces that influenced the pivotal 20th-century style.
Poster House (posterhouse.org)
119 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Sept. 28–Feb. 25, 2024
Muriel Hasbun: Tracing Terruño
Throughout her career, Muriel Hasbun has looked at identity in all of its intricacies. The artist, whose paternal side is Salvadoran and Palestinian Christian and maternal side is Polish and French Jewish, has grappled with exile herself, when the Salvadoran Civil War forced her to leave her home. Multimedia works from 1988 to the present — including the series Santos y sombras / Saints and Shadows (1990–97), in which archival family images and new images are merged into hybrids that meditate on memory — create a visual landscape in which the past is never static.
International Center of Photography (icp.org)
79 Essex Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Sept. 29–Jan. 8, 2024
SIGHTLINES on Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa
Metal works by contemporary artists including Otobong Nkanga, Radcliffe Bailey, and Lubaina Himid are presented here alongside dozens of 19th- and 20th-century objects ranging from ceremonial swords to currency. As the show traces the art historical significance of African metal art, it simultaneously delves into its sociopolitical implications. Sammy Baloji’s 2022 documentary “Of the Moon and Velvet,” which examines metal extraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is among the highlights of the exhibition.
Bard Graduate Center Gallery (bgc.bard.edu)
18 West 86th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Sept. 29–Dec. 31
The Socrates Annual 2023
Each year, the Socrates Sculpture Park gives fellowships to artists for public art projects; past fellows have included Sable Elyse Smith, Torkwase Dyson, Leilah Babirye, and Sanford Biggers. With an emphasis on creative experimentation and support for artists, the juried competition is a consistent incubator for talent. This year’s Socrates Annual promises a selection of public artworks by up-and-coming artists that once again push the boundaries of the form and don’t shy away from important issues of the day.
Socrates Sculpture Park (socratessculpturepark.org)
32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens
Sept. 30–March 24, 2024
Opening in October
Meiji Modern: Fifty Years of New Japan
To celebrate its 50th birthday, the Japanese Art Society of America looks to an important era of social change and creativity in Japan’s history. The Meiji era (1868–1912) marked Japan’s transition from a feudal society to a modern industrial nation. With nearly 80 artworks, Meiji Modern acknowledges this transition by examining traditional Japanese themes, such as nature, Buddhism, and mythical creatures, as they were influenced by new materials and techniques. The result promises to be a remarkable portrait of a nation in a state of change.
Asia Society (asiasociety.org)
725 Park Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Oct. 3–Jan. 7, 2024
Henry Taylor: B Side
The last couple of years have been busy for Henry Taylor. After several recent shows, B-Side is the LA-based artist’s first career survey. Taylor’s colorful portraits of primarily Black friends, family, celebrities, and strangers are captivating in their casual intimacy. With more than 150 works, the retrospective offers an insight into the development of Taylor’s style and themes, and it includes such important early works as his drawings of patients at the Camarillo State Mental Hospital.
Whitney Museum of American Art (whitney.org)
99 Gansevoort Street, Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Oct. 4–Jan. 28, 2024
Fragments of a Faith Forgotten: The Art of Harry Smith
Though best known for his influential Anthology of American Folk Music, artist and music ethnologist Harry Smith produced a wealth of experimental art and film in his life. Fragments of a Faith Forgotten is the first solo museum exhibition to delve into Smith’s expansive practice and the esoteric histories and cosmologies that informed it. Paintings, drawings, films, and ephemera offer insight into Smith’s working process and hybrid takes on diverse facets of American culture.
Whitney Museum of American Art (whitney.org)
99 Gansevoort Street, Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Oct. 4–Jan. 28, 2024
Delcy Morelos
Mud is a multifaceted substance: liquid, solid; water, earth. For Colombian artist Delcy Morelos, it is a medium that yields endless creative possibilities. The artist, who looks to Andean and Amazonian cosmologies for inspiration, will present two immersive installations accompanied by a bilingual catalogue. Through sensory experience that encompasses touch, smell, and sound, Morelos’s art reminds us that earth is an active organism intertwined with the human body, and when our ecology is threatened, so are we.
Dia Chelsea (diaart.org)
537 West 22nd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Oct. 5–July 2024
Climate Futurism
Curated by ecologist and climate policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, this show considers ideas such as reforming industrial food systems, transforming human relationships with nature, reinventing tradition, reinforcing diasporic connections, and prioritizing justice and love.
Pioneer Works (pioneerworks.org)
159 Pioneer Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn
Oct. 6–Dec. 10
Artists’ Books as Prompts for Discourse
Are artists’ books simply demonstrations of an artist’s skills, or can they inspire communication? With this exhibition, the Center for Book Arts considers artists’ books less as artworks to contemplate than as conduits for exchange, conversation, and potentially change. Focusing on Bay Area publishing studio Sming Sming Books, the show looks at the collaborative process between artists and publisher Vivian Sming, and the life that books lead when they enter the world.
Center for Book Arts (centerforbookarts.org)
28 West 27th Street, Third Floor, Nomad, Manhattan
Oct. 6–Dec. 16
Off-Register: Publishing Experiments by Women Artists in Latin America, 1960–1990
The history of conceptual art in Latin America has received some attention in the United States in recent years, yet women artists still lag behind men in exhibitions. Even less examined are the artists’ books that many of these women produced. Curated by Mela Dávila, this exhibition brings artists including Ana Mendieta, Lygia Pape, Beatriz González, and Liliana Porter and their books to the fore. The artists’ explorations of the book format and the depth and breadth on display promise to be revelatory.
Center for Book Arts (centerforbookarts.org)
28 West 27th Street, Third Floor, Nomad, Manhattan
Oct. 6–Dec. 16
Partisans of the Nude: An Arab Art Genre in the Age of Contest, 1920–1960
In the United States and Europe, Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) art histories are frequently oversimplified, if acknowledged at all. With this exhibition, curated by American University of Beirut professor Kirsten Scheid, the Wallach Art Gallery sets itself apart from the reductive readings of other shows by considering the nude in tandem with social changes rather than as a simple expression of rebellion. The show focuses on the colonial era (1920–60), featuring artists from Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian societies, and encompasses themes of religion, masculinity, professionalization of artists, and attempts to universalize European aesthetics.
Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University, Lenfest Center for the Arts (wallach.columbia.edu)
615 West 129th Street, Sixth Floor, Harlem, Manhattan
Oct. 6–Jan. 14, 2024
Judy Chicago: Herstory
This survey looks at the artist’s expansive 60-year career, spanning multiple mediums and touching on themes including mortality, the environment, and, naturally, feminism. Artworks and archival materials from artists and thinkers ranging from Artemisia Gentileschi to Simone de Beauvoir are included to contextualize Chicago’s work.
New Museum (newmuseum.org)
235 Bowery, Bowery, Manhattan
Oct. 12–Jan. 14, 2024
Cosmic Shelter: Hélio Oiticica and Neville D’Almeida’s Private Cosmococas
This exhibition will focus on the Cosmococas — a series of pioneering, sensorial installations co-created by the Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica and Brazilian filmmaker Neville D’Almeida in the early 1970s. Cosmic Shelter will debut two works never before shown in the United States, some featuring Yoko Ono and Marilyn Monroe.
Leubsdorf Gallery, Hunter West Building (hunter.cuny.edu)
132 East 68th Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Oct. 12–March 30, 2024
Art in Odd Places 2023: DRESS
As the name indicates, this is a festival that features art outside the confines of galleries and
museums. This year’s theme is “Dress,” with artists using Manhattan’s 14th Street sidewalks as runways. How cool is that?
(artinoddplaces.org)
Various locations along 14th Street, Manhattan
Oct. 13–15
Out of Bounds: Japanese Women Artists in Fluxus
This show explores the pivotal role of Japanese women in the revolutionary Fluxus art movement of the 1960s, showcasing the works of Shigeko Kubota, Yoko Ono, Takako Saito, and Mieko Shiomi. Tracing the Tokyo-New York connection, the exhibition reveals how these artists brought their perspectives and artistic experiments from Japan, reshaping Fluxus concepts and events.
Japan Society (japansociety.org)
333 East 47th Street, Turtle Bay, Manhattan
Oct. 13–Jan. 21, 2024
Mood of the moment: Gaby Aghion and the house of Chloé
The name of Gaby Aghion is synonymous with fashion, prêt-à-porter, and her iconic French fashion house, Chloé. This show pays tribute to her contribution to women’s fashion and her signature style of effortless elegance.
The Jewish Museum (thejewishmuseum.org)
1109 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Oct. 13–Feb. 18, 2024
People, Place, and Influence: The Collection at 100
The Museum of the City of New York is celebrating its 100th anniversary by highlighting how the varied use of urban space lends itself to creating the backdrop for some of the most famous, and also lesser-known, New York stories. The exhibition includes a cinematic presentation from the museum’s film archive over 16 screens in a special gallery.
Museum of the City of New York (mcny.org)
1220 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Oct. 13–April 28, 2024
Morgan’s Bibles: Splendor in Scripture
Whatever your spiritual beliefs, the Bible is undeniably a behemoth of literature. Spanning cultures, eras, and major social and political upheaval, it was a fascinating artifact to Pierpont Morgan, the American financier who founded his namesake library and museum in Manhattan. Morgan’s interest in the Bible as a religious and an artistic expression resulted in an unprecedented collection of historical objects and artworks. Splendor in Scripture delves into
the famous connoisseur’s treasure trove, including a cuneiform tablet, illuminated manuscripts such as the Lindau Gospels, and drawings and prints by Rubens and Rembrandt.
The Morgan Library and Museum (themorgan.org)
225 Madison Avenue, Murray Hill, Manhattan
Oct. 20–Jan. 21, 2024
I did not tell you what I saw, but only what I dreamt
For Mumbai-based artist Shilpa Gupta, participation is essential. Gupta’s art is built on a reciprocal dialogue, engaging communities and viewers alike. At the core of her practice lies language — a tool of power, control, and occlusion of our emotions and experiences. Through minimalist approach, Gupta’s new show explores the absence of language, drawing our focus to the unspoken.
Amant (amant.org)
315 Maujer Street, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Oct. 21–April 2, 2024
Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility
Think about the concept of “going dark” as a tool for exploring both social discontents and possibilities. With artists including David Hammons, Kerry James Marshall, Lorna Simpson, and many others, this show challenges us to contemplate the concept of the “semi-visible” figure, arguing for its significance for contemporary art and conceptual thinking.
Guggenheim Museum (guggenheim.org)
1071 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Oct. 20–April 7, 2024
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, “Three Angels in Flight,” (18th century), pen and brown ink, brown wash, on paper (photo by Steven H. Crossot, courtesy the Morgan Library & Museum)
Spirit and Invention: Drawings by Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo
As artistic dynasties go, the Tiepolo family may not immediately spring to mind. With Spirit and Invention, the Morgan aims to change that. The show focuses on the graphic work of this father-son duo to examine their creative process and aesthetic. Along with rare pen studies for the elder Tiepolo’s monumental Würzburg Residenz fresco, the show includes sketches of daily life, Biblical scenes, drawings of foreshortened figure studies, and works from Domenico’s Punchinello series, providing fascinating insight into the Tiepolo workshop and the artists’ relationship.
The Morgan Library and Museum (themorgan.org)
225 Madison Avenue, Murray Hill, Manhattan
Oct. 27–Jan. 28, 2024
New Ground: Jacob Samuel and Contemporary Etching
Etching demands dedication, patience, and a high tolerance for dirty hands. Master printer and publisher Jacob Samuel introduced renowned artists like Jannis Kounellis, Meredith Monk, and Marina Abramović to this 500-year-old method, reaffirming its enduring value in contemporary art. Through collaborations with over 60 artists, Samuel’s revitalization of etchings in this show explores the realms of abstraction, figuration, and a rich diversity of visual styles.
Museum of Modern Art (moma.org)
11 West 53rd Street, Midtown, Manhattan
Oct. 29–March 23, 2024
Opening in November
Performa Biennial 2023
This citywide performance art festival is celebrating its 10th edition with a lineup that includes Marcel Dzama, Julien Creuzet, Nikita Gale, Franz Erhard Walther, Haegue Yang, and others.
Various locations across the city
Nov. 1–19
Fruits of Labor — Reframing Motherhood and Artmaking
Can the constraints of motherhood — the worries, interrupted focus, labor of care, and limited resources — become a driving force and mode for artwork? Curator Bruna Shapira answers with a definite “yes” by presenting the works of four women artists who have explored the possibilities of art within the realms of childbirth and parenting.
apexart (apexart.org)
291 Church Street, Tribeca, Manhattan
Nov. 3–Dec. 23
Shelby Shadwell: HAECCEITY
In his latest exhibition, Shelby Shadwell directs his attention to the lustrous texture of the foil thermal blanket. Also known as a solar blanket, this versatile
material evokes a multitude of images, from space exploration or emergency tourist bags to migrants seeking refuge on the US-Mexico border. Employing charcoal and pastel, Shadwell skillfully crafts large-scale trompe l’oeil drawings, reflecting on the role of interpretation in the way we understand the world.
Kentler International Drawing Space (kentlergallery.org)
353 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn
Nov. 4–Dec. 17
Ling-lin Ku
Ling-lin Ku’s art is all about zooming in on small, everyday objects and playfully rethinking them. Whether by shaving toasted bread or showcasing a collection of band-aids, Ku challenges our perception of the familiar, presenting simple things as complex and surreal entities in her own artistic playground.
Cue Art Foundation (cueartfoundation.org)
137 West 25th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Nov. 9–Dec. 22
Stéphane Mandelbaum
Stéphane Mandelbaum’s drawings, created with graphite, colored pencils, and ballpoint pens, offer a captivating glimpse into the artist’s introspective journey as he explored the somber realities of 20th-century Europe. Showcasing over 60 artworks, the first US solo exhibition of Mandelbaum’s drawings delves into his Jewish background, Belgium’s colonial history, and the nightlife and underworld of Brussels.
Drawing Center (drawingcenter.org)
35 Wooster Street, Soho, Manhattan
Nov. 9–Feb. 18, 2024
Medieval Money, Merchants, and Morality
This exhibition takes a look at the early history of capitalism, which undoubtedly altered the course of culture, class, and morals. It features treasures from the end of the Middle Ages to the early Renaissance, manuscripts, coins, and early purses that might change the way you think about money and moneymakers.
The Morgan Library and Museum (themorgan.org)
225 Madison Avenue, Murray Hill, Manhattan
Nov. 10–March 10, 2024
Unnamed Figures: Black Presence and Absence in the Early American North
Black figures largely went unnamed and relegated to the background, if present at all, in White American art in New England and the Mid-Atlantic from the late 17th through early 19th century. The show examines this historical erasure with dozens of works including overmantel paintings, portraits, photographs, and needlework.
American Folk Art Museum (folkartmuseum.org)
2 Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Nov. 15–March 24, 2024
Leslie Martinez: The Fault of Formation
To achieve textured artwork in a cosmic palette, Leslie Martinez dyes and pleats canvases using remnants found in their studio. Embracing a no-waste approach rooted in rasquachismo, a term used in the Chicano art movement to describe a resourcefulness born out of necessity, Martinez’s works strike a delicate balance between themes of craftsmanship, labor, and formal abstraction.
MoMA PS1 (momaps1.org)
22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens
Nov. 16–April 2024
Lightscape
In response to the beloved fantasy of a magical forest, Brooklyn Botanic Garden returns with the reimagined idea of its Lightscape show. This year’s program promises more art and monumental light sculptures on a journey along a scenic one-mile outdoor trail, accompanied by music and pop-up snack and dining areas.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (bbg.org)
990 Washington Avenue, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Nov. 17–Jan. 1, 2024
Marta Minujín: Arte! Arte! Arte!
Drawing from the artist’s archives in Buenos Aires, the Jewish Museum will present rarely-seen documentation and ephemeral works by Marta Minujín, a defining Latin American artist known for her feminist performance works.
The Jewish Museum (thejewishmuseum.org)
1109 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Nov. 17–March 31, 2024
Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines
Due to its accessibility, the zine (short for “fanzine”) has been a medium of choice for artists and activists to center counter-cultural ideas and organizations since the 1970s. This exhibition celebrates the zine as an art form and is accompanied by a comprehensive publication that features in-depth texts from the exhibition’s curators and artists.
Brooklyn Museum (brooklynmuseum.org)
200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Nov. 17–March 31, 2024
Hairitage
With the help of students at the Pratt Institute, Nigerian curator Favour Ritaro presents work from an incredible group of Black and African-American artists to reconsider the historical and contemporary politics of Black hair. The show addresses the roots of the stigma associated with Black hair, while also exploring ways in which Black hair can be a source of personal identity, especially for Black women.
apexart, Pratt Institute, Steuben Gallery (apexart.org)
200 Willoughby Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Nov. 18–Dec. 18
Africa & Byzantium
The Met will present never-before-exhibited works from North Africa, Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia to highlight the lesser-known contributions of African kingdoms to the Byzantine and larger Mediterranean world. This exhibition presents an important and often overlooked chapter of premodern history.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Nov. 19–March 3, 2024
Emilie L. Gossiaux: Other-Worlding
Emilie L. Gossiaux’s art astutely captures profound themes using a playful visual language. Her multidisciplinary work delves into issues such as disability, ableism, the exploitative nature of the anthropocene, and the relationships between humans and animals. Through vibrant depictions of her life alongside her guide dog, London, Gossiaux creates a narrative that embraces empowerment and joy.
Queens Museum (queensmuseum.org)
Grand Central Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens
Dec. 6–April 7, 2024
Excellent offerings!