By Emily Hulme
• Invader's "Top 10" is at Jonathan Levine Gallery; opening reception Saturday 6-9 p.m.
You may have seen Invader’s works around town without even knowing it.
The French artist made his name in the ’90s by installing mosaic-style “Space Invaders” — like the classic video game — in public places in cities around the world, including New York. He currently has a show at Jonathan Levine Gallery, “Top 10,” in which he recreates his top 10 favorite album covers using Rubik’s Cubes.
We spoke with him about the project.
You must be pretty proficient with a Rubik's Cube. How long did it take you to master that?
I only use one side of the cubes to create these pieces, which is much easier than if I was solving all six sides of them.
Were you ever tempted to just pop off the tiles and put them back on where you wanted them to be?
It would actually take much longer for me to pop off the faces than just twisting them by hand. Half of the pieces I am showing in this exhibition use 400 cubes/piece... Can you imagine the time it would take if I had to pop off the tiles for each of them?
Internet investigators were able to expose some art world fraud when this poster was listed in Christies online catalog, valued at $2,000-$3,000.

Eagle-eyed font geeks immediately identified the word "land" as being written in Comic Sans, a font created and made available to the public in 1995. And there are a ton of other inconsistencies, read a full breakdown here.
In the end, the tipsters informed Christies of their findings and Christies pulled the auction. The listing link now leads to a file not found, but Ultrasparky has a screenshot.

“Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion,” ca. 1944
Francis Bacon was an artist who was never shy about letting his inner turmoil spill out onto the page.
From his early painting, “Crucifixion” (1933), a response to his burgeoning atheism, to the later “Tryptic – In Memory of George Dyer” (1971), which commemorated his lover’s suicide, Bacon put his personal conflicts out there for the world to see.
On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Met looks back at the body of work Bacon left behind.

Van Gogh's "Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear," 1889
Even people who don't know his work know that crazy old Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear and mailed it to a girl, or something.
But a new study is saying that might not be true!
According to the U.K.'s Telegraph, two German art historians are claiming that Van Gogh lost his ear to an attack by fellow painter and sometimes friend Paul Gauguin. They posit that the artists were having the fight that eventually led to the dissolution of their friendship when Gauguin, who was an avid fencer, sliced off Van Gogh's ear.
The Germans have no concrete proof, but the case they make is pretty strong, and totally fascinating. Totally read it!
By Emily Hulme
• ‘The Pictures Generation’ is at The Metropolitan Museum of Art through Aug. 2.

A video still from Dara Birnbaum's “Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman,” 1978–79
In 1977, SoHo gallery Artists Space held a group show, featuring the work of relatively unknown artists, called “Pictures.”
Since then, that exhibit has achieved landmark status in the world of contemporary art. The exhibited artists and their compatriots, the so-called “Pictures Generation,” represented a sea change in the cultural conversation of the time, and a new exhibit at the Met, “The Pictures Generation, 1974-1984,” tells their story.
At the heart of it, these artists were reacting against the abstraction of Minimalism and Conceptualism, and experimenting with the manipulative power of concrete images. They worked outside the mainstream — mostly in photography, which was a ghettoized medium at the time — and showed their work in “alternative” venues, mostly to each other.
By Emily Hulme
• ‘New at the Morgan: Acquisitions Since 2004’ is at The Morgan Library through Oct. 18.

John Singer Sargent, “Portrait of Paul-César Hélleu,” ca. 1882-85
The Morgan Library closed its doors for three years starting in mid-2003 for extensive renovations. The public exhibition schedule was halted during that time, but the Morgan’s collectors kept at their jobs.
The fruits of their labor are on view now in a small but engaging exhibit, “New at the Morgan: Acquisitions Since 2004.” The works on view range from sketches and paintings to musical scores and concert programs, and span from the 1400s to the last few years. There are pieces on view by Edgar Degas, Diane Arbus, Ted Hughes, Oscar Wilde and Johann Sebastian Bach.
But this is no jumbled blockbuster show. The exhibit is neatly organized by theme: sketches and drafts, nature, politics, etc. And housed in a one-room gallery, “New at the Morgan” feels intimate and special.
The nature of the works on view enhances that feeling. An unpublished manuscript by Ernest Hemingway features a “to-do list” on the back. Arthur Getz’s sketchbook shows off pages where the illustrator worked out potential covers for The New Yorker magazine.
This exhibit also encapsulates what is so valuable about the Morgan. Five years of collecting has yielded a strong group of works across all disciplines, underlining the museum’s wider commitment to scholarship and preservation.
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"ArtBridge 2009: First Exposure," displayed on London Terrace Gardens in Chelsea (RJ Mickelson)
Scaffolding in New York is as ubiquitous as it is ugly. Artist Rodney Durso decided to do something about the latter issue.
His organization, ArtBridge, is displaying the works of 26 local artists for the next six months around West Chelsea’s historic London Terrace Gardens apartment complex.
“I wanted to find a way for artists to get their work out there in a highly visible area,” said Durso, 44.
He lives in London Terrace and hatched the idea about a year ago, when the current round of construction started.

An original Nara at Niagra.
Artist Yoshimoto Nara was arrested earlier this week for drawing graffiti in a subway station, as the Post reported. But earlier in the evening, he had started his drawing spree at Niagra Bar, down on Avenue A and 7th street.
And he was not shy about it. His doodles, which are now behind plexiglass, adorn the entire wall opposite the bar, and direct boys and girls to the appropriate restrooms.
More photos after the jump.
By Margeaux Baulch Klein
Special to amNewYork

Jeff Lewis, "Inloveness Revisited," 2006, 14"x11". $50 at 20x200.com>
Posters may be cheap, but after the age of 20, those unframed images of movie stars and motivational kittens can lose their zeal.
However, ditching the dorm-room decor and upgrading to original artwork doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune. For those looking to purchase their first piece of art, Lisa Hunter, author of “The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner’s Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget,” recommends they explore photography.
“Works on paper are much more affordable than paintings and sculpture because they’re sold in multiples,” Hunter explains. “Plus, you don’t need to take an art history course to understand whether a photo works or not. We look at photography all of the time; it’s part of our culture.”
By Emily Hulme
• 'It Is What It Is: Conversations About Iraq' is at the New Museum through March 22.
• Find supplementary material and a full schedule of participants at the project's Web site.

Artist Jeremy Deller, center, and participants Esam Pasha, right, an Iraqi citizen, and Sgt. Jonathan Harvey, an Iraq war veteran (AP)
Jeremy Deller’s “It Is What It Is” at the New Museum is thought provoking, but visually spare. That’s because the installation consists mostly of people talking.
Subtitled “Conversations About Iraq,” the show facilitates intimate discussions among members of the general public and journalists, soldiers and Iraqi nationals sharing their experiences of the country.
At the press preview Wednesday, Sgt. Jonathan Harvey, an Iraq war veteran, discussed life on his base. One surprising detail he shared with reporters: There was organized entertainment every night for the soldiers on base, including a “Guitar Hero” tournament — but he was usually too tired from the day’s activities to participate.
By Emily Hulme
• ‘The Third Mind’ is at the Guggenheim through April 19.

"The Letter," Mary Cassatt, 1890-91
One could probably spend at least half a day taking in “The Third Mind: American Artists Contemplate Asia, 1860-1989” at the Guggenheim.
The exhibit is a historical survey of American art, highlighting the Asian influence within. It’s a big theme applied to a wide-swath of history, and it brings together artists as diverse as Alfred Stieglitz, James Whistler, Yoko Ono, Robert Rauschenberg and Laurie Anderson.
• “Year of Fashion” part one is at ICP through May 3. Featuring “Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, The Condé Nast Years, 1923-1937,” “Weird Beauty: Fashion Photography Now,” “This is Not a Fashion Photograph” and “Munkacsi’s Lost Archive.”

Martin Munkacsi, "Tibor von Halmay and Vera Mahlke", ca. 1931
Flip through any style magazine, and you’ll see that contemporary fashion photography is about more than just the clothes.
Featuring stylized posing and deliberately contrived situations — chasing that “ugly-pretty,” as Tyra Banks says — these photos are as much about storytelling as selling clothes and accessories.
At least that’s the thesis of “Weird Beauty: Fashion Photography Now,” at the International Center of Photography.
The exhibit, which kicks off the “Year of Fashion” at ICP, examines the overlooked craft of fashion photography from both a historical and modern perspective.
Curator Vince Aletti makes the argument that fashion magazines possess “an incredible wealth of material that is very accessible to the public,” but don’t enjoy the attention that journalistic and artistic photography do.

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is getting a new crime-fighting partner – President-elect Barack Obama.
In issue No. 583 of “Amazing Spider-Man,” coming out on Wednesday – inauguration day - Obama and Spidey team up to battle long-time villain The Chameleon in a story by writer Zeb Wells and artist Todd Nauck and a special variant cover by Phil Jimenez.
By Emily Hulme
• "Pol Turgeon: Threshold of the Eye" is at Society of Illustrators through Jan. 4.

Shelter
Pol Turgeon wants to blow your mind.
The Montreal-based illustrator — who is the subject of a retrospective, “Threshold of the Eye,” at the Society of Illustrators — works in the realm of the fantastic and weird, inventing fanciful creatures that incorporate elements of the animal, vegetable and mechanical. The show is divided into three distinct parts: commercial commissions done for magazines and brochures, personal portraits and works designed for a dance performance orchestrated by performer Charmaine LeBlanc.
Whatever the impetus for his works, whether it be a commission from an airline or an illustration for a short story or even a creation for himself, Turgeon’s quirky style shines through. His figures, hybrid human/animal/machines rendered in strong reds, greens and blues, are cobbled together from a collage of parts. These creations make reference to nature, but could never exist there. To accompany a piece about computer security, the 1999 work “Guard Dog” depicts a watchdog’s head atop a wire cage holding a key. The dog stands guard in an abstract landscape that acknowledges the world of computing while taking the viewer far beyond.
More after the jump.
By Emily Hulme
• At The Morgan Library, through Jan. 4.

John Leech, "Third Visitor or the Ghost of Christmas Present," (detail) original watercolor illustration for Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol," first edition, 1843.
Everyone knows the story of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Whether it’s from Disney’s cartoon interpretation, Bill Murray in “Scrooged” and other countless movie versions, or a reading of the actual novella, people are familiar with the tale of a haunted miser who finds redemption on Christmas Day.
Each year around the holidays, The Morgan Library invites the public to come straight to the source with its display of Dickens’ original manuscript, acquired by Pierpont Morgan between 1890-1900. It’s a perennial favorite with museum-goers, and, in fact, the book has been popular since it was first published in 1843.
“In a week it sold 6,000 copies [the entirety of its first print run],” says Declan Kiely, The Morgan’s curator of literary and historical manuscripts. “It became a sort of instant classic.”
More after the jump.
Continue reading ""A Christmas Carol" manuscript at the Morgan Library" »
By Emily Hulme
• "The Black List Project: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell" is at Brooklyn Museum through March 29.

Race has been at the forefront of national discussion, for more reasons than the recent presidential election. Now, a new exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum aims to add to that dialogue.
“The Black List project: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell” consists of portrait photographs of prominent black Americans and a documentary film, which has the selected people sharing anecdotes from their lives. Additionally, the documentary (which screened this year at Sundance) will air on HBO and HBO2 in the coming weeks, and a companion book, “The Black List,” is out now.
More after the jump.
It's the 20th anniversary of "The Sandman," Neil Gaiman's legendary comic book series, and Vertigo comics has a lot of things planned.

First off, there is a dramatic reading of stories from "The Sandman" at the Helen Mills Theater on Saturday. Voice actor Tom Wayland and others will be reading from "The Sandman" and Gaiman will be hosting. There are only 100 tickets available for this special event, so get your tickets ASAP. This reading is to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, so while the tickets aren't cheap, it's for a good cause.
• Helen Mills Theater, 7:30pm, $50.
More after the jump.
Continue reading "Enter Sandman - A Neil Gaiman extravaganza" »
By Emily Hulme
• ‘Joan Miró: Painting and Antipainting, 1927-1937’ is on view at MoMA through Jan. 12. 11 W 53rd St, 212-708-9400

Joan Miró, "Dutch Interior (I)," 1928
Barcelona’s Joan Miró has been the subject of major retrospectives at MoMA four times since 1941. But the museum’s latest examination of the artist, “Painting and Anti-Painting, 1927-1937,” presents his work from a vastly different perspective.
Rather than a career overview, “Anti-Painting” is a look at a wildly prolific decade early in Miró’s career. In 1927, he said, “I want to assassinate painting,” and the works on display here, organized into 12 discrete series, give a glimpse into the artist’s creative development as he experiments with form and style.
More after the jump.
By Scott A. Rosenberg
scott.rosenberg@am-ny.com

If history has anything to say about it, whoever lands in the vice presidential spot, be it Sarah Palin or Joe Biden, each has a really good chance of being insignificant.
At least that’s what the comedic new history book, “Veeps: Profiles in Insignificance” by Bill Kelter and Wayne Shellabarger has surmised. From first Vice President John Adams to whoever takes over in January, the office has been a collection of politicians who have not done a whole lot while in office. In fact, the office has been so poorly regarded that it has been left vacant for a total of 37 years for the first 176 years of its existence.
Continued after the jump.
Continue reading "Veeps: Profiles in Insignificance - A lighthearted look at vice Presidents" »
By Emily Hulme
• ‘theanyspacewhatever’ is at the Guggenheim through Jan. 27. 1071 Fifth Ave, 212-423-3500

Liam Gillick, "theanyspacewhatever signage system (prototype)," 2008
Making sense of contemporary art can be difficult. We often need time and perspective to separate the super-hyped from the truly genius. The Guggenheim is attempting to start the dialogue on recent history with its new group show “theanyspacewhatever.”
The exhibit brings together 10 artists who came to prominence in the '90s for pushing the boundaries of art to the experiential rather than just representational; the artists want the viewer to do, not just look, to enjoy the art. The works on view engage the space and the viewer in a way that makes the exhibit itself a work of art.
More after the jump.
Continue reading ""theanyspacewhatever" at the Guggenheim" »