Though it may seem that Armory Week and Frieze Week get all the action, the reality is that there is never a dull moment in the art world. From the East Side to the West Side, there’s always something happening at New York’s museums, galleries, and event spaces. And, as was the case this week, with the opening of Art Basel in Hong Kong, the international art scene also provides plenty of action. Here’s a rundown of this week’s highlights.

2016 Asia Arts Awards: A Gala Celebration
As art lovers descended on Hong Kong, the Asia Society held its annual Asia Arts Awards, with collectors, artists, and gallerists gathering on March 20 to honor contemporary artists Cai Guo-Qiang, Nalini Malani, and Yoshitomo Nara.

The night included a cocktail reception, dinner, and auction, and counted Arne and Milly Glimcher of Pace Gallery; Jinquing Caroline Cai, president of Christie’s China; artnet’s Sophie Neuendorf; and Lesley Ma, ink art curator of the forthcoming M+ museum in West Kowloon, Hong Kong, among attendees.

Emily Chao, director of Eslite Gallery, Taipei; Lesley Ma, curator of Ink Art, M+, West Kowloon, Hong Kong; Hong Hong Wu; and 2016 Asia Arts Awards honoree Cai Guo-Qiang.
Photo: courtesy the Asia Society.

Michael Xufu Huang, artnet’s Jessica Zhang, guest, and artnet’s Sophie Neuendorf.
Photo: courtesy the Asia Society.

Larry Bell “Pacific Red” Opening Party Thrown by Swire Properties and United Talent Agency Fine Arts 
California Light and Space artist Larry Bell was on hand on March 23 at Hong Kong’s the Continental L4 at Pacific Place for a neon-heavy party celebrating the opening of “Pacific Red,” an exhibition featuring three new red reflective glass cubes—large-scale works that the artist first created in 1969.

Guests included architects Marisa Yiu and Eric Schuldenfrei, Miriam Sleeman from the art collective Miriam and Tom, and Joanna Gunn of fashion house Lane Crawford.

Larry Bell and Lesley Silverman from UTA at the party celebrating the opening of Larry Bell’s Pacific Red” at the Continental, L4, Pacific Place, Hong Kong.
Photo: courtesy of Swire Properties.

Edward Lee, Mel Leung elizabeth Lai , Valenziano Tarora, Maria Ho, and Calvin Yuen at the party celebrating the opening of Larry Bell’s Pacific Red” at the Continental, L4, Pacific Place, Hong Kong.
Photo: courtesy of Swire Properties.

Kenneth Hung, Maniz Wong, and Adam Orr at the party celebrating the opening of Larry Bell’s Pacific Red” at the Sky Lounge at the Continental, L4, Pacific Place, Hong Kong.
Photo: courtesy of Swire Properties.

New Yorkers for New Orleans
Back in New York, the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, headed to Harlem on March 23 for a cocktail party and concert benefit event at the historic Minton’s jazz club. The evening’s hosts were poet and artist Cleo Wade, conceptual artist Adam Pendleton, and songstress Solange Knowles.

Beyonce‘s sister hand-selected the night’s musical acts, inviting guests to “soak in the moment of music.” Pendleton, Rashaad Newsome, Jacqueline Humphries, and other artists contributed to a benefit auction.

Solange Knowles, Neil Barclay, and Cleo Wade at the New Yorker for New Orleans benefit thrown by the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans.
Photo: Leandro Justen, courtesy BFA.

Molly Austin, Kate Greer, Sarah Sophie Flicker, Cleo Wade, Mia Moretti, and Margot at the New Yorker for New Orleans benefit thrown by the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans.
Photo: Leandro Justen, courtesy BFA.

Zoe Buckman, Carolyn Angel, Kathleen Lynch, and Casey Fremont at the New Yorker for New Orleans benefit thrown by the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans.
Photo: Leandro Justen, courtesy BFA.

Red Carpet Premiere of Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures
HBO’s highly-anticipated Robert Mapplethorpe documentary, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, had its premiere on March 22 at the Time Warner Center, timed to the joint retrospective at Los Angeles’s J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The star-studded evening saw the likes of actresses Parker Posey and Chloe Sevigny, gallery owner Mary Boone, and artists Ryan McNamara and Ryan McGinley walk the red carpet. Not in attendance was Mapplethorpe’s good friend, Patti Smith, who has her own upcoming Showtime “Just Kids” miniseries in the works.

Chloe Sevigny at the New York premiere of Mapplethorpe: Look at the Picture.
Photo: Paul Bruinooge, © Patrick McMullan.

Ryan McNamara and Mary Boone at the New York premiere of Mapplethorpe: Look at the Picture.
Photo: Paul Bruinooge, © Patrick McMullan.

Jack Walls and Parker Posey at the New York premiere of Mapplethorpe: Look at the Picture.
Photo: Paul Bruinooge, © Patrick McMullan.

Words on WOMEN
Chelsea’s FLAG Art Foundation celebrated its current Betty Tompkins exhibition, “WOMEN Words, Phrases, and Stories: 1,000 Paintings” by hosting an open mic performance night inspired by the show. Her works critique society’s often misogynistic representations and perceptions of women by collecting words commonly used to describe them.

The Jewish Museum‘s Claudia Gould donned an Isaac Mizrahi mask (referring to the designer’s “Unruly History” exhibition) to read a list of nicknames from the series starting with the word “Queen,” including “Queen Bee” and “Queen Bitch,” while artnet News contributor Anthony Haden-Guest composed an original text based on Tompkins’ canvases, which are on view through May 14, 2016. The over-30 performers also included actor and Marlborough Chelsea co-director Leo Fitzpatrick and FLAG founder Glenn Fuhrman.

Betty Tompkins and Larry Krone at “Words on WOMEN,” an open mic night at Chelsea’s FLAG Art Foundation celebrating Betty Tompkins’s exhibition, “WOMEN Words, Phrases, and Stories: 1,000 Paintings.”
Photo: courtesy FLAG Art Foundation.

Anthony Haden-Guest performing at “Words on WOMEN,” an open mic night at Chelsea’s FLAG Art Foundation celebrating Betty Tompkins’s exhibition, “WOMEN Words, Phrases, and Stories: 1,000 Paintings.”
Photo: courtesy FLAG Art Foundation.

Minerva performing at “Words on WOMEN,” an open mic night at Chelsea’s FLAG Art Foundation celebrating Betty Tompkins’s exhibition, “WOMEN Words, Phrases, and Stories: 1,000 Paintings.”
Photo: courtesy FLAG Art Foundation.

Opening and Afterparty Celebrating Rashaad Newsome’s Solo Exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem
Rashaad Newsome’s solo exhibition “This Is What I Want To See” opened at the Studio Museum in Harlem on March 23. A wild afterparty, hosted by Long Gallery Harlem and sponsored by Bacardi, followed at Harlem’s new Caribbean haunt, Solomon & Kuff, with performances by Kevin JZ Prodigy, DonChristian, and Cakes Da Killa.

Racquel Chevremont and Mickalene Thomas at the after party for Rashaad Newsome’s opening at the Studio Museum Harlem.
Photo: Kolin Mendez.

Michael Chuapoco and Derrick Adams at the after party for Rashaad Newsome’s opening at the Studio Museum Harlem.
Photo: Kolin Mendez.

Jamel Prodigy (1st row), Zenabu Abubakari, Justin Monster LaBeija, Twiggy Prada (2nd row left to right), Shireen Mizrahi, Jordan Mizrahi, Jerome Williams, Omari Mizrahi, and Rashaad Newsome (3rd row left to right) at the after party for Newsome’s opening at the Studio Museum Harlem.
Photo: Kolin Mendez.

BMW The Next 100 Party for New York International Auto Show
Known in the art world for their art global residency, the BMW Art Journey, the German car company surprised no one by making art a prominent part of the celebration of its 100th anniversary, held at Highline Stages on March 22. (Abigail Reynolds, Newsha Tavakolian, and Alvin Zafra were named this week during Art Basel in Hong Kong to the shortlist for the 2016 prize.)

Artist Bill Patterson spent the evening creating a unique eight-by-twelve-foot work featuring a variety of BMW vehicles, while guests enjoyed an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and new car models making their North American and world debuts.

Alexander Bilgeri, Bill Patterson, and BMW North America CEO Ludwig Willisch with the painting Patterson created from start to finish during the BMW Group’s three-hour 100th anniversary party.
Photo: courtesy BMW.