Current Must-See Shows in New York City and Upstate

## Exploring Artistic Lineages: An Exhibition Overview

The art world often gravitates towards the newest trends, but certain exhibitions serve as enduring connections to history and memory. These showcases bridge the past and present, offering visitors a chance to engage with deep, cultural narratives. Here are a few current exhibitions that exemplify this theme.

### Candida Alvarez: Circle, Point, Hoop
**Location:** El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue, East Harlem, Manhattan

**Dates:** Through August 3

In her exhibition, Candida Alvarez blends abstraction and representation, echoing the fluidity between memory and image. Alvarez’s work, epitomized in pieces like “Mary in the Sky with Diamonds,” captures fleeting recollections, transforming them into vivid portrayals.

[Read more](https://hyperallergic.com/1030451/memory-becomes-form-in-the-art-of-candida-alvarez/)

### Thomas Holton: The Lams of Ludlow Street
**Location:** Baxter St. Camera Club, 154 Ludlow Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan

**Dates:** Through August 13

Thomas Holton’s evocative photographs explore life in Manhattan’s Chinatown, revealing beauty in everyday resilience and community connections. His work celebrates cultural ties and ingenuity.

[Read more](https://hyperallergic.com/1030639/twenty-years-of-life-in-chinatown-thomas-holton/)

### Homage: Queer Lineages on Video
**Location:** Wallach Art Gallery, 615 West 129th Street, 6th Floor, Manhattanville, Manhattan

**Dates:** Through October 19

This exhibit illuminates the influence of trailblazers within queer art history. Artists like Kang Seung Lee acknowledge the forerunners whose legacies continue to inspire new generations.

[Read more](https://hyperallergic.com/1029800/video-art-that-chases-the-rainbow-wallach-art-gallery/)

### Outcasts: Mary Banning’s World of Mushrooms
**Location:** New York State Museum, 222 Madison Avenue, Albany, New York

**Dates:** Through January 4, 2026

Mary Banning’s contributions to mycology are explored in this exhibit, highlighting her pioneering work in classifying fungi and breaking scientific boundaries as a female researcher in the 19th century.

[Read more](https://hyperallergic.com/1029741/mary-banning-woman-scientist-and-artist-who-revolutionized-the-study-of-mushrooms/)

These exhibitions offer a rich tapestry of experiences that connect the arts to historical and cultural contexts. They invite audiences to appreciate the depth and complexity of artistic lineages, redefining our understanding of the past and its ongoing dialogue with the present.