Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 9/22-9/28
In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers!
Art openings aren’t for everyone; some thrive on jam-packing themselves into hot galleries, clamoring for two inches of cheap wine and a glimpse of a corner of a painting, while others have gotten over the “I saw it first” mentality and prefer to leisurely enjoy show offerings at their own pace, long after the crowds have seceded. That said, put your best shoes on and enjoy a night (or day) out at these excellent exhibits this September. My list this week includes losing yourself in the trippy, yellow-hued world of Os Gemeos at Lehmann Maupin, and taking in the larger than life works of graffiti artist John Matos, a prolific contributor to the New York graffiti scene since the late 70s. And if you’re looking to dance this weekend, school is also back in session with a wild high school-themed party at MoMA PS1!
Ryan McNamara presents Back to School at MoMA PS1 ↑
MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City
Friday, September 23, 7:00pm
PS1 turns back time and reassumes its former life as a school for one night of fun! Artists will take over the empty classrooms and adopt the roles of teachers, coaches, goths, cheerleaders, jocks, outsiders, and nerds for an immersive fundraiser that also asks you come dressed as your high school self.
CRASH, Breaking Ground: Redefining the Urban Experience ↑
Joanne Artman Gallery, 511 W 22nd Street
Through October 31
One of our favorites, John Matos, a.k.a. CRASH has been a driving force in the New York, and particularly the Bronx, graffiti scene since the late 70s. Experience CRASH’s fusion of graffiti and pop art in his latest enigmatic exhibition, which features some of his largest canvases to date.
Os Gemeos, Silence of the Music ↑
Lehmann Maupin, 536 West 22nd Street
Through October 8
If there is only one exhibition you see this month, make it the incredible Os Gemeos show. Twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo have transformed several rooms of the gallery into their imaginative, yellow-hued world, with works of all mediums with several collaborations with masters like Doze Green and Martha Cooper.
Andrea Zittel, solo exhibition ↑
Andrea Rosen Gallery, 525 West 24th Street
Through October 8
I first was turned on to Andrea Zittel when I came across her living capsules, and soon fell into her oeuvre which explores self-imposed limitations relating to space, wardrobe, and living experiences. This exhibition features the Planar Configurations and Linear Sequences bodies of work, which are installed at the gallery and simultaneously on three sites in the Mojave Desert.
Xu Zhen, Solo exhibition ↑
James Cohan Gallery Chelsea, 533 West 26th Street
Through October 8th
Chinese artist Xu Zhen subsumed his individual artistic identity and transformed into MadeIn—an “art creation company.” Now he has resisted his Xu Zhen identity as a product of his “company.” Whether this confuses you or not, Zhen’s attention to textural detail leaves the viewer wanting more. Above: ice cream-like furls. You’ll also see some montages made from leather and exotic toys.
Justin Orvis Steimer, cave paintings of a homo galactian ↑
Catinca Tabacaru Gallery, 250 Broome Street
Through October 9
Color, geometry, energy and his surrounding environment are Steimer’s driving force as an artist. His latest exhibition channels these influences into a series of new paintings about boat sails.
Sarah Walker, Space Machines ↑
PIEROGI, 155 Suffolk Street
Through October 9
Some artists are motivated by automatism, some by realism, and others by process. Walker’s process-heavy abstracts cross between spatial realities to translate velocity and density into abstract form.
Oscar Murillo through patches of corn, wheat and mud ↑
David Zwirner, 525 & 533 West 19th Street
Through October 22
Last year, Oscar Murillo staged a Colombian chocolate factory in the gallery, this year he settles for a more traditional approach to gallery season, with a series of paintings, drawings, sculptural elements, and film that consolidate his early emphasis on personal cultural experiences with a broader exploration of the different roles and possibilities of artists within an increasingly global world.
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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. Lori also recently released her first book through Rockport Publishers, The Art of Cardboard: Big Ideas for Creativity, Collaboration, Storytelling, and Reuse. Follow her on Twitter @LoriZimmer.
