One of the greatest gifts New York
City has to offer is its burgeoning art scene that’s constantly being revived
with intellectual and intriguing exhibitions at its many world renowned
museums, galleries, and other institutions. Here are the Top Ten shows to see
this month:
1. America is Hard to See—The Whitney Museum settles in to a new home
in the Meatpacking District with an inaugural exhibition of more than 600 works
inspired by a poem by Robert Frost and a political documentary by Emile de
Antonio revolving around art history from the early 20th century to the
present. At The Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort
St., through Sept. 27.
2. Life of Cats: Selections From the Hiraki Ukiyao-e Collection—This
charming exhibit includes 90 Ukiyao prints and other works borrowed from
different collections that illustrate the significance of felines in Japanese
culture and folklore. At The Japan
Society, 333 E. 47th St., through Jun. 7.
3. Coypel’s Don Quixote Tapestries—Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’
classic 17th century novel, this exhibition includes a collection of paintings
that have been woven into tapestries by Charles Coypel, painter to Louis XV of
France, completed between 1714 and 1734 of iconic scenes from the story with
one final painting completed in 1751, a year before Coypel’s death. At The Frick Collection, 1 E. 70th St., through
May 17.
4. Gustav Klimt and Adele Bloch-Bauer: The Woman in Gold—Since 2006, Austrian artist Gustav Klimt’s famous
painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I,
has called the Neue Galerie its home. The painting features Adele Bloch-Bauer,
a patron of the arts from Vienna who was a close friend of Klimt’s. This special
exhibit features paintings, drawings, photographs, and archival materials that
focus on their relationship. At the Neue
Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave., through Sept. 7th.
5. Masterpieces & Curiosities: Nicole Eisenman’s Sedar—New York
City-based artist Nicole Eisenman presents a collection of paintings that
revolve around the significance of the story and ritual of Passover including
images of families gathered for Sedar with glasses of red wine and pieces of
matzah, and holding copies of the Haggadah as the story of Exodus is retold.
Eisenman conveys themes of love, dark humor and loneliness and her artistic
influences include Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard, and Norman Rockwell.
At The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth
Ave., through Aug. 9th.
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| Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt (1907, oil, silver, and gold on canvas) |
6. China Through the Looking Glass—This dazzling exhibit organized by
the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute highlights China’s influence
on fashion and art in Western culture. Aesthetically pleasing dresses and
costumes, designed by Yves Saint Laurent and Paul Poiret among others will be
on view alongside paintings, porcelain pieces, and even film revealing
enchanting Chinese imagery. At The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., through Aug. 16.
7. One-Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series—Jacob Lawrence,
one of the most influential African-American artists of the 20th century,
gained national recognition in 1941, at age 23, by creating a series of 60
paintings telling the story of the Great Migration focusing on the trials and
tribulations that thousand of African American men and women faced as they made
their epic journey from the rural South to the urban North. At The Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St.,
through Sept. 7.
8. Lincoln and the Jews—Commemorating 150 years since the end of the
Civil War and the assassination of
Abraham Lincoln, this exhibition focuses on the close relationships he formed
with fellow Jews at a time when Jews made up a miniscule portion of America’s
population. A collection of original documents, artifacts, and photographs, and
shed light on Lincoln’s friendships and how he became advocate for Jewish equality
and independence. At The New York
Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, through Jun. 7.
9. Laurie Simmons: How we See—New York city-based artist Laurie
Simmons presents several cropped photographs of glamorous, young fashion models
with large, sparkling eyes that have been painted on their closed eyelids
making them appear hypnotized. With these altered photographs, Simmons examines
the lengths some women will go to (through wearing makeup, dresses, or even
getting cosmetic surgery) to make them appear to be as beautiful as Barbie
dolls or similar characters. At The
Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., through Aug. 9th.
10. Sultan of Deccan India, 1500-1700, Opulence and Fantasy—This
exhibition consists of more than 200 works from numerous collections worldwide
that focus on the rich, Indian Deccan courts in the 16th and 17th century which
became a Mecca for artists, writers, and diamond traders from all over the world.
At The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000
Fifth Ave., through Jul. 26.
