A: Is for walking the Chelsea Art Scene

If your looking for a wallet friendly cultural experience that's date appropriate go no further than than Chelsea art scene. Though you can catch an opening most days of the week Thursday is the day that is most abundant. You will have to sort through several galleries until you find your taste, but that's half the fun. Another part of the journey is the people gazing. You will feel as if you are cast in a Christopher Guest film and the other viewers your cast members. This week I joined my friend Sarah on an excursion into the affluent world of art.

We started at Stefan Stux's gallery located at 530 West 25th for Markus Wetzel's new show "I would like to see the Wolf as an Island". Stefan a long time friend walked me through the show and we compared insights. Almost holographic Markus work is building an image within an archetype. Surreal it is like looking into a living comic book that gives the illusion of reality. A type of visionary sculpture with an end of the world theme these photographs tell a story. You can catch this visionary until July 7th.

Another show I enjoyed was Coke Wisdom O'Neal's "Please Mr. Bowie come to my show" at Mixed Greens 531 West 26th Street. This artist fuses photography with sculptural concepts and installations. He shoots the subject front and back and then adds Lucite onto wood pedestals creating a great dividing unit. I am confused at how you can sell a photograph for $3,200.00 when it is in a series of 5 and it isn't someone you know or who is even remotely interesting. The concept is unique and makes this show a must for New Yorkers in a space that is in need of dividing without closing it off.

A show I didn't get to see was one I saw a postcard for in the lobby, Peter Bely's "Danger Zone" at Daneyal Mahmood Gallery 511 West 25th Street 3rd Floor. When I research him I discovered he is one of St Petersburg's most sought-after and promising young artists. He finds special beauty in industrial ruins, abandoned construction sites and other forms of burn-out. I know his work caught my eye and I will be discovering it for myself and that is a F.A.C.t.