February ushers in some of our favorite Annual Events from Black History Month and Lunar New Year to Groundhog Day and Valentine’s Day. February also explodes with a number of beautiful exhibitions including Faith Ringgold at New Museum, Suchitra Mattei at Hollis Taggart, The New Bend at Hauser & Wirth, David Byrne at Pace Gallery, and the 145th Annual Black & White Exhibition at Salmagundi Club + much more. Here are a few suggestions for the month of February, 2022.
February is Black History Month
This year, we will celebrate Black History Month 2022 in-person and online with installations, exhibitions, food, music, and a visit to historic sites. With so much to choose from, here are a few suggestions.
Celebrating Lunar New Year ~ The Year of the Tiger ~ in NYC Beginning February 1
Tuesday, February 1st is the first day of the 15 day Lunar New Year celebration. Events will take place throughout our five boroughs. Here are a few suggestions for the 2022 NYC Lunar New Year ~ The Year of the Tiger.
The 145th Annual Black & White Exhibition at Salmagundi Club ~ February 1
The historic Salmagundi club will open its doors to the 145th Annual Black & White Exhibition. The show of black and white or monochromatic sepia drawings, graphics, photographs, paintings, and sculptures is a juried members’ exhibition.
Art on the Ave NYC in Midtown East
Art on the Ave NYC, the public arts program originating on the Upper West Side by founders Barbara Anderson and Jackie Graham, is a community-based initiative, supporting local artists with a view towards revitalization of our neighborhoods.
We’ve been following the initiative up and down Manhattan, from the Upper West Side and the West Village, to Downtown and its current neighborhood ~ Midtown East, with the exhibition ‘Intersections’. What a great way to get outside while socially distancing.
ARTECHOUSE at Chelsea Market unveils ‘Trust’
Open to the public from January 31 to May 30, 2022, TRUST is a unique data-driven immersive exhibition that explores and interprets the multiple meanings and implications of the concept of trust, generating distinctive real-time data experiences throughout the run of the exhibition. On a broad level, through data examination it observes how historical events have influenced trust and considers how this can evolve in the future. More specifically, it further uses the data points to examine how the presence or absence of trust can shift the perception of our individual realities.
Flushing Town Hall Celebrates The Lunar New Year ~ February 1
Since March, 2020, our daily life has drastically changed. During this time defined by lockdowns, quarantines and new safety mandates, we look for ways to adjust to new realities and restore the balance to our daily life. We seek the familiar, whether it’s nature/landscape, memories of the past, cherished items, repetitive shapes or colors, one’s cultural origins, any symbol that represents our spirit, or simply any way we can find a meaning to celebrate a day, like the Lunar New Year.
The Black Index at Hunter College Art Galleries ~ February 1
Hunter College Art Galleries will open its doors to the traveling group exhibition The Black Index featuring the work of Dennis Delgado, Alicia Henry, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Titus Kaphar, Whitfield Lovell, and Lava Thomas. The artists included in The Black Index build upon the tradition of Black self-representation as an antidote to colonialist images. Using drawing, performance, printmaking, sculpture, and digital technology to transform the recorded image, these artists question our reliance on photography as a privileged source for documentary objectivity and understanding. Their works offer an alternative practice—a Black index—that still serves as a finding aid for information about Black subjects, but also challenges viewers’ desire for classification.
Celebrate Groundhog Day with Friends of Duane Park ~ February 2
If you’re looking to find out if we will have an extended winter or early spring, head to Tribeca and celebrate this year’s findings with Friends of Duane Park. This annual event will take place on Wednesday, February 2nd from 4-6pm.
David Byrne: How I Learned About Non-Rational Logic at Pace Gallery ~ February 2
Pace Gallery is pleased to present a selection of drawings created by the artist and musician David Byrne over the last 20 years. On view at 540 West 25th Street in New York from January 13 to February 19, 2022, David Byrne: How I Learned About Non-Rational Logic will include works from the artist’s dingbats series of drawings made during the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of his tree drawings from the early 2000s, and a selection of his drawings of chairs from 2004–07. In addition, Phaidon will release a book of the artist’s dingbats drawings on February 16, 2022. The drawings in Pace’s presentation shed light on Byrne’s distinct formal style and expansive visual arts practice.
The New Bend at Hauser & Wirth ~ February 3
Curated by Legacy Russell, Executive Director & Chief Curator of The Kitchen, ‘The New Bend’ brings together 12 contemporary artists working in the raced, classed, and gendered traditions of quilting and textile practice – Anthony Akinbola, Eddie R. Aparicio, Dawn Williams Boyd, Diedrick Brackens, Tuesday Smillie, Tomashi Jackson, Genesis Jerez, Basil Kinkaid, Eric Mack, Sojourner Truth Parsons, Qualeasha Wood, and Zadie Xa. Their unique visual vernacular exists in tender dialogue with, and in homage to, the contributions of the Gee’s Bend Alabama quilters – Black American women in collective cooperation and creative economic production – and their enduring legacy as a radical meeting place, a prompt, and as intergenerational inspiration. This exhibition acknowledges the work of Gee’s Bend quilters such as Sarah Benning (b. 1933), Missouri Pettway (1902-1981), Lizzie Major (1922-2011), Sally Bennett Jones (1944-1988), Mary Lee Bendolph (b.1935), and so many more, as central to expanded histories of abstraction and modernism.
Human Connection Arts: Naked Theater Workshop ~ February 3
Enjoy a night of music, dance, body painting and acting at Human Connection Arts first Naked Theater Performance. Space is limited. Get your ticket early.
‘Two Practices: Art & Therapy’ An Online Panel Discussion at Living with Art Salon ~ February 7
‘Bloom’, the Winner of the 14th Annual Love in Times Square Design Competition ~ February 9
Wander among fluctuating heart-shaped shadows cast by Bloom, the winner of the 14th annual Love in Times Square Design Competition. Designed by architecture and urban design practice Habitat Workshop, Bloom is the winner of the 14th Annual Times Square Love and Design Competition, which was presented in partnership with The Museum of Arts and Design. Bloom will be on view in Duffy Square from February 9 to March 9.
Crystal Palaces: The London, New York and Paris World’s Fairs, 1851-55 ~ an Online Event through National Arts Club ~ February 10
The National Arts Club invites us to join architectural historian, Francis Morrone, to explore the three Crystal Palaces – London, New York and Paris World’s Fairs, 1851-55 – a Free, Online event.
Suchitra Mattei: Herself as Another at Hollis Taggart ~ February 10
Hollis Taggart will open its door to artist Suchitra Matta’s first solo exhibition, Herself as Another. Mattai’s multidisciplinary practice explores, unravels, and re-imagines commonly understood and entrenched histories and cultural perceptions. With her newest work, Mattai brings her incisive critique to an examination of the way society “others” populations that it deems different, placing particular focus on the experiences of immigrants and those dealing with mental illness. Through more than a dozen mix-media paintings, fiber sculptures, and installations, Mattai grapples with the fears and mythologies that drive people to ostracize and the impacts those actions have on the “other.”
Dianne Reeves: Lets Fall in Love ~ February 11-12
Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater on February 11 and 12 at 8:00pm for her 10th annual Valentine’s Day weekend set of concerts at JALC.
These special performances feature classic love songs and powerful musical storytelling, spanning styles from jazz standards to pop, Latin, and R&B. Reeves’ legendary vocals are backed by a band of internationally recognized instrumentalists, including Brazilian jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo and Grammy-nominated pianist John Beasley.
NUDE: Through the female perspective at Fotografiska NY ~ February 12
30 female-identifying artists from 20 different countries diversely explore the female gaze in this exhibition centered on the naked body in contemporary photography.
Valentine’s Day ~ February 14
How about a Staycation ~ Book a Hotel, a Show, a Restaurant, a Cruise, Ice Skating, Music or visit a Museum or Gallery. Check the Official NYC Guide for some great suggestions.
Weddings in Times Square ~ February 14
Did your wedding plans change due to Covid-19? Want to make your wedding unforgettable? Take advantage of this opportunity to tie the knot at the Crossroads of the World.
Valentine’s Day Free Sketch with The Art Students League ~ February 14
The Art Students League of New York is hosting its third annual Valentine’s Day Free Sketch event on Monday February 14 at 6 PM on YouTube Live. Hosted by League instructor Valentine Aprile, the event is designed for anyone interested in figure drawing and the opportunity to sketch from a model for free, all from the comfort of their own home.
Not Feeling the Valentine’s Day Love?
Here’s your chance to name a Bronx Zoo Madagascar hissing cockroach for the one you don’t love.
Faith Ringgold: American People at New Museum ~ February 17
Image (above): Faith Ringgold, American People Series #18: The Flag Is Bleeding, 1967. Oil on canvas, 72 x 96 in. (182.9 x 243.8 cm). National Gallery of Art, Washington, Patrons’ Permanent Fund and Gift of Glenstone Foundation (2021.28.1). © Faith Ringgold / ARS, NY and DACS, London, courtesy ACA Galleries, New York 2021
From February 17 to June 5, 2022, the New Museum will present the first full retrospective in New York of the art of Faith Ringgold (b. 1930, New York, NY). Bringing together over sixty years of work, “Faith Ringgold: American People”provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of Ringgold’s impactful vision. Her role as an artist, author, educator, and organizer has made her a key figure whose work links the multi-disciplinary achievements of the Harlem Renaissance to the political art of young Black artists working today. During the 1960s, Ringgold created some of the most indelible art of the Civil Rights era by melding her own unique style of figurative painting with a bold, transformative approach to the language of protest. In subsequent decades, she challenged accepted hierarchies of art and craft through her experimental quilt paintings and undertook a deeply studied reimagining of art history to produce narratives that bear witness to the historical sacrifices and achievements of Black Americans.
Nuestra Casa: Rediscovering the Treasures of The Hispanic Society Library & Museum ~ February 17
The Hispanic Society Museum & Library (HSM&L) will open its doors on February 17th to the exhibition, Nuestra Casa: Rediscovering the Treasures of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, revealing a number of hidden gems from the expansive, permanent collections of the museum that comprise more than 750,000 objects. Organized by guest curator and art historian Dr. Madeleine Haddon.
Occupy #3 ~ Networks at The Consulate General of France New York ~ February 17
Occupy Networks, a collective of over 100 independent artists and curators, was invited to ‘occupy’ the Consulate General of France in New York. The artists and curators of this exhibition have all lived or worked in France.
‘The Automat’ opens at Film Forum ~ February 18
(2021) Iconic, elegant, and populist all at once: the Automat (aka Horn & Hardart) revolutionized American dining a century ago, long before there was fast food or hipster coffee shops. An eclectic mix of New Yorkers inserted nickels into slots, and slices of lemon meringue pie, mac & cheese, baked beans, and creamed spinach magically appeared from a grid of gleaming chrome windows.
Whimsical Animal Creatures Arrived on the Park Avenue Median in Murray Hill ~ February 18
If you are waking up in Murray Hill today, you will be delighted to find whimsical creatures along the Park Avenue median between 34th and 38th Streets. Patrons of Park Avenue (POPA) invited French artist Idriss B to create a one-of-a-kind urban jungle as an inaugural installation.
Annual Day of Remembrance ~ February 19
On February 19, 2022, the United States will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The New York Day of Remembrance Committee will hold its annual New York Day of Remembrance, a virtual event, on February 19, 2022 from 1:00 to 2:30pm.
‘That Golden Girls Show! ~ A Puppet Parody’ at Queens Theatre ~ February 20
Queens Theatre (QT) is excited to bring ‘That Golden Girls Show! a puppet parody’ to Queens as the venue’s first in-person show of 2022. There is no better way to start the new year than laughing with the Golden Girls and celebrating the fabulous Betty White! The final leg of the ’That Golden Girls Show!’ tour will be presented on Sunday, February 20th at 3 PM and 7 PM, and tickets are on sale now through the Queens Theatre Box Office and website.
Alfred Preis. Displaced at The Austrian Cultural Forum New York ~ February 22
The Austrian Cultural Forum New York is pleased to present ALFRED PREIS. DISPLACED – Vienna in the Tropics, a cross section of the visionary work of the Austrian-born US architect Alfred Preis (1911-1994), the architect of the Pearl Harbor Memorial. The opening reception, which will include a panel talk with the curators, will take place on Tuesday, February 22, 6 – 9 PM.
African/American: Making the Nation’s Table at The Africa Center ~ February 23
The Africa Center and Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) will kick-off Black History Month with the opening of African/American: Making the Nation’s Table. This exhibition will highlight the many ways African culture has influenced African American Cuisine, and how those traditions have blended to create the foundation for American food.
The Ford Foundation Presents ‘Indisposable: Structures of Support After the ADA, Chapter 8’ ~ February 24
Please join The Ford Foundation on Thursday, February 24 for the debut launch and demonstration of Texere by Indira Allegra. Indira will place this project in the context of their work with an artist talk followed by a conversation with Therese Noël Allen, a therapist specializing in trauma-informed psychodynamic and somatic therapy. The conversation will be moderated by exhibition curators Jessica Cooley and Ann Fox.
The Loft at Japan Village Opens in Industry City ~ February 24
Industry City’s Japan Village, a sprawling hub of Japanese cuisine, has today announced a massive second-floor upward expansion of its current location. Dubbed ‘The Loft’ at Japan Village, the new retail concept looks to further celebrate the strong Japanese community in Brooklyn, inviting visitors to experience Japanese culture and products first-hand.
Inaugural Opening of Upsilon Gallery with Exhibition ‘Osvaldo Mariscotti: Kaleidoscope’ ~ February 25
Upsilon Gallery, a fine print publisher specializing in International postwar and contemporary art, will open their new flagship location on the Upper East Side at 23 East 67th Street on February 25th with its inaugural exhibition “Kaleidoscope” by artist Osvaldo Mariscotti.
Governors Island Inaugural Winter Ice Sculpture Show ~ February 26
The Governors Island Winter Ice Sculpture Show will kick off Governors Island’s inaugural winter season of public programming inside the new Winter Village in historic Colonels Row. All are invited to an afternoon of live ice carving starting at 2pm. The Trust and LMCC invited New York City-based artists to submit designs to be carved live. Ten of these designs, selected by a panel of NYC cultural luminaries, will be brought to life on site in real time by professional ice carvers from Okamoto Studio. Before the ice carving begins, come early at 1:30pm for a performance by the acclaimed Ice Theatre of New York, which presents accessible ice dance that celebrates joy and collaboration in venues throughout the five boroughs.
The Orchid Show: Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope at The New York Botanical Garden ~ February 26
The dazzling floral creations of Jeff Leatham, famed artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and floral designer to the stars, return for The Orchid Show’s 19th year. Leatham’s bold and colorful vision will unfold through captivating installations and designs, transforming the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a different color experience and visual effect, like the turn of a kaleidoscope.
Still on View:
Members Only Exhibition at Living with Art Salon on view through February
Living with Art Salon will open its doors to the first annual ‘Members Only‘ exhibition showing over 75 works of art created by 15 visual artists ~ all members of Art Lives Here, a non-profit arts organization, creating opportunities for emerging artists. Opening on December 8th, we couldn’t wait, and got a sneak-peek today.
‘Tree of Knowledge’ Hilma af Klint on view at David Zwirner through February 5, 2022
David Zwirner is pleased to present Tree of Knowledge, an exhibition of a rare set of Hilma af Klint’s groundbreaking 1913–1915 series of works on paper of the same title, on view at the gallery’s 34 East 69th Street location in New York. This recently discovered group of eight watercolors is among the few works by the artist to exist outside of the holdings of the Hilma af Klint Foundation. This will be a singular opportunity for New York audiences to experience the artist’s revelatory work, and follows the highly acclaimed 2018–2019 exhibition Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future, held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. This exhibition has been extended through February 5, 2022.
The Poster House Museum: The Push Pin Legacy on view to February 6, 2022
For years, the term “Blaxploitation” has been used derisively to dismiss or caricature a bygone era of low-budget Black cinema—but it was and is so much more as we will see in the exhibition, You Won’t Bleed Me: How Blaxploitation Posters Defined Cool & Delivered Profits, on view from September 2, 2021 to February 6, 2022.
Kiyomi Quinn Taylor: Half Life on view at Ki Smith Gallery to February 12, 2022
Ki Smith Gallery is pleased to present Half Life, the gallery’s first exhibition across both spaces with multimedia artist Kiyomi Quinn Taylor. With a staunch belief in both a life after death and the presence of the deceased in our lived realities, Taylor presents her audience with a world that is both fantastical and autobiographical; one built on memory, a rich family history, dreams, and fables.
Chris DAZE Ellis: Give it All You Got on view at P.P.O.W. Gallery to February 12, 2022
P·P·O·W Gallery will open its doors to Chris ‘Daze’ Ellis’s second solo exhibition with the gallery entitled ‘Give It All You Got’. Born in 1962 in New York City, Daze began his career as part of the second of graffiti writers, painting New York City subway cars in 1976 while attending The High School of Art and Design.
Craft Front & Center at Museum of Arts & Design On View to February 13, 2022
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) will open its doors to a new major exhibition, Craft Front & Center on May 22nd, bringing together over 70 iconic and lesser-known works from MAD’s eclectic permanent collection to highlight significant periods in craft’s history that have led to the current moment.
Passage Lighting Up The Garment District through February 13, 2022
(Photo Credit: Serge Maheu)
The Garment District Alliance will unveil Passage, an interactive art installation comprised of 20 circles of light that will form a pedestrian tunnel on Broadway in the Garment District. As visitors walk through the exhibition, each circle will emit light and sounds, creating a transformative, playful experience in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Passage is free and will be open to the public through February 13th on Broadway in the Garment District between 39th and 40thStreets.
Paper Unbound: The Drawn Menagerie will be On View at Christopher Bishop Fine Art to February 19, 2022
Paper Unbound: The Drawn Menagerie, an exhibition of more than three centuries of works on paper featuring animals, will be on view at Christopher Bishop Fine Art in New York City from January 21 – February 19, 2022. The show will be presented as part of Master Drawings New York, which runs from January 21 – 29, 2022.
Barak Chamo: Everything & Nothing at All on view at ChaShaMa 14th Street to February 21, 2022
What do you think would happen if you dropped a self-described media artist/creative technologist into a free and open environment to consider technology as a canvas. Meet Barak Chamo – current Artist-in-Residence at Materials for the Arts. In his new exhibition, Everything and Nothing at All, presented by Materials for the Arts at ChaShama 14th Street, the artist attempts to embody the challenges of living in an invisibly despotic digital age.
Didier Engels: KAAIEN on view at Fremin Gallery to February 26, 2022
Fremin Gallery will open its doors to KAAIEN, the first New York exhibition for Belgium artist Didier Engels. After a career of more than 30 years in the research of textures (20 years as textile stylist and 10 years as interior design architect), Didier Engels has shifted toward photography. As a self-taught Belgian photographer, he started his photographic work ‘Dry Dock’ and ‘Kaaien’ in January, 2015.
Toni Morrison’s Black Book will be on view at David Zwirner to February 26, 2022
David Zwirner is pleased to announce a group exhibition curated by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author, critic, and curator Hilton Als. On view at the gallery’s West 19th Street spaces, the exhibition will focus on the enormous output and cultural significance of Toni Morrison (1931–2019), and, as Als notes, “will add visual components that italicize the beauty and audacity of her work.” Included will be selected archival materials as well as work by artists Garrett Bradley, Beverly Buchanan, Robert Gober, Gwen Knight, Kerry James Marshall, Julie Mehretu, Irving Penn, Walter Price, Martin Puryear, Amy Sillman, Bob Thompson, and James Van Der Zee, among others, some of which have been commissioned for the exhibition and were made in direct response to Morrison’s writings.
Kathleen Herlihy-Paoli: Intermission will be on view at Marinaro through February 26, 2022
Marinaro will inaugurate its new Gallery One space at 678 Broadway with a solo exhibition by Missoula-based artist Kathleen Herlihy-Paoli. This body of work continues Herlihy-Paoli’s ongoing series exploring environmental, social, and political issues that permeate contemporary society. The artist is known for her frequent use of curtains and the theater set in her paintings, incorporating them as a vehicle to place her subjects center stage both physically and metaphorically.
Popular Painters and Other Visionaries ~ En Foco: The New York Puerto Rican Experience, 1973-74 at El Museo del Barrio on view to February 27, 2022
El Museo del Barrio will open its doors to two new exhibitions this fall: Popular Painters and Other Visionaries and En Foco: The New York Puerto Rican Experience, 1973–74. Expanding on last year’s virtual presentation, Popular Painters and Other Visionaries examines the practices of 42 artists working on the margins of modernism and the mainstream art world in different parts of the Americas around the mid-20th century. Concurrently, El Museo will present En Foco: The New York Puerto Rican Experience, 1973–74, which centers on a single portfolio of 79 photographs by the Bronx-based photographic collective, En Foco. Opening simultaneously, both shows are organized by El Museo’s curatorial department and reflect core values of the institution from its formative Nuyorican formative roots to its continued commitment to expand the art historical canon in the Americas. Each will be accompanied by fully illustrated catalogues, forthcoming in Winter 2021.
Celebrating Black Leaders in the Arsenal Gallery on View through February 28,, 2022
n celebration of Black History Month, NYC Parks is pleased to announce the exhibition, “The NYC Parks Renaming Project: Celebrating Black Leaders,” now on view at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park. The show highlights some of the parks and park features that the agency has recently renamed to honor the Black experience in New York City. This exhibition is presented by NYC Parks’ Art & Antiquities and Ebony Society and will be on view through February 28, 2022.
Recently Rediscovered works by Donatello, Tintoretto, and Antonio Lombardo at Colnaghi New York on view through February, 2022
This November, audiences will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience rare and newly discovered masterworks by some of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance, including Donatello, Tintoretto, Antonio Lombardo, and Benedetto da Rovezzano, in a special exhibition at Colnaghi New York. Featuring five exquisite sculptures— including a recently rediscovered terracotta bust by Donatello—alongside a newly attributed portrait painting by the great Venetian master Jacopo Tintoretto, the exhibition marks a rare occasion in which such a significant number of museum-quality works from the Italian Renaissance will come to the market at one time.
Labyrinth of Forms: Women and Abstraction, 1930-1950 on view at The Whitney to March, 2022
The exhibition features over thirty works by twenty-seven artists. Labyrinth of Forms seeks to highlight the achievements of these groundbreaking artists and explores how works on paper, in particular, were important sites for experimentation and innovation. The exhibition is curated by Sarah Humphreville, Senior Curatorial Assistant, and is on view in the Museum’s third-floor Susan and John Hess Family Gallery from October 9, 2021 to March 2022.
The High Line Art on view to March, 2022
Always something happening on The High Line. Still on view until March ~ The Musical Brain; Horizon Poems; Retainer; and 57 Forms of Liberty. Also on view, Sam Durant: Untitled (Drone).
Hana Yilma Godine: A Hair Salon in Addis Ababa will be on view at Fridman Gallery to March 5, 2022
Fridman Gallery and Rachel Uffner Gallery are honored to announce A Hair Salon in Addis Ababa, a solo exhibition by Ethiopian painter Hana Yilma Godine spanning the two galleries.
Leon Kossoff: A Life in Painting at Mitchell-Innes & Nash on view to March 5, 2022
Mitchell-Innes & Nash will open their doors to Leon Lossoff: A Life in Painting, a major touring exhibition of paintings by the British artist Leon Kossoff (1926-2019), curated by Andrea Rose. The exhibition, which includes sixteen paintings that span the breadth of the artist’s career and represent his most celebrated subjects, has been organized in concert with the publication of Leon Kossoff: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings.
Sanctuary: The 2021 Socrates Annual on view to March 6, 2022
The eleven projects selected represent a range of interpretations of the theme, drawing from diverse communities, traditions, and artistic strategies to create unique sculptures and installations of sanctuary. The artist(s) for each project are awarded a $6,000 production grant, $1,500 honorarium, and three-months of access to the resources and fabrication facilities of the Park’s outdoor artist studio. The fellowship culminates in The 2021 Socrates Annual: Sanctuary exhibition.
Bronx Calling: The Fifth AIM Biennial at Bronx Museum of the Arts on view through March 10, 2022
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is pleased to announce Bronx Calling: The Fifth AIM Biennial, a meditation on the practice of everyday life in uncertain times. Featuring artworks by 68artists who took part in the 2018 and 2019 cycles of the Bronx Museum’s AIM Fellowship program, the fifth edition of Bronx Calling finds artists responding to the conditions of contemporary life in manifold ways. Whether in traditional or new media, many of the works are recent creations, the result of processing multiple crises—of health, grief, the environment, and identity. The Biennial is part of a series of exhibitions and public programs celebrating the Museum’s 50th anniversary and legacy as an institution dedicated to social justice. Bronx Calling: The Fifth AIM Biennial is curated by Ian Cofre and Eva Mayhabal Davis.
The Art Students League + ChaShaMa present Searchlight on view to March 10, 2022
The Art Students League’s Exhibition Outreach program presents its first student exhibition of 2022, in partnership with ChaShaMa and featuring 25 artists exploring themes of mystery, magic, and light. Titled Searchlight, the exhibition is organized by guest Curator Samuel Rowlett, a League alumnus, and is on view at One Brooklyn Bridge Park January 6–March 10, 2022. The exhibition plays in a range of shadowed depths and colorful surfaces, taking viewers from the small, quiet space of a computer screen to the vast landscape of an entire world. A glowing thread weaves its way through each work on view; it runs through a cloud-covered sun in winter and chases a pair of friends ambling through a forest. Light, and the ways in which it can be filtered and interpreted, appears before us in steel thorns, in driftwood textured with beeswax, and in rich abstractions. What is this guiding light in search of? Where will it take us?
Swedish Modern on view at Keith de Lellis Gallery to March 11, 2022
Keith de Lellis Gallery presents a selection of sixteen accomplished mid-century Swedish photographers whose innovative work has remained relatively unfamiliar to the American public. Ten of these individuals were part of TIO (a Swedish word for “ten”), a collective of Swedish photographers established in 1958. From nature and industrial scenes to abstraction and fashion, Swedish Modern captures the broad range of creative styles and interests that were present in the minds of mid-century Swedish artists. What unites the wide variety of subject matter between the photographers in this exhibition is their shared attitude of inquiry into the possibilities of what the camera is capable of.
Suchitra Mattei: Herself as Another will be on view at Hollis Taggart to March 12, 2022
Hollis Taggart will open its door to artist Suchitra Matta’s first solo exhibition, Herself as Another. Mattai’s multidisciplinary practice explores, unravels, and re-imagines commonly understood and entrenched histories and cultural perceptions. With her newest work, Mattai brings her incisive critique to an examination of the way society “others” populations that it deems different, placing particular focus on the experiences of immigrants and those dealing with mental illness. Through more than a dozen mix-media paintings, fiber sculptures, and installations, Mattai grapples with the fears and mythologies that drive people to ostracize and the impacts those actions have on the “other.” Herself as Another follows Mattai’s breakout New York presentation in Hollis Taggart’s two-person show, History Reclaimed in 2020, and the artist formally joining the gallery in January 2021.
The Poster House Museum: What’s The Score? The Posters of LeRoy Neiman on view to March 27, 2022
Founded by Seymour Chwast, Reynold Ruffins, and Edward Sorel—and soon joined by Milton Glaser—Push Pin served as a counterpoint to the slick ads being created on Madison Avenue and the rigid, grid-based designs popular in Europe. They were referential, drawing from troves of disparate and often forgotten tropes from past art movements and time periods, hurtling them into the new, playful visual language of the 1960s and beyond.
Kim Carlino: Spectrum on view in The Garment District through March, 2022
The Garment District Alliance (GDA) is brightening Midtown Manhattan this spring with a vivid, painted mural titled Spectrum, created by artist Kim Carlino. The artwork – which contains 34 unique colors and is painted on 82 concrete blocks along the 7th Avenue pedestrian corridor – signifies the city’s vibrant comeback as New Yorkers and visitors return following the pandemic.
Broadway Blooms: Jon Isherwood on Broadway on view to Spring, 2022
Broadway Blooms: Jon Isherwood on Broadway, a sculpture exhibition located at eight locations between 64th Street and 157th Street is now on view. The sculptures are shaped in the form of flowers, celebrating the return to life from a long and difficult winter into spring.
A Female Gaze: Seven Decades of Women Street Photographers on view at Howard Greenberg Gallery through April 2, 2022
Street photography—the thoroughly unpredictable and often magical framing of a moment—was embraced early in the 20th century by women photographers. A new exhibition at Howard Greenberg Gallery will survey more than seven decades of work by 12 women photographers. A Female Gaze will be on view from January 19 through April 2, 2022 in the gallery’s new space on the 8th floor of the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street.
Kris Rumman: Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown will be on view at Urban Glass to April 8, 2022
Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown, a solo exhibition of work by Palestinian-American interdisciplinary artist Kris Rumman, will be on view at UrbanGlass from January 19 – April 8, 2022. Curated by Zeljka Himbele, the exhibition inaugurates UrbanGlass’ Curator-at-Large program, which will give an invited curator the opportunity to develop innovative concepts and public programs for 4 annual exhibitions presented in UrbanGlass’ Robert Lehman Gallery. The program’s goal is to address critical cultural issues and to contribute to the contemporary art and design dialogue through the material of glass.
Claudia Wieser: Rehearsal will be on view at Brooklyn Bridge Park to April 17, 2022
On July 29, Public Art Fund will unveil Rehearsal, Berlin-based artist Claudia Wieser’s public art debut. Featuring five distinct large-scale geometric sculptures clad with hand-painted glazed tiles, panels featuring photographs of New York City and Roman and Greek antiquities, and mirror polished stainless steel, Rehearsal will create an immersive experience for park goers to explore. The cluster of sculptures will be located at the iconic terminus of Washington Street, where the Manhattan Bridge frames the Empire State Building. Juxtaposed with the surrounding architecture and natural landscape of Brooklyn Bridge Park, Rehearsal highlights the dynamism of the city and its people.
Hugh Hayden: Brier Patch will be on view in Madison Square Park to april 24, 2022
Surrealist sculptor Hugh Hayden subverts the classroom in a new commission for Madison Square Park entitled ‘Brier Patch‘. The installation will span across four separate lawns and feature a total of one-hundred wooden elementary school-style desks.
Boris Lurie: Nothing To Do But To Try will be one view at The Museum of Jewish Heritage through April 29, 2022
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust announces Boris Lurie: Nothing To Do But To Try, a first-of-its-kind exhibition on the 20th century artist and Holocaust survivor and the Museum’s first contemporary art show, opening to the public on October 22, 2021.
The Art House Inaugural Exhibition on view through April, 2022
Art House, the world’s first fine art hub of its kind, will open its doors in November 2021 at 660 Madison Avenue, the former flagship location of Barneys New York. Art House is envisioned by Co-Founders Michael Plummer, Jeff Rabin, and Geoff Fox, the team who previously collaborated to bring TEFAF to New York in what was a game-changing moment in what an art fair could be. Boasting an architectural refresh by Kulapat Yantrasast and the team of WHY Architecture, Art House provides fresh solutions to the critical needs of a new era in the art world. This exhibition is listed as on view through April, 2022 – however as of this date, the doors are not open to the public and the website is not live.
Zaq Landsbert: Reclining Liberty on view in Morningside Park through April, 2022
Sculpture artist Zaq Landsberg created and presented the illustrations for this piece during the last administration, prior to COVID-19 and our citywide shutdown. It was inspired by Buddhist imagery, and meant to depict our iconic American landmark, weary, reclining, and asking the question ~ “what stage of America are we in.” COVID-19 closed our city, and Reclining Lady lay waiting, like all of us, for better days. Fast-forward one year (or-what a difference a year makes). With a new administration and a city that is beginning to bloom along with spring, Zaq Landsberg: Reclining Liberty will emerge from the artists’ studio, with an installation date set for May 1, 2021 in Morningside Park, Harlem.
Anina Gerchick: BIRDLINK in Crotona Park on view to May 21, 2022
BIRDLINK is an interactive habitat sculpture whose mission is to support migratory birds by inserting native plant systems throughout the urban and suburban corridors through which they travel. BIRDLINK attracts the wild birds that reside or migrate trough the city with native plants at the empty tower and middle canopy levels. Visit Anina Gerchick: BIRDLINK in Crotona Park, Bronx, on view to May 21, 2022.
Capucine Bourcart: Plastic Fantastic! on view in Harlem Art Park to June 26, 2022
Harlem Art Park unveiled its latest temporary public art installation, Plastic Fantastic! With a kaleidoscope of color, artist Capucine Bourcart encourages the viewer to evaluate their own environmental footprint. The large-scale installation measures over 66-feet wide and 7-feet high, demonstrating the abundance of single use plastics and its impact on our public spaces and our environment. Plastic Fantastic! interacts with Jorge Luis Rodriguez’s permanent sculpture, Growth, installed in 1985, along with the unique architectural elements that make this park a hidden gem in East Harlem.
Susan Stair: Ascending the Mountain in Marcus Garvey Park on view through June 30, 2022
Harlem-based non-profit the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, Public art organizer Connie Lee and Harlem-based artist Susan Stair are pleased to announce the installation of Ascending the Mountain, a public artwork in Marcus Garvey Park. Installed in three distinct sections along the staircase that leads up to the overlook terraces known as the Acropolis and the Harlem Fire Watchtower. The artwork is exhibited as part of NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program and is one of six temporary public art installations organized by the public art committee in Harlem this Summer.
Julio Valdez: I Can’t Breathe at Collyer Brothers Park on view to July 10, 2022
A dialogue began last year, serious and thoughtful discussion ensued, and artists have continued the conversation. Here, alongside a small pocket-park on 128th Street in Harlem, artist Julio Valdez unveiled his installation this week entitled ‘I Can’t Breathe.‘ The installation is just a few blocked away from last year’s colorful ‘Black Lives Matter‘ mural on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. extending from 125-127th Streets.
Gillian Wearing: Diane Arbus on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza to August 14, 2022
Artist, Gillian Wearing will unveil a bronze monument to celebrated photographer, Diane Arbus at the Doris C. Freeman Plaza, at the entrance to Central Park this October. This is a fitting location for the Arbus monument, since many of her best-known images were taken in this Park.
Alice Mizrachi: Renaissance Women on view in Marcus Garvey Park through August, 2022
Marcus Garvey Park has a plethora of art over this past few months, with the installation of Susan Stair: Ascending the Mountainand Thomas J. Price: Witness, added to the park’s weekly music and dance. Now, we look forward to the unveiling of Alice Mizrachi: Renaissance Women, an abstract, figurative sculpture that honors women of the Harlem Renaissance ~ paving the way for many of the artists today, including Mizrachi.
Sam Durant, Untitled (drone) on the High Line Plinth through August, 2022
Sam Durant’s monumental fiberglass sculpture in the shape of an abstracted drone atop a 25-foot-tall steel pole continues High Line Art’s mission of presenting new, powerful, thought-provoking artworks that generate and amplify some of today’s most important conversations.
Félix Marzell: The Big Apple on view in Bella Abzug Park to September, 2022
This latest addition to Bella Abzug Park’s landscape comes from HYHK’s ambitious public art program that seeks to continually beautify and uplift the neighborhood. In partnership with NYC Parks, funding from the Québec Government Office in New York, and sponsorship from local stakeholder Amazon NYC, HYHK was able to bring this project to life.
Part 1 of The Costume Institute at The Met on view through September 5, 2022
The Costume Institute’s next major exhibition will be a two-part show on view from September 18, 2021 through September 5, 2022. Part One, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion—opening in the Anna Wintour Costume Center on September 18, 2021 ~ will feature approximately 80 individual ensembles encased and arranged as “squares” in horizontal and vertical rows representing the qualities that collectively define American fashion. Part Two, In America: An Anthology of Fashion—opening in the American Wing period rooms on May 5, 2022—will explore the development of American fashion by presenting narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of those spaces. Parts One and Two will close on September 5, 2022.
Thomas J. Price: Witness in Marcus Garvey Park to October 1, 2022
The Studio Museum in Harlem announced its fall programming, kicking-off the season with Thomas J. Price: Witness, the artist’s first solo museum presentation in the United States. As part of the Studio Museum’s ongoing inHarlem initiative, the nine-foot-tall bronze sculpture entitled The Distance Within (2021) will depict a young Black man looking down at his cell phone. The large-scale artwork celebrates a familiar form rarely monumentalized within a public setting and continues the artist’s exploration of blackness and Black masculinity as it relates to presence, movement, and freedom.
Hebru Brantley: The Great Debate at The Battery through November 13, 2022
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff joined The Battery Conservancy President and Founder Warrie Price, Council Member Margaret Chin, Community Board 1 Chair Tammy Meltzer, artist Hebru Brantley, and community members on Sunday to unveil Brantley’s sculpture, The Great Debate, at The Battery. The artwork, which stands 16-feet tall, is exhibited in partnership with The Battery and NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program, and will be on display through November 13, 2022.
The Girl Puzzle, Roosevelt Island on view ~ To Be Announced
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) has selected Amanda Matthews/Prometheus Art to construct the Nellie Bly Monument on the northern end of Roosevelt Island at Lighthouse Park. The sculptural installation will be known as “The Girl Puzzle” and invites the viewer to experience many facets of Nellie Bly’s talent, conviction and compassion. The ground-breaking journalist and women’s rights advocate exposed the horrors of the Blackwell Island Insane Asylum in 1887 on Roosevelt Island.
The Met’s Great Hall will Display Ancient Maya Stone Monuments from Republic of Guatemala until 2024
The two massive stelae—both significant long-term loans from the Republic of Guatemala—feature life-sized representations of influential Indigenous American rulers: a king, K’inich Yo’nal Ahk II (ca. A.D. 664–729), and queen, Ix Wak Jalam Chan (Lady Six Sky) (ca. A.D. 670s–741), one of the most powerful women known by name from the ancient Americas. The installation heralds the upcoming exhibition Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art, which is scheduled to open in fall 2022 and will highlight Maya visual narratives featuring a cast of gods: sacred beings that are personified elements of the cosmos, nature, and agriculture. The Great Hall display is also the first in a series of special exhibitions and installations that will present art of the ancient Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and Oceania throughout The Met’s galleries while the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing is closed for a renovation project that will reenvision these collections for a new generation of visitors.
See you in March!