Scaffolding Worth Looking At
The Atlantic Yards construction site is no one’s idea of beautiful, making it an ideal candidate for beautification by ArtBridge, the Chelsea public arts nonprofit dedicated to gussying up the city’s nearly 1 million linear feet of scaffolding. The group is turning roughly 2,500 square feet of perimeter fencing into canvases for twenty Brooklyn-based artists. The works were chosen from nearly 200 submissions by a jury including artist Vik Muniz, Humble Arts Foundation founder Amani Olu, and Brooklyn Museum curator Eugenie Tsai (opening reception 10/20, 6:30–8:30 p.m.; Atlantic and Flatbush Aves., Prospect Heights; art-bridge.org).
The Maestro of Rio
Brazilian furniture designer Sergio Rodrigues has his first-ever shop-in-a-shop at Tribeca’s Espasso showroom. Rodrigues is an icon in his country’s design community, his furniture a playful blending of the modern (abstract swoops and extreme proportions) and the classic (clean lines and timeless forms). His materials, often rich wood and leather, remind one of the sweeping high plains of South America (M-F 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sa noon–6 p.m.; closed Su; 38 N. Moore St., nr. Hudson St.; 212-219-0017; espasso.com).
Cannes for Design Geeks
Among the highlights of the third annual Architecture & Design Film Festival: a screening of Robert A.M. Stern: 15 Central Park West and the History of the New York Apartment House, with Stern himself in attendance; the premiere of Unfinished Spaces, about a school complex left incomplete by Fidel Castro for 30 years; a sneak preview of Eames: A Painter and Architect; and a first U.S. showing of the Wim Wenders 3-D video installation, If Buildings Could Talk, shown originally at the 2010 Venice Biennale (Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick St., at Laight St.; 10/19–10/23; $13, $11 AIA members, $8 students; full schedule at adfilmfest.com).
CB2 the Sequel
CB2 opens its second New York store this Saturday, adjacent to the Decoration & Design Building on Third Avenue. Like its Soho location, the new CB2 will carry the Crate & Barrel sibling’s full line of apartment-minded home goods, for those East Side residents more into modular sofas than Ming-Dynasty antiques (979 Third Ave., at 58th St.; cb2.com).