VISUAL ARTS
Peter Kuper, George Stavrinos, Gregory Manchess
Society of Illustrators
Sept. 3–October 5, 19, and 29 respectively
Three new exhibits open at the Society of Illustrators. Manchess has done covers for Time, Atlantic Monthly, and National Geographic. Kuper is the author of adaptions of Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis,” Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” and “Sticks and Stones.” Stavrinos, born 1948, was a fashion illustrator, designer, photographer, filmmaker, and commercial illustrator.
www.societyillustrators.org; free
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VISUAL ARTS
Chinese Snuff Bottles
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gallery 207
Until Feb. 17, 2014
Snuff, a mixture of finely ground tobacco leaves and aromatic herbs and spices, was introduced to China by European missionaries, envoys, and merchants in the second half of the seventeenth century. The increasing use of snuff led to the making of snuff bottles, small containers with a corked stopper that were easily portable and airtight to preserve freshness and flavor. Nearly 100 snuff bottles make up this collection.
www.metmuseum.org; $12–$25 suggested
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VISUAL ARTS
Brush Writing in the Arts of Japan
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Galleries 225–232
August 17, 2013–January 12, 2014
Showcasing masterworks of brush-inscribed Japanese texts, this exhibition takes a close look at the original gestural movement marked in each work—the applied pressure, speed, and rhythm that are said to reflect the artist’s state of mind. The works on view, dating from the eleventh century to the present, demonstrate that beauty was often the supreme motive in the rendering of Japanese characters, even at the expense of legibility.
www.metmuseum.org; $12–$25 suggested
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ART FAIR
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
Washington Square
Aug. 31, Sept. 1–2, 7–8
Begun by Jackson Pollack and Willem DeKooning in 1931, this fair evolved into a twice-a-year happening—every Memorial Day Weekend and the weekend that follows, and every Labor Day Weekend and the weekend that follows. Expect to find fine arts, graphics, mixed media, oils and acrylic, watercolor, photography, sculpture, crafts, jewelry, metal work, ceramics, glass mixed media, fiber, wood.
www.wsoae.org; free
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MUSIC
Fretless Brothers
Cutting Room, 44 East 32nd St.
Sept. 3, 10 p.m.
While jazz has gone through many changes in its history, one thing that hasn’t changed is the adherence to the standard tuning system of 12 notes per octave. The Fretless Brothers’ new release, “Footsteps,” is performed entirely in the 12-Tone Ultra Plus tuning system, which uses 36 notes per octave.
www.microtones.com, www.thecuttingroomnyc.com; $15 advance, $20 at the door
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FAMILY EVENT
Make a Dream Catcher
American Folk Art Museum
Sept. 5, 6 p.m.
Making a dreamcatcher might be a summer-camp staple, but it is actually a pretty nifty skill to have. Jessica Kaufman of Happy Go Crafty will show participants how to use thin round reed to make a beautiful twisted ring of any size and the proper way to tension waxed linen to create the “web.” For embellishment, bring beads, feathers, shells, meaningful trinkets—whatever you'd like to have hanging from your bedpost.
www.folkartmuseum.org; $10 for general public
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THEATER
‘The Old Friends’ and ’Stop. Reset.’
Signature Theater
Both through Sept. 29
“The Old Friends” by Horton Foote and directed by Michael Wilson explores legacy, loyalty, and the meaning of happiness through the stories of two Texan farming families. In “Stop. Reset” written and directed by Regina Taylor, the owner of Chicago’s oldest African American book publishing company is forced to discover just how far he will go to survive against the ebooks market.
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FILM
Chinese Martial Arts Classics
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Aug. 29–Sept. 5
In light of the debut of Wong Kar-wai’s Ip Man film in U.S theaters at the end of the month, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is having a week-long showing of the last film that Bruce Lee completed, “Enter the Dragon.” Also showing will be Sammo Hung’s “The Prodigal Son,” Chang Cheh’s “Invincible Shaolin,” Bruce Lee’s “The Way of the Dragon,” Sammo Hung’s parody “Enter the Fat Dragon” and the 2008 “Ip Man.”
www.bam.org; various pricing
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DANCE
Harlem Meer Performance Festival
Central Park; enter near 5th Ave. and Central Park North
Sept. 1, 2–4 p.m.
The audience is led through an exciting 50-minute exploration of dance influenced by Spain and Latin America with each fully-costumed performance featuring the impressive choreography from the current Ballet Hispanico repertory. Under the guidance of Deputy School Director Nicholas Villeneuve, dancers work with highly killed artistic leadership to bring Latino culture to the community.
www.centralpark.com; free
