Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/18-8/24

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers!

Battle through the end of summer heat by flexing your art muscles. The London Police lads present a new body of work at the art-friendly Quin Hotel, while curator Alfredo Martinez explores philosophies of Picasso at Amy Li Projects. Artist in residence Tracy O’Neill shares her progress at Mathew Gallery, and the Morbid Anatomy Museum explores Twin Peaks for a unique evening. All aboard the legendary drag festival Wigstock, which takes to the high seas this Friday. Mr. Brainwash comes to town for a massive Chelsea show, and Midnight Radio Show treats Bushwick to an evening of fairytales and puppets. Finally, bring a blanket to the beautiful Socrates Sculpture Park for a night of South American music, cuisine, and film.

The London Police ↑
Quin Hotel, 101 West 57th Street
Thursday, August 18, 6:30-8:30pm
The British lads hit New York in a show of new works on paper and canvas, curated by DK Johnson at the Quin Hotel- which has been heating up the urban art scene with recent shows by Above and Nick Walker.

Non-Sense: An Interactive Installation by Tracy O’Neill ↑
47 Canal Street, 2nd Floor
Thursday, August 18, 7:00-10:00pm
Experience Tracy O’Neill’s residency at Mathew with a multi-faceted, multi-experiential evening, including works in progress, as well as fragments from her fictional biography.

Brainwashed ↑
Taglialatella Galleries, 229 10th Avenue
Thursday, August 18, 6:00-10:00pm
Taglialatella Galleries is celebrating their brand-spanking-new, two-level, 5,000-square-foot location with a new splash by Mr. Brainwash. Love him or hate him, the night is sure to be packed, fun, and fueled by Stella Artois.

A Twin Peaks Evening: Visual Concert by “A Place Both Wonderful and Strange” and Illustrated Lecture by Stefano Black ↑
Morbid Anatomy Museum, 424 3rd Avenue
Friday, August 19, 7:00-9:00pm
A truly unique evening for the ultimate David Lynch fan. Music by A Place Both Wonderful and Strange, performative interpretations of Twin Peaks, and an illustrated lecture by Stefano Black examining the recurring themes and key moments of Lynch’s films.

True Lies, curated by Alfredo Martinez ↑
Amy Li Projects, 166 Mott Street
Saturday, August 20, 6:00-9:00pm
Guest curator Alfredo Martinez brings a group of artists together, with inspiration from Picasso’s observation “Art is a lie that brings us closer to the truth.”

Wigstock: The Cruise ↑
Leaving from Pier 40, West Side Highway and Houston Street
Sunday, August 21, 7:30-10:00pm
The long-celebrated drag festival born in the East Village in the ’80s takes to the high seas for a unique evening with founder and legend Lady Bunny, along with all of her favorite girls- including the Statue of Liberty.

Shadow Puppets at Pine Box Rock Shop ↑
12 Grattan Street, Bushwick
Monday, August 22,9:00-10:00pm
Midnight Radio Show brings you a new spin on Monday nights, including original music, fairytales and of course…puppets.

Outdoor Cinema: Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia) ↑
Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Queens
Wednesday, August 24, 7:00pm
Grab a blanket and head to the park! Start the evening with South American food from La carreta Paisa and music from BullA en el Barrio. Then stay for the film, which follows the story of a shaman encountering two Western explorers who search for rare botanical species in this most remote and lush of South American jungles.

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Lori Zimmer is a writer, curator and founder of Art Nerd New York, an off-beat art history guide to the city. Lori also recently released her first book through Rockport Publishers, The Art of Cardboard: Big Ideas for Creativity, Collaboration, Storytelling, and Reuse. Follow her on Twitter @LoriZimmer.

Lead image via Jazz Age Lawn Party