Gallery Guide

There are so many amazing art exhibitions and events beginning this weekend that it feels like Christmas all over again.  Yesterday, I popped into the Gagosian Gallery on Madison Avenue to see the gorgeous Picasso and Françoise Gilot: Paris–Vallauris 1943–1953 exhibition.  This is the fourth Picasso show at Gagosian and the first uptown which was a pleasant surprise. What is not a surprise are the vivid greens, blues and other inspiring colors.  Each show makes me want to start scheming room colors.  Even more stunning were the simple pencil drawings of Françoise by Picasso that I could have stared at all day.  

For those who don't know, Françoise Gilot was Picasso's muse and the mother of Claude and Paloma Picasso.  The family plays a large role in many of the pictures and biographer John Richardson worked directly with Françoise on this show. Many of her paintings also appear as well as Picasso's pottery and sculptures.  It's definitely worth a trip uptown or just walk over to Madison Avenue. 

Picasso and Françoise Gilot: Paris–Vallauris 1943–1953
Gagosian Gallery 

980 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10075

May 3 - June 3, 2012
Tuesday - Saturday 
10:00am - 6:00pm

One of the art events with the biggest buzz is the Frieze Art Fair taking place on Randall's Island.  The wildly popular British based is creating a huge waterfront tent housing 180 contemporary art galleries in addition to  an outdoor sculpture park. Since you are sure to be exhausted from all the walking you are sure to do, you can take a rest and refuel at one of the restaurants on site like the Fat Radish or grab a beer at the Standard pop up Biergarten or hopefully a gelato at Sant Ambroeus. And since no New Yorker knows how to get to Randall's Island, the Frieze Art Fair is graciously offering a Frieze Ferry from 35th Street on the East River that runs every 15 minutes. I was going to check it out today but now I might wait until better weather on Saturday. 

Frieze Art Fair New York

Randall's Island

Friday 4 May 12 – 7pm
Saturday 5 May 12 – 7pm
Sunday 6 May 12 – 6pm
Monday 7 May 12 – 6pm

Tickets are Required

Many people know the work of the husband and wife artists Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne thanks to all the sheep that keep appearing in chic homes.  Now you can see their work up close at the Les Lalanne show at the Paul Kasmin gallery. There is also a lovely new book with photos taken at the Les Lalanne home by Mr. Kasmin to be published by Rizzoli on May 15, 2012 entitled Claude and Francois-Lalanne: Art. Work. Life. 

Les Lalanne

Paul Kasmin Gallery

293 Tenth Avenue and 

515 West 27th Street

New York, NY 10001

May 3 - June 16, 2012

His paintings of sweets and candy are so amazing that Katy Perry tapped Will Cotton to create sets for her videos.  You can see his work up close at the Mary Boone Galley but be warned, they may be hazardous to your diet! 

Will Cotton 

Mary Boone Gallery 

745 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10022

May 3 - June 30, 2012

Tuesday - Friday 10am - 6pm

Saturday 10am - 5pm

Another not to miss show is Richard Avedon: Murals and Portraits at the Gagosian Gallery in Chelsea. Andy Warhol and Alan Ginsberg figure prominently as do many of their famous friends. 

Richard Avedon: Murals and Portraits

Gagosian Gallery

522 West 21st Street

New York, NY 10011

May 4 to June 6, 2012 

Monday - Saturday 

10:00am - 6:00pm

I love auction previews because you never know what treasures you may get to see.  Christie's has a special treat on view before the auction on May 8.  They are offering one of Yves Klein fire painting FC1 from which a portion of the proceeds will benefit Oceana.  You have to watch the video and see how it was created. 

Yves Klein FC1

Christie's

20 Rockefeller Center Plaza

New York, NY 10022

May 4 10:00am - 5:00pm
May 5 10:00am - 5:00pm
May 6 1:00pm - 5:00pm
May 7 10:00am - 5:00pm
May 8 10:00am - 12:00pm

At the Mary Boone Gallery in Chelsea is a new Francesco Clemente exhibition Nostalgia/Utopia.  

Francesco Clemente

Mary Boone Gallery 

541 West 24th Street

New York, NY 10001

May 5 to June 30, 2012

Tuesday - Saturday

10:00am - 6:00pm

This also happens to be Open House Weekend for the Partners in Preservation project.  You can check online for the institutions and sites that will be holding special events and tours this weekend in all five boroughs.  Some sites participating include the City Museum of New York, The Guggenheim, The Apollo Theater, Federal Hall, the New York Botanical Garden, and even The Tenement Museum I wrote about yesterday. Also keep in mind that you can vote once per day for the site you think should win the grant money until May 21, 2012. 

One of the most impressive shows I've seen in a long time is The Steins Collect at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I honestly might go back again because it was that good.  Gertrude Stein's family weren't just patrons, they were friends with many artists they collected including Matisse and Picasso.  There are even photos and videos of the home that architect Le Corbusier designed for Sarah and Michael Stein. The show runs through June 30, 2012. 

The most hotly anticipated event is not the Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations exhibition at the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art but the Met Gala that benefits it on Monday, May 7.  We joked last year that they needed to televise the red carpet like they do for the Oscars and our wish has been granted.  You can watch the arrivals live here on Monday from 6:30-8:30pm.  I will also be attending the press preview earlier in the day and can't wait to see the show and pre-party decorations.  

Bon Weekend!