Tree fungus and corals inspired the Haas Brothers’ signature accretion vases; joined by the LA duo’s silver plated lamps (at rear), walnut furniture and paintings, they open Marianne Boesky Gallery’s summer group exhibition with an appreciation for the strange and lighthearted. (In Chelsea through August 11th).
Globe-trotting photographer and writer Teju Cole’s new book ‘Blind Spot’ explores perception through shots including this grid of curtained balconies in Beirut, an image that suggests diversity packed into a small space. Alongside is a text in which Cole bemoans a lost roll of film while acknowledging that his original viewing experience is what he most values. (On view at Steven Kasher Gallery through August 11th).
Aliza Nisenbaum’s portrait of Kayhan, sprawled on the floor surrounded by newspaper pages, is a standout in FLAG Art Foundation’s huge and engrossing group exhibition, ‘The Times,’ which gathers a range of artwork related to or inspired by the New York Times. Nisenbaum’s portraits of undocumented immigrants offer a portal into lives deliberately lived in private; here, Kayhan’s apparent comfort may not apply beyond these walls. (On view in Chelsea through Aug 11th).
Vladimir Salamun’s marble ice cream scoop stars in a deliciously food-themed show at Allan Stone Projects. Monumental and crafted in traditional art materials, this slow-to-melt pop art monument to the pleasures of taste becomes a treat for the eye as well. (On view in Chelsea through August 11th).
Eight large paintings of winter coats by Canadian super realist painter Karl Funk at 303 Gallery ostensibly deny the season; instead, isolated against icy white backgrounds and turned as if to ignore viewers, they’re as chilling as a blast of AC. Inspired by the negotiation between public and personal space on a crowded subway car, they’re a beautifully rendered insistence on privacy. (On view in Chelsea through August 18th).
