New York Magazine's citywide public art exhibition

If you’ve spent time in New York City recently, you may have noticed a series of artistic magazine covers decorating public spaces. This is the work of New York Magazine, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

For half a century, the metropolitan publication has been at the forefront of news, culture and fashion in the city and beyond. Now, the editorial staff has developed a public art project to highlight New York’s connections with the art world.

“50 New York Covers: A Public Art Project” is taking place at various locations throughout the five boroughs until late October. Read my new story on the project, featuring an interview with NYMag's photography director Jody Quon.

Peter Hujar, "Speed of Life" at the Morgan Library & Museum

Peter Hujar is an underground legend in downtown New York counterculture. His photographs of friends, artists and performers in the East Village correspond with an integral era for the advancement of gay rights, particularly between the Stonewall uprising of 1969 and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Read my review of his "Speed of Life" retrospective exhibition, currently on display at the Morgan Library & Museum.

Edmund Clark, "The Day the Music Died" at ICP, New York

For more than a decade, British photographer Edmund Clark has documented how the U.S. government responds to international terror threats. Through his lens, empty interrogation rooms and penitentiary chambers become scenes of quiet tension. Read my review of his International Center of Photography exhibition “The Day the Music Died” online via Musée Magazine.

Latoya Ruby Frazier at Gavin Brown's Enterprise, Harlem

Latoya Ruby Frazier uses a camera to expose social injustice on a local level. As such, she charts the systematic breakdown of oppression on ordinary people, revealing how paradigm shifts affect civil discourse. Read my review of Frazier's new solo exhibition at Gavin Brown's Enterprise in Harlem, via Musée Magazine: http://museemagazine.com/culture/2018/1/17/exhibition-review-gavin-brown-gallery-latoya-ruby-frazier

John Stezaker, "The Voyeur" at Petzel Gallery, Upper East Side

My first article for Musée Magazine in New York City covers the abstract photo-collages of English artist John Stezaker. Read my review of his "Voyeur" series at Petzel Gallery in the Upper East Side here.

Solitary bliss in the 35mm photos of Kara Donnelly

Kara Donnelly taps into a solitary escapism in her 35mm photos. The 28-year-old photographer travels all over the world in search of visual tranquility. One of my latest Asbury Park Press stories covers Donnelly's particular aesthetic, and the creative influences that have shaped her work over the years. Read the full story here: http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/12/07/shore-photographer-captures-grace-everyday-life/924912001/

Wooden Walls Project 2017 on the Asbury Park Boardwalk

Jessy Nite’s sculptural installation on the Asbury Park Boardwalk proudly proclaims the aura of the vibrant Shore town: "Like Paradise."The Miami artist’s innovative work reflects the bright future for residents and visitors.

The 2017 Wooden Walls Project has been in progress for months now. Curators Jenn Hampton and Angie Sugrim decided on a more free-form endeavor this year, in conjunction with the busy fall season on the boardwalk.

This year’s project (Wooden Walls began in 2015) features large-scale murals alongside new, innovative types of public art. As always, the project is a collaborative effort made possible by Sea Change AP, Parlor Gallery and the Asbury Park Boardwalk.

Read the full story on this year's project at the following link:

http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/10/12/asbury-park-boardwalk-wooden-walls-project/753140001/

Daniel Loxton, Asbury Park painter and social worker

Many great artists work on their own time, allowing each painting to age into maturity. Dan Loxton embodies this concept in his work. Each piece is given its own special treatment, and the process cannot be rushed.

The Asbury Park artist feels connected to his community through his creative endeavors and his professional life as a social worker. As such, he uses his passions to work toward a better future for our local community.

To read my story on Loxton, check the following link:

http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/09/20/asbury-park-artist-painting/685478001/

Photography: Shelter Island, New York, August 2017

Wikipedia refers to Shelter Island as a "human settlement" but I do believe it is much more than that. Historic architecture, beautiful landscapes and a tight-knit community have long attracted tourists from all over the world since the late 19th century. This was my third time on the island, and the first since I took up photography. I think I probably annoyed my friends with my camera but I live without regrets.

Maegan Monico, Elmwood Park artist and designer

Maegan Monico celebrates the body's idiosyncrasies through her different creative endeavors, which synthesize both practical and fine arts. Among her creative endeavors are paintings, pins, patches, postcards and wearable accessories featuring a hybrid style of abstraction and figuration. To see more, check out my story on the artist via The Asbury Park Press:

http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/08/09/jersey-artist-fashion-photography/552759001/

Tonya Lee, Asbury Park non-objective painter

For Tonya Lee, art is not a matter of representation, but a method of preservation. Rather than depicting images from reality, the Asbury Park artist explores a more intuitive form of expression. She paints from instinct and memory, through reactions of body and mind.

I recently interviewed Lee for my column at the Asbury Park Press. Read the full story here: http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/07/19/asbury-park-artist-travel-nature/487786001/

"Channeling Nature by Design" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

For the next month, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is hosting a special exhibition that examines the many ways designers and manufacturers respond to nature through consumer products. “Channeling Nature by Design” is on display in the museum’s Perelman Building until July 16.

I recently visited the exhibition, and wrote a corresponding article for the Asbury Park Press. Check it out at the following link: http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/06/07/philly-nature-by-design/102535580/

MaryAnn Vitiello presents "Resilience" at Exhibit No. 9 in Asbury Park

Exhibit No. 9's excellent new show in downtown Asbury Park features photography by MaryAnn Vitiello, who worked as an AIDS nurse all around the world. Throughout her career, which spans four decades, she captured moments of serenity and tragedy that encapsulate a controversial era in world history. I met with the NJ-based photographer last week, and wrote about her work. Find the full story, via The Asbury Park Press, at the following link:

http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/05/31/resilience-exhibit-no-9/102279022/

Photography: California and Nevada, May 2017

Last week, I traveled west with two friends. Our first stop was Las Vegas, a city of extremes unlike any other I had previously experienced. During our stay, we ventured to the Hoover Dam and other Nevada landmarks. By Friday, we had rented a car and hit the road for California. Driving across the desert, we reflected on the nature of our vast country amidst a soundtrack of Fleetwood Mac, Broken Social Scene and Kendrick Lamar. We stopped at Joshua Tree National Park to observe some enigmatic California flora. Lastly, we arrived in Los Angeles for a brief adventure through the expansive city. I brought along my Nikon, and documented the entire journey.

Mona Khazindar presents "Visions From Abroad" at Princeton University

Earlier this month, I attended a lecture at Princeton University by renowned historian Mona Khazindar. Here is the full story on her research, which reveals the importance of non-natives in Saudi Arabian art: http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2017/05/11/mona-khazindar-saudi-arabia-art/101452510/