As we head into autumn and marvel at the changing colors, consider taking in some other art forms as well. Various museums on Long Island and in New York City have collections throughout the fall that beg you to be an artist for the day.
The Rubin Museum of Art
“The Power of Intention: Reinventing the (Prayer) Wheel” through Oct. 14
Inspired by Tibetan prayer wheels, “The Power of Intention: Reinventing the (Prayer) Wheel” brings together select examples of traditional and contemporary art to illuminate the relationship between our intentions, commitments, and actions. Prayer wheels are ritual objects containing thousands, even millions of written prayers and mantras. International artists Monika Bravo, Alexandra Dementieva, Youdhisthir Maharjan, Charwei Tsai, and Scenocosme’s Grégory Lasserre & Anaïs met den Ancxt offer a conceptual spin on the wheel.
The Rubin Museum of Art is located at 150 W 17th St., New York; www.rubinmuseum.org
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
“The Roof Garden Commission: Alicja Kwade, ParaPivot” through Oct. 27
The Met’s rooftop garden Polish-German artist Alicja Kwade brings the music of the spheres to the Met’s rooftop garden for this year’s annually commissioned outdoor-art installation. Stones quarried in Brazil, Norway and seven other countries have been rounded and polished into globes that represent the nine planets of our solar system. Perched on an armature that resembles an oversize jungle gym, these objects serve to remind us of our place in the universe, adding a cosmic frisson to your experience of taking in all those amazing rooftop views of midtown and Central Park.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at 1000 5th Ave., New York; www.metmuseum.org
The Heckscher Museum
“A Fine Line: Sketches, Drawings, and Illustrations from the Collection” through Nov. 10
Drawing—the use of lines to make an image—is one of the earliest forms of human expression. This collection features selected works from the late 19th through the 20th centuries that showcase the enduring and infinite possibilities of this medium. “A Fine Line” brings together permanent collection drawings, including impromptu sketches; preparatory studies for paintings, sculptures, and costume design; illustrations meant to accompany text; and drawings conceived as independent works of art.
The Heckscher Museum of Art is located at 2 Prime Ave., Huntington; www.heckscher.org
The Nassau County Museum of Art
“Energy: The Power of Art” through Nov. 3
The science of art meets the art of science in one power-packed show. Top-tier science and major art by Jackson Pollock, Alexander Calder, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist, Julie Mehretu, Frank Stella, Joseph Cornell and Man Ray will be fused in one dynamic and interactive exhibition. Working with the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Tesla Museum, this innovative project juxtaposes masterworks in many media with images produced by the most advanced scientific instruments, and even an active “cloud chamber,” to explore the supposedly “invisible” world of energy.
Other highlights include monumental paintings by Richard Pousette-Dart, Julie Mehretu, James Rosenquist and Doug Argue and watercolors created directly for NASA by Barbara Prey. The laboratory of Nikola Tesla is re-created, using some of his historic instruments and spectacular images from a “beamline” at Brookhaven capture the beauty of physics.
Nassau County Museum of Art is located at One Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor; www.nassaumuseum.org
The New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
“Stonewall 50 at New-York Historical Society” through Dec. 1
New-York Historical Society commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the dawn of the gay liberation movement this summer, as New York City welcomes WorldPride, the largest Pride celebration in the world. “Stonewall 50 at New-York Historical Society” features two exhibitions and a special installation, as well as public programs for all ages.
The New-York Historical Society Museum & Library is located at 170 Central Park West, New York City; www.nyhistory.org
