This Week’s Must-See Art Events: An Overdue Eclipse of Male Artists

The first time we spotted the work of Esther Ruiz, it was glowing through the storefront windows of Platform Gallery in Baltimore. It was a solo show that managed to wrap up subtle references to topics as far-reaching as Star Wars and minimalism in sleek, fun sculptures of concrete, mirrors, crystals, and—of course—her signature neon.

Now, she’s unveiling a new installation on the walls of BAM, comprising neon and mirrored Plexiglas. This is likely to be a popular selfie spot.

When the artist-run queer space Spectrum closed earlier this year it left a gaping hole in Brooklyn’s interrelated art/performance/nightlife scenes. But now, it’s back (sort of) as “The Dreamhouse” in Ridgewood.

Tonight marks the soft opening of the “2.0” space, with a continuation of Spectrum’s monthly D.I.C.T.I.O.N.A.R.Y. series, curated by Aeliana Nicole Anderson.

The event features performances, screenings, readings, and “rituals” from:

Andrew Durbin, Che Gosset, Ethan Shoshan, Bunny Michael, Mel Elberg, Orlando Tirado, Jordan Martin aka Daphne, David White, Juliana Huxtable

hosted by Aeliana Nicole Anderson & Gage of the Boone

Planthouse and Randy Cohen’s series Person Place Thing invites an artist to be interviewed about something other than themselves. So we’re not really sure what this discussion with Katherine Bradford will be like.

But there’s a sense of humor and consistency in Bradford’s painterly approach to media as diverse as sculpture and printmaking—which might be indicative of good conversation? The above image, for example, is a detail of a silkscreen where two naked people are hiding inside a giraffe.

Somehow, we missed this exhibition about posthumous portraiture when rounding up our guide to the most goth art shows this Autumn. Which is remarkable, because this one is off the charts.

Securing the Shadow examines the shift in colloquial American mortuary arts from the colonial “memento mori” to the personal document of the individual. Creepy and fascinating.

Nadine Faraj makes drippy-wet figurative watercolors that capture the human body in all its weirdly fluid-filled blobbyness. Here, her somewhat-left-to-chance process is combined with some very deliberate nudity. She’s documenting topless female protesters from around the world—from prochoice activists in Latin America to France’s FEMEN and Muslim feminists protesting theocracies in the Middle East. Awesome.

Robin Kang’s weavings reference the loom’s often-overlooked role in the advent of the computer age. She brings circuit board patterns and digitally-manipulated imagery back into the textile medium that started it all—creating tapestries that have an approachable craft vibe while feeling high-tech and a little cyberpunk.

Arguably one of the most hotly-anticipated art events of the year, Pedro Reyes’ immersive Doomocracy promises to be the scariest haunted house one can visit—mashing up Halloween and election seasons. The massive undertaking is presented by Creative Time, and will touch on threats such as Donald Trump, mass shootings, and climate change. Yikes.

The most telling passage from the text for director Carl Abrahamsson’s documentary about the inseperable life/work of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge tells us only “a couple of descriptions are still valid after these 50 years of active creativity and provocation.” Genesis is a incredible. Seeing them speak in person was one of the most inspiring moments of my life, and I can only imagine what their wisdom and wildness is like when distilled to a 58 minute film.

Artist/filmmaker Kat Hunt’s 2015 documentary-style fiction stars her, and a group of non-actresses, as they discuss and plot feminist revenge against the men who have wronged them. I hope this is a comedy? Hell hath no fury… At any rate, the all-female production sounds like it transcends genres and should certainly be a unique piece of cinema.

Every month, Pioneer Works throws a big afternoon/evening party with DJs, performances, and open studios. And they have a great GIF.

This batch of artists is a good one. We’re especially looking forward to visiting the studio of Doreen Garner—whose body-referencing sculptures with materials including weave, condoms, and rhinestones are totally the best brand of thoughtful/pretty/gross-out that appeals to the AFC sensibilities.

Open Studios:
Doreen Garner, Sam Lavigne, Keunmin Lee, Lucia Love, MSHR, Curtis “Talwst” Santiago, Onyedika Chuke, Xu Wang, and Emily Xie.

$10 Suggested Donation

Is there anything more masochistic and cringe-inducing than sitting through the presidential debates this year? I wouldn’t even recommend doing it except that most people will anyway.  So in the interest of having a (potentially) less puke-inducing night than sitting home alone with Jack Daniels, head to MOIETY in Williamsburg, where you’ll at least be surrounded by other artists.