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NOVEMBER

Clock work: Hatoum is drawn to Felix Gonzalez-Torres's Untitled (Supreme Majority).   (Photo: The Felix Gonzalez-Torres Foundation/Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York)

Mona’s MoMA
Mona Hatoum is the latest artist to give curating a try.

Artists love to moan about museums—and especially about curators. But since 1989, when Kirk Varnedoe initiated “Artist’s Choice” exhibitions at MoMA, some—like Ellsworth Kelly and Chuck Close—have had a chance to create shows of their own, selecting works from the museum’s permanent collection.

This fall, it’s Mona Hatoum’s turn. The Lebanese-born, London-based artist, known for her performances, videos, sculptures, and installations, presents “Here Is Elsewhere.”

What do the works you’ve chosen have to do with one another?
Most of these artists, either because of their gender, sexual orientation, color, or cultural background, can be seen as inhabiting an elsewhere. And most of the work is not purely visual, art-for-art’s-sake kind of work.

So it’s overtly political?
It engages with real issues, but without being obvious. For instance, I chose works by Felix Gonzales-Torres because of his interesting use of Minimalism and his appropriation of “high art” strategies. I especially like his “stacks” and “candies” pieces that totally undermine the don’t-touch dictum of museums. You can actually help yourself to a sheet of paper or a candy.

Are you designing the show’s installation? Does it reflect your own work?
Yes, but the only thing related to my own work is that I use a wide variety of media. One room is devoted to a video installation by Jane and Louise Wilson, Stasi City, which was shot in the former East German secret-police headquarters. It’s as if they are trying to show the traces of power embedded in the architecture.

Any artists you’d like to see curate?
Perhaps Mark Dion or Fred Wilson, who’ve made the museum the subject of their work. But any artist had better make sure they have plenty of time. Curating is a lot of work. —E.N.

• Details: Here Is Elsewhere, at MoMA QNS (November 7–February 2).

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Best of The Rest

Wim Wenders James Cohan Gallery (November 8–December 20). The first New York solo show of photographs by the director known for such films as Wings of Desire and The Buena Vista Social Club.

Unrepentant Ego: The Self-Portraits of Lucas Samaras Whitney Museum of American Art (November 13–February 8). A survey of the artist’s self-portraiture, in drawings, photographs, sculptures, mirrored environments, and films.

John Currin Whitney Museum of American Art (November 20–February 22). Currin’s first solo museum show in the United States comes to New York, featuring approximately 40 of his Cranach-influenced paintings of women, men, and couples.