Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 5/7-5/13

This week is a bit heavy on the arty side, kicking off with an opening on the Lower East Side with a ridiculously long name, or one involving smashing plates in Chelsea. Hunt for new talent at Parsons’ MFA Thesis exhibition, school yourself with a gallery talk with Rivane Neuenschwander, or support a great cause (and see some great art) at Swoon’s Heliotrope Foundation benefit.

To satisfy your design tooth, this weekend is all about Brooklyn, as BKYLN DESIGNS hits the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. But you can travel back in time at the week’s end by celebrating the Van Alen Institute at a Beaux Arts gem, the Surrogate’s Courthouse.

Matt Jones and Eric Wiley- “The Seeing Orb” ↑
Castor Gallery, 254 Broome Street
May 7th, 7-9pm
Artists Matt Jones and Eric Wiley mount an exhibition of both singular and collaborative works that push in and out of different dimensions. The show’s actual title is “A horrendous assembly, clawing and jerking, all mashed tightly into specks that rest upon the seeing orb, eventually layering as a pearl does into kingdoms of permanent escape.” Doesn’t that alone make you curious?

Ann Lewis (GILF!), “Shattering” ↑
Joseph Gross Gallery, 548 W. 28th St, #232
May 7th, 6:00-9:00pm
Where else can you let out your aggression by throwing plates in an art gallery? Sounds like a smashing good time to me. Lewis’s “Shattering” installation will be paired with sculptural works made from former smashing sessions and panels made from police barricades.

BKLYN DESIGNS ↑
Brooklyn Expo Center, 72 Noble Street
May 8th-10th
This weekend, celebrate all that is design, with a showcase of the best architecture, interior design, furniture and lighting in the sprawling new Brooklyn Expo Center. The event also marks the start of New York design month, for which we’ve also got a whole list of curated, must-see events.

Off Pink – Parsons Fine Arts – 2015 MFA Thesis Exhibition ↑
The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th Street
May 9th, 6:00-8:00pm
I love discovering the art world’s next big names by creepily scouring MFA exhibitions (I know I’m not the only one). Tonight features a selection of emerging artists from various mediums, curated by Tina Kukielski.

Artist Talk: Rivane Neuenschwander “in Conversation” ↑
Tonya Bonakdar Gallery, 521 W. 21st Street
May 9th, 4:30pm
Hear from the acclaimed Brazilian artist before her opening at the gallery Saturday evening as she speaks about her exploration with narratives about language, nature, geography, the passing of time and social interactions. Neuenschwander’s works have been featured at museums around the world, including a personal favorite during the “Comic Abstraction” show at MoMA a few years ago.

“The Road By Walking” VIP Reception, Hosted by Swoon and Swizz Beatz ↑
287 Gallery, 287 10th Avenue
May 13th, 6-9pm
This ticketed party will feature large scale pieces and small intimate drawings by Swoon, which will benefit the artist’s new non-profit, The Heliotrope Foundation. Tickets were just reduced, so get yours now because it will sell out. The evening includes juices and hors d’oeuvres by Juice Press, as well as beer, wine and champers.

Van Alen Institute Spring Party ↑
The Surrogate’s Courthouse, 31 Chambers Street
May 13th, 6:45-11:00pm
Each year the Van Alen Institute takes over an architectural gem in New York City for their epic spring party. This year is no different, hosted at the gorgeous Beaux-Arts Surrogate’s Courthouse, which was built in 1907 and modeled after the Paris Opera. The evening of dinner, dancing and drinks also includes one of the best-ranked auctions of arts and design experiences. Tickets for dinner or just the after party are available.

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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.