Christo and Jeanne Claude, *Surrounded Islands,* Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1983. The duo are being celebrated at the Performa Gala.
Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 1983 Christo

Editors’ Picks: 6 Great Art and Design Events This Week

Christo and Jeanne-Claude are honorees at the Performa Gala, Paa Joe’s “castles” comes to the American Folk Art Museum, and Gladstone Gallery opens a Keith Haring retrospective

A week of spectacular galas, blue-chip retrospectives, and multiple exhibitions exploring themes of social justice is in store. For Galerie‘s curated list of the best events around, read on.

Model of Cape Coast Castle by Paa Joe. Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery

1. Paa Joe: “Gates of No” and John Dunkley: “Neither Day Nor Night”
American Folk Art Museum

The Ghanaian artist Paa Joe presents his large wooden models of Gold Coast “castles”—large commercial forts that were used as slave trade holding pens—alongside the first-ever exhibition of self-taught artist John Dunkley outside of Jamaica.

Where: American Folk Art Museum, 2 Lincoln Square

When: October 30–February 24, 2019

Gigi Hadid was one of the celebrities in attendance at last year’s gala. Photo: Casey Kelbaugh

2. Aperture Gala Honoring Agnes Gund, Catherine Gund, Catherine Opie, Hank Willis Thomas, and Dr. Deborah Willis
Aperture Foundation

If the fact that Elton John cohosts this star-studded night doesn’t convince you to buy a ticket, maybe the live auction and special print sale will. The night of food, drinks, and music has been known to attract A-list celebrity guests. Dinner tables are sold out, but cocktail party and artist sponsor tickets are still available here.

Where: Aperture Foundation, 547 West 26th Street

When: Tuesday, October 30


3. Performa Gala Honoring Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Stage 37

The gala benefitting the beloved biennial of performance art is back. This year Performa founder RoseLee Goldberg along with Richard Chang, David Hallberg, Rashid Johnson and Roya Sachs invite you to celebrate the careers of Christo and his late wife Jeanne-Claude, artists known for their monumental installation works including Wrapped Reichtstag and The Gates. Following the evening of elegance is The Artist Party at the Broken Shaker cocktail bar, where hosts Marilyn Minter and the Performa Visionaries join guests for drinks, dancing, and dessert all made complete with extraordinary rooftop views.

Where: Gala: Stage 37, 508 West 37th Street; The Broken Shaker at Freehand, 23 Lexington Avenue

When: Thursday, November 1, 6pm (The Artist Party at 9pm)


Betye Saar, Supreme Quality, 1998. Mixed media on vintage washboard, metal washtub, wood stand. Photo: Tim Lanterman, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

4. Betye Saar: “Keepin’ It Clean”
New-York Historical Society

At the heart of the 1960s black art and feminist art movements were these 22 works by Saar, including her series of washboard works, a symbolic nod to America’s history of slavery and its residual effects in the modern day.

Where: New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West

When: November 2–May 27, 2019

Martha Rosler, Photo-Op, 2004. Photo: Artwork © Martha Rosler

5. Martha Rosler: “Irrespective”
Jewish Museum

Spanning the artist’s career from 1965 to the present, this survey of feminism, inequality, consumerism, war, and gentrification manifests Rosler’s commitment to highlighting social issues, from photomontages to large-scale installations. As Rosler has said, “Feminism is powerful because it’s true.”

Where: Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Avenue

When: November 2–March 3, 2019

Artwork by Keith Haring. Photo: Gladstone Gallery

6. Keith Haring
Gladstone Gallery

An exhibition of the late artist’s work, many on view for the first time, are presented in acknowledgment of what would have been his 60th year of life.

Where: Gladstone Gallery, 515 West 24th Street

When: November 3–December 21

Cover: Christo and Jeanne Claude, *Surrounded Islands,* Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1983. The duo are being celebrated at the Performa Gala.
Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 1983 Christo

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