It looks like I'm going to be spending a lot of time in New York over the next few months. Rather than spend my evenings in a hotel room, can anyone suggest any interesting events or exhibitions that I should have in my diary?

Many thanks in advance.

Sounds like an interesting HC-B show at ICP in midtown right now. There's always something worth seeing at the John Stevenson gallery, if you're interested in alt-process work (ask to browse through the drawers).

While you're in town, get a free copy of the _Village Voice_, which always has good photo listings, and you can plan your excursions maybe around one or two shows you're really interested in, and stop off at other nearby galleries to see things you might not know about. They're clustered in Chelsea, Soho, midtown, and the upper east side.

Ian -

Check this site - http://www.photography-guide.com/

When you get to New York, you can purchase a hard-copy guide to galleries showing photography that is published by the same people who organize the site. The hard copy book (US$5) is work having because it also includes maps that show the locations of the galleries as well as the nearest subway stations.

Let me second David's comment: John Stevenson shows mostly alternative work (platinum/palladium, etc), and the quality is consistently the highest in the city. He also tends to avoid excessively avant garde work. The gallery itself is beautiful and really nice place to hang out.

My sense is that a lot of the galleries in SoHo have migrated either to Chelsea or Mid-town (57th Street) in recent years. My wife and I like to wander around Chelsea - there are dozens of galleries there, and it's interesting to just walk it to see what they are showing. The area is a former warehouse district, and while it looks a bit intimidating (especially with the abandoned overhead rail line running through the area), I think it is relatively safe to walk around.

If you get really desperate for something to do, try hanging out in Grand Central Terminal and watching people.

Don't forget to bring a camera and plenty of film!

While it's nasty cold right now - Springtime in Central Park is a treat and not all that far away (I hope).

Also, St. Patty's Day is on a Saturday this year - the parade will provide plenty of street shooting.

And of course the City itself on any day is a treat to shoot in. Visit the neighborhoods - and think about getting over to Brooklyn and Queens etc.

[QUOTE=Monophoto;428854]....The area is a former warehouse district, and while it looks a bit intimidating (especially with the abandoned overhead rail line running through the area), I think it is relatively safe to walk around......QUOTE]

Actually that abandoned rail line (known as "The High Line"*) is in the process of being converted into a "lateral park". Chelsea itself is a high-rent district nowadays and you are completely safe walking around there and just about everywhere else in Manhattan nowadays. ;)

* http://www.thehighline.org/

Thanks everyone, this is really useful info. And I'll definitely be bringing a camera, though I don't think they'll let take my 8x10 as carry on luggage :(

free MOMA Fridays after 4pm.

free Brooklyn Art Museum Sat afternoons (it's suggested donation anyway, but whatever.)

the Chelsea crawl is good. Gagosian + Brucer Silverstien often have good shows. Chelsea is only dangerous on your wallet.

for art openings ask around and look for flyers or dig around for sites like freenyc.net. good ones are usually Thurs or Fris and usually downtown. free booze.

De Maria's earth room and and broken kilometer in soho are good...if for no other reason than the real-estate they're sitting on.

there's good street-art/graffitti in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

if you have time for a day trip, take the beautiful trip up the Hudson to Dia at Beacon. it's conceptual, but one of the most beautiful meseums I've ever been too. A great Richard Serra room too.

P.S.1 in queens opens on Feb 11th I think. I've not been yet, but have heard it's great, especially in the summers when there's courtyard parties.

I personally wouldn't go out of my way for the whitney or the guggenhiem, that's just me though. I'd rather take a walk or take a train out of the city, to Coney Island or something.

have a great trip.

Additional note:

While in Chelsea, check to see what's on at the Aperture Foundation:

http://www.aperture.org/

On second thought, just stay in your hotel room.

Geez! Get out and see the town. There are things happening on every street corner. The list is endless.

Ian,

Another note. Pick up a copy of "Time Out New York" which comes out every Thursday. Available at any newsstand, it'll have a zillion things to do listed in it.

And, yes, in case you're wondering, it is a sister publication to "Time Out London" with which you are probably already familar.

Ditto all the suggestions above. For photo-only related stuff, the www.photograhy-guide.com website, and the Gallery Guide noted in MONOPHOTO’s post are definitely the best recourses for a gallery crawl. Don’t miss the Met Museum. Its photo exhibits are usually small (limited a tiny gallery and one hallway), but good. Also be sure to check out B&H photo!...its on 9th Ave between 33rd and 34th.

Thanks again everyone. I can see that I'm not going to have any time to do any work while I'm over ;)

Another thing you might look out for is the Wooster Group's new production of _Hamlet_, which will be playing Feb/Mar (and February is already sold out, I believe) and should be really interesting, if you like experimental theatre.

Thanks David - I know it's heresy, but not everything in life revolves around a camera ;)

Don't miss the Aipad Photoshow in April. It's an opportunity to see many of the most important photographic prints in one place. Galleries from all over the world participate. I second B and H Photo. Don't miss MOMA and ICP.

There's always something worth seeing at the John Stevenson gallery, if you're interested in alt-process work (ask to browse through the drawers).

I finally got to visit the John Stevenson Gallery on Saturday. The Pt/Pd prints by Koichiro Kurita (http://www.johnstevenson-gallery.com/Kurita_tn.html) on gampi and Cy DeCosse (http://www.johnstevenson-gallery.com/decosse_2004/decosse_tn.html) were breathtaking, and quite humbling.

Ian, I know you shoot nudes. If you want me to help to connect you with some models here in the city, drop me a note. Sanders.