PAINTINGS

FUZZY DETAILS British painter Katy Moran presents her first exhibit of paintings at Andrea Rosen Gallery. Her work, which at first seems to comprise only abstract paintings, also employs found images from the Internet, magazines, and snapshots. In the March 20, 2008 New York Sun, Daniel Kunitz wrote of Ms. Moran’s pieces, “They feel biblical, as though primordial gases and elements were slowly congealing into something not yet formed. Happily, their diminutive sizes undercut the grandiosity of their gestures.” Selections from the exhibit include “Wilma” (2008), right. Through Wednesday, April 23, Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Andrea Rosen Gallery, 525 W. 24th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-627-6000, free.

ART

DROWNED WORLD Geishas and courtesans who lived and worked in Japan’s Yoshiwara district during the Edo (present-day Tokyo) period were complex figures who tended to carnal desires but also spiritual needs. Whereas today’s politicians jeopardize the elected office and risk losing the public trust if they are found to have frequented the city’s illegal pleasure palaces, the samurai, governing shogunate, and elite men of Edo enjoyed unfettered access to beautiful courtesans. The women spent time away from clients studying music, perfecting calligraphy skills, or reading scrolls from admirers. Their exploits are captured in Japanese ukiyo-e (pronounced oo-key-yo-ay), or “floating world,” in “Designed for Pleasure: The World of Edo Japan in Prints and Paintings, 1680–1860” at the Asia Society. The sublime exhibit features about 150 works by well-known printmakers such as Hokusai, but also other masters of the form, including Hishikawa Moronobu and Suzuki Harunobu. Through Sunday, May 4, Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Ave. at 70th Street, 212-288-6400, $10 general, $7 for seniors and $5 for students, free for members, children under 16, and for all Friday 6–9 p.m.

DANCE

ART IN THE AIR The Guggenheim Museum presents “Images from Wind Shadow,” a multimedia dance performance conceived as “moving installation art” by artist Cai Guo-Qiang and the artistic director and founder of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Lin Hwai-min. The American premiere and Guggenheim site-specific show is a study of motion that explores Mr. Cai’s use of color and light. In combination with choreographed lighting and video projections of Mr. Cai’s explosion events, dancers create a variety of allusions to shadows and reflections. The performance is a one-day-only event.

Tonight, 2 and 8 p.m., Guggenheim Museum, Peter B. Lewis Theater, 1071 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-423-3587, $50–$80.

FAMILY

A STAR IS BORN A favorite of children and adults, Jim Henson’s “The Muppet Movie” (1979) follows Kermit the Frog as he treks across the country to Los Angeles in search of movie stardom. Along the way, he picks up a host of beloved Muppet characters, including Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo. A featured part of the Sunshine at Midnight series, the classic film is even more entertaining way past bedtime.

Friday and Saturday, midnight, Landmark Sunshine Cinema, 143 E. Houston St. at Second Avenue, 212-330-8182, $11.50.

FILM

CLIMATIC CINEMA Scandinavia House presents a screening of the 2006 Swedish documentary “The Planet,” directed by Linus Torell, Michael Stenberg, and Johan Soderberg. The film continues the climate change conversation that Vice President Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” began — cinematically, at least — in 2006. In the process of making the documentary, the directors visited more than 25 countries in order to provide a worldwide commentary on global environmental problems. “The Planet” takes a provocative and sometimes even humorous approach to a serious international issue. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave., between 37th and 38th streets, 212-879-9779, $8.

MUSIC

COOL KIDS IN THE HALL Hip-Hop duo the Cool Kids perform their first-ever headlining duo in New York City this weekend at S.O.B.s. Electro-rap artist Mickey Factz is the opening act. D.J.s PQ and Jay Cee Oh spin tunes between sets. The Cool Kids, Evan “Chuck Inglish” Ingersoll and Antoine “Mikey” Reed, present their retro-inspired brand of big-beat rap, including selections from their forthcoming C.A.K.E. Recordings mix-tape release. Highlights include: “Action Figures: “Gold and a Pager” and “88.” The duo made a name for itself by generating buzz on MySpace. The Cool Kids soon attracted the attention of fellow Chicagoan Kanye West, landing prime concert gigs at the CMJ Music Festival, Pitchfork’s music festival, and touring with rapper M.I.A. They are included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of Ten Artists to Watch in 2008. Sunday, 8 p.m., S.O.B.s, 204 Varick St. at W. Houston Street, 212-243-4940, $17.

HONORING THE SONGBIRDS International Women In Jazz and Midtown Arts Common at St. Peter’s Church present the second annual jazz festival honoring legendary vocalists Celia Cruz, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee. The weekend-long event celebrates their strides through photographs and music, and features performances and discussions led by Sarah McLawler, Marian McPartland, and Carline Ray. The program also includes workshops and live jam sessions by female-led bands. Friday–Sunday, times vary, Saint Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Ave. at 53rd Street, 718-468-7376, Friday events are donation only, Saturday–Sunday, $20–$25. For complete information, go to internationalwomeninjazz.com.

SONGS FOR SOLOISTS The New Juilliard Ensemble, led by director Joel Sachs, presents the world premiere of composer Jude Vaclavik’s “Bruha.” Mr. Vaclavik created the work for 17 solo performers who play in tandem, rather than as a homogenous ensemble. Also on the program is the American debut of Icelandic composer Snorri Sigfus Birgisson’s Piano Concerto no. 2, Italian composer Franco Donatoni’s “Cloches,” and British composer Oliver Knussen’s “Requiem — Songs for Sue,” with soprano Katherine Whyte. Tonight, 8 p.m., the Juilliard School, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 155 W. 65th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-799-5000, free.

READINGS

RUSSIAN READ-ALOUD To celebrate the release of Dalkey Archive Press’s new bilingual anthology “Contemporary Russian Poetry,” McNally Robinson Booksellers presents an evening with three contributing poets. Evgeny Bunimovich, Elena Fanailova, and Yuli Gugolev read from their works in Russian, followed by English translations. All three authors have received acclaim in Russia, and Mr. Bunimovich’s 2001 book of verse, “Natural Selection,” won the Moscow Prize in Literature and Art. A catered reception and question-and-answer session with the poets caps the reading.

Tonight, 7 p.m., McNally Robinson Booksellers, 52 Prince St., between Lafayette and Mulberry streets, 212-274-1160, free. RSVP to chartblay@cecartslink.org.

THEATER

WAR OF THE ROSES Dreck Productions and the Austrian Cultural Forum present a revival of “Dirt,” the award-winning one-man show written by author Robert Schneider. The play centers on Sad, an alienated illegal immigrant from Iraq, who battles xenophobia and latent racism as he peddles roses on the streets of an American city to make ends meet. Directed by David Robinson and performed by Christopher Domig, “Dirt” confront show the divisions of race can wreak havoc on the human soul.

Opens Saturday, through Saturday, April 26, Wednesday–Saturday, 8 p.m. (performances in German on Saturday, April 12 and Saturday, April 19, 3 p.m.), Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Pl., between First Avenue and Avenue A, 212-868-4444, $20 general, $15 students.

PAINTINGS

TODAY’S LETTER IS … “From One O to the Other” is R. H. Quaytman’s homage to the Orchard 47 gallery, which houses his current show and where he was director for three years. His works are inspired by that of artists whom he exhibited during his tenure. The title of Mr. Quaytman’s exhibit comes from an inscription on a painted tombstone by Nicolas Poussin. Selections from the exhibit include “Chapter 10: Ark” (2008), above. Through Sunday, April 20, Thursday–Sunday, 1–6 p.m., Orchard 47, 47 Orchard St., between Hester and Grand streets, 212-219–1061, free.

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.