Rawr means I love you in dinosaur
Opening Thursday, August 15 at Lubov, 6 pm to 9 pm. On view through September 22.
If the title of this exhibition at Lower East Side space Lubov brings back memories, particularly ones involving Myspace and Hot Topic and straightening your hair too much, it’s meant to. No matter if you look back on scene and emo subcultures with embarrassment, pride, or total confusion, artists Riley Hanson and James Gregory Atkinson want you to revisit these tender, oddly-fashioned times through art. Hanson has painted a series of portraits of scene kids from back in the day, while Atkinson has contributed an array of large-scale photos of eyes wearing novelty contact lenses while feeling all sorts of emotions.
Sex Crimes
Opening Thursday, August 15 at ClampArt, 6 pm to 8 pm. On view through September 28.
“Sex crimes” is a loaded phrase. It most likely calls to mind vile abuses, but for some time in America, it unfortunately also meant homosexuality. Indeed, due to laws criminalizing acts like sodomy and essentially any intimate act not done for procreation between a married heterosexual couple, it was legally risky to even create or consume content involving people who weren’t straight. Group exhibition Sex Crimes takes a look at some of the art, written erotica, and more items that were created decades ago for queer consumption but made and distributed in secret, for fear of criminal consequences.
Apartment 5A
Opening Friday, August 16 at Parasol Projects @ Bowery, 6 pm to 9 pm. On view through August 18.
If you’ve taken the subway lately, you might have seen a series of ads commemorating the fact that Seinfeld has been around for 30 years now. But if you’re looking for a tribute that’s a little more artsy (and is less likely to share space with rats and mysterious puddles), Spoke Art is having a pop-up exhibition this weekend dedicated to the famed show about nothing. Featuring over 30 artists working in mediums from painting to soft felt sculptures, Apartment 5A continues in the Spoke Art tradition of paying homage to a piece of pop culture through what is essentially high-quality fan art. The opening is on Friday, but if you come on Saturday you’ll be treated to a comedy show amongst the art.