Berlin
Turkish Delight: Design from Turkey
Through June 29
Turkey may be the new hotspot for arts and culture, but its designs still hold nostalgia for the days of the Ottoman Empire. Twelve artists spanning different generations will exhibit 80 objects that demonstrate how tracing one’s roots can add extra appeal to new design esthetics.
Museum of Islamic Art
Am Kupfergraben 5
+49 (0) 30 266 3660
Arquitectura Concreta
Through May 30
Madrid’s Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos will exhibit their current projects, which are characterized by unique spatial configurations and incisive formal idioms.
Aedes am Pfefferberg
Christinenstr. 18-19
+49 (0)30 282 70 15
Museums in the 21st Century
Through May 26
27 of the world’s most important present-day museum buildings will be on display, including Coop Himmelb(l)au’s Musée des Confluences.
Pergamonmuseum
Am Kupfergraben 5
+49(0)30 2090 5577
Buffalo
Shadi Nazarian: Introversions
Through May 17
Shadi Nazarian worked with I.M. Pei & Partners before she began teaching at the State University of New York at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Her Lightwell Project, a responsive minimalist structure made from privacy glass that seems to hover in mid-air, is part of this exhibit that aims to discover how new materials – like the privacy glass – alter spatial relationships and human perception.
UB Art Gallery
201 A Center for the Arts
(716) 645-6912
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Chantal Akerman: Moving Through Time and Space
MAY 2 TO JULY 6
Filmmaker and video artist Chantal Akerman will exhibit five works. including her single-channel pieces and multi-channel works. Akerman’s artistic practice melds documentary filmmaking techniques with video installation. Her films highlight themes such as historical transition periods in Eastern Europe, discrimination in America’s south, Mexican immigration and feminist social interplay.
MIT LIST VISUAL ARTS CENTER
20 AMES ST.
(617) 253-4400
Chicago
Cutting Edges: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints
Through June 29
In an exhibit that traces over 70 years, work by Chinese printmakers will be on display. Inspired by everything from German expressionism to ancient calligraphy, the prints depict nature, ethnic identity and emotion.
Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Ave.
(312) 443-3600
Denver
Jasper de Beijer
Through August 3
For the first time in the United States, Jasper de Beijer’s detailed paper scale models will be exhibited. The models, based on photographs and records from such sources as the Pacific Island rubber industry and the First World War, will be displayed alongside the artist’s photography.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Paperworks Gallery
1485 Delgany St.
(303) 298-7554
David Adjaye: Making Public Buildings
Through May 25
MCA Denver’s designer David Adjaye’s public projects are explored in this exhibition. Models and renderings of these projects will be on display throughout the museum.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Paperworks Gallery
1485 Delgany St.
(303) 298-7554
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Form + Volume
Through JUNE 8
Designhuis is exhibiting seven national and international visions on the idea of industrial design for the masses, using contemporary design as a strategic model.
DESIGNHUIS
STADHUISPLEIN 3
+31 040 232 9720
Glasgow
Take Away
Through June 8
Army canteens, sports bottles, tiffin boxes, lunch boxes and the modern paper coffee cup all have a place in this exhibit, which explores the culture and history of products that allow us to eat on the go.
The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design and the City
11 Mitchell Ln.
+44 (0) 141 221 6362
London
Photography, Ethnography and the City
May 16 and 17
This conference brings together international photographers, artists and academics researching the city to reflect on photographic representation of city life. Under the theme “The Encounter”, will explore the way photographers experience the city, and the way urban social science and visual practice coincide. Panel themes include urban landscapes: mapping memories; architecture and photography; and street photography.
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
+44 (0)20 7919 7171
China Design Now
Through July 13
This exhibition explores China’s emergence as a design destination. Highlighting three of the fastest-growing cities in China – Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen – this exhibit will showcase film, photography, and product and furniture design, as well as the architecture built for the upcoming Olympics.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Rd.
+44 (0) 20 7942 2000
Los Angeles
Lessons from Bernard Rudofsky
Through June 8
The diverse career of Bernard Rudofsky included stints as an architect, a curator, a critic and a fashion designer. Ever intrigued by perceptions of the human body, Rudofsky is remembered through this exhibition of sketches, architectural models, travel notebooks, photographs, sculptures and fashions.
J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Dr.
(310) 440-7300
Lawrence Weiner: As Far As the Eye Can See
Through July 14
A key figure in the emergence of conceptual art in the 1960s, Lawrence Weiner uses the conditions of a work of art as the basis of his approach and language as a material subject. This exhibition will represent the full range of Weiner’s work, from the Propeller and Removal paintings of the 1960s to his language-based pieces, films, videos, books and posters.
THE GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY AT MOCA
152 N. CENTRAL AVE.
(213) 621-1741
Shreddings 3: Defuragu
May 29 to June 29
Ah'bé Landscape Architects’ third and final Shreddings installation focuses on the resources used by a design firm through the creation of an expressive landscape made from the office's recycled and shredded materials.
Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
244 South San Pedro St.
(213) 628-2725
Catherine Opie: Highschool Football
Through MAY 17
Opie’s work has been praised for its investigation into the identity of contemporary America and its cities, communities and people. Like her previous surfer series, this new body of work will feature large-scale landscapes and portraits. With a focus on American masculinity and the passage from adolescence into manhood, Opie’s collection is a cross-section of a variety of American communities, from San Diego to Alaska.
REGEN PROJECTS II
9016 SANTA MONICA BLVD.
(310) 276-5424
Montreal
Cathy Strokowsky
Through MAY 27
Cathy Strokowsky’s recent collection of blown glass and mixed media will be on display, including Lotus Centre 5, her beaded work, and Sea Whips, glass with woven artificial sinew.
1460 SHERBROOKE West
(514) 844-6009
New York
Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008
Through July 6
The pieces on display trace the ornate and curvaceous rococo style from its roots in 18th-century Paris up to modern-day North America, proving that even today’s artists and designers eschew modern lines and continue to reference this style.
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
2 East 91st St.
(212) 849-8400
Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson
Through June 30
For the first time in the United States, photographs and sculptures covering 15 years of Olafur Eliasson’s career will be on display. His work features multicoloured washes, as well as projections of light and such elements as water, stone and moss.
Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd St.
(212) 708-9400
New Work by Wendell Castle
Through June 21
Sculptural artist and furniture designer Wendell Castle’s newest collection incorporates his signature use of organic and curved shapes. Made from stack-laminated wood and fibreglass, some of the pieces also incorporate bronze, steel and aluminum.
Barry Friedman Ltd.
515 West 26th St.
(212) 239-8600
Glassolalia: Languages of Drawing
Through July 7
A selection of drawings by a diverse group of artists from MoMA’s collection will be on display, demonstrating that, regardless of background, artists can still be linked by their shared approach and visual language.
Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd St.
(212) 708-9400
Maria Antonietta Mameli: Human Observations
Through JUNE 14
From the vantage point of the Manhattan Bridge, Italian-born Mameli photographs shoppers in Chinatown carrying the neighbourhood’s signature red plastic bags and dog owners with red leashes. Her shots call attention to the overlooked but recurrent possessions of her pedestrian subjects, whose only identifying traits are their silhouettes and the belongings they carry.
SILVERSTEIN PHOTOGRAPHY/20
529 WEST 20TH ST. 3RD FLOOR
(212) 627-3930
Marvin E. Newman: The Color Series
Through MAY 24
A detailed survey of Newman’s shifting subject matter and process throughout his career will be on display for the first time at Silverstein Photography. Samplings from his Times Square series will be displayed alongside images from his pivotal 1970s series on prostitution in Reno.
SILVERSTEIN PHOTOGRAPHY/20
535 WEST 24TH ST.
(212) 627-3930
Sotto Voce
Through JUNE 7
This exhibition will explore the idea of one colour as object, subject, idea and ultimately, a presence. Paintings by ten different artists will be on display, including some specifically created for the show.
YVON LAMBERT
550 WEST 21ST ST.
(212) 242-3611
Ottawa
Governor General™ Awards in Visual and Media Arts
Through June 15
Each year, the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts hand out awards to the best and brightest in Canadian visual and media arts. Works by recipients, including Kenojuak Ashevak and Tanya Mars, will be on display.
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Dr.
(613) 990-1985
Paris
Elena Izcue, Lima-Paris Annees 30
Through JULY 20
This exhibition features Izcue's pictorial and graphic works from the 1930s, which show a strong influence from pre-Columbian art.
MUSEE DU QUAI BRANLY, GARDEN GALLERY
37, QUAI BRANLY
+33 01 5661 7000
Bertrand Lavier
THROUGH MAY 17
Lavier’s third show at Yvon Lambert Paris will impel the viewer to see how mundane objects can be transformed into authentic works of art. Lavier uses traditional votive statuettes from Niger, objects that are of everyday use in Africa and only become artwork through occidental art history. Lavier made five original statues of chrome bronze modeled after the African form, which are on display along with a ceramic wall and a painted canvas.
YVON LAMBERT PARIS
108, RUE VIEILLE DU TEMPLE
+33 01 4271 0933
Rhode Island
Evolution Revolution: The Arts and Crafts in Contemporary Fashion and Textiles
Through June 15
This exhibit will demonstrate how the fashion and textile industry has embraced new attitudes toward design and consumption, with a focus on high and low technologies.
Rhode Island School of Design Museum
224 Benefit St.
(401) 454-6500
San Francisco
Cut: Revealing the Section
Through June 8
The SFMOMA offers insight into how architects and designers visualize, develop and represent “the section” – vertical space and height – in their buildings through drawings, sculpture and film. Included in this exhibit are pieces belonging to the museum as well as complimentary artist installations.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 3rd St.
(415) 348-4000
Friedlander
Through May 18
This retrospective exhibition presents a comprehensive array of Lee Friedlander’s photography, among the finest shots in the United States. His style is usually marked by sharp wit and humour, taking advantage of obstacles like his shadow. The exhibition will feature nearly 400 pictures spanning the 1950s to the present, work from his personal photo series as well as his commercial work.
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
151 THIRD ST.
(415) 357-4171
From The New Yorker to Shrek: The Art of William Steig
JUNE 8 TO SEPTEMBER 7
Famous for his drawings, cartoons and children’s books, Steig published more than 1,600 drawings while working for The New Yorker for 73 years. Along with his drawings and books, the museum will also be exhibiting his lesser-known mid-life symbolic drawings, correspondence and other documentary materials.
CONTEMPORAY JEWISH MUSEUM
736 MISSION ST.
(415) 655-7831
John Zorn Presents: The Aleph-Bet Project
JUNE 8 TO JANUARY 4
Zorn is leading fellow musicians, composers and artists in a series of commissioned sound pieces that acoustically explore the Hebrew alphabet. Linking the alphabetic symbols found throughout Daniel Libeskind’s architecture with the museum’s mission of rethinking tradition through its programming, the artists will be inspired by the Kabbalistic principle that the ancient Hebrew alphabet is a spiritual tool full of hidden meaning and harmony.
CONTEMPORAY JEWISH MUSEUM
736 MISSION ST.
(415) 655-7831
Tokyo
History in the Making: A Retrospective of the Turner Prize
Through July 13
For the first time, all recipients of the prestigious Turner Prize are showcased under one roof. Works including media, painting, installation and video make up an impressive anthology of contemporary British art over the past 20 years.
Mori Art Museum
6-10-1 Roppongi
+813 5777 8600
Le Corbusier: Expanding His Architecture
Through June 20
The last of a three-part series titled A Look at Le Corbusier, this exhibit celebrates the life and career of the father of modern architecture with a showing of his sculptures and paintings.
Galerie Taisei, 17F Shinjuku Centre Building
1-25-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
(03) 5381-5510
Toronto
ORD: Documenting the Definitive Modern Airport
Through May 31
Photographs by Chicago’s Hedrich-Blessing and local artist Robert Burley trace over 50 years of design at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, a complex whose innovative architectural and design strategies made it the archetype in airport design.
Eric Arthur Gallery
230 College St.
416 978 5038
Between the Sea and the Desert
Through May 18
For the first time, the Textile Museum shows off its diverse range of handwoven rugs, shawls and garments from the North African Maghreb culture.
Textile Museum of Canada
55 Centre Ave.
(416) 599-5321
Contact Photography Festival
Through May 31
Over 500 established and emerging artists show their work in more than 200 venues around the city for North America’s largest photography exhibition and workshop. This year’s theme, Between Memory and History, explores photography as social documentation.
(416) 539-9595
Doors Open
May 24 and 25
This annual two-day event gives the public an all-access pass to Toronto buildings normally off limits. This year’s theme is Sacred Spaces, Sacred Circles. Other Doors Open events take place across Ontario during the summer and fall, though Toronto was the first host city in North America.
(416) 338-0628
Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics
May 15 to September 7
Artist Cindy Sherman, designers Ettore Sottsass and Masahiro Mori, and manufacturers Rosenthal and Nymphenburg, to name just a few, are on display together, demonstrating that art, design and manufacturing – while often considered wildly different in concept and methods – do share sources of inspiration and process.
Gardiner Museum
111 Queen's Park
(416) 586-8080
Paul Stankard
Through MAY 29
Walt Whitman and James Joyce both act as inspiration for Stankard’s glass collection. His work celebrates nature’s continuum and primal sanity, and attempts to share these feelings with viewers. His blocks and balls of clear glass contain everything from honeybees to morning glory and tea roses.
SANDRA AINSLEY GALLERY
55 MILL ST. BUILDING 32
(416) 214-9490
Jon Kuhn
Through MAY 29
Jon Kuhn’s glass sculptures take their inspiration from Eastern mysticism and architecture, music, mathematics and textiles. The pieces, architectural models for an inner world, are colourful experiments with various geometric shapes.
SANDRA AINSLEY GALLERY
55 MILL ST. BUILDING 32
(416) 214-9490
Anamnesis
Through May 31
DK Photo Group’s first exhibit in their new gallery explores urban history and architectural memory.
GalleryDK
1332 Queen St. W
(416) 388-1960
Between Memory & History: From the Epic to the Everyday
Through JUNE 14
Despite the shift from film to digital technology, the characteristics of photography remain implicit in preserving our individual and collective memories. The exhibit, part of the CONTACT 2008 Toronto Photography Festival, probes the relationships that exist between the intimate and the public, between moments of personal significance to events of global resonance.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN ART
952 QUEEN ST. WEST
(416) 395-7430
Robert Walker: Town & Country
THROUGH MAY 31
Walker’s photographs of Times Square capture a new urban reality of visual overload and mixed meanings. As a contrast to the media environment, his images of nature, as a contrived ideal, depict a botanical garden where plants and ponds exude the artificial hyper-reality of a children’s storybook.
DRABINSKY GALLERY
122 SCOLLARD ST.
(416) 324-5766
Chad Gerth: Empty Lots
THROUGH JULY 13
Gerth's bird’s-eye-view photographs of empty yards, lots and urban spaces in Chicago depict the slow process of nature taking back the built, concrete environment. Gerth transforms the cityscape into a visual plane of shape and colour, not only documenting a kind of history – the ever changing face of urban development – but also slyly suggesting that the built, concrete world of human engagement will eventually fall to the unrelenting forces of nature.
CORKIN GALLERY
55 MILL ST. BLDG. 61
(416) 979-1980
Backyards
MAY 5 TO JUNE 2
Ink drawings are displayed in a window gallery that engages, experiments and takes risks with the realm of architecture. The gallery displays are on view 24/7.
CONVENIENCE GALLERY, 24/7 WINDOW GALLERY
58 LANDSDOWNE AVE.
Vancouver
Kutlug Ataman: Paradise and Küba
Through May 19
Kutlug Ataman’s multi-screen video installation shows 24 southern Californians describing their experience of “paradise.” This project will be exhibited with Ataman’s 2004 video installation, Küba, which explores another “paradise” located on the outskirts of Istanbul.
Vancouver Art Gallery
750 Hornby St.
(604) 662-4719
Vienna
Linz Texas: A City Relates
June 12 to September 8
Linz has been named the 2009 European Capital of Culture. To celebrate this distinction, several events are taking place, including a film that compares Linz to other great cities.
Architekturzentrum Wien – Old Hall
Museumsplatz 1
+43 (0)732 2009
Washington, D.C.
Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future
Through August 23
Finnish architect Eero Saarinen's remarkable achievements will be acknowledged in this retrospective, which is in collaboration with the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Finnish Cultural Institute. The show will include full-scale building models, never-before seen drawings, furniture, photographs, films, and other artifacts.
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
(202) 272-7706
