Each week, we search New York City for the most exciting and thought-provoking shows, screenings, and events. See them below. 

Tuesday, July 16

Tamra Davis, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (2010). Image courtesy of Fortissimo Films.

1. Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child at the Guggenheim Museum

As part of the programming for “Basquiat’s ‘Defacement’: The Untold Story” (on view through November 6), the Guggenheim is screening Tamra Davis’s 2010 documentary Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child. The film explores the young artist’s rise to prominence, his friendship with Andy Warhol, and the difficulties he faced as a black man in the predominantly white New York art world.

Location: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue
Price: Free with museum admission, distributed first-come-first-served beginning at 4 p.m.
Time: 6 p.m.

—Tanner West

Neil Armstrong photographed Buzz Aldrin on the moon during Apollo 11. Photo courtesy of NASA.

2. “We Choose to Go to the Moon” at Carnegie Hall

Historian and collector John Monsky has created a unique multimedia presentation inspired by man’s journey to the moon, featuring photographs and film footage from NASA and live music from the  Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Broadway singers. Songs include selections from James Horner’s score for Apollo 13, David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” and “Fly Me to the Moon,” written by Bart Howard and popularized by Frank Sinatra.

Location: Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th streets
Price: From $38
Time: 7:30 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

Tuesday, July 16–Saturday, August 3

Rose Kallil, Polyphase Transmission, 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Lyles & King, New York.

3. “Rose Kallal: Polyphase Transmission” at Lyles and King

In her second solo exhibition with Lyles and King, Rose Kallal presents a four-channel video and sound installation that calls back to pioneering early works in computer-generated imagery and electronic-audio composition. Driving the piece is Kallal’s interest in the mesmeric possibilities of interference, as the various visual and aural elements expand and collapse onto one another to allude to the elastic nature of time, technology, and art history—each one stretching from a romanticized past toward an unknown future.

Location: Lyles and King, 106 Forsyth Street
Price: Free
Time: Opening reception, 6 p.m.–8 p.m.; Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday, noon–6 p.m.

—Tim Schneider

Thursday, July 18

4. “Neptune in New York” at City Lore 

As temperatures inch toward three digits, worshiping the gods of water seems an increasingly wise venture. Now’s the chance as City Lore hosts an evening of astrology, myth, and songs celebrating Neptune and the aquatic element, in conjunction with the recent exhibition “Waterfront Heroes.” Water-inspired attire is encouraged and attendees will have the chance to listen or share their favorite water-related tales.  

Location: City Lore, 56 East 1st Street
Price: $10 advanced, $15 at the door
Time: 7 p.m–10 p.m.

— Katie White 

Left: Shaun Leonardo. Photo: Vincent Tullo. Right: Nicole Sealey. Photo: Rachel Eliza Griffiths

5. “A Possibility that Exists Alongside: Shaun Leonardo and Nicole Sealey” at the New Museum

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibition “Mirror/Echo/Tilt” (on view through September 29), a video and performance project by artists Melanie Crean, Shaun Leonardo, and Sable Elyse Smith. Leonardo, who developed the project with the artists alongside individuals affected by the justice system, offers a walkthrough of the show that is sure to make you see it in a new light. The tour is followed by a reading by poet Nicole Sealey, author of the collection Ordinary Beast.

Location: New Museum, 235 Bowery
Price: Free with RSVP
Time: 6 p.m.

—Julia Halperin

The cover of 303 Gallery: 35 Years, published by 303inPrint. Courtesy of 303 Gallery.

6. Opening Reception and Book launch: “303 Gallery: 35 Years” at 303 Gallery

One of New York’s most consistently great art venues, 303 Gallery, celebrates its 35th anniversary this week with the release of a 448-page book recounting the rich history of the space and the artists who have built their careers there—including Doug Aitken, Richard Prince, and Collier Schorr, to name a few. Accompanying the book will be a group show of these artists’ work as well as a selection of gallery ephemera collected over the years. 

Location: 303 Gallery, 555 West 21st Street
Price: Free
Time: 5 p.m.–7 p.m.

—Taylor Dafoe

Dana Hoey, Sweet Arena (2019). Courtesy of Petzel Gallery.

7.“Dana Hoey Presents: Afternoon Multidisciplinary Fight Clinic” at Petzel Gallery 

In her current show at the gallery, multidisciplinary Dana Hoey delves deep into the world of Muay Thai fighting with photographic portraits of fighters, sculptures reminiscent of punching bags, and even a 20-by-20-foot ring installed in the backroom of the gallery. This Thursday, the ring will be put to good use in this one-day multidisciplinary fight clinic, taught by Jo-Anne Falanga, the Tang Soo Do World Title holder. All levels (including beginners) and styles are welcome.

Location: Petzel, 456 West 18th Street
Price: Free
Time: 3 p.m.–5 p.m.

—Katie White

Thursday, July 18–Sunday, September 8

Stewart Hitch, “Superman Logo (c. 1978). Courtesy of the artist and Fisher Parrish Gallery.

8. “Freddy’s World” at Fisher Parrish Gallery

Artist and curator Joshua Abelow has curated a show featuring 13 artists, including Irena Jurek, Jesse Sullivan, and many others who have previously shown work at Abelow’s gallery, Freddy, located in a renovated church in Harris, New York.

Location: Fisher Parrish Gallery, 238 Wilson Avenue, Brooklyn
Price: Free
Time: Opening reception, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 1p.m.–6 p.m.

—Caroline Goldstein

Friday, July 19

Leonardo da Vinci, St. Jerome (begun ca.1482). Photo ©Governatorate of the Vatican City State, Vatican Museums, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

9. “Curator Talk—Celebrating Leonardo da Vinci” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

As the Met kicks its celebration of Leonardo da Vinci’s 500th death anniversary with “Leonardo da Vinci’s St. Jerome” (on view through October 6), exhibition curator Carmen C. Bambach, of the museum’s department of drawings and paintings, and author of a new four-volume catalogue raisonné on the Renaissance great, will give a presentation on his artistic genius as seen through his unfinished masterpiece St. Jerome.

Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Avenue, East 82nd Street Entrance
Price: Free with registration
Time: 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 20

William Anders for NASA, Earthrise. Courtesy of NASA.

10. “Earthrise: A 50 Year Contemplation” at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum

The Space Enabled Research Group from MIT’s Media Lab has created a pop-up installation inspired by the famous Earthrise photo taken in December 1968 by Apollo 8 crew member William Anders. The museum’s Apollo 50 celebrations also include a free outdoor screening of First Man starring Ryan Gosling on Friday, July 20. “Apollo 11: Media, the Moon, and Beyond,” a video installation featuring archival broadcast footage show on vintage televisions, is on view beneath the space shuttle Enterprise through September 3.

Location: The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, Pier 86, West 46th Street
Price: $33 general admission, free from 5 p.m. on Friday
Time: Friday, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–3 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

Saturday, July 20

Peter’s Pond at LongHouse Reserve.

12. Summer Benefit at the LongHouse Reserve
East Hampton’s 16-acre sculpture garden LongHouse Reserve is honoring artist Julian Schnabel and fashion designer Donna Karan at its annual summer benefit. Guests can stroll the picturesque property among sculptures by the likes of Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, and Willem de Kooning—as well as newly installed works by Wendell Castle, Jun Kaneko, Joseph Walsh, Young Jae Lee, and Will Ryman—and then enjoy dinner, a live auction, and a performance by artist and musician Laurie Anderson.

Location: LongHouse Reserve, 133 Hands Creek Road, East Hampton
Price: Tickets start at $1,250
Time: 6 p.m.–11 p.m.

—Rachel Corbett

Sahra Motalebi, performance view of Sahra Motalebi: Directory of Portrayals (2017). The Kitchen, New York. Courtesy of The Kitchen. © Paula Court.

11. “Sahra Motalebi: Directory of Portrayals” at the Whitney Museum

For her part in this year’s Whitney Biennial, Sahra Motalebi is continuing her open-form operatic performance Directory of Portrayals, in which she contemplates her budding relationship with a newfound sister who lives in Iran. Using text, images, exhibition, and live performance, the artist uses correspondence with her estranged sister as a starting point to discuss intimacy, identity, and isolation.

Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, Floor 3 in the Susan and John Hess Family Gallery and Theater, 99 Gansevoort Street

Price: Free with general admission
Time: Performance on July 20 at 7 p.m. (the installation will be on view through July 22)

—Caroline Goldstein

Saturday, July 20–Sunday, July 28

Laurie Anderson and Hsin-Chien Huang, To The Moon. Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.

13. “Laurie Anderson and Hsin-Chien Huang: To the Moon” at the American Museum of Natural History

Grammy award-winning artist Laurie Anderson and new media Taiwanese artist Hsin-Chien Huang debuted their virtual reality trip to the moon at Art Basel Hong Kong in March. Now, on the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing, the piece is coming to New York, allowing viewers to place themselves in the shoes of NASA astronauts on the lunar surface. This dark vision of the moon lasts 15 minutes and counts Greek mythology, science fiction, and politics among its influences. Anderson will be at the museum on July 21 at 2 p.m. for a free talk with AMNH astrophysicist Jackie Faherty about the immersive VR experience.

Location: American Museum of Natural History, Starlight Cafe, 200 Central Park West
Price: $23 pay-what-you-wish general admission, access with reservation
Time: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., last entry at 5 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

Sunday, July 21

Photo by Cristina Cruz

14. Exhibition Tour of “I come to this place” at Smack Mellon

Join curator, Eva Mayhabal Davis and writer, Diana Ayala-Carrillo as they lead a tour of the current group show at nonprofit arts organization Smack Mellon. Exhibiting artists Mary A. Valverde, Iván Gaete, Glendalys Medina, and Blanka Amezkua will also be present to elaborate on the themes of indigenous identity and displacement in the exhibition titled “I come to this place”.

Location: Smack Mellon, 92 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn
Price: Free
Time: 3 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

—Cristina Cruz

The Great Forgotten Garden Party 2018. Photo by Alix Piorun, courtesy of Atlas Obscura.

15. “The Great Forgotten Garden Party” at Untermyer Gardens

In the 1920s and ’30s, the public flocked to Samuel and Minnie Untermyer’s 150-acre Yonkers estate, a beautifully manicured landscape that was maintained by a staff of 60 gardeners and welcomed famous artists and performers. The couple left the garden to the city of Yonkers, but upkeep was cost prohibitive, and the property became wildly overgrown, its architectural structures fallen into ruin long ago. Since 2011, the nonprofit Untermyer Gardens Conservancy has been working to restore the property; for the third year in a row Atlas Obscura is throwing a summer party celebrating the garden’s history, design and architecture. There will be live music, including Armen Ra on the theramin, and artist Ventiko will create one of her signature photo booth experiences.

Location: Untermyer Gardens, 945 North Broadway, Yonkers
Price: $70
Time: 5 p.m.–10 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

UPDATE: Due to the extreme heat, this event has been postponed to Saturday, July 28.

Through Sunday, July 21

16. “Drill: Hito Steyerl” at the Park Avenue Armory

Hito Steyerl’s new commission for the Park Avenue Armory draws on the building’s history as a military fortress to decry the current epidemic of gun violence in the US. The three-channel video pairs harrowing first-person recollections from gun violence survivors with a historian’s architectural tour of the building. There is also footage of the Yale Precision Marching Band performing in the armory’s Drill Hall—where the film is on view—playing an algorithmically composed score where each note represents a gun-related death. On Saturday, July 20, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the exhibition will present “The Dead Walk Into a Bar,” a performance-lecture by Anton Vidokle, Adam Khalil, and Bayley Sweitzer.

Location: Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue
Price: $20
Time: Monday–Thursday, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.; Friday, 12 p.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–7 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone

Through Sunday, July 28

William Eric Brown, Blind (2018). Photo courtesy of Johannes Vogt Gallery, New York.

17. “The Barn Show 2019” at Johannes Vogt Gallery, the Barn

Every summer, Johannes Vogt heads out east to stage a group show in a rustic barn in the Hamptons, drawing on the East East’s historic embrace by contemporary artists. This year’s edition features a wide array of over 30 artists including Derrick Adams, Gina Beavers, William Eric Brown, Vaughn Spann, and Robin F. Williams.

Location: Johannes Vogt Gallery, the Barn, XR77+WC, East Hampton
Price: Free
Time: Saturday and Sunday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.

—Nan Stewert

Through Friday, August 23

Samuel Fosso, Autoportrait from the series “70s Lifestyle” (1975-1978). © Samuel Fosso, Courtesy of Jean Marc Patras, Paris.

18. “African Spirits” at Yossi Milo Gallery

For its summer group exhibition, Yossi Milo Gallery is presenting “African Spirits,” a selection of works by African photographers ranging from the post-war to contemporary era. The exhibition captures the evolution of portrait photography in African countries in the 1960s and ’70s by artists such as Seydou Keïta and Samuel Fosso, and builds on it with works by contemporary stars such as Hassan Hajjaj, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, and Zanele Muholi. The result is a breathtaking compilation of works where each photograph deserves detailed inspection and leaves a lasting impression.

Location: Yossi Milo Gallery, 245 10th Avenue
Price: Free
Time: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

—Neha Jambhekar

Through Sunday, September 22

Georges Méliès, Square in the Eye, a preparatory drawing for the film “Le Voyage Dans la lune” (“A Trip to the Moon”), from 1902, re-created in 1930. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

19. “Apollo’s Muse: The Moon in the Age of Photography” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met takes a look at artistic representations of the moon over the last four centuries and how technological advances such as the invention of the telescope and the moon landing have changed our understanding of our planet’s cratered satellite. Highlights include a replica of Paul Van Hoeydonck’s Fallen Astronaut, a sculpture left on the moon in 1971, a map from Johannes Hevelius’s Selenography a lunar atlas from 1647—believed to the be the first book dedicated to the moon and named after the Greek moon goddess Selene—and the oldest surviving photograph of the moon, a daguerreotype taken by John William Draper in 1840 using a half-hour-long exposure.

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue
Price: $25 general admission
Time: Sunday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.

—Sarah Cascone