NYC art events I Apr 24 - 30, 2023
Here is our weekly Postcard from New York, in collaboration with Clio Art Fair!
New York City is a global cultural capital, and its art scene is one of the most vibrant and exciting in the world. From world-class museums to cutting-edge galleries and experimental pop-ups, there is always something happening in the city that never sleeps.
In this blog article, we will explore some of the most exciting art events happening in NYC, from blockbuster exhibitions to hidden gems, and everything in between.
Whether you're a seasoned art lover or just curious about what's happening in the city's creative community, this guide will help you discover the best art events that NYC has to offer.
So grab your calendar and let's dive into the world of New York City art!
1. In Museum
DEATH IS NOT THE END
@Rubin Museum
Mar 17, 2023– Jan 14 2024
Death Is Not the End is a cross-cultural exhibition that explores notions of death and afterlife through the art of Tibetan Buddhism and Christianity. During a time of great global turmoil, loss, and uncertainty, the exhibition invites contemplation of the universal human condition of impermanence and the desire to continue to exist.
The exhibition features prints, oil paintings, bone ornaments, thangka paintings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, and ritual items, and brings together 58 objects spanning 12 centuries from the Rubin Museum’s collection alongside artworks on loan from private collections and major institutions.
The exhibition is organized around three major themes: the Human Condition, or the shared understanding of our mortality in this world; States In-Between, or the concepts of limbo, purgatory, and bardo; and (After)life, focusing on resurrection, ideas of transformation, and heaven.
2. In Galleries
Hermann Nitsch. Selected Paintings, Actions, Relics, and Musical Scores, 1962–2020
@Pace Gallery
Mar 17 – Apr 29, 2023
This will be Pace’s first show—and the first planned posthumous exhibition—dedicated to Nitsch, a founder of the Viennese Actionism movement who died last year at age 83. Over the course of more than 60 years, Nitsch cultivated an intensive practice that spans performance, painting, drawing, printmaking, film, photography, music, poetry, and philosophy.
On the occasion of the exhibition, Pace Publishing, in collaboration with the Nitsch Foundation, will produce the first English translation of Nitsch’s autobiography, an oral history of the artist’s life that he first published in 1995 (second edition 2005, third edition 2018).
3. In Brooklyn
Clae Lu: Playroom
@International Studio & Curatorial Program
28 Feb 2023 – 9 Jun 2023
The International Studio & Curatorial Program presents Playroom, a solo exhibition of work by Clae Lu, recipient of The New York Community Trust’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund residency at ISCP, curated by Kathy Cho. Playroom presents a variety of experimental works that range from painting, to a meditative installation, to sonic compositions on the 古筝 (gu zheng), also known as the Chinese zither. All of these creative practices are meant to create space for and support the artist’s chosen families, their closely connected community.
In recent years Lu has collaborated with fellow artists in experimental music and dance performances. During their residency at ISCP, however, Lu has refocused on their individual practices, returning to mediums and themes that bring pleasure, joy, and comfort. Central to the exhibition is an installation inviting audiences to rest, reflect, and meditate to a sonic playlist created together with musician and sound artist Ben Florencio..
4. Outside
Melvin Edwards: Brighter Days at DeCordova Sculpture Park
@Public Art Fund
Jun 1, 2022 - Apr 30, 2023
For more than 50 years, Melvin Edwards (b. 1937, Houston, TX) has created public art for communities all over the world. His work reimagines monumental civic sculpture by uniting abstract forms with personal symbols to address issues of race, labor, and the African Diaspora. Shown across deCordova’s two front lawns, Brighter Days offers a focused look at Edwards’ career through five sculptures from 1970 to 1996 and a sixth, large-scale work commissioned in 2020.
The signature motif throughout the exhibition is the chain, which takes on numerous meanings for the artist. Chains have functional use as “welded rope” to pull or hoist, but their interconnected links also convey metaphorical significance. They can represent bonds that constrain or unite us, while broken fragments might suggest liberation or loss.
