We all have that moment where Friday night rolls around and a Netflix binge is the primary “event” option. In order to cure your major case of FOMO, we've teamed up with The Mirror Cube, a new happenings site that features events recommended by artists. With their expert panel of visual artists, actors, writers, and directors, The Mirror Cube brings you the lowdown on what shows, screenings, and exhibits you should check out each week in New York and Los Angeles.
NY: Frieze Art Fair at Randall’s Island
May 14-17
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: The international contemporary art fair makes its stop on New York’s Randall’s Island. With close to two hundred exhibitors, the work of hundreds of artists will be shown by the world’s top galleries, along with live performances and panels.
Why Go: This is a rare opportunity to see galleries from multiple continents in one place, including meccas of contemporary art like Paris and Berlin. Iconic photographer Maripol suggests checking out the work of sculptor Regina Bogat from Galerie Zurcher, while actor and filmmaker Jake Hoffman favors the abstract stylings of Welsh artist Shelagh Wakely from London’s Richard Saltoun Gallery.
NY: Courtney Barnett at Bowery Ballroom
May 20 at 8 PM
Picked by: Jessica Stroup
What: The Australian singer-songwriter will be touring the states to promote her debut full-length album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, which was released in March of this year.
Why Go: Barnett has rapidly gained an international following thanks in part to her singular lyrics, which she writes in a style The Guardian referred to as “a perfect summary of the earnest freewheeling and rambling wit that makes music from this end of the world just so great."
NY: Portraying the Human Condition: The Films of Masaki Kobayashi and Tatsuya Nakadai at Museum of the Moving Image
May 15-24
Picked by: Mirrror Cube
What: A film festival dedicated to the collaboration between iconic Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi and actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who will be present for conversations at several of the screenings (and who starred in films for Kurosawa, too). These films marked a departure for Japanese cinema: they shepherded a change from stories focused on stoic honor to more emotionally honest narratives.
Why Go: These films are loosely autobiographical: Kobayashi was a pacifist who suffered for his ideals during the war. After discovering then-shop clerk Tatsuya Nakadai, Kobayashi felt that he had finally found an individual capable of playing the highly expressive lead roles in his films, and their legendary collaboration spanned 11 landmark Japanese dramas.
NY: Sage Vaughn: Wild Flowers at Blueshift Projects
Through June 21
P
NY: Frieze Art Fair at Randall’s Island
May 14-17
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: The international contemporary art fair makes its stop on New York’s Randall’s Island. With close to two hundred exhibitors, the work of hundreds of artists will be shown by the world’s top galleries, along with live performances and panels.
Why Go: This is a rare opportunity to see galleries from multiple continents in one place, including meccas of contemporary art like Paris and Berlin. Iconic photographer Maripol suggests checking out the work of sculptor Regina Bogat from Galerie Zurcher, while actor and filmmaker Jake Hoffman favors the abstract stylings of Welsh artist Shelagh Wakely from London’s Richard Saltoun Gallery.
NY: Courtney Barnett at Bowery Ballroom
May 20 at 8 PM
Picked by: Jessica Stroup
What: The Australian singer-songwriter will be touring the states to promote her debut full-length album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, which was released in March of this year.
Why Go: Barnett has rapidly gained an international following thanks in part to her singular lyrics, which she writes in a style The Guardian referred to as “a perfect summary of the earnest freewheeling and rambling wit that makes music from this end of the world just so great."
NY: Portraying the Human Condition: The Films of Masaki Kobayashi and Tatsuya Nakadai at Museum of the Moving Image
May 15-24
Picked by: Mirrror Cube
What: A film festival dedicated to the collaboration between iconic Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi and actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who will be present for conversations at several of the screenings (and who starred in films for Kurosawa, too). These films marked a departure for Japanese cinema: they shepherded a change from stories focused on stoic honor to more emotionally honest narratives.
Why Go: These films are loosely autobiographical: Kobayashi was a pacifist who suffered for his ideals during the war. After discovering then-shop clerk Tatsuya Nakadai, Kobayashi felt that he had finally found an individual capable of playing the highly expressive lead roles in his films, and their legendary collaboration spanned 11 landmark Japanese dramas.
NY: Sage Vaughn: Wild Flowers at Blueshift Projects
Through June 21
P