Thursday, July 9, 8pm: Doug Aitkins | Lightscape at The Shed.

Doug Aitken’ nsew film installation  redefines the boundaries of immersive media, transforming the industrial expanse of The Shed into a hyper-accelerated, seven-screen cinematic ecosystem. Stepping into the 12,000-square-foot gallery feels less like entering an exhibition and more like dissolving into a beautifully fragmented, 65-minute fever dream of modern consciousness. Aitken masterfully juxtaposes the tactile and the digital—sweeping through vast, desolate natural landscapes, clinical robotics factories, and interior human psychological spaces with a crisp graphic clarity that is nothing short of hypnotic. 

What distinguishs this experience from standard multi-screen projection is its stunning, multi-layered soundscape. At a recent presentation, the program was anchored by Gustavo Dudamel's commanding direction of the LA Phil alongside rhythmic textures from Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and Beck. Various sound artists participate in further events, making this a must-see for anyone tracking the intersection of contemporary film, sound, and visual art today. Click for more info about the program

Continuing through September 13 at The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, New York, NY Tickets are choose what you pay

Gabriel Lester | Art of The Game in Paseo Park

From across Paseo Park, it looks almost alive. A swarm. A hive. A single shape buzzing with motion. Step closer, and the image breaks open into a thousand tiny lives. That's the trick of Gabriel Lester's Art of the Game sculpture, You only see it once you get it — a giant soccer ball...sorry...football (Lester is from Amsterdam) sculpture that rewards anyone willing to look twice.

"Up close it is not one ball but a thousand little scenes. People meeting, fighting, celebrating, hiding, falling in love, falling over. Some of it is about football. A lot of it is about our world today — which is to say, about us." Lester grew up in a 1970s commune, at a kitchen table shared by theatre people, beekeepers, and endless arguments about politics and philosophy. Before he made art, he made hip hop beats — building tracks out of small fragments stacked on top of each other.

His ball works the same way. "Many small parts, sampled from life, pressed into one shape," he said. "Aside from its football references, there are many details throughout the work that reflect different aspects of the world we live in today," he said — "how we relate to one another, how we relate to the environment, and how we engage with systems of governance and power." And he's quick to add: there are more scenes in there than he's pointing out. See for yourself. Lester wants to leave some for the public to discover...

Through September 7 at Paseo Park, between 34th Avenue and 78th Street in Jackson Heights Queens. Clickfor more info about the Art of the Game program

Starting Monday, July 6: Create Your Own Apps in Swift, at NYPL

Discover the fundamentals of coding with Swift, Apple's powerful and intuitive coding language. Learn How to Code with Swift Playgrounds classes will guide you through the free Swift Playgrounds iOS app. Develop in Swift: Build a Color Picker App classes will guide you on how to create iPhone apps for Apple from scratch with Xcode, an app-building software. Please note that registration opens June 29.

Click and scroll down for info, Live and by Zoom, Various Locations

Looking ahead: Wednesday, July 29, 6:20-9pm: Port Infrastructure Boat Tour

There’s hardly a better way to chill during hot weather than boarding a ship and gliding around  New York Harbor at sunset. If that sounds good, there are still some spots on Open House NYs fifth annual working waterfront boat tour.

Spend a summer evening cruise in the New York and New Jersey harbors and learn more about the immense scale and complexity of local and global port activity. Bethann Rooney, Director of the Port Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and a 30+ year veteran in the maritime industry, will guide us on the past, present, and future of the shipping industry in the New York and New Jersey harbors.

The tour will showcase container terminals and cargo infrastructure, along with iconic sites like the Lower Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty. As our cities globalize and supply chains work to meet our on-demand needs, hear how the Port of New York and New Jersey will continue to serve the region with world-class infrastructure.

OHNY is offering a special rate for the tour if you become a member. Click for info and tickets.

Tour departs from Pier 83, Manhattan