1) Nari Ward: We the People
Where: New Museum
Artwork by Nari Ward
Photograph: Instagram/@newmuseum
Nari Ward’s takeover of The New Museum is nothing short of brilliant. From paintings and videos to sculptures and installations, the show features 30 signature works by the incredible Jamaican artist who has made Harlem his home — each shining a much-needed spotlight on issues like poverty, consumer culture, and race. Not to be missed: one of his earlier installations from 1993, Amazing Grace, comprising 310 abandoned baby strollers used first by parents and then by the homeless.
On till April 26, 2019
2) Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future
Where: Guggenheim Museum
Artwork by Hilma af Klimt
Photograph: www.guggenheim.org
A NYC trip is incomplete without a visit to the Guggenheim. This time around, I walked into the world of Hilma af Klimt, a female Swedish artist who began creating radically abstract paintings in 1906, years before her better-known male counterparts – Kandinsky, Malevich and Mondrian – would take similar strides. Without a doubt, this museum exhibition is a rare opportunity to engage with some of modern art’s most bold, colourful, and exciting works on view.
On till April 23, 2019
3) MF Husain: Art and the Nation
Where: Asia Society Museum
Artwork by MF Hussain
Photograph: asiasociety.org
A 60-foot wide canvas by M.F. Husain is the centerpiece of this exhibition at Asia Society Museum. In this mural-sized painting titled Lightening (1974), you can see the artist’s signature horses marching from darkness to light with such energy and power, possibly a symbol of a fast-changing India. I was lucky that my visit coincided with the public unveiling of this masterpiece, otherwise held in the private collection of New York-based Marguerite and Kent Charugundla.
On till August 04, 2019
4) Cy Gavin
Where: Gavin Brown’s Enterprise
Artwork by Cy Gavin
Photograph: Instagram/@gavinbrownsenterprise
There is so much to see in Harlem and a visit in the summer months is always worth it. One of my favorite art galleries in the neighborhood is Gavin Brown’s Enterprise located in an old building which was once a brewery. While the showing of Cy Gavin’s landscapes has just closed, the upcoming exhibition of the iconic American artist Alex Katz promises to be equally amazing.
5) Open Studios
Where: 127th Street
Artwork by Kerry Washington
Photograph: Instagram/@kerryjamesmarshs
Artwork by Kerry Washington
Photograph: Instagram/@kerryjamesmarshs
Artwork by Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Photograph: www.njidekaakunyilicrosby.com
Next door to Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, the Artists-in-Residence Open Studios on 127th Street is in full swing. A programme led by The Studio Museum, it is the place to discover the freshest and most exciting works by artists of African descent, with some of the most influential names in contemporary art – from Kerry James Marshall to Njideka Akunyili Crosby – having passed through its doors. The museum itself is undergoing renovation but make sure to drop by the Open Studios if you’re in town.
