An underwhelming show on a theme of theoretically infinite possibilities. Almost giving credit to those who proclaim that painting is dead, and representational painting even more so, most pieces in this show have no vision, no passion, and no ambition (there are few exceptions, including a quiet Alex Katz). Even the gallery itself seems to acknowledge defeat, from its banal, uninspiring title (just "Landscapes") to its shockingly disparaging press release, which treats artists as visual art historians rather than creators who believe in what they do: "For these artists the painting has lost its privileged place as an end in itself and instead is deployed like a type of scenography. Some artists in this exhibition are considered by the dominant discourse to be over-dedicated to technical proficiency, situating themselves somewhat outside of the 20th century avant garde tradition, while others pursue “bad art” for the sake of critique. Still others seek to realign the earnest attempt to depict one’s surroundings with a commitment to avant garde principles."

@ Marlborough Chelsea, through July 29

An extraordinary collection of items from Pergamos (Pergamon) that shows the unbelievably high level that Greek civilization achieved. You can see not only how it is the foundation of Western art and culture, but how relevant and appealing it is to our contemporary eyes. Don’t miss the oldest surviving fragment of the Odyssey, the intricate gold jewelry, the mosaic with street musicians, the bronze head from Kalymnos, and the fragment of a colossal head of a young man, just to name a few. It is a pity that more hasn’t survived the centuries.
@ The Metropolitan Museum of Art