Depending on where you live, spring either seems like a theoretical possibility far in the distance or something whose warmth and clear skies are achingly close. There is nothing like New York City during those sunny months when a huge roster of incredible activities emerge from dormancy just waiting for natives and tourists alike to tackle them while the weather allows. The change in season typically brings with it a fresh batch of thrilling art exhibits and this year is no exception as several are poised to pop up in the metropolis’ most beloved institutions. Below, we’ve curated a few of the very best everyone should see. (title image by Joan Mitchell titled: making space)
Making Space: Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction
The Museum of Modern Art
April 15th-August 13th, 2017
The work created by women between the end of World War II in 1945 and the rise of the Feminist movement in the late 1960s remains little-explored, but is the focus of this brilliantly-conceived exhibit that draws all of its components from MoMa’s vast permanent holdings. Featuring more than 100 abstracted paintings, sculptures, photographs and textiles by 50 diverse female artists, it is a rare glimpse of under-appreciated mid-20th-century works that often took a backseat in the male-dominated world of fine art.
The Met Fifth Avenue
April 24th-July 30th, 2017
One of America’s most legendary and prolific photographers, Irving Penn was an absolute genius of the medium. His spare style pierced the facades of everyone from Parisian bakers to the most exquisite supermodels in order to discover something universally human. This exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of Penn’s birth and represents the most comprehensive retrospective of his work to date largely thanks to a gift of 150 photographs given to the museum by his namesake foundation. It is a masterclass in image-making.
Whitney Museum of American Art
June 9th-October 16th, 2017
Often associated with the playful toys that circle over a baby’s crib, mobiles (created by the renowned sculptor Alexander Calder) were once among the most avant-garde forms of art. The incredible movements and sounds of Calder’s work take center stage in this exhibit to reveal the inherent kinetic nature of all his works and the never-ending combinations of shapes and colors they create. Some of Calder’s rarely seen moving sculptures will be presented to the public in a series of performances and events that are sure to capture the imagination.
Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive
The Museum of Modern Art
June 12th-October 1st, 2017
One of the most renowned architects of the 20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright is a design institution unto himself with a convention-shattering career that spanned decades. This expansive exhibit, in honor of what would have been his 150th birthday, includes more than 450 works that range from drawings and models to films, furniture, textiles and photographs. Organizers hope to open up Wright’s work to fresh critical inquiry as well as new interpretations from both scholars and the public.
written by martin lerma
