It’s that time of year when my scheduled gallery tours are approaching the end days.  That’s because  in July and August galleries close on weekends, and all of my scheduled tours happen on Saturdays.  Though I’ll continue leading private gallery tours – on weekdays – all summer long, there are just 2 scheduled tours left: Lower East Side tour on Sat. June 22 and Chelsea “Best Exhibits” tour on Sat. June 29.  Don’t think that the quality of art in the galleries is declining at all this time of year.  Quite the opposite.  Indeed, the June 22 tour is going to be absolutely fabulous, and the June 29 tour will be positively thrilling.  And both tours will be showing completely NEW exhibits!

The Lower East side galleries are winding up a spectacular season.  This neighborhood continues to boast the highest growth in number and quality of galleries, and is dominated by young, first-time gallery owners who bring with them fresh, young artists who will be the world’s future great artists.   Here are some highlights of my final Lower East Side gallery tour of the season  on Sat. June 22 at 1:00 PM: (1) a female artist’s erotic needlepoint embroideries of a teenager’s sexual awakening, (2) a Latina artist’s immersive multi-screen video installation of street happenings in Bolivia, and (3) a 33 year-old artist’s large scale, brilliantly colorful paintings of “exploding” homes, addressing basic human needs.  These are just 3 of 7 shows.

And Chelsea continues to be the world’s most extraordinary gallery neighborhood, housing a steady 300 galleries, among them the world’s powerhouse galleries.  One thrilling highlight of my Sat. June 29 Chelsea “Best Exhibits” tour will be a photography exhibit so controversial, some of the subjects of the photos have sued the artist, and a judge is considering shutting the exhibit down.  Cameras from CNN, the Today Show, Inside Edition and all the local news channels descended on this normally placid gallery to cover the story, further inflaming passions.  What’s the big controversy?  You’ll just have to take the tour and see for yourself.  Also on this tour: part 2 of the Jeff Koons sculpture exhibit, in a gallery completely different from the one where we visited Koons’ show on last month’s Chelsea “Best Exhibits” tour.  That previous tour visit generated very heated discussion from participants, as will Koons’ art on my next tour, which will feature artwork that looks completely different from the show in the gallery we previously visited.

Just two scheduled tours left, and then a hiatus of almost 3 months.  Take advantage now, while you have the chance!

Rafael Risemberg, Ph.D., Director
New York Gallery Tours