Put down the mop and windex, don’t even think about tackling your closet! While spring days may mean a change over from winter to summer wardrobe transformations for some, to me all it means is longer daylight hours to explore more of Bushwick’s art! The season for MFA shows, open studios (only six weekends away from Bushwick Open Studios!), and thematic group shows is upon us, meaning more to see, not just in Bushwick but all over the city. To help get you in shape for this challenge, we’ll ease you into it with this week’s top five art events.
1. NEW EYES FOR NEW SPACES and OPEN STUDIOS @ ISCP (Friday, April 26, 6-9pm)
The International Studio and Curatorial Program opens their doors this weekend for three days, showing off the work of their 27 artists hailing from 20 different countries. The event will provide a chance to meet the artists, discuss their work, and allow them to share their experiences of their time as residents. With events all weekend, including the concurrent exhibition New Eyes for New Spaces–a group exhibition that explores multiple representations and creations of space–and artist talk on Friday and panel discussion on Sunday, ISCP is the place this weekend to see the culmination the artist’s experiences and work while in Bushwick.
2. BEAUTY.MARKED @LIVING GALLERY (Saturday, April 27, 6-11pm)
The Living Gallery presents a new show from art production company Abierto Art with a live DJ and drinks which are sure to lead to a vibrant and provocative experience. Aimed at showcasing young and emerging artists, the collaboration will prove to introduce the neighborhood to a new generation of artists in our neighborhood. Slightly mysterious in their event announcement, even we are anxious in anticipation of what the night will bring!
3. AAKASH NIHALANI ISLANDS @ SIGNAL (Friday, April 26, 7-10pm)
Aakash Nihalani offers an altered sense of perspective with his flatly geometric site-specific installations in his solo show at Signal. A departure from his normally highly vibrant use of color, Nihalani’s works for this show focus on the sharp contrast of black and white to create pieces that both invite the viewer into an illusion of space, while confusing perception simultaneously. Viewers are encouraged to interact with the installations from multiple vantage points in the gallery that offer novel experiences with the pieces from different angles.
4. AMY LINCOLN AND LOIE HOLLOWELL @ VALENTINE (Friday, April 26 6-9pm)
Both recalling the tradition of landscape and still life, Amy Lincoln and Loie Hollowell capture the mutual stillness and presence usually associated with the genre, while also presenting their scenes from a new perspective. Whether a shift in point of view, unusual use of color, or remarkable sense of fabrication in a scene meant to seem natural and unstaged, the two women’s paintings will cause you to rethink this tradition as they push the boundary on its possibilities.
Check out more art openings and events in our Events Calendar, and add your own events to be featured in Bushwick Daily or get on our mailing list not to miss a single cool event in the area.