ART

BLOWING UP Glass sculptor Femke Schaap is most recently known for creating “WhiteGlassWatchingR.,” a permanent installation at the Hague in the Netherlands. The installation features a computer-controlled light show presented through 100 rabbit-shaped lamps. She most recently received the UrbanGlass 2007 Established Visiting Artist Fellowship. Ms. Schaap discusses her past and future work in a slide lecture presented by UrbanGlass. Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Robert Lehman Gallery, 647 Fulton St., enter at 57 Rockwell Place, between Fulton Street and DeKalb Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, 718-625-3685, free.

BRIDGE OVER MANY WATERS Roland Kulla’s paintings are inspired by his fascination with the metalwork of bridges and other public structures: Mr. Kulla photographs intricate metalwork, and uses his photos as a guide for his paintings. He began his work in Chicago in 2000 and recently moved to New York City to continue his collection. Through Saturday, July 14, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., George Billis Gallery, 511 W. 25th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-645-2621, free.

NEO-GERMAN EXPRESSIONIST The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents the opening of an exhibit of new paintings by a German artist, Neo Rauch. The show includes 14 paintings that feature Mr. Rauch’s distinctive industrial palette. The works depict a parallel world of hypertrophied humans, for which the acclaimed 47-year-old artist references Surrealism, public murals, and the heroic 1950s workmen and women of Eastern bloc political posters — all elements of the Socialist Realist aesthetic of communist East Germany, where Mr. Rauch grew up and received his artistic training. Gary Tinterow is curator of the exhibit. Through Sunday, October 14, the Met, 1000 Fifth Ave. at 82nd Street, 212-535-7710, $20 suggested donation, $10 seniors and students, free for members and children under 12. For more information, go to metmuseum.org.

ROUND AND ROUND Painter Rebecca Alston has been exhibiting her works since 1978. Her latest exhibit, “New Paintings,” at Island Weiss Gallery, features two contrasting styles: One set of paintings features serene looks at various oval shapes. The other set features colorful, interlocking views of whimsical shapes. Selections include “Anguish Drawing” (2004), above left, and a detail of “The Golden Circle” (2007), right. Through Friday, July 13, viewing times by appointment only, Island Weiss Gallery, 201 E. 69th St. at Third Avenue, Penthouse M, 212-861-4608, free.

FASHION

GOOD LOOKING Susan Tabak’s “Chic in Paris: Style Secrets and Best Addresses” (Seline Editions) documents the stylish secrets of iconic French women including a designer associated with Yves Saint-Laurent, Loulou de la Falaise, and a fashion and perfume designer, Inès de la Fressange. Ms. Tabak discusses her book with an artistic director at Lancôme, Ross Burton, who also discusses various makeup applications. Tonight, 6 p.m., Lancôme Boutique, 201 Columbus Ave. at 69th Street, 866-211-1624, free, reservations required.

FILM

THE ARTY POLITIC The apexart gallery presents a three-day film series, “Terror Tactics,” featuring films that focus on how the visual arts are able to investigate culture and its relationships to politics, wealth, power, desire, and autonomy. Filmmakers include Mark Boswell, Jordan Crandall, Jim Finn, Jenny Perlin, Martha Rosler, and the Speculative Archive. On Thursday night, independent curator and art critic Olga Kopenkina presents a panel discussion about the same issues with Messrs. Boswell and Finn, and a professor of politics at the Université de Paris, Anton Koslov. Film series, Tuesday–Thursday, noon–5 p.m., panel discussion, Thursday, 8 p.m., apexart, 291 Church St., between White and Walker streets, 212-431-5270, free.

THE WILD, WILD WEST The director Robert Aldrich is known for such films including “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962) and “The Dirty Dozen” (1967). BAMcinématek presents “Overlooked Aldrich,” a film series celebrating the director’s lesserknown works. The series opens with “The Last Sunset” (1961), featuring actors Rock Hudson and Kirk Douglas. The story follows a Western lawman and a disgruntled lover as they both follow a husband-and-wife cattle drive toward Texas. A discussion with Aldrich’s daughter, Adell, and film critic and historian Elliott Stein follows the 6:50 p.m. screening. Thursday, 6:50 and 9:30 p.m., BAM Rose Cinemas, Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave., between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street, 718-636-4100, $11 general, $7.50 students and seniors.

MUSIC

BANJO PLUCKING The sisterly duo Rising Appalachia, featuring musicians Leah and Chloe Smith, play both traditional and contemporary bluegrass and country. The band performs songs from its second release “Scale Down.” Tomorrow, 9 p.m., Think Coffee, 248 Mercer St. at Grand Street, 212-228-6226, free.

PHOTOGRAPHY

DANGEROUS SITUATIONS Mischa Bar-Am is considered by some to be Israel’s most prominent photographer. His latest retrospective of works is presented in conjunction with the Magnum Photo Festival. In The New York Sun on June 7, William Meyers wrote that Mr. Bar-Am has “a talent for dramatic composition, a determination to find the truth in a situation, and a predisposition for irony.” Through Friday, Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Andrea Meislin Gallery, 526 W. 26th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, suite 214, 212-627-2552, free.

TURN ON THE LIGHT “Illuminations: Photographs by Lynn Davis” is an exhibit that documents Ms. Davis’s travels throughout the world in search of the greatest universal sites, both man-made and natural. Ms. Davis documented individuals interacting with their local environments, and religious artifacts. Through Monday, July 16, Monday and Thursday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Tuesday, Wednesday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-620-5000, $10 general, $7 students, seniors, and neighbors of the museum, free for children.

READINGS

WAKE UP AND READ 3 AM magazine, published in Britain, features fiction, author interviews, poetry, and criticism both on the Web and in print form. The magazine hosts a party night, featuring readings from authors including Ellen Kennedy, Zachery German, Ned Vizzini, and Tao Lin. Thursday, 7 p.m., KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St. at Second Avenue, 212-505-3360, free.

SOIRÉES

CHILDREN IN NEED The nonprofit organization Harlem Dowling, founded in 1836, was established to help Harlem mothers care for their newborn babies. The organization now provides foster care, adoption, preventive services, and related assistance to children and their families. Harlem Dowling celebrates its 170th anniversary with a fund-raising gala, honoring Rep. Charles Rangel, and featuring actors Danny Glover and Wendell Pierce. Other award winners include attorney Sanford Rubenstein, and physicians Answorth Allan and Carolyn Barley Britton. Tonight, 7 p.m., Gotham Hall, 1356 Broadway at 36th Street, 212-749-3656 ext. 3067, $500.

SURVIVAL INSTINCTS TamarindArt Gallery presents a sale of 52 watercolor paintings created by Sri Lankan child survivors of the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami. The sale is co-sponsored by the nonprofit organization AmeriCares. After the sale, the artwork is displayed in a hanging exhibit between Wednesday and Saturday. Sale, tomorrow, 6 p.m., exhibit, Wednesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday, noon–6 p.m., TamarindArt Gallery, 142 E. 39th St., between Third and Lexington avenues, 203-658-9556, free, reservations required.

TALKS

PRETTY PARKS The Citizens Budget Commission and the nonprofit organization New Yorkers for Parks hosts a panel discussion in conjunction with the release of a new CBC report on “Making the Most of Our Parks,” which offers a blueprint for improving city public parks. Panelists include the commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Adrian Benepe; the executive director of the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, Dan Biederman, and the chairwoman of the New York City Council Committee on Parks and Recreation, Helen Foster. Wednesday, 8:15 a.m., Municipal Art Society, 457 Madison Ave., between 50th and 51st streets, 212-279-2605, free.

POWERFUL WOMEN The New-York Historical Society’s annual Strawberry Benefit marks the beginning of its “Women in Public Life” series, featuring talks by prominent women in politics and society. This year’s featured speaker is the wife of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, who is an attorney and the vice president of community and external affairs at the hospitals of the University of Chicago. Previous Strawberry Festival speakers include playwright Wendy Wasserstein, Hillary Clinton, and Anna Quindlen. Tomorrow, 12:30 p.m., NYHS, 170 Central Park West at 77th Street, 212-873-3400, $300–$1,000.

THEATER

WARTIME TALK The new theater company the Fire Dept., created by Jessica Blank, Erica Gould, and Audrey Rosenberg, presents its first Salon Series, featuring staged readings of new plays. The first installment is “At War: American Playwrights Respond to Iraq,” featuring works written by Jose Rivera, Ms. Blank, and Erik Jensen. Actors include Michael Cerveris, Julianna Margulies, and David Strathairn. Ms. Gould directs the readings. A post-reading discussion features the executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paul Rieckhoff, and a professor of media studies at New York University, Mark Crispin Miller. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, 20th Street, between Irving Place and Park Avenue South, 212-352-3101, $35.

HELLENIC VIEW The Kitchen theater collective presents Target Margin Theater’s “Hellenic Laboratory: MEZE,” a collection of five short works created by Sherrine Azab, Jake Hooker, Mike Kraskin, Jose Zayas, and Magdalena Zira. The works are inspired by Greek literature, drama, and poetry. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., the Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-255-5793 ext. 11, $5.

SOLO STAR Theater icon Elaine Stritch performs in a one-night-only special presentation of “Spalding Gray: Stories Left To Tell,” which revisits many of the late monologist’s most famous writings. Ms. Stritch joins regular cast members Kathleen Chalfant, Hazelle Goodman, Frank Wood, and Darnell Williams. Tomorrow, 8 p.m., Minetta Lane Theatre, 18 Minetta Lane, between Sixth Avenue and MacDougal Street, 212-420-8000, $35–$65.

SELF-OBSESSION Jason Schafer, a writer for the Showtime drama “Queer as Folk,” presents the premiere of his newest play, “I Google Myself.” The black comedy follows three different men with the same name: One is a gay pornography star with a difficult secret; one is a mechanic addicted to marijuana who maintains a poetry Web log and has anger management issues, and the last is a stalker with a penchant for balloons. The three men meet when one uses the search engine Google to look for others with his name. “I Google Myself” is directed by Jason Jacobs, and stars Reed Prescott, Tim Cusack, and John Gardner. Through Saturday, July 7, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m., Saturday, 8 and 10:30 p.m., Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place, between First Avenue and Avenue A, 212-352-3101, $18.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.