PAUL PRETZER: THE SEVENTH SKILL

A series of paintings with a humorous touch depict dreamlike mythological and folkloric creatures in timeless settings. This is the first U.S. solo exhibition for Pretzer, who was born in Estonia and works in Dresden.

MARC STRAUS
132 DELANCEY STREET, NEW YORK, NY (TEMPORARY LOCATION),
WWW.MARCSTRAUS.COM

HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: SURFACE OF THE THIRD ORDER

The multi-talented artist has three exhibitions on view. Pace Gallery in Chelsea features two bodies of three-dimensional works: crystal pagodas inlaid with photographs from his Seascape series, and large-scale aluminum sculptures based on mathematical functions of infinity and zero. Presented concurrently is an exhibition of works from the same series at the Chinati Foundation [[chinati.org]] in Marfa, Texas, through July 15, 2012. Lake Superior, part of the Seascape series of photographs, is on view at the Pace/MacGill Gallery

THE PACE GALLERY
534 WEST 25 STREET, NEW YORK, NY
WWW.THEPACEGALLERY.COM

CARAVAGGIO AND HIS FOLLOWERS IN ROME

A rare opportunity to view 40 paintings from followers of the magnificent painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610). Arranged by theme, the works of fellow European artists—Peter Paul Rubens, Georges de la Tour and Jusepe de Ribera—who resided in Rome in order to be close to the master are juxtaposed with ten of Caravaggio’s darkly psychological images. This is the second largest exhibition of Caravaggio’s work in North America and only the third to be held in the U.S.

KIMBELL ART MUSEUM
3333 CAMP BOWIE BOULEVARD, FORT WORTH, TX
WWW.KIMBELLART.ORG

TREASURES OF ISLAMIC MANUSCRIPT PAINTING FROM THE MORGAN

For the first time, the Morgan is displaying its entire collection of Islamic manuscripts, dating from the late middle ages to the nineteenth century. This exhibition—which includes a rare, illustrated life of the poet Rumi—is also online.

THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM
225 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK,NY
WWW.THEMORGAN.ORG

LE CABINET DE CURIOSITÉS

Curiosités it is, as contemporary art converges with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century antiques. Artist and architect Thierry W. Despont conceived and curated this off-site installation, which presents works by artists from the Marlborough Gallery—Manolo Valdés, the late Claudio Bravo and Despont himself—alongside rare antique furniture from the Steinitz Collection, a Paris-based gallery. For information, contact the Marlborough Gallery.

THE NEW YORK MERCANTILE BUILDING
6 HARRISON STREET, NEW YORK, NY

AI WEIWEI CIRCLE OF ANIMALS

If you missed the artist’s bronze Zodiac Heads sculptures gracing the fountains opposite the Plaza Hotel in New York last spring you can check out Paul Kasmin’s exhibition of a new series of gold-plated bronze Zodiac Heads, which coincides with the book launch of Ai Weiwei: Circle of Animals, edited by Susan Delson and published by Prestel in association with AW Asia. Angelonos can view a larger bronze set of Zodiac Heads locally at the Los Angeles County Museum.

PAUL KASMIN GALLERY
515 WEST 27 STREET, NEW YORK,
WWW.PAULKASMINGALLERY.COM

MASTERS OF VENICE: RENAISSANCE PAINTERS OF PASSION AND POWER FROM THE KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM, VIENNA

A worldwide exclusive exhibition of 50 works by Titian, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto and Mantegna, to name a few of the celebrated painters, are on loan from the Gemäldegalerie of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum.

DE YOUNG MUSEUM
50 HAGIWARA TEA GARDEN DRIVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
WWW.DEYOUNG.FAMSF.ORG

GRAYSON PERRY: THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN CRAFTSMAN

Bucking the trend of celebrity artist exhibitions, the outrageous, witty and gifted Perry curated an installation of his new ceramics works, pairing them with objects by unknown craftsmen from the British Museum’s collection. Notoriety follows Perry for another creation: Claire, the transvestite alter ego, is a role he continues to play.

BRITISH MUSEUM
GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON
WWW.BRITISHMUSEUM.ORG

THE RONALD S. LAUDER COLLECTION; SELECTIONS FROM THE THIRD CENTURY TO THE TWENTHIETH CENTURY GERMANY/AUSTRIA/FRANCE

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Neue Galerie, founder Ronald S. Lauder offers a rare glimpse into his private collection, ranked as one of the finest in the world. Among the artists represented are Joseph Beuys, Constantin Brancusi, Paul Cézanne, Vasily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt and Gerhard Richter.

NEUE GALERIE
1048 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY (212) 628-6200
WWW.NEUEGALERIE.ORG

NAMI ART MARKET AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

Native American artisans’ annual pilgrimage to New York City and Washington D.C. offers great shopping opportunities to purchase one-of-a-kind collectibles, including silver and semi-precious handmade jewelry, sculpture and baskets in a museum setting.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
ONE BOWLING GREEN, NEW YORK, NY

FOURTH STREET AND INDEPENDENCE AVENUE SW WASHINGTON D.C.
WWW.NMAI.SI.EDU

NATALE DI VETRO/ GLASS CHRISTMAS

Several stops from Venice on the vaporetto is Murano Island where a month-long festival, called the Christmas of Glass, celebrates the fine art of glassmaking. Stalls sell glittering Christmas decorations produced by the Murano’s master glassmakers, while nearby an exhibition of handmade Murano chandeliers lights up the ancient portico of the San Pietro cloister.

NATALE DI VETRO
VENICE, ITALY
WWW.NATALEDIVETRO.COM

CAI GUO-QIANG: SARAAB

Saraab (“mirage” in Arabic) features 50 artworks in which Cai Guo-Qiang explores the history of the hometown of Quanzhou and the long relationship between China and Arabia. On the opening day, the artist will set off Black Ceremony, a large-scale daytime explosion that attempts to confront matters of life and death and spiritual homecomings, among other out-of-this-world experiences; a twenty-first century “happening.” Qatar, anyone?

MATHAF ARAB MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
DOHA, QATAR
WWW.MATHAF.ORG.QA

CHRISTMASTIDE AT THE CLOISTERS

Striking installations of herbs, fruits, nuts and evergreens, linked with the medieval celebration of Christmas will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s magnificent medieval sanctuary.

THE CLOISTERS MUSEUM
FORT TRYON PARK NEW YORK, NY
WWW.METMUSEUM.ORG/VISIT/VISIT-THE-CLOISTERS

IN FOCUS: LOS ANGELES, 1945—1980

Twenty-five photographs from iconic and lesser known photographers including Robert Cumming, Judy Fiskin, Anthony Hernandez, Man Ray and Garry Winogrand are grouped around the themes of experimentation, street photography, architecture and the film industry during one of the most vital periods in Los Angeles’s history. Part of the region-wide Pacific Standard Time initiative.

THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM
1200 GETTY CENTER DRIVE, LOS ANGELES, CA (310) 440-7330
WWW.GETTY.EDU/MUSEUM

CANYON ROAD FAROILITO WALK SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Santa Fe is lovely and quaint anytime of year, but in December it becomes a city of light with the ritual lighting of farolitas, votives contained in sand bags lined along sidewalks, steps and roofs. The celebration culminates Christmas Eve as people stroll from the Plaza up Canyon Road, glowing with thousands of farolitos and dozens of luminaries, small bonfires.