Imagery surrounds us in every aspect of the human experience. Whether it is the flash of a fleeting memory or plastered in front of us, a visual image is one of the most powerful of expressions. This week’s featured exhibitions both explore the significance and impact of imagery and popular culture on our lives. Andisheh Avinifocuses on his experience of imagery from a political and historical point of view that is drawn from his Iranian heritage. #paulwong2014 is also a personal examination of identity, but takes the form of an installation, a visual journey through our ever-evolving, hyper-mediated world.

Andisheh Avini will be on view January 16 to February 15 at Marianne Boesky Gallery, 509 W. 24th Street, New York, NY.

Andisheh Avini, Untitled, 2013, ink on carpet, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY

For his first solo exhibition at Marianne Boesky Gallery, Andisheh Avini (American, b.1974) has included both new and old aspects of his oeuvre. One of the newest projects to see is a series of large-scale silkscreen paintings which appropriate the traditional image of the Ayatollah Khomeini. The artist hopes to bridge the gap between how we experience imagery and the effect of popular culture as we attempt to remember history. Avini has chosen to only include the powerful leader’s eyes from this familiar image, which has a profoundly intimidating effect; add to that their massive size on the walls of the gallery, and these paintings are not to be missed.

This is not the only series displayed in the exhibition. The main gallery presents Avini’s new marquetry paintings, which combine a piece of rigid, quotidian Iranian culture (with its use of handmade Iranian panels) and the unbound fluidity of painting. Avini employs another type of support, carpets, in a different series of works that further push art historical boundaries of the medium and the divide between what is considered art, craft, and design.

Paul Wong, Source: No Signal; 2013, GIF, video, and photography on digital video screen, Winsor Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

#paulwong2014 will be on view January 16 to February 15 at Winsor Gallery, 258 E. First Avenue, Vancouver, Canada.

Described as a “visual odyssey,” the newest exhibition by Paul Wong (Canadian, b.1954) includes photography, video, and neon work, affirming our obsession with and addiction to social media, and how it has now become a completely integrated component of contemporary life. Be sure to see Looking, Looping, and Listening, an installation of 40 video screens that cover an entire wall of Winsor’s West Gallery. The screens play over 300 different loops of a combination of animated GIFs and video clips that provide a glimpse into the artist’s personal, mediated life.

Browse openings by city to see where art can be found in your town!

Bangkok, Thailand
100 Tonson Gallery’s 10th Anniversary Exhibition at 100 Tonson Gallery
January 16–March 16, 2014
100 Soi Tonson Ploenchit Road, Lumpinee Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand

Brussels, Belgium
Iván Navarro ‘Nacht und Nebel’ at Galerie Daniel Templon
January 16–February 22, 2014
30 rue Beaubourg, Paris, France

Geneva, Switzerland
Jérome Leuba, Yves Mettler at Blancpain Art Contemporain
January 16–March 15, 2014
63 Rue des Maraîchers, Geneva, Switzerland

Milan, Italy
Carlo Ferrari. Vittorio Gui: Les Fleurs. Luxe, calme et volupté at Barbara Frigerio Contemporary Art
January 16–February 13, 2014
Via dell’Orso 12, Milan Italy

New York, NY
Arrangements by Marie Cosindas at Bruce Silverstein Gallery
January 16–March 8, 2014
535 W. 24th Street, New York, NY

John Grande: Oh You Pretty Things at Jim Kempner Fine Art
January 16–February 23, 2014
501 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY

Murat Pulat: Image-Animal at Leila Heller Gallery
January 16–February 15, 2014
568 W. 25th Street, New York, NY

Paris, France
David Bowes ‘Retour de Naples’ at Galerie Piece Unique
January 16–April 5, 2014
4 Rue Jacques Callot, Paris, France

Ernest Pignon-Ernest ‘Prisons’ at Galerie Lelong – Paris
January 16–March 15, 2014
13, rue de Téhéran, Paris, France

San Francisco, CA
Elina Anatole—Into Elina’s Armoire at Modernism Inc.
January 16–March 1, 2014
685 Market Street, San Francisco, CA

Robert Stivers at Modernism Inc.
January 16–March 1, 2014
685 Market Street, San Francisco, CA

Vienna, Austria
Gisela Erlacher ‘Assemble—photographic art’ at white8 Galerie
January 16–March 22, 2014
Zedlitzgasse 1, Vienna, Austria

Zurich, Switzerland
Charles Munka: Scavi at Galerie Clemens Gunzer
January 16–February 23, 2014
Titlisstrasse 29, Zurich, Switzerland

Jacob Mattner: Land at Galerie Haas AG
January 16–February 21, 2014
Talstr, 62a, Zurich, Switzerland

Michael Reisch at SCHEUBLEIN + BAK
January 16–March 15, 2014
Schloss Sihlberg, Sihlberg 10, Zurich, Switzerland