No Paint Allowed
This Friday, the New Museum will present works courtesy of the Rhizome Commissions Program, which supports artists who work in media and technology rather than paint or clay. Among the pieces on view: Michael Kontopoulos’s “Measure of Discontent,” a series of sculptures designed around three habitual behaviors—sighing, pacing, and foot-shaking; The YouTube School for Social Politics, clips of online ephemera reorganized by artists and academics into sociopolitical commentaries; and the Microtonal Wall (in 1-bit), a literal wall of sound (235 Bowery, at Prince St.; 212-219-1222; 7 p.m.; $6 members, $8 general).
Come for the Funk, Stay for the Colonial Revival
The Museum of the City of New York kicks off its third annual summer concert series, LIVE at 1220 Fifth, tonight with a performance by soul and funk musician Sophia Urista. Tickets come with access to the museum after-hours, so take the opportunity to check out “The American Style: Colonial Revival and the Modern Metropolis,” a survey of decorative objects and architecture from the 1900s to the 1930s (1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd St.; 212-534-1672; 6–9 p.m.; $10 members, $15 nonmembers; Wednesdays through 8/31).
Touring Jim Henson’s Head
The Museum of the Moving Image is the latest to host the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibition, “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” a collection of drawings, posters, props, and puppets spanning the entirety of the artist and filmmaker’s legendary career. The Muppet Show movies and TV series are well represented, as are the Fraggles and the Sesame Street bunch. According to the exhibition’s curator, Karen Falk, the museum has stocked up on Plexiglass cleaner “because kids are kissing the case” (36-01 35th Ave., at 37th St., Queens; 718-784-0077; through 1/16).
Mrs. Brody’s Booty
The collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody, the wife of a wealthy Los Angeles real-estate developer and the possessor of extraordinary taste, has already yielded one auction-house record with last year’s sale of Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, which went for $106.5 million. Starting next Monday, Christie’s will offer over 100 more Brody possessions, including eighteenth-century silver and Chinese porcelains, and custom furniture from the renowned Hollywood designer Billy Haines. All of the items will be on view at the Christie’s showroom starting this Friday (20 Rockefeller Plaza, nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-636-2000; F–Sa and M 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Su 1–5 p.m.; Tu–W 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.).