TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Opening: Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe “Floating Chain (High-Res Toni) at Marlborough Chelsea
Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe are perhaps best-known for their elaborate and immersive room-size installations, specifically of meth labs. So it comes as no surprise that the newest show is shaping up to be over-the-top, but this time it doesn’t look like it’ll center around illicit drugs. It will be broken into several sections that revolve around a film titled The Floating Chain, and feature a series of architectural interiors based on “different social groups” and “historical time periods,” and an architectural intervention/appropriation of Superstudio’s The Continuous Monument. — A.M.
Marlborough Chelsea, 545 West 25th Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29
Opening: “Chris Ofili: Night and Day” at New Museum
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani once described his work as “sick” and “disgusting.” Well, get ready people, a retrospective of the artist’s 20-year career, and his first major solo museum show in the U.S., is opening at the New Museum. And on Thursday, October 30, the artist will join Massimiliano Gioni for a live discussion at 7 p.m. — A.M.
New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York, regular museum hours
Opening: “Robert Motherwell: Works on Paper, 1951-1991” at Paul Kasmin Gallery
The masterful and moving Abstract Expressionist gets his works on paper displayed at one of the three Paul Kasmin outposts. It’s sure to be a splendid time, and we hear that the VIP opening Wednesday will have “real drinks”—i.e. more than just white wine. (The public opening is Thursday). And in a bit of fun wordplay, my mother is in town Wednesday, so I think I’m bringing my mother to the Motherwell show. Get excited, mom! —N.F.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, 515 W. 27th Street, New York, 6:30-8:30 p.m., invitation only. Public opening: Thursday, 6-8 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
Talk: Andrew Kuo and Ari Marcopolous at NeueHouse
Andrew Kuo is a witty and talented painter, but perhaps he’s better known for his scabrously funny and deeply strange cat-heavy Instagram account, @earlboykins. The fact that the account is named for Earl Boykins, the very short but beloved NBA journeyman, only hints at Mr. Kuo’s deep hoops knowledge. For instance, his wonderful painting “Tallboy” depicts Jeremy Lin contemplating the Jeff Koons work “Three Ball 50/50 Tank.” Anyway, he’s talking dunks and layups with fellow artist/basketball fanatic Ari Marcopolous, known for his work with Knicks forward Tyson Chandler, and New Yorker staff writer Kelefa Sanneh. You can watch LeBron stunt all over the Knicks on the big screen after.—N.F.
NeueHouse, 110 E. 25th Street, New York, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Event: The 20th Annual ARTWALK NY Benefitting the Coalition for the Homeless
In which glittery socialites host a benefit honoring famous actors and featuring a charity auction with fabulous works of art. Hey, it’s gala season! Count me in.—N.F.
Metropolitan Pavillion, 125 W. 18th Street, New York, 6:30 p.m., ticketed
Opening: “Local History: Castellani, Judd, Stella” at Dominique Levy
Early work by three postwar giants. The show opens concurrently in London, where Dominique Levy has just opened a new gallery.—N.F.
Dominique Levy Gallery, 909 Madison Avenue, New York, 6-8 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31
Opening: “Picasso & Jacqueline: The Evolution of Style” at Pace Gallery
139 works by the master, all depicting his muse for the last two decades of his life, Jacqueline Roque—with a good chunk of them being displayed for the first time.—N.F.
Pace Gallery, 32 E. 57th Street, 534 W. 25th Street, New York, 6-8 p.m.
Party: Annual New Museum Halloween Party
Get your Marina Abramovic and Klaus Biesenbach costumes ready. That’s right, it’s a halloween party at the New Museum, where a bunch of sweaty gallery assistants in runny makeup get to shove their way to a bar for watered-down vodka drinks. I mean, sure, this will probably be very fun for most people, but I don’t particularly like Halloween. Yeah, maybe I’ll go. No costume though. Never do the costume part. Seems lame. Can’t wait for all the kids to look at me quizzically and ask “So, what are you?” I’m an art reporter. Maybe I’ll write about your costume. Yeah, sure, I’ll be nice, totally. Oh, you’re wearing all black—you’re a Malevich! Clever one. Or, you, I’m sure you don’t regret the hours it took to fashion yourself as a Jeff Koons balloon dog. Yep, wearing polka dots and a wig from Ricky’s instantly makes you Yayoi Kusama. Halloween sucks.—N.F.
The New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York, 7:30-10:00 p.m., members only or ticketed.
Party: Storefront for Art and Architecture’s I-Relevance Critical Halloween Party and Costume Competition
Past themes for this academically nerdy costume contest have included Banality, Metaphor, and Corporate-Avantgarde. This year it’s I-Relevance. Folks tend to go all out for this, so prepare yourself for some tough competition. Flipping through last year’s pictures, we’re partial to the group efforts, so maybe gather up some friends and everyone can go as “98 percent of modern architecture.” Frank Gehry would give that a high score. — A.M.
80 Greenwich Street, New York, ticketed
Party: HalloQueens! MoMA P.S. Halloween Ball
HalloQueens! Get it? The implication is pretty open ended, as long as it’s a celebration of Queens. Some ideas, provided by the museum, include: Royal Queens, Queens of Mean, Rock Queens, Queens of Art, Queen Bee, Queen of Hearts, and Queen of the Night. We’re going as Jackson Heights. A haunted warehouse after party is hosted by Susanne Bartsch. — A.M.
VW Dome, MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Event: Friday Evening Gallery Event — “Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire” at the Met
The Met will have a slew of events on Halloween in conjunction with the Costume Insitute’s “Death Becomes Her” exhibition. From a drawing class in the galleries with artist John Mitchell to “Haunted Readings” of Edgar Allan Poe with actor Brian D. Coats, it’ll be a full day celebrating mourning at the Met. — A.M.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, New York, free with museum admission
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Party: El Museo del Barrio’s Junior Council Hosts Dia de los Muertos
For those who don’t know, the Mexican Holiday is celebrated between October 31 and November 2— a chance to keep the Halloween celebrations going all weekend long. Join the museum’s Junior Council at the Hotel Americano for drinks and dancing, and an artist installation by Erika Harrsch. — A.M.
Hotel Americano, 518 West 27th Street, New York, 9 p.m.-1:00 a.m.