New York City’s most Instagrammable art

From gallery, pop-up, to street art. Fine art, contemporary art, and street art. Here’s your New York City guide to some of the most stunning and breathtaking “Instagrammable” art worth discovering around this very photogenic concrete jungle.

PS: The beautiful thing about checking out art? You can go alone, walk at your own speed, and enjoy the beauty by yourself. Travel solo! No one notices, and no one cares. And there’s plenty of others flying solo at galleries and museums.

And better yet, the galleries and pop-ups featured in this post? They’re all free, so you can adventure solo or even bring all of your friends for some great instagrammable moments!

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It’s a Saturday afternoon, and I’m doing what I enjoy the most in the city. Exploring.

Today’s itinerary, enjoy a bit of the sun (but mostly the wind) through a walking tour around New York City —  more specifically Chelsea and the Lower East Side —  to find some of the most striking art… and to strike a pose.

I meet up with Nadine who’s getting her Master’s Degree in Art Business, focusing her thesis on “instagrammable art.” So, she’s an expert at this sort of thing and she knows where the best places to take photos are in New York City. She has the afternoon planned out, and I’m so excited to see the city through the eyes of someone who understands art and can break it down to me, all while getting fun photos too!

Diane von Furstenberg

Our first stop, a special pop-up gallery for International Women’s Month.

It’s a collaboration between mixed-media artist Ashley Longshore and Diane von Furstenberg, where you’ll get to admire nearly 40 portraits of inspiring, leading ladies around the world.

Diane Von Furstenberg sent Ashley Longshore a very long list of women that she loves, and so the curated art show was produced.

On the walls are pioneering women such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Cleopatra, Gloria Steinem, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and Rosa Parks. And some of them wear Diane’s most iconic prints and designs.

It’s colorful, and inspiring.

And the whole exhibit is centered around empowering messages. So we got a lot of fun, instagram-friendly photos in.

I was moved by the portait of Anne Frank, who I’ve always felt drawn to as a writer, and as someone who shares her birthday.

Especially when I’m working as a news reporter, I like to remember her most famous quote for tough stories, and after recent headlines, I think it’s worth taking a pause in this piece to remember what some of these women stood for, and against.

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”

Anne Frank

The messages each woman has catapulted into the world is empowering. The walls are literally covered with all these stunning women, trailblazing and making the world a better place. And that’s art that’s worth celebrating, on Instagram and in real life.

The paintings will range from $7,000 to $46,000.

But to take some Instagram photos? Free.

When you go: the DVF Diane Von Furstenberg and Ashley Longshore pop-up is at the DVF store on West 14th Street.

“Impeach” by Jennifer Steinkamp

I could have easily spent hours sitting at this next stop, just admiring the art. And that’s pretty impressive being that I’m no art history major and probably have a more go-go-go type of attention span.

Jennifer Steinkamp creates four breathtaking and unique rooms for her show “Impeach” at Lehmann Maupin gallery space. Each room is filled with immersive installations, and these pieces are projected onto the walls as abstract art in motion.

It’s colorful, and it’s also fun to watch as it unpredictably changes. The installations reminded me of those desktop screensavers we sometimes use, and I was inside and next to a giant digital animation that bursts with life.

One of my favorites is this one:

This piece, “Retinal” was created to show eye-like animation that moves along in what seems like optical veins.

I sort of decided it’s what DNA must look like in moving form and it was with a more child-like wonder that I checked out each room.

The exhibit stands out because Jennifer Steinkamp experiments with how images are created, but she uses color, texture, and even movement in an entirely digital medium.

There’s even pieces that are interactive, like this one, called “Womb” which a father and his daughter enjoyed toying around with the virtual realty features.

Then, there’s also a subtle symbolic, and political theme, if you didn’t figure it out already from the title of the installation, “Impeach.”

You physically do see fruit around the exhibit, including peaches plunging up and down the walls, but it’s the idea of a transformation from winter to spring.

Which, after that week in New York City where it was past freezing point for days, I’ll take some spring. Any day now.

This one, called “Blind Eye” showed a gradual transformation from the seasons in the woods. You could even hear the wind and the leaves blowing and transitioning in the gallery, which was stunning. It felt like art we were really walking through the forest.

The projects at this installation are fun to play around with because we got some creative shots while wondering around.

I was at times just a shadow and silhouette next to the massive projections. Or, when we were really creative, I was embedded in the art, transforming along with the seasons it showed.

Nadine told me she loves art and technology, and so this show is a must-see since the artist also incorporates the interactive element into the viewing experience.

When you go: 536 West 22nd Street inside the Lehmann Maupin space. The exhibit runs from February until April 13.

“Look at this Stuff Isn’t it Neat” by Andy Dixon

The title is familiar because you may have heard it on Disney’s the Little Mermaid singing, “A Part of Your World.”

Look at this stuff
Isn’t it neat?
Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?
Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl
The girl who has ev’rything?

Well, apparently my collection would not be complete without this larger-than-life Versace shirt, which makes for a great photo op.

The exhibit makes a point. It’s a close-up look at extravagance and wealth, each piece more decedant, superfluous, more “extra” than the next.

Nadine told us how Andy Dixon comments on society’s obsession with having beautiful objects, and designer brands.

“It’s also a reminder of how absurd designer brands are,” Nadine told me. “I love this gallery because the staff is always friendly, and photos are encouraged!

When you go: Joshua Liner Gallery at 540 West 28th street

Robert Therrien: Table and Six Chairs

I saw these pictures circulating around Instagram and was always curious what gallary actually housed a giant table and some giant chairs.

It’s “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” meets Alice in Wonderland meets Adventures with Crystal.

So there’s no actual title to this installation.

I think the Flag Art Foundation is a must-see because of Robert Therrien’s “No Title (table and six chairs).” Simply, it was described literally to be a table and six chairs.

Nadine added this stop for us because of the shock value. Where else would you be so tempted to scale a giant table and its chairs?

By the way, you can’t touch the installation, which is made of steel. I wanted to. And if I could have, trust me, you’d see me impolitely sitting on top of the table, elbows and all.

When you go: Flag Art Foundation is at 545 West 25th Street 9th floor

This installation is the most unexpected because of the shock value. Where else are you going to find a larger than dining table and chairs? 

Canal Street Lights Pop-Up

This is beyond stunning.

Nadine says, “Canal Street is one of my favorite places to visit because of the wall play network. They fill tons of empty storefront space with amazing art by emerging artists. I personally love art and tech, and when walking into 325 Canal Street, the installation, “Conduit NO 4” makes you feel like you’re in another world.

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Thank you Ashley Bravick for the photography and Nadine for guiding Adventures With Crystal through the New York City Instagram-friendly best spots. You can learn more about Nadine’s NYC art tours, here and if you want to work with Ashley, you can contact her here.

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