11 Things to Do in New York’s Art World Before Feb. 27
By Dan Duray, Rozalia Jovanovic, Andrew Russeth and Michael H. Miller • 02/20/12 12:14pm
By Dan Duray, Rozalia Jovanovic, Andrew Russeth and Michael H. Miller • 02/20/12 12:14pm
2012
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Opening Reception: PS3* Pedro Sanchez 3, “On the Outer Edge” at Abrons Arts Center
Based on Brazilian favelas and constructed from found materials from the Lower East Side, Spanishborn
New York-based artist Pedro Sanchez 3 (aka PS3*) exhibits a full-scale home within which he
presents new video work. His model home, designed for a life of “deliberate deprivation,” presents the
contemporary dwelling space as a response to the desire for affordable housing and a need for a
smaller carbon footprint, and falls in line within a movement steadily gaining ground, which has been
known to favor an “aesthetics of decline” that trades up bling for blight. —R.J.
Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Opening Reception: PS3* Pedro Sanchez 3, “On the Outer Edge” at Abrons Arts Center
Based on Brazilian favelas and constructed from found materials from the Lower East Side, Spanishborn
New York-based artist Pedro Sanchez 3 (aka PS3*) exhibits a full-scale home within which he
presents new video work. His model home, designed for a life of “deliberate deprivation,” presents the
contemporary dwelling space as a response to the desire for affordable housing and a need for a
smaller carbon footprint, and falls in line within a movement steadily gaining ground, which has been
known to favor an “aesthetics of decline” that trades up bling for blight. —R.J.
Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Screening: Without Gorky at MoMA
In this 2011 documentary, Cosima Spender investigates the life of her grandfather, the mid-century
abstract painter Arshile Gorky, whose work bridged Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, and
whose life was marked by tragedies. Ms. Spender will discuss the film after the 79-minute screening.
—Andrew Russeth
Screening: Without Gorky at MoMA
In this 2011 documentary, Cosima Spender investigates the life of her grandfather, the mid-century
abstract painter Arshile Gorky, whose work bridged Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, and
whose life was marked by tragedies. Ms. Spender will discuss the film after the 79-minute screening.
—Andrew Russeth
Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Screening: Women Without Men at CUNY Center for the Humanities
CUNY Center for the Humanities will screen Shirin Neshat’s 2009 film Women Without Men, based
on the 1989 novella by Shahrnush Parsipur. A discussion between the artist and writer will follow.—
Michael H. Miller
CUNY Center for the Humanities, 365 Fifth Avenue Room 5103, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22
Opening: Antoine Catala, “I See Catastrophes Ahead” at 47 Canal
According to the gallery, Mr. Catala’s first exhibition at 47 Canal, the bleakly titled “I See
Catastrophes Ahead,” is about “the in-between stage, when words, images and the material world
unite. A metamorphosis, operated by humans with the help of machines.” The show runs until March
25. —M.H.M.
47 Canal, 6-8 p.m., free
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Event: “The Art Fag City Rob Pruitt Art Awards and Auction” at Site/109
Who made best use of their genitals this year? Who is the art world’s best Jerry (apart from Mr. Saltz
himself, that is)? And, who is the most powerful person in the art world, by bench press? These and
other niggling questions will be answered at “The Art Fag City Rob Pruitt Art Awards and
Auction,” an event that announces itself as “still not affiliated with Rob Pruitt,” though it embodies
the spirit of the artist and auctions off one of his pieces (along with works by Debbie Harry, John
Baldessari, Marilyn Minter and the Bruce High Quality Foundation). And while this shindig costs
$100, artists get in for $50! —Rozalia Jovanovic
Site/109, 109 Norfolk Street, New York, 6:30–10 p.m.
Opening: Ellen Harvey, “The Nudist Museum Gift Shop,” at Dodge Gallery
Whitney Biennial 2008 artist Ellen Harvey brings her museum critique to her first show with Lower
East Side up-and-comer Dodge Gallery with new works that recreate instances of nudity in great
works, without any of the nonsense surrounding the nudity. —Dan Duray
Dodge Gallery, 15 Rivington Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Whitney Biennial 2008 artist Ellen Harvey brings her museum critique to her first show with Lower
East Side up-and-comer Dodge Gallery with new works that recreate instances of nudity in great
works, without any of the nonsense surrounding the nudity. —Dan Duray
Dodge Gallery, 15 Rivington Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Opening: Jonas Mekas and Robert Polidori, “Portraits” at Edwynn Houk Gallery
Avant-garde film don Jonas Mekas and photographer Robert Polidori, friends since the latter worked
for the former, present their never-before-seen portraits to the public: Mr. Mekas and Dalì; John and
Yoko at John’s 32nd birthday; and Edie Sedgwick and Lou Reed at the Velvet Underground’s first
performance at the Delmonico Hotel. —D.D.
Edwynn Houk Gallery, 745 Fifth Avenue, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Opening: Thomas Schütte, “New Work,” at Peter Freeman, Inc.
SoHo gallerist Peter Freeman will toast the opening of his new ground floor space with work by
German artist Thomas Schütte, who will offer up a trove of new sculptures, including “two ten-foottall
wood soldiers stand[ing] facing each other,” and large woodblock prints. Over in Mr. Freeman’s
old space, the artist will have watercolors and ceramics on display. —A.R.
Peter Freeman, Inc., 140 Grand Street and 560 Broadway, Suite 602/603, New York, 6–8 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Opening Reception: PS3* Pedro Sanchez 3, “On the Outer Edge” at Abrons Arts Center
Based on Brazilian favelas and constructed from found materials from the Lower East Side, Spanishborn
New York-based artist Pedro Sanchez 3 (aka PS3*) exhibits a full-scale home within which he
presents new video work. His model home, designed for a life of “deliberate deprivation,” presents the
contemporary dwelling space as a response to the desire for affordable housing and a need for a
smaller carbon footprint, and falls in line within a movement steadily gaining ground, which has been
known to favor an “aesthetics of decline” that trades up bling for blight. —R.J.
Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Opening: Paul Graham, “The Present,” at the Pace Gallery
For his first solo show since joining Pace in 2011, Paul Graham presents a series of photographs of
scenes in and about New York City. Exhibited as diptychs, these nearly life-sized images create an
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immersive environment. The show, the artist’s first in the U.S. since 2009, follows a recent survey of
the artist’s work at Whitechapel in London. —R.J.
The Pace Gallery, 545 West 22nd Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Opening: “John Chamberlain: Choices” at the Guggenheim
This Susan Davidson-helmed retrospective, planned before the artist’s death late last year, brings
together about 100 sculptures from across his career. It should be nice and refreshing to see such
generally extroverted work in the ramp’s galleries, which were bare during Maurizio Cattelan’s
retrospective. —A.R.
Guggenheim, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, 10 a.m.–5:45 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Opening: “Cindy Sherman” at MoMA
Posing as clowns, aging socialites and milkmaids from Old Master paintings, Cindy Sherman’s
explorations into identity have captured our imagination since the 1970s. This retrospective at MoMA
brings together over 170 of Sherman’s images from throughout her career in one of the most
anticipated exhibitions of the season. — R.J.
Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, 10:00 a.m.-5:30p.m.
Filed Under: Arts, Thomas Schutte, Robert Polidori, Pedro Sanchez, Ellen Harvey, Jonas Mekas, Arshile
Gorky, Shirin Neshat, John Chamberlain, Paul Graham, Cindy Sherman,
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