Marcel Dzama in New York

Gustave Courbet Luc Tuymans Forrest Bess Cai Guo Qiang Walt Disney Marcel Duchamp Marcel Dzama Francis Picabia

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"Walking into this gallery, my eye was immediately drawn to a copper-color painting called Perfume Bottles, which had neatly arranged symbols floating on the aluminum backdrop, not unlike some of the works of Forrest Bess or Paul Thek. Miko seems to take these influences and knowingly subvert them with words, symbols, and color improvisation. Around the corner from this piece is the largest painting in the show, a work that playfully deceives the viewer's perception of space within the gallery. Also on view are beautifully handcrafted furniture pieces titled 'Archives' that house drawers which are actually 8-by-8-inch paintings. Each 'Archive' has one 'drawer' hung just above the cabinet. It's a really beautiful and original idea."

4. Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want to Believe at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, through May 28

"Having been a fan of Cai’s gunpowder canvasses for a while, I've been waiting to see this show for a long time now and it doesn't disappoint. I love the spontaneity and joy I feel from the artist when I view these works. They are made in a rather masculine way but come across as entirely playful. A lot of this work seems to rely on luck and happy mistakes, which is exciting. Six cars suspended from the roof of Guggenheim tumble in mid explosion (fiber-optic light emits from them, causing the effect). I don't want to give too much away because it's something that should be seen in person."

5. Luc Tuymans: Forever, the Management of Magic at David Zwirner, through March 22

"What can I say about Tuymans that hasn't already been said? He is definitely the painter my generation is most influenced by, and seeing his works up close, you can understand why. This show was based around the mythology surrounding Disney as a spiritual utopian and creator of magic. The palette in this show is more of an icy purple than green, which might have something to do with the fact that Walt Disney is reportedly frozen in cryogenics — I'm not sure. Tuymans's ideas explore a critique of Disney as a fairytale paradigm. These impressive canvasses are simultaneously mysterious and beautiful."