Art shows, books, and a little dash of Paris revelry.
The trees are turning colors and the air is getting crisp but don’t let the weather fool you into staying at home! There’s so much happening in the world of art, music, and more that it’d be a shame not to get out and soak it all in. From Ryan McGinley curating a show in the Lower East Side to Carlos Nazario releasing his first book at Dover Street Market to talks and exhibits in Paris, here are the ten things to see and read this month.
Ryan McGinley Shines a Light on Alana Jessica Martin
Rectangle Room and Primary Photographic plays host to All About Alana, a show curated by Ryan McGinley that focuses on a single subject: Alana Jessica Martin. The it girl and muse was captured by 30 different photographers, each in their own style, shaping a body of work that explores stardom, intimacy, and transformation. Martin embodies a different persona in every picture, across formats that range from gritty black-and-white and medium format to 35mm snapshots, selfies, photo-booth strips, and Polaroids. Photographers include Daniel Arnold, Charles Ceasar, Danielle Levitt, Sam Penn, Ariel Sadok, Richie Shazam, and McGinley himself. The show is on view at Rectangle Room through November 15.
Silencio Stays Up Late for Art Basel
If you find yourself in Paris for Art Basel, don’t miss the program at the famed Silencio club. Designed by David Lynch, the space, usually a destination for late-night raves, transforms into a hub for cultural exchange, with exhibitions, talks, screenings, performances, and, of course, dancing. The events run from October 20 to 24.
Leonard Baby Brings the Party to Hôtel Grand Amour
Also in Paris, artist Leonard Baby is showing at another local institution, Hôtel Grand Amour. Titled VIVE LE BABY!, the exhibition features paintings that transport us to parties, lovers, bedrooms, bad behavior, and gross consumerism — exactly what we need after a long day at the office. Presented by Half Gallery, the show opens October 20 and runs through the 24th at the hotel, itself a place known for hedonism.
Anna Sui’s World of Archetypes Arrives at Cranbrook
The Cranbrook Art Museum in Michigan presents a retrospective on Anna Sui, the iconic designer who emerged as one of the most distinctive voices in 1990s American fashion. The exhibition spans three decades of the Detroit-born designer’s career and showcases more than 100 looks from her archive. Organized around twelve archetypes that recur throughout her work (Americana, Androgyny, Fairytale, Grunge, Mod, Hippie/Rockstar, Nomad, Punk, Retro, Schoolgirl, Surfer, and Victorian), it’s an exploration of her inspirations across art, music, literature, film, history, and pop culture. The show opens October 21 and runs through February 28, 2027.
Walker Street Market Brings Art and Nature into Conversation
Hudson Valley gallery Walker Street Market, which opened this summer, presents I Heard You Looking, a new exhibition highlighting local artists and their relationship to nature. The show includes paintings by Mary Brenneman, ceramics by Karlene Jean Kantner, and floral installations by James McGrath. All are unique expressions of their creativity that speak the same language: a deep admiration for the natural world. The show runs through November 14th.
Chris Rhodes Finds Splendido at Dusk
Photographer Chris Rhodes transports us to Portofino, Italy, with Splendido as Seen by Chris Rhodes, his new release for Belmond. Rhodes captures snapshots of the Italian coast and details of the magnificent hilltop retreat above the Gulf of Portofino. Working across sessions that stretched until after the sun had set, with the weather shifting, he went everywhere on foot and let the terraced gardens, enchanted paths, and dreamy interiors guide him. The book will be released on November 3, with an exhibition and launch at Aperture in New York.
Steven Sebring’s Patti Smith Welcomes Massimo Dutti to New York
To celebrate its arrival in New York, Massimo Dutti has curated an exhibition of previously unseen images of Patti Smith by Steven Sebring. What began with a portrait has since grown into a long friendship and creative partnership between the photographer and the poet and musician. Sebring captured Smith on stage, in moments between shows, on their travels, and in intimate scenes. The show is on view at 260 Bowery through October 25.
IDEA Books Gives Kate Moss’s Golden Sculptures a Second Look
Kate by Marc, a book revisiting Marc Quinn’s unforgettable golden sculpture of Kate Moss has arrived, courtesy of IDEA. Alongside the works Quinn created between 2006 and 2008, you’ll find images made around Sphinx, including photographs and collages of his muse. Page after page, there’s Kate, her limbs multiplied and collaged together into pretzels and other acrobatic shapes. Consider it a behind the scenes look that reveals Quinn’s process of making Kate a monument, immortalizing the icon like a god.
Entrance Garden Goes Big with Tom Friedman
Tom Friedman, the conceptual artist whose work is held in the collections of MoMA, the Whitney, and the Guggenheim, takes over the Entrance Sculpture Garden in Red Hook, Brooklyn, with If I Ran the Circus, a show of large-scale outdoor sculpture on view through November 29. Founder Louis Shannon, a descendant of Matisse and Duchamp, grew up seeing Friedman’s work in SoHo and Chelsea galleries and calls the exhibition a full-circle moment. Catch the open-air space while the fall weather holds.
Carlos Nazario Lets Silver Lining Shine in Print
Carlos Nazario, the fashion editor and stylist, introduces Silver Lining, a limited-edition print publication he commissioned and published independently. The book gathers photographers, artists, writers, and poets across generations, including David Sims, Tyler Mitchell, Pieter Hugo, Carrie Mae Weems, and Amanda Gorman, to explore beauty, identity, and culture. Designed by Ferdinando Verderi, it’s bound in a white cover on which text appears only when exposed to light. To celebrate the launch, Dover Street Market New York will host a panel with Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser, and more on Friday, October 23, from 4 to 6 p.m.
