
After spending the past couple weekends perusing East End art galleries and fairs like ArtHamptons, Art Southampton and Market Art + Design, head west for a some arts and culture in the concrete jungle. These NYC art exhibits and installations will make taking a quick break from the beach worth it.
“Boogie Down Booth”
O’Neill Triangle, Bronx
Designed by artist Chat Travieso, “Boogie Down Booth” is composed of solar powered speakers that stream music that originated in the Bronx. Visitors can hear everything from jazz to hip-hop to salsa and more, curated by the Bronx Music Heritage Center to bring light to the history of the arts and music in this underrated borough.
FLOW.16, “Spartan Follies”
Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan
Denise Treizman assembled this park installation of flashy colors and patterns on recycled tires, which has attracted park goers and art lovers alike. The interactive work of art is meant to evoke childhood nostalgia and inspire onlookers to play, explore and be creative. Randall’s Island Park is home to various temporary installations, including Tim Clifford’s “Monument to a Missing Island” and Samantha Holmes’ “Hell Gate Cairns”.
“NEVERENDINGOGO”
East River Esplanade, Manhattan

Kenny Scharf launches an otherworldly journey from the Nassau Museum of Art
Kenny Scharf’s work made its way to Long Island’s Nassau County Museum of Art, as well as various hotspots and random locations on the western island. Check out his banner that equates with the museum’s showcase, as well as others nearby. Walk around up-and-coming Harlem and see how many Scharf originals you can find.
Hey! Ho! Let’s Go, Ramones and the Birth of Punk
Queens Museum, Flushing Meadows
Co-curated by Queens Museum’s guest curator Marc H. Miller and Bob Santelli, executive director of the GRAMMY Museum, this exhibition is an arts/music lover’s dream. As the Queens Museum explains, “Like Warhol, the Ramones used branding as an art form,” and the memorabilia, such as converse sneakers, band t-shirts and tin signs show the rich blend of music and art.
Using Walls, Floors, and Ceilings
The Jewish Museum, Manhattan
Artist Beatriz Milhazes’ exhibition Using Walls, Floors, and Ceilings is in the lobby of The Jewish Museum. If you don’t go inside to enjoy all the other exhibits The Jewish Museum has to offer, at least take a step in the front door to take a look at the mobiles installed, which are inspired by the annual celebration of carnival in her native Brazil.
Uniformity
Museum of Fashion Institute Technology, Manhattan
A photo posted by Jacqueline WayneGuite (@jacqwg) on
It’s often said that fashion is art, and the Museum of FIT combines the two uniformly (no pun intended). Uniformity showcases uniforms of all types, from school uniforms to the attire of a flight attendant to high fashion clothing inspired by the concept.
PANORAMA
Vanderbilt Hall East at Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan

image: casey kelbaugh
Originally a part of the Milan Expo 2015, this video installation was brought to Manhattan to engage tourists and native New Yorkers in everything Italy has to offer. Stand in an oval room and watch as the walls soar with crystal clear waters, sports cars, wineries, reliefs and sculptures, ancient architecture, coliseums and more.
Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan
This exhibit launched at the 2016 Met Gala in May and will be available to view until September. The items represent handmade (manus) and machine made (machina) concepts in support of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.