What’s New in New York’s Art World? Five August Selections

1. Tomas Saraceno, ‘ Cloud City ’ on the Metropolitan Museum of Art roof, through Nov 4

Argentine artist Tomas Saraceno’s rooftop installation is in turns exhilarating and disorienting as his mirrored stainless steel modular forms reflect the strong summer sun along with views of Central Park and the city.

2. Ellsworth Kelly, ‘ Plant Drawings ’ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, through Sept 3

Outline drawings of plants from poppy flowers to gingko leaves, 1948 to the present, shed light on this 20th century master’s abstract iconography.

3. ‘ Painting in Space ’ at Luhring Augustine Gallery, through August 17

A giant aluminum hanger dangling from a beam at the center of the gallery by Mark Handforth and a day-glo orange carpet leading to a sculpture involving a trash can by Rachel Harrison make Luhring Augustine’s summer group show (which doubles as a fundraiser for Bard College’s Center for Curatorial Studies) one of Chelsea’s most eye-popping.

4. ‘ It’s Always Summer on the Inside ’ at Anton Kern Gallery, through August 24

Matthew Monahan’s tantric-looking character, Coke signage emblazoned with the word ‘blood’ by Mark Flood, and a dark Batman painting by Joyce Pensato contribute to this show’s less-than-cheery atmosphere but offer appealing psychological intensity.

5. ‘ Lizzi Bougatsos, Michael, DeLucia, Lizzi Fitch, David Gilbert, Robert Overby, Andra Ursuta ’ at Andrea Rosen Gallery, through August 21

Themes seem to have gone out the window for this summer’s round of group shows, but these six artists share a grungy experimental vibe, from Robert Overby’s 1971 latex cast of a wall of an abandoned building to Michael Delucia’s router carved, Minimal wooden sculptures from this year.

Merrily Kerr, who runs New York Art Tours, presents this list as a monthly feature  for the benefit of our New York-area readers interested in the intersection between faith and contemporary art.