NYC: 5 exhibitions to see for Christmas 2013

Christmas is right on the doorstep. Among all the other attractions, New York City offers some remarkable exhibitions that will please the eye of even the most picky art snobs. Here are the highlights:

Chagall: Love, War, and Exile at the Jewish Museum

Even though Marc Chagall probably didn’t have Christmas in mind when he put this exhibition together, the display of his works in the Jewish Museum is still festive – an afternoon spent there is a great holiday treat for all fans of the remarkable Russian-born artist.

Chagall: Love, War, and Exile is showing until February 2^nd.

1109 5^th Ave at 92^nd St NY, NY 10128.

$15

Malerie Marder: Anatomy at 535 W 22nd St Chelsea

The American photographer Malerie Marder, known for her intimate nude portraits from all ages and races, spent the past five years in the Netherlands photographing prostitutes.

The result is Anatomy, on display at Chelsea’s Leslie Tonkow Artworks + Projects – 535 W 22^nd street, Chelsea New York 10011.

FREE until December 21^st.

Rituals of Rented Island: Object Theater, Loft Performance and the New Psychodrama – Manhattan, 1970-1980 at Whitney Museum

Whitney Museum’s recent exhibition recaptures the spirit of New York City in the 1970s and 80s when it was a wild place with abandoned real estate, high crime rates and emerging experimental art. Important works from this period are on display, including Yvonne Rainer’s famous This is the story of a woman who… performed for the first time in 1973.

This exhibiton shows until December 29^th at Whitney Museum.

945 Madison Ave Upper East Side New York 10021.

$20

 

Isa Genzken: Retrospective at MoMa

Just in time for the holidays comes a retrospective of the work of one of the most prominent female German artists, Isa Genzken. Mostly known for her surreal sculptural assemblages and installations mixing painting and randomly found objects, such as toys, strollers, suitcases, backpacks, dolls, wheelchairs, umbrellas and houseplants, this exhibition gives extensive perspective to a four-decade-long career.

On view until December 31^st at the Museum of Modern Art – MoMa .

11 W 53^rd St Midtown East New York 10019.

$25

David Salle – Ghost Paintings at Upper East Side’s Skarstedt Gallery

The Skarstedt Gallery presents contemporary artist David Salle’s 1992 Ghost Paintings, never before on display.
Using side lighting to accentuate the folds of the fabric, Salle photographed his model from above as she writhed on a platform. He then printed each image in black and white on three pieces of photosensitized linen, which were stitched together in horizontal bands to form a large canvas. The final result resembles something that Rothko would have done if he’d been into experimental photography.

This exhibiton is at the Skarstedt Gallery until March 15^th 2014.

20 E 79^th St Upper East Side New York.

FREE

Martina Dechevska