Must See New York: “Beyond the Streets,” Mika Rottenberg’s “Easypieces,” and More

“Summer”
Friedman Benda
Now—July 26
A group exhibition conceived as a collaborative effort by the gallery’s staff, Friedman Benda’s “Summer” features the works of 20 artists working across different fields and mediums. Including names like Chris Schank, Marcel Wanders, Carmen D’Apollonio, Thaddeus Wolfe, Misha Kahn, and Raw Edges, pieces on view include furniture, lighting, sculpture, and design objects that create a dialogue with one another when displayed within the same field of existence.

“Beyond the Streets”
Presented by adidas at Twenty Five Kent
Now—August
Sponsored by a collaborative effort between adidas Skateboarding and adidas Originals, “Beyond the Streets” is a celebratory exhibition of New York City’s graffiti and street art following the success of an eponymous presentation in Los Angeles. Featuring a full roster of scheduled programming (like lectures, films, performances, and a benefit for the Harold Hunter Foundation), the show presents viewers with a 100,000 square foot gallery full of works by over 150 artists at the waterfront space in North Williamsburg. In addition to an enormous variety of paintings, sculpture, installations, and photography, “Beyond the Streets” also features a Mark Gonzales installation, a project with the Beastie Boys, and a limited-edition adidas x BTS collection (including accessories, apparel, and other knickknacks) sold at the gift store.

The New Museum
Mika Rottenberg: Easypieces
Now—September 15
Lubaina Himid: Work from Underneath
Now—October 6
On the second floor of the New Museum is Mika Rottenberg’s “Easypieces”. Through allegorical representations of contemporary life, the artist addresses current and critical issues by means of video and installation that intertwine a documentary style with elements of fiction. Included in “Easypieces” is a selection of kinetic sculptures and new video work, like Rottenberg’s 2019 work Spaghetti Blockchain.

On view in the fourth floor gallery is a new body of art by Zanzibari artist Lubaina Himid. Entitled “Work from Underneath,” the exhibition features a selection of paintings, sculpture, and sound works, including Old Boat / New Money—made up of 32 15-foot-long painted wooden planks evocative of a ghostly shipyard. Himid’s artistic practice explores areas of marginalized histories and often critiques the consequences of colonialism.

“Treasures from Chatsworth”
Sotheby’s New York
June 28—September 18
“Treasures from Chatsworth” features a selection of art and objects from the historic Chatsworth House’s Devonshire Collection. The exhibition was designed by David Korins, known for creating Broadway sets for Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Presented in the Sotheby’s recently-expanded New York galleries, the exhibition (which coincides with the auction house’s 275th birthday) features over forty works by masters like Rembrandt van Rijn, Leonardo da Vinci, and Lucian Freud, as well as a wide range of decorative objects, furniture, jewels, costumes, and more, dating back to the 16th century.

Mel Ziegler: Activated Artifacts
Perrotin New York
Now—August 16
Mel Ziegler’s first solo show at Perrotin New York, “Activated Artifacts” features a selection of new and recent works displayed in conjunction with pieces made during his partnership with the late Kate Ericson. The pair’s collaborative practice saw the making of community-based projects that combined their interests in land art, conceptual work, and interventionist strategies in order to create interventions out of local iconography and geography from across the country. At the center of the show is Ziegler’s 1000 Portraits which features 1,000 digital prints on canvas, each bearing a photographed reproduction of the faces of Mount Rushmore, sourced from over 400 vintage souvenirs. The exhibition also includes pieces like From the Making of Mount Rushmore, Dianna Drawings, and others dating to before Ericson’s passing.