Surrounded by black skulls, dimly flickering candles and a blood-red velvet tablecloth, Lexi Ferguson does her astrological readings on an iPad. “If you’re not using technology, you have to draw a chart by hand,” she explains. “You have to calculate, and it’s charts and graphs and knowledge and a ton of time. It’s completely impractical.”  More →

On Saturday, February 15, Andrea Jones-Rooy hung from a lira—a circus tool that looks like some industrial hula hoop—on stage at the Lower East Side bar and performance venue Caveat NYC. The angsty, rocking lilt of “My Own Worst Enemy” blasted. The crowd whooped as she flapped her gossamer cape like green-hued wings. On the projector behind her, “vote for me!” buttons danced and a life-sized, leering Joe Biden popped up with sheepish finger guns blazing. She spun on her lira, head thrown back, while Biden went up in rudimentarily animated flames.  More →

It’s Lit
Opening Tuesday, March 3 at 64 White Street, 6 pm to 8 pm. On view through April 25.

On Tuesday, R and Company’s gallery at 64 White Street gets lit. Only it’s not the kind of lit you think. Unless you’re thinking of the literal definition of the word and not the slang version, in which case you’d be right. Indeed, this is an exhibition of creations that also act as lamps and other various lighting. The selection of illumination on display far exceeds anything you’d typically run into at a furniture store, but the gallery will feel like one, with everything arranged like a surreal, shining showroom. There are lamps that look like taxidermy chicken and swirling granite sea anemones, the kind of streetlights that would feel at home in a video game with quaint villages made from clay, and much more to behold. It will certainly be lit.

THURSDAY

Piano Boy
Thursday, February 27 at Vital Joint, 8 pm: $5

Billy Joel made a name for himself by being a Piano Man, or at least singing about one. But that was in the past. Now, it’s the era of the Piano Boy. Or at least it will be on Thursday night when musical comedian Darian Lusk performs his hourlong one-man show of the same name. In it, Lusk will take to the piano (or at least a little Casio keyboard) to perform an array of songs he’s penned over the past year, delving into topics from Judaism to group chats. He’ll be joined by opener Mary Houlihan.

While the runway models strut their stuff at Paris Fashion Week today, the New York scene is decidedly more down-to-earth and eco-conscious. At the second annual ReFashion Week NYC, New Yorkers can quench their thirst for thrift with panel discussions, wardrobe styling sessions, and clothing swap workshops. More →

The Sleeping Giant / The Swiss Grid
Opening Thursday, February 27 at Poster House. On view through August 23.

We see posters frequently in our everyday life. Movies coming out soon, ads for startups, information on new citywide regulations, the list goes on. Posters are such a frequent facet of our surroundings we tend to write them off. At Chelsea space Poster House, that all changes. Expand your understanding and appreciation of rectangular printed matter with their latest exhibitions. One, The Sleeping Giant, explores how posters illustrated China’s economic development in the 20th century. The other, The Swiss Grid, delves into the ubiquitous Swiss design and typographic style, typically involving sans serif fonts and a geometric-yet-asymmetric page layout.

“Maternal” is the last adjective you’d associate with a Bed-Stuy-based DJ and producer. But that’s how Sara Skolnick, who goes by the stage name Riobamba, is affectionately described by DJ Lita, who was scouted by Riobamba herself.  More →