Scenes at the media preview of New York Photo Festival 2011 last week. Far left, Feastival Director Sam Barzilay with public relations man Blake Zidell. Right: At the entrance to main exhibitions curated by Elisabeth Biondi and Enrico Bossan.

Tuesday, May 17

Book signing, 6-8 pm, for John Currin. Gagosian Shop, 988 Madison Avenue, NY, NY.

Wednesday, May 18

Talking Books, 7 pm,: Making Policy Public Pamphlet Series by the Center for Urban Pedagogy. Christine Gaspar and Erika Wood in conversation with Cassim Shepard. McNally Jackson Books. 52 Prince Street, NY, NY.

Artist talk, 6:30 pm, with Rinko Kawauch, about Illuminance. Aperture Gallery and Bookstore, 547 West 27^th Street, 4^th Floor, NY, NY.

Artists talk, 6:30 pm, with 2010 Artists-in-Residence at The Center for Book Arts: Tal Halpern, Wayne Hodge, Katarina Jerinic, Jennie C. Jones, and Angie Waller. 28 West 27^th Street, 3^rd Floor, NY, NY.

Opening reception, 6:30-8:30, for Cao Fei: Plan Time. Lombard-Freid Projects, 518 West 19^th Street, NY, NY.

Reception, 6-8 pm, for Parsons BFA Comunication Design, Design and Technology, & Illustration Thesis exhibitions. Parsons Gallery, 6 East 16^th Street, 12^th Floor, NY, NY. RSVP or 212.220.5667 x3794.

Book launch party, 7-9 pm,  for Man in the Gray Flannel Skirt by Jon-Jon Goulian. powerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY. RSVP. The first five men who show up in skirts will get a free book.

MuseFuse with Alix Sloan, 7 pm, at Karen Marston’s Studio. 229 Leonard Street, Brooklyn, NY.

Thursday, May 19

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for Ranee Palone Flynn: It’s Alright to Hold You ere with Me. Peter Hay Halpert Fine Art, 547 West 27^th Street, Suite 307, NY, NY.

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for Nicholas Kashian: O Henry!. Dean Project, 511 West 25^th Street, #207, NY, NY.

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for Ellen Kooi: Out of Sight. P.P.O.W Gallery, 535 West 22^nd Street, 3^rd Floor, NY, NY.

Opening reception, 6-9 pm, for Rosemarie Fiore: Artificiere Priska C. Juschka Fine Arts, 547 West 27^th Street, NY, NY.

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for the group show, We Regret To Inform You There Is No Space or Place For Abstract Painting. Martos Gallery, 540 West 29^th Street, NY,NY.

Opening day for Gustav Metzger: Historic Photographs and Apichatpong Weerasethakul: Primitive. The New Museum, 235 Bowery, opposite Prince Street, NY, NY.

Book launch party, 6-8 pm, for Artists’ Handmade Houses, photographs by Don Freeman and text by Michael Gotkin. Hosted by Jayne H. Baum at Robert Kuo Showroom, 303 Spring Street, NY, NY. RSVP or 212.229.2020.

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for Brian Dettmer: Altered Books. Kinz + Tillou Fine Art, 526 West 26^th Street, Suite 416, NY, NY. Champagne Saturdays, 4-6 pm: May 21, June 4, June 11.

Friday, May 20

Opening reception, 6-8 pm, for The Photo Book in Argentina, a window exhibition and publication at The International Center of Photography Library. 1114 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY. RSVP or 212.857.0070.

Book Launch, 6-8 pm, for Cy Twombly Catalogue Raisonne Gagosian Shop, 988 Madison Avenue, NY, NY.

Opening day for Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best; Hiroshima: Ground Zero 1945; and Ruth Gruber, Photojournalist. International Center for Photography, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, at 43^rd Street, NY, NY.

Opening day for Jim Dine: The Glyptotek Drawings. Through September 4^th at The Morgan Library and Museum, 225 Madison Avenue (between 36th & 37th Streets), NY, NY.

Opening day for Illuminance by Rinko Kawauchi. The Gallery at Hermès, 691 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor, NY, NY.

Saturday, May 21

First Annual LIC Arts Open – Open studios, noon-6 pm, and block party. Click for listings and information.

Tuesday, May 24

Book launch party, 6-11 pm, for Shen Wei: Chinese Sentiment. Charles Lane Press, 8e Charles Lane in the West Village, NY, NY.

This week's DART Picks:

Steve Brodner’s Smashing Crayons videos on Slate.com: Thar He Blows; Osama the Undead; Life of Saleh; Financial Fondue; Diablo Canyon For Dummies; Baseball and 2010 Politics.

Funny Bones: Anatomy of a Celebrity Caricature by John Kascht. National Portrait Gallery, Gallery 360.