Paul Kolker: Let There Be Light!

I am a 21st century magpie, easily distracted by bright lights and shiny glimmers of new technology. This penchant for luminescence extends into my art habit.  I’m fairly certain that I made the MFAH guards uncomfortable with the amount of time that I spent in James Turrell’s The Light Inside. Paul Kolker’s new exhibition, Let There Be Light, is equally appealing. The show brings together several of Kolker’s illusory fractal boxes.

Presented in the artist’s basement salon, the light works are a pleasant surprise below W. 25th Street. In this dark, quiet space, the light sculptures assume a life of their own.

Kolker uses mirrors, LED lights, and glass to create images that seem to continue into space forever. Appropriately titled “infinity light works,” the sculptures test the boundaries of reality.

Kolker’s Opening Reception is tonight from 6-8 at 511 W. 25th Street. The exhibition closes on May 5th.

JF & Son

Last Thursday, I headed downtown to the opening of JF & Son’s new storefront at University Place and 10th Street.

JF & Son is a pretty rad socially responsible clothing and housewares label owned by Jesse Finkelstein and Katie King. They are involved in the whole process  – from production to sales. They have a studio in India and a factory in China. All employees are recognized as an integral part of the creative process and receive three times the living wage and health insurance.  They also eschew mass production and encourage customers to get involved in the design process. Pretty cool, right?

Their new store is the former home of Jodi Arnold. The corner space is bright and airy with a gallery aesthetic.

New Digs

JF & Son doesn’t offer a huge in-store selection, but the clothes are original and diverse. Because of their business model, they are able to update their few racks frequently with new garments.

I love the emphasis on materials. My favorites included a beautifully beaded top, a fabulous sequined dress, and a gorgeous silk party frock. The same craftsmanship is apparent in the accessories. The beaded necklaces and collars on their website are great. Talk about statement pieces.

Mirror Mirror Provided the Night's Soundtrack

Blackberry Party Pic

Go downtown and join JF & Son’s design revolution. Not in New York? Hit up their website. And hold tight, Southerners. The business is planning to infiltrate Georgia next.

This Week in NYC Museums

Exhibitions So New the Paint is Still Drying…

Robert Motherwell. Elegy to the Spanish Republic, 54. 1957–61.

The wait is over! The squeal-inducing Abstract Expressionist New York opens at MOMA on Sunday, October 3rd. Also new at MOMA:

• New Photography 2010: Roe Ethridge, Elad Lassry, Alex Prager, Amanda Ross-Ho, September 29, 2010 – January 10, 2011
• Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement, October 3, 2010 – January 3, 2011

The Morgan Library & Museum opened two new exhibitions on Friday, September 24th:

Bratatat by Roy Lichtenstein

• Roy Lichtenstein’s New York invasion continues with Roy Lichtenstein: The Black-and-White Drawings, 1961–1968, open through January 2, 2011.
• Don’t miss over twenty beautiful impressionist drawings in Degas: Drawings and Sketchbooks, open through January 23, 2011.

Khubilai Khan (1215–94) as the First Yuan Emperor, Shizu (detail).

The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty opens at the Met Museum on Tuesday, September 28th.

Events and Cheap Fixes…

The Whitney Museum of American Art will present Off the Wall: Part 2: Seven Works by Trisha Brown in honor of the Trisha Brown Dance Company’s 40th anniversary. The event runs from Thursday, September 30th to Sunday, October 3rd. There are even two performances scheduled during pay-what-you-wish hours on Friday night.

Vajradhara

The Rubin Museum of Art is celebrating the International Day of Nonviolence with a Family Day Peace Lab on Saturday, October 2nd. Families can enjoy a day of tours, musical performances, crafts, and storytelling at the famous Himalayan Art museum. Admission fees apply.

This Week in NYC Museums

Wow. There are a ton of art events in New York. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to present information about the massive amount of things going on in the city. I’m working on a calendar feature of sorts. For now, I’ll leave you with a list of this week’s openings and closings at the city’s museums.

See It First

Double Red Yentl, Split by Deborah Kass (1993)

Shifting the Gaze: Painting and Feminism @ The Jewish Museum
September 12, 2010 – January 30, 2011

Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen @ MOMA
September 15, 2010 – March 14, 2011

Alfred Stieglitz New York @ South Street Seaport Museum
September 15, 2010 – January 10, 2011

Still from Bim Bam by Dara Friedman

Catch it While You Can

Off the Wall: Part 1 – Thirty Performative Actions @ The Whitney
Closes September 19th

An Italian Journey: Drawings from the Tobey Collection, Correggio to Tiepolo @ The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Closes September 19th

Amy Granat: Light 3 Ways @ The New Museum
Closes September 19th

What would you like to see on the Art Binge calendar? Let me know in the comments.