If you’ve been thinking of visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, do it this weekend, before this major 17th century Velazquez portrait on loan from the earthquake damaged Galleria Estense, Modena returns home. Exuding ‘arrogance and sensuality’ (according to the Met), the painting demonstrates Velazquez’s deft realism and stunning economy of means. (On view through July 14th).
Diego Velazquez, Portrait of Duke Francesco I d’Este, oil on canvas, 1638.
One of Chelsea’s more unusual looking shows of the moment involves innovative display of old information. Berlin-based artist Simon Denny’s latest solo show at Petzel Gallery takes the 2012 version of the annual DLD tech conference as its subject matter, displaying posters that summarize event highlights (last year’s news) in analogue (obsolete?) style.
Simon Denny, installation view of ‘All you need is data: the DLD Conference REDUX rerun,’ at Petzel Gallery, June, 2013.
An art student discovered a cache of tiny sculptures left on the sidewalk for the trash truck; thirty years later, they’re renowned as the work of the anonymous outsider artist known as the Philadelphia Wireman. Invisible Exports enlivens a selection of them by showing them alongside a huge Vik Muniz photo from his Pictures of Junk series. (On the Lower East Side through July 13).
London-based Brazilian artist Alexandre da Cunha’s cement-mixer turned art-object brings to mind ancient bells or a new archaeological find. Supported by a concrete square on a plinth on the concrete gallery floor, it points to the labor involved in art-making and exhibiting. (At the Lower East Side’s Simon Preston Gallery through August 4th).
Alexandre da Cunha, Full Catastrophe (drum XIV), cement mixer drum, concrete, wooden plinth, 2013.
Berlin-based artist Frank Nitsche’s recent pared-down, monochrome abstractions reduce the urban world to minimal forms, a stark contrast to a column containing drink cans and plastered in stickers collected during his travels. (At Chelsea’s Leo Koenig Gallery through July 20th)
Frank Nitsche, KAY-25, oil on canvas, 2013 & GNL, mixed media installation, 2013 (column seen in detail).
