Cultural Calendar
Stoker, New York Area Theaters, opens March 1
Starring Nicole Kidman, Mathew Goode, and Mia Wasikowska, and easily one of the most anticipated film this spring for some, Stoker is a tale of family intrigue writ large, bloody, and sexually ruinous. It is therefore, not surprisingly, a Chan-wook Park film. Park, one of South Koreas most celebrated directors, was the mind behind the Vengeance trilogy, whose centerpiece, Oldboy, a tale of love and darkness like no other, became a cult hit worldwide. Stoker marks his English language debut, and what a blood soaked entrance it makes. Few directors know how to effectively wring out every last drop of fear and doubt out of actors and scenes. Relish in the misery at either the Lowes Lincoln Square or the Landmark Sunshine on Houston.
Moving Image, March 7-10, 2013, Waterfront Tunnel
A series of video sculptures, performances, and single-channel videos and projections will be projected by commercial galleries and nonprofit institutions. This contemporary video art fair will take place in Chelsea and is free and open to the public. The festival features panel discussions such as Superreal: Invented Realities in Video and Moving Images and Projections in Public Space. An opening reception will be sponsored by 42 Below Vodka, and a closing reception will be sponsored by ‘Wichcraft.
Fountain Art Fair, March 8-10, 69th Regiment Armory
100 years after the original Armory Show, and nearly a century after Duchamp’s Fountain, this art fair wants to challenge its visitors notions of what an art fair can be. Attendees have raved that Fountain “is the inviting, accessible, out of the box, punk rock attitude fair you have to see at least once in your art loving lifetime.” If you’re interested in experimental spaces beyond traditional galleries and museums, head over to 25th and Lexington this weekend. From gallery exhibitors to floating instillations to musical performances, this is one art fair you don’t want to miss.
Gallery shows, March 9, 56 Bogart Street
56 Bogart Street is a haven for art galleries beyond Chelsea. The building, located in Bushwick, houses four floors of galleries and studios. It’s a perfect destination for a day of gallery hopping, and it’s right off the L train’s Morgan stop. Upcoming to Studio 10 is Kate Teale: The Sea Is All Around Us, and Oasa DuVerney, first solo exhibition, featuring her video “The MYLFworks Revenge” accompanied the Apocalypse Now, a hardcore song by The Cromags. Head across the street to Swallow Café, then hop back on the train. Many galleries will remain open until 10PM on Saturday night, March 9, as part of Armory Week.
The Deftones, Live at the Wellmont Theatre, March 10
The Deftones, one of the finest, brainiest metal bands of the last 20 years returns to the tri state area on the heels of their latest album, Koi No Yokan. Long celebrated as one of the only good bands to come out of 90s metal, along with their recent tour mates System of a Down, The Deftones are still creating their unnerving mix of jagged mosh ready riffs and quiet, darkly menacing ambience. What’s even more remarkable is that after 20 plus years, lead singer Chino Moreno’s gorgeous, unearthly howl is still intact, decimating eardrums and tickling the synapses.
Balkan Beat Box, Live at Webster Hall, March 17.
Few bands manifest the boundless, wildly diverse energies that is Israel at its best like Balkan Beat Box. Bringing a sound rooted in everything from modern hip-hop to gypsy music and the various strains of Arabic music, the common denominator is always a nonstop rhythmic energy. You will move, and be moved, by the many worlds that Balkan unites onstage. Bring your dancing shoes.
Fireside Follies, March 17, Brooklyn Fireproof
Fireside Follies is a monthly reading by a collection of Brooklyn writers. The free events take place at Bushwick’s Brooklyn Fireproof, a café and art venue. Expect a bit of fiction, memoir, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art. Readers range from award-winning authors to new, emerging talent. “Readings in the gallery, drinks at the bar,” advertises the coffee house. Listen, and be inspired by diverse a diverse group of writers and performers.
The Revisionist, Cherry Lane Theatre, through March 31
Jesse Eisenberg, known for his portrayals of Mark Zuckerberg, and endless variations of other neurotic Jewish men, is also, like some Jewish men before him, an accomplished playwright. The Revisionist is his second production at the intimate Cherry Lane Theatre, a quiet landmark nestled in a Tribeca sidestreet. The play concerns a young American visiting his elderly aunt in Poland. Vanessa Redgrave, arguably the finest stage actress today, plays the curious Holocaust survivor who chose to remain in the killing fields. There they duel with the intertwined threads of family and memory.
The Silent Barn concerts, ongoing, The Silent Barn
The Silent Barn, is back after their year and a half hiatus, this time in Bushwick. Called by The Village Voice a “reincarnated collective of underground do-it-yourself arts and music organizers,” they market themselves as a “performing arts incubation space” featuring shows which they emphasize are always all ages. Check their website for their show calendar, which features nightly concerts, release parties, and performances.
