Martine Gutierrez, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Liza Lou, and More Must See New York Shows

Toyin Ojih Odutola at Jack Shainman
September 6—October 27
Toyin Ojih Odutola’s “When Legends Die” is the final effort in a series of works sharing the legacy of one of the oldest noble clans of Nigeria. The project follows the aristocratic family in order to represent it within a wider frame, shedding light on its inner workings in hopes of creating grounds of commonality and camaraderie with the viewers. The show of new works takes place at both the gallery’s 513 West 20^th Street and 524 West 24^th Street locations.

Adam Silverman at Friedman Benda
September 6—October 13
“Occupation,” Adam Silverman’s largest gallery show to date, is a display of the artist’s dynamic practice in ceramics, which incorporates his background in architecture, as well as inspiration from sculpture, choreography, and painting. Included in the exhibition are two site-specific installations of Silverman’s ceramic pots (which the artist refers to as “figures”) that have been grouped in a way that suggests a variety of anthropomorphic poses.

Liza Lou at Lehmann Maupin West 24^th Street
September 6—October 27
This exhibition inaugurates Lehmann Maupin’s new West 24^th Street location. “Classification and Nomenclature of Clouds” is inspired by the Liza Lou’s daily observations of the skies in Los Angeles and Durban, South Africa—the two cities where she spends her time. Named for Luke Howard’s Essay on the Modification of Clouds, the show includes Lou’s mixed media works like Nimbostratus and The Clouds, a monumental piece composed of 600 cloth pieces, which were hand beaded by the local women employed at her studio in Durban.

Martine Gutierrez at Ryan Lee Gallery
September 6—October 20
Martine Gutierrez’s “Indigenous Woman” is a celebration of Mayan Indian heritage, the ever-evolving self-image, and the navigation of contemporary indigeneity. Using the word “indigenous” as a synonym for the natural and innate, Gutierrez’s work questions how identity is formed, expressed, weighed, and valued in the lives of women—whether they are transgender, Latinx, of indigenous descent, or femme artists and makers. The artist invites both fellow non-binary transwomen of color and the rest of the world to come together and educate themselves in order to help create an empathetic and supportive society.

Lygia Pape at Hauser & Wirth
September 6—October 20
Hauser & Wirth’s exhibition of the late Lygia Pape is a survey of the Brazilian Neo-Concrete artist’s multidisciplinary practice, illuminating a unique, human understanding and reframing of geometry and abstraction. Spanning across all three floors of the gallery, the show includes important works from Pape’s repertoire, like Jogo de Ténis (Tennis Game) and Ttéia 1A, an elision of the Portuguese world for “web,” created out of groupings of silver threads

Urs Fischer at Gagosian
September 6—October 13
An intermingling of choreography, behavior, and sculpture, Urs Fischer’s “PLAY” (featuring choreography by Madeline Hollander) sets the stage for chance encounters in which the visitors are invited to interact with nine office chairs. In the installation, as the viewer attempts to control the chairs, over time it becomes clear that the chairs themselves are participants, too.