A short list of the can’t-miss new exhibition openings (and closings) this week, by city. See last week’s list for other recent openings, and for a more comprehensive guide, see our Itinerary.
For a list of the most noteworthy art and design fairs happening this week, and throughout the month of May, see our guide »
NEW YORK
“A Prelude to The Shed”
West 30th St & 10th Avenue
OPENS: May 1
A year before the opening of the multi-arts center designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Rockwell Group, The Shed offers a preview of its experimental spirit with a free 12-day event, located at 10th Avenue and 30th Street, one block from its future site. The line-up includes live performances by rapper Azealia Banks and electronic producer Arca, a sound/dance piece by German artist Tino Sehgal, a new work by choreographer William Forsythe, and panels highlighting The Shed’s programmatic ambitions.
“Dan Colen: Mailorder Mother Purgatory”
Lévy Gorvy
909 Madison Avenue
OPENS: May 2
In his first-ever presentation for the gallery, Colen presents three recent bodies of works across the space’s three floors. From his “Mailorder series (2015–2018),” the artist shows new monumental oil-on-linen screen prints that transform everyday advertisements into lush, Rothko-like colorfields. From “Mother” (2017–2018), three new large-scale oil paintings, which borrow their imagery from Disney films, are shown in conjunction with a painted steel sculpture of a female nude in a classical twisted pose. Lastly, four new canvases from his “Purgatory” paintings set Colen’s cartoonish cloudscapes in a deep magenta. All together, the works focus on technical innovation in pursuit of ambience and emotional depth.
(Opening image: Dan Colen, “Electra,” 2018. © Dan Colen, 2018. Photo: Tim Nighswander. Courtesy Lévy Gorvy)
Erez Nevi Pana “Consciousness”
Friedman Benda
515 West 26th Street
OPENS: May 3
The Israeli designer’s first U.S. solo show examines how humans impact, interfere with, and interact with the environment through three experimental series created with natural materials and processes. “Bleached” features otherworldly architectural objects crafted out of sea salt, “Wasted” confronts consumerism with traditional baskets woven out of discarded trash, and “Unravel” consists of intricate Soumak textiles constructed with humanely harvested silk.
gt2P “Manufactured Landscapes”
Friedman Benda
515 West 26th Street
OPENS: May 3
Also showing at Friedman Benda, the Chilean design studio unveils the fruits of its four-year research project, developed in collaboration with the gallery as its first solo exhibition. Blending digital production and traditional craft techniques, the series featured here include “Remolten,” a set of sculptural objects formed with petrified lava, and “Imaginary Geographies,” which reinterprets the sound of mountain winds into three-dimensional pieces such as a coffee table and credenza.
Abraham Cruzvillegas “Autocontusión”
Kurimanzutto New York
22 East 65th Street
OPENS: May 3
Mónica Manzutto and José Kuri’s powerhouse Mexico City gallery opens its first satellite location this weekend, situated on New York’s Upper East Side. The inaugural exhibition features a new rendition of Cruzvillegas’ ongoing series, which has been reconfigured for the space and incorporates new materials sourced throughout the city. The installation will also include three new sculptures and a site-specific mural mapping the artist’s favorite locations in New York.
Creative Time’s “Bring Down The Walls”
Firehouse, Engine Company 31
87 Lafayette Street
OPENS: May 5
Spearheaded by Creative Time with Phil Collins, this collaborative project takes over a decommissioned fire station each weekend in May to shed light on the criminal justice system. By day, justice reform advocates, community activists, and previously incarcerated individuals helm workshops and discussions on issues of mass incarceration; at night, the program transforms the venue into a dance club featuring live performances and house music in a celebration of liberation.
