Art

Five NYC Art Shows to See This Week

Depth and wonder abound in shows featuring artists Alexis Rockman, Stephanie H. Shih, Raoul De Keyser, Roxanne Jackson, and Tabboo!

Natalie Haddad, Hrag Vartanian, Seph Rodney, Julie Schneider

February 17, 2025 — 3 min read

Detail of Alexis Rockman, “Plague in the Kingdom of Naples, 1656-1658” (2024) (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

Sometimes we need to see the big picture to find meaning; other times it’s in the little things. And still other times, we can’t find it at all. Each of these perspectives is represented in the shows below, by artists including Alexis Rockman, Stephanie H. Shih, and Raoul De Keyser. What all the shows share is a sense that there is more to what we see than meets the eye. Just look at the fantastical deep sea creatures of Roxanne Jackson. Depth and wonder abound. —Natalie Haddad, Reviews Editor

Stephanie H. Shih: Domestic Bliss

Alexander Berggruen Gallery, 1018 Madison Avenue, Floor 3, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Through February 26

Stephanie H. Shih, “Filet-of-Fish” (2023) (photo Julie Schneider/*Hyperallergic*)

"The stories embedded in these charged, chosen objects hint at relationships, conveying clues to hopes and heartbreaks, daydreams and daily concerns." —Julie Schneider

Read the full review here.

Alexis Rockman: Naples: Course of Empire

Magenta Plains, 149 Canal Street, Chinatown, Manhattan
Through March 1

Installation view of Alexis Rockman, “Acquario di Napoli – Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn” (2024) (photo Hrag Vartanian/*Hyperallergic*)

"By choosing Naples, a great city that never quite regained its status as a world capital, the artist reminds us that time is long, while our memories and reign of power are not." —Hrag Vartanian

Read the full review here.

Raoul De Keyser: Touch Game

David Zwirner Gallery, 519 and 525 West 19th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Through March 1

Raoul De Keyser, "Come on, play it again nr. 1" (2001), oil on canvas (photo Natalie Haddad/*Hyperallergic*)

"De Keyser's works create a drama of looking by doing nothing but being taciturn about their own being." —NH

Read the full review here.

Roxanne Jackson: Unknown Giants

Anton Kern Gallery WINDOW, 91 Walker Street, Tribeca, Manhattan
Through March 1

"Jackson’s parade of ceramic sea creatures bridges the gap between fantasia and reality through something like a hybrid carnival and haunted house." —Seph Rodney

Read the full review here.

Tabboo! Early Works

Karma, 188 and 172 East 2nd Street, East Village, Manhattan
Through March 1

Gordon Robichaux, 41 Union Square West, #925 and #907, Union Square Manhattan
Through March 2

Installation view of Tabboo!'s "RRRRRev Up…Mary" along with ephemera on view at Gordon Robichaux (photo Hrag Vartanian/*Hyperallergic*)

"The energy that underlies his best work and probably some of his finest drag [is] the idea that from a single mark, smudge, or action, a whole world can be born." —HV

Read the full review here.