Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 6/4-6/10

Kim Gordon, the unstoppable, inspirational Jane-of-all-trades leads the week with the opening of her latest fine art exhibition—as if playing in two bands and penning a best-selling memoir were not enough already. Novice art collectors can have their day at Cotton Candy for their very popular annual Tiny Trifecta, where all works by renowned artists are just $100. And being thrifty is in the air with the Museum Mile Festival which is offering free admission to nine museums along 5th Avenue. But if art isn’t your thing, there’s still lots more to do: get cultured with a French flick in Washington Square Park, or schooled at Lost Lectures as it returns to a secret, former ship-building warehouse somewhere in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Kim Gordon—The City is a Garden ↑
303 Gallery, 507 West 24th Street
Thursday, June 4th, 6:00-8:00 pm
Ex-Sonic Youther, Body/Head singer, “Girl in a Band” author, and artist Kim Gordon is the dream that the ’90s were made of. Her latest exhibition opens tonight at 303. Come experience another facet of the multi-talented heroine. Is there anything she can’t do?

“Caramel”- Films on the Green ↑
Washington Square Park, 5th Avenue and Waverly Place
Friday, June 5th, 8:30 pm
A summer of chic French culture is in your near future with a series of FREE French films on the green. This week’s flick, “Caramel”, is a Franco-Lebanese dramedy geared toward the ladies, following a group of five women in a salon as they dish about love, sex and men. Bring a blanket and a carefully concealed bottle of Beaujolais.

The Lost Lectures ↑
In a secret location in the Brooklyn Navy Yards revealed after purchase
Friday, June 5th, 7:00 – 11:00 pm

The Lost Lectures is back from London and better than ever. Not only is it being held in a location that’s usually closed off to the public, but there’s a stellar lineup on tap that includes Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino, who will be performing never-before-seen material; NYC urban explorer Steve Duncan, who plans on divulging some of the city’s darkest secrets; and indie filmmaker Josephine Decker, who will be pulling the crowd into an immersive and interactive performance. Tickets are $50 and guests get free beer, cider and coconut water!

FIGMENT ↑
Governors Island
Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th, 10:00 am-6:00 pm (both days)
Celebrate a day of art, family fun and the unveiling of the two winning City of Dreams Pavilions—the Billion Oyster Pavilion and Organic Growth—both of which are close to my heart since I was on the selection committee. The ferry over is free before 11:30am, but just $2 after. Bring a picnic and relax under the trees, head for the mini golf course, or check out the sculptural program amongst many other events packed in for the weekend.

MIST- Holy Land ↑
Wall Works New York, 39 Bruckner Boulevard, the Bronx
Sunday, June 6th, 5:00-8:00 pm
French graffiti artist MIST’s work first wowed me last year at the Pera Museum in Istanbul. Rather than being about his own tag or character, the artist transforms graffiti into an abstraction about the nuances and limits of the spray can itself. His oversized works are hyper-magnified representations of a sprayed line, showing his expert spray and control with the can by reconstructing its lines on a larger scale.

Fifth Annual Tiny Trifecta ↑
Cotton Candy Machine, 235 South 1st Street, Williamsburg
Sunday, June 6th, 7:00-11:00 pm
Once a year, Sean Leonard and artist Tara McPherson of Cotton Candy Machine host a night of affordable art by renowned artists, a glorious gift to collectors and art lovers everywhere. Although the pieces are all “tiny,” they are also all just $100. Pre-registration to buy is required, and the night can get packed, but when else can you get a piece by AJ Fosik, Skinner, Beau Stanton or Natalia Fabia for just $100.

20th Anniversary Chashama Gala ↑
4 Times Square – 4th Floor
Monday, June 8th, 6:00-9:00 pm, dance party/after party 9:30 pm
It’s here! My favorite event of the year, the chashama gala! A night of free-flowing food by Charlie Palmer’s Aureole is complemented by a free-flowing open bar, wild performances (last year a two-headed Muffinhead galavanted around a live model candelabra by Flambeaux), and my most favorite thing: a hair station by Delerious. If gala tickets aren’t in your budget, the after party starts early enough to be in bed by midnight on a Monday.

Museum Mile Festival ↑
5th Avenue from 82nd to 105th Street
Tuesday, June 9th, 6:00-9:00 pm
Spend the evening getting your free fill of arts and culture along the city’s Museum Mile as the institutions open their doors for free admission, festivities, music, food and a massive block party. Make it a family affair by hitting up the kid-centric activities, or use this as an opportunity to forgo the $20+ admission fees to the nine participating museums. Wear comfy shoes and hit them all!

New Yorks by CRASH ↑
bOb Bar, 235 Eldridge Street
Tuesday, June 9th, 7:00-10:00 pm
Known for his bold use of color and comic-inspired abstractions, seminal graffiti artist CRASH brings a collection of new smaller works, on canvas and metal. He’s also one of the nicest people I know, to boot!

Olafur Eliasson — The Collectivity Project ↑
On the High Line at West 30th Street
May 29 – September 30, Daily, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson brings to the High Line an installation of white LEGO® bricks that features an imaginary cityscape conceived and designed by the public. Visitors are encouraged to build and rebuild the structures, and a group of architectural firms involved in current or ongoing projects in the surrounding neighborhood (think BIG, SHoP, Renzo Piano, and Robert A.M. Stern) built their own block sculptures for the commencement of the exhibit.

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Lori Zimmer is a writer, curator and founder of Art Nerd New York, an off-beat art history guide to the city. Follow her on Twitter @LoriZimmer.