Hiroshi Watanabe at Benrubi Gallery

We are like characters in a disaster movie, writes photographer Hiroshi Watanabe – though terrible events loom, we carry on with life as usual. Here, snow-covered persimmons make for a beautiful image but one that warns of a fast-arriving, harsher season. (At Chelsea’s Benrubi Gallery through Aug 26th).

Hiroshi Watanabe, The Day the Dam Collapses 25 (Persimmons), archival pigment print, 9 x 9 inches, 2009.
Hiroshi Watanabe, The Day the Dam Collapses 25 (Persimmons), archival pigment print, 9 x 9 inches, 2009.

Jasper de Beijer at Asya Geisberg Gallery

Inspired by a hermit living in the Maine woods with only a radio to hear news of the outside world, Dutch artist Jasper de Beijer created, then photographed paper dioramas depicting major world events from his memory rather than from documentation. Here (seen in detail), de Beijer recalls the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in all its terror. (At Chelsea’s Asya Geisberg Gallery through March 14th).

Jasper de Beijer, 12-26-2004 (from Mr Knight’s World Band Receiver’), c-print, 45×25” x 71,” 2014.