Heatwave! New York City is getting ready to become steamy, hot, and sticky- yeah summer in NYC is the best! We have great events indoors and out. There is interactive art on Randall’s Island, Dance in Central Park and on Fire Island, and a jazz brunch in Harlem. Here are a few of the many events happening in the city that never sleeps, guaranteed to keep you Out and About.
Art on the Farm offers unique family art projects inspired by nature and farm life. The free event takes place at the Urban Farm, Randall’s Island Park every weekend from 2-4pm on Sunday and Saturday through 10/20/2019.
The Art in Res team is bringing a small group of collectors and art enthusiasts alike to the studios at the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, Brooklyn on Saturday, July 20, 2019 from 10 to 12noon. Come take a look at their latest work and discuss their inspirations and artistic practice. Afterwards, we’ll cap off the visit with some light refreshments in the neighborhood. We’ll be checking out the studios of four artists: Kenneth Parris, Kristin Reed, Carl Auge and Steve Zolin.
Mary T. Smith- I We Our at the Shrine 179 E Broadway, New York City through Sunday July 28. Vibrant paintings are on offer in this exhibit devoted to the work of Mary T. Smith (1904–1995), a self-taught artist from Mississippi who first made her work during the 1970s after she retired from her job as a domestic servant and cook. Painting on plywood and corrugated metal, Smith created portraits and Biblical scenes, installing them outdoors in “yard shows” typical of African-American outsider artists in the Deep South. Smith favored bold colors, limning animals and figurative subjects with broad brushstrokes that she also used to spell out religious messages and other texts. The result was a kind of vernacular Expressionism that appears strikingly contemporary.
Soto: Vibrations, 1950–1960 At Hauser & Wirth 32 E 69th St New York through July 26 Known simply as Soto, Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2005) was a Venezuela sculptor and painter who settled in Paris in 1951 and became a leading figure in the postwar revival of geometric abstraction on the Continent. He also played a seminal role in the subsequent development of Op and Kinetic art. Soto’s early work built upon the style of Mondrian, but he eventually became interested in artistic experiments with transparent materials—such as Marcel Duchamp’s motorized sculpture, Rotary Glass Plates—and began to paint stripes and other shapes on stacked sections of Plexiglas for varying optical effects. Examples of both approaches—as well as others are included in the pocket survey spanning Soto’s first decade in Europe.
The photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who died in 1989, at the age of forty-two, cast a classicizing eye on subjects both conventional (calla lilies) and controversial (the underground S & M scene). As his muse and friend Patti Smith has written, “He will be condemned and adored. His excesses damned or romanticized. In the end, truth will be found in his work, the corporeal body of the artist.” The Guggenheim opens its yearlong two-part exhibition “Implicit Tensions: Robert Mapplethorpe Now.”
Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything: The Jewish Museum (1109 5th Ave at 92nd St New York) April 12 – September 8, 2019. A world-renowned novelist, poet, and singer/songwriter who inspired generations of writers, musicians, and artists, Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was an extraordinary poet of the imperfection of the human condition, giving voice to what it means to be fully alert to the complexities and desires of both body and soul. Featuring 12 artists and 18 musicians from 10 countries, this exhibition offers a deep and rich exploration of the beloved global icon through the lens of contemporary art.
Alicja Kwade, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art through October 27, a Polish artist who lives and works in Berlin is this year’s recipient of The Met’s annual commission to create an installation for the museum’s roof garden. These projects are perennial crowd-pleasers, as they add a touch of artistic enhancement to the rooftop’s spectacular views of Central Park and the Midtown skyline. Kwade’s approach seems tailor-made for the site, as it usually entails minimalist sculptural ensembles made of glass, stone and metal—materials that give her efforts a luxurious gloss. Kwade often plays perceptual tricks on the viewer as part of her overall interest in deconstructing the philosophical and scientific teachings we rely on to make sense of the world. At The Met, she reaches for the cosmos with a pair of pieces that evoke the Solar System.
Nedjemankh and His Gilded Coffin at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Ever since Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of King Tut in 1922, people have been fascinated by Ancient Egyptian treasures. The Met recently acquired one such object—a gold-leafed covered coffin for a High Priest from Egypt’s Ptolemaic period. It’s on display, along with 70 other Egyptian artifacts from the Met’s collection.
SummerStage at Central Park- Rumsey Playfield will host, Merce Cunningham: SummerCool on Wednesday, July 17, 8- 10pm (Doors open 7:00 pm) an evening of performances guest curated by 92nd Street Y’s Catherine Tharin, featuring the Stephen Petronio Company, which has incorporated several of Cunningham’s radical theater work into its repertoire; Melissa Toogood, a Bessie Award winning, former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company; Calvin Royal III, the star soloist at the American Ballet Theater; and the A-Y/dancers, a repertory dance company from the Hudson Valley.
Contemporary Dance in Bryant Park on Fridays 6pm thru July 20. Welcome the weekend in style at this series of free Friday-evening shows in Bryant Park, curated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher.
Summer Dance Nights in J. Hood Wright Park at 174 Street located between Fort Washington and Haven Avenue, and between West 173rd and 176th Streets in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. An evening of dance, fitness and fun! Enjoy the sounds and songs from R&B, Pop, Latin, Hip-Hop and many more artists. We’ll have an open house and give special tours of J. Hood Wright Recreation Center, all while you get fit.
Maria Kochetkova: Catch Her If You Can at the Joyce Theater thru July 21. Kochetkova, a former étoile of the San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, stars in a program that includes dances created for her by choreographers including William Forsythe, David Dawson, Jérôme Bel and fellow dancer Drew Jacoby (who also appears in two of the program’s eight pieces).
The New Victory Theater, 209 W 42nd Street, New York, presents major dance companies in $10 Thursday smorgasbord performances.
The July 18 show features Elisa Monte Dance, Ty Defoe, Brian Brooks Moving Company and the Chase Brock Experience; and
The July 25 program comprises works by Wendy Whelan and Brian Brooks, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Passion Fruit Dance Company and A.I.M.
Fadi J. Khoury and his company continue their monthly Black Box series at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524 W 59th Street, New York on July 18, 6:30pmedition features a performance of Home, a ballet for ten dancers that draws on Khoury’s childhood experiences in Iraq.
Joel Grey, the Tony and Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in Cabaret, George M!, and Wicked will host the 25th anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival, July 19 thru 21 at Great South Bay, Fire Island Pines, NY. Produced by and benefiting Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Fire Island Dance Festival will bring world-class dance from an array of styles to a picturesque waterfront stage on the Great South Bay. Among the companies and choreographers scheduled to present pieces are: Kyle Abraham,Michelle Dorrance, Paul Taylor, Christopher Wheeldon, Al Blackstone, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Garrett Smith and James Whiteside.
Fire Island Dance Festival 2019
The three Fire Island Dance Festival performances: Opening performance on Saturday, July 20, at 5 pm; Leadership Sunset Performance on Saturday, July 20, at 7 pm; Closing performance on Sunday, July 21, at 5 pm. Cocktails follow each performance, and will now be served at Whyte Hall.
The Lion King: Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother, and former heir to the throne, has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. Opens July 19.
ROSIE tells the story of a mother trying to protect her family after their landlord sells their rented home and they become homeless. Over 36 hours, Rosie and her partner John Paul strive to find somewhere to stay while shielding their young family from the reality of the situation around them. ROSIE examines how even in times of crises; the love and strength of a family can endure. Opens July 19
Nureyev: A documentary on the brilliant Russian ballet dancer that includes previously unseen archival footage has an exclusive two-week theatrical engagement. Ralph Fiennes’s The White Crow, a recently released drama of Rudolf Nureyev’s life, leading to his 1961 defection to the West, hints at the artistry of this legendary star — widely considered the greatest classical dancer of his generation. This documentary goes further, serving up a truly profound experience of the man’s extraordinary technique. Now playing
Pavarotti: Ron Howard’s ebullient documentary salutes the operatic legend Luciano Pavarotti for the genius he was, and the simple man he (maybe) was. Featuring never-before-seen footage, concert performances and intimate interviews, filmmaker Howard examines the life and career of famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti.Now playing
Lionel Richie brings his Hello Tour to Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday July 17 and Thursday 18, 8pm.
Jazzmobile presents Marc Cary at Minton’s Playhouse 206 West 118th Street for two set, 7:30 and 9:30pm. Cary moved from DC to New York City shortly after graduation and started working with big-name musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Hargrove, and Abbey Lincoln. Lincoln was an essential influence in Cary’s career; thanks to his performances with Lincoln, Cary’s rhythmic style was able to reach a broader audience. Through his experience and newfound recognition, Cary was recruited to be a pianist for mainstream artists such as Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, and Lauryn Hill. Cary teaches jazz improvisation classes at the Manhattan School of Music and The Julliard School.
The Jazzy Brunch at Minton’s Playhouse 206 West 118th Street from 12- 4pm featuring Luisito Quinttero. Combining Afro-Latin rhythms with jazz and bossa nova sounds Elements of Life quickly became one of the hottest albums to hit dance floors from sea to sea. As well as being an inspirational influence Luisito is also a member of the Elements of Life band which has been touring for the past three years. The band has shared stages with some of the top artist in the business, such as Robert Plant, Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys.
Fleetwood Mack tribute: Fleetwood Macked Special Birthday Celebration for Hillary at The Loft at the City Winery, 155 Varick Street on July 19, 8pm: Fleetwood Macked is a New York based Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band. Hailed as the most authentic Fleetwood Mac tribute band in the U.S., Fleetwood Macked live brings the passion, depth, heart and the musicianship Fleetwood Mac’s music requires.
This vibrant, interactive space where folks can not only listen to great music, but also make their own wine, indulging their passion for quality cuisine, art and friendship. From rock legends, folk acts and jazz quartets to incomparable hip-hop artists and buzz-worthy indie rock bands, this innovative venue is serving up some of the best music the city has to offer — along with some of its finest vintages.
The Classical Theatre of Harlem presents The Bacchae at Marcus Garvey Park Richard Rodgers Amphitheater through July 28. Directed by Carl Cofield with choreography by Tiffany Rea-Fisher the updated production tells the story of Dionysus, the god of wine, prophecy, religious ecstasy, and fertility, returns to his birthplace in Thebes in order to clear his mother’s name and to punish the insolent city state for refusing to allow people to worship him. This outdoor performance is free.
King Kong at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway, an innovative mix of robotics, puppetry, music and stagecraft directed and choreographed by Olivier winner Drew McOnie. King Kong features an electrifying new score by Marius de Vries (La La Land) and Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice The Musical), and a book by Jack Thorne, the Tony® and Olivier Award-winning writer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Runs through August 28.
Ain’t Too Proud follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. Through friendship and betrayal amid the civil unrest that tore America apart, their moving and personal story still resonates five decades later.
Choir Boy, the Broadway premiere of Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney acclaimed drama at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street, centers on the Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys, which for a half a century has been dedicated to the education of strong, ethical black men. One talented student has been waiting for years to take his rightful place as the leader of the school’s legendary gospel choir. But can he make his way through the hallowed halls of this institution if he sings in his own key?
FrankieFridays is Brooklyn’s best kept house music secret! The party takes place every Friday at The Happiness Lounge, 1458 St. Johns Place (bet. Utica Avenue and Rochester Avenue). The party rocks the best dance classics and soulful house music masterfully mixed by New York City’s own DJ Frankie Paradise. The predominantly mature gay crowd are there to get down, and create a warm inviting atmosphere for all. Reasonably prices drinks and a small admission price (feels more like a donation) of $5 before midnight and $10 after makes this the don’t miss Friday night dance party.
Bollywood Beats @ Stage48 NYC – A Weekly Saturday Night DesiParty Sat, July 20, 10pm- Sunday, July 21, 4am at Stage48, 605 West 48th Street, New York.Each & Every Saturday Night, come experience the Glamour & Glitz of Bollywood as you Mix, Mingle and Dance at New York City’s Hottest Saturday Night DesiParty. Ladies complimentary admission until 11pm.
We look forward to seeing you Out and About
