Ai Weiwei @ Vito Schnabel Gallery, 455 W 19th St, ends 2/22 —>exhibition link
Millions of LEGOSs (and off-brand blocks) recreate massive famous paintings, sometimes with political tweaks. The perfect blend of play, challenge, and unbelievable labor.

Irving Penn @ Pace Gallery, 508 W 25th St, ends 2/22 —>exhibition link
Curated by Hank Willis Thomas, Penn’s famous photographs of fashion, people, and still lives are arranged in an exciting maze-like installation that makes you feel like you’re walking inside a few of his images.

Hunter Reynolds & Dean Sameshima @ PPOW Gallery, 392 Broadway, ends 1/25 —>exhibition link
A dazzling and deeply moving show of woven photographs from the late Hunter Reynolds that echo with life, loss, and love.

Jennifer J. Lee & Alex Dodge @ Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, 87 Franklin Street, ends 2/25 —>Exhibition link
Jennifer’s precision and effort in these photorealistic paintings fights against the rough jute on which they’re painted, resulting in an amazing visual friction between “canvas”, paint, and pixel. Alex’s paintings in an adjacent room also play between digital process and a love of physical paint.

Nick Cave @ Jack Shainman Gallery, 46 Lafayette St, ends 3/15 —>exhibition link
Be awe-struck by a 26-foot-tall bronze figure in this 1898 bank hall, but stay for the quilt-like works made from antique serving trays. An unmissable space!

Bruce Nauman @ Sperone Westwater Gallery, 257 Bowery, ends 1/18 —>exhibition link
Walk through a forest of strange taxidermy animal forms (no animals were harmed) for a 3D video of his studio. My favorite is the mesmerizing video on the 2nd floor worth sitting a while.

Pieter Vermeersch @ Perrotin Gallery, 130 Orchard St, ends 2/19 —>exhibition link
Slices of agate (rock) are silkscreened with images of themselves for super beautiful poetic experience with time. (Walk to the 3rd floor).