New York
Museum of Modern Art - Picasso Sculpture
This MOMA exhibit is unusual in that it present Picasso’s lesser known sculptures rather than his paintings, but many of his sculptures are fascinating with their playful use of unorthodox, everyday items. In 1971 Picasso donated his sculpture Guitar (1914) to the museum, a three-dimensional interplay of cubism and sheet-metal. This exhibit is part of a series highlighting the museum’s most noteworthy collections, and runs through November 3 at The Museum of Modern Art.
Click here for more info on The Museum of Modern Art in New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Jeff Koons on the Roof
Like Picasso, Jeff Koons draws inspiration from ordinary items. This rooftop art features Balloon Dog (Yellow) constructed out of high chromium stainless steel, modeled after the balloon animals that street performers create for young children. The structure is more than ten feet tall, and plays with elements of light, weight, and solidity. Other can’t-miss works include Koons’ Coloring Book & Sacred Heart (Red/Gold). The exhibition runs through October 26.
Click here for more info on The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
The Whitney - "Progress"
This exhibit brings together the works of artists and architects inspired by the evolution of the American utopia. The majority of the pieces fall between 1926 and 2008, with a heavy emphasis on modernity, optimism, and ideals. Features artists include Dan Flavin, Naum Gabo, Barbar Kruger, Louis Lozowick, Danny Lyon, Ad Reinhardt, Joel Sternfeld and Diana Thater. "Progress" runs through November 30 at The Whitney of American Art.
Click here for more info on The Whitney Musuem of American Art in New York
Museum of the City of New York - "Campaigning for President"
With a tumultuous election year just around the corner, what better way to show your political stripes than by exploring all of the past political campaigns? This exhibit has over 200 years of New York candidates, and features rare, comical and even provocative buttons. Some other items are a coat button from George Washington’s inauguration, a Garfield mechanical metal nose-thumber and an Al Smith pin with trademark derby.
Click here for more info on The Museum of the City of New York
San Francisco
De Young - Dale Chihuly
As Dale Chihuly’s first major exhibit in San Francisco, this event is housed in the impressive de Young space, which has eleven galleries filled with his exotic, fiery glassware. The exhibit spans the past 4 decades of the Washington native, including a 56 foot long Mile Fiori garden of glass and the neon Saffron Tower, which towers 30 feet in the air. Because of popularity, there is a $5 surcharge to enter the exhibit and a timed ticket: one is allowed to stay in the exhibit for as long as needed but must enter before the timed ticket is up. Chihuly's exhibit runs at de Young through September 28.
Click here for more info on the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco: The De Young Museum
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - Frida Kahlo
The Mexican artist and revolutionary Frida Kahlo began painting in 1926 after her near fatal bus accident, and drew inspiration from a social, personal, and political landscape. Many of her paintings are recognized by the Surrealists, though Kahlo aligned herself with traditional Mexican symbolism and folklore. This exhibition celebrates the artist’s birth, paintings throughout her life and career, and photographs. The exhibit will used the system of timed ticking to diminish long lines and offer better views of the artwork. There is also a self-guided audio tour for $3 available in English, French and Spanish. The commentary is based on the exhibition’s co-curators, artists, musicians and scholars. Frida Kahlo's exhibit runs through September 28.
Click here for more info on the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Asian Art Museum - "Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty"
Ming art has been one of the most potent aesthetic movements in all of Chinese history. The exhibit contains some relics of the most important empires from Chinese history. This marks the Asian Art’s Museums first collaboration with The Palace Museum of the Forbidden City in Beijing, The Nanjing Municipal museum, and the Shanghai Museum- three of the most notable institutions in China, and the first US exhibit to focus exclusively on Ming arts. The exhibition runs through September 21 at the Asian Art Museum.
Click here for more info on the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco
Miami
Bass Museum of Art - "VOOM Portraits"
One of the most exciting exhibitions in Miami at the moment, "VOOM" displays still portraits via continuous, high-definition video loops. Presentations are displayed on a 65-inch plasma screen and are accompanied by sound from an HD media player. The pieces were created by renowned artist Robert Wilson in collaboration with VOOM Networks. "VOOM Portraits" runs through August 3 at the Bass Museum of Art.
Click here for more info on the Bass Museum of Art in Miami
Museum of Contemporary Art - "Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967"
Calling all music lovers: "Sympathy for the Devil" should be on the top of your list of exhibitions to see this summer. The exhibition consists of paintings, album covers, music videos, and other materials that are used to show the relationship between the arts and rock-and-roll culture over the years. "Sympathy for the Devil" runs through September 7 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami.
Click here for more info on the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami
Miami Museum of Art - "Shadows, Disappearances, and Illusions"
This mind-boggling installation consists entirely of works of art that play with light, perspective, and erasure , forcing the mind to question what the eyes see. The pieces are from several artists, including some commissioned works from local Miami residents. "Shadows, Disappearances, and Illusions" runs through September 21 at the Miami Museum of Art.
Click here for more info on the Miami Museum of Art
Art and Culture Center of Hollywood - "The Art of the Brick"
Not just for the young at heart, "The Art of the Brick' is an exhibition full of color and texture. New York Artist Nathan Sawaya created 30 works of art purely from LEGO bricks. Some one million pieces were used, some created exclusively for the exhibition that took Sawaya from 5 years to complete. "The Art of the Brick" is currently showing at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood through August 10.
Click here for more info on The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Florida
Historical Museum of South Florida -"Florida Cartoons"
For newspaper junkies and journalists who are more into history than contemporary art, check out "Florida Cartoons." Cartoonist Anne Mergen was one of the first women to break into cartoon artistry and was initially published in Miami News. Over two dozen of Mergen’s renderings from the years 1940-1950 will be on display. "Florida Cartoons" runs through September 4 at the Historical Museum of South Florida.
Click here for more info on the Historical Museum of South Florida
Los Angeles
J. Paul Getty Museum - "Ten Years in Focus: The Artist and the Camera"
Any photography-lover will enjoy browsing The Getty’s collection of photographs from the last decade. The exhibition takes a special look at the relationship between art and photography, and features pieces mainly of California and the West. "Ten Years in Focus" will be showing at the J. Paul Getty Museum through August 10.
Click here for more info on the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Museum of Art - "Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement"
Chicano art has been tragically overlooked in recent years, but Phantom Sightings will no doubt be a step in the right direction. 125 works are presented through various mediums including photo, sculpture, performance and digital works. Phantom Sightings runs through September 1 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Click here for more info on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Musuem of Contemporary Art - "Marlene Dumas: Measuring Your Own Grave"
South African native Marlene Dumas takes a look at the human condition through portraits and paintings that explore the human body. The subject matter focuses on children, pregnant women, the dead, and the naked. While at the museum, don’t forget to check out works from MOCA Focus Artist Lisa Lapinski. Measuring Your Own Grave runs through September 22 at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Click here for more info on the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles