Richard Prince, famed artist and rare book collector, presents furniture of his own design and use in a new exhibition at Patrick Seguin gallery in Paris. Of note, the Nurse Hat Chair (a limited edition piece) follows closely Prince’s nurse paintings. The other furniture was all purchased by Prince to showcase his book collection. That, as Wallpaper* notes, might be the exhibits most interesting aspect. It allows, ever so briefly, a glimpse into the mind of the collector. And one, we should add, with impeccable taste.

Examples of the exhibited furniture after the jump.

LACMA’s Contemporary Projects series takes on long standing associations of athlete and hyper aggressive masculinity. Six artists examine how masculinity is treated and presented in sports. Funded, in part by Nike Sportswear, Hard Targets – Masculinity in Sports will remain on view at LACMA until January 18, 2009.

Charleston is home to lots of blonde’s, A.W. Shucks Seafood Nachos and Ben Silver. Until January, 2009, the city and it’s great Charleston Museum is also home to a rather amusing exhibition about how the bicycle helped change the way women dressed in the 19th century. We knew we loved bikes here. What we didn’t know was that they helped our lady friends move towards “less restrictive undergarments.” In all seriousness, the exhibition sounds great, and the permanent collections in Charleston are absolutely fantastic.

“The Charleston Museum presents an original mini-exhibition called Bustles, Bicycles and Ballgowns: Beginnings of Change in Late 19th Century Clothing. Bicycles prompted a change in clothing and less restrictive undergarments.  Late 19th century women could go out on their bicycles unchaperoned for the first time because it was deemed acceptable as exercise. The bustle emerged during this era and proved to be more versatile than the hoop skirt.  This freedom of movement was a major factor in the increasing number of women in the workplace.

Bustles, Bicycles and Ballgowns offers a full range of garments, accessories and even equipment from late 19th century Charleston. In addition to women’s undergarments, walking clothing and formal attire, guests will see an 1890s bicycle, typewriter and shorthand machine. The exhibit also features a try-on station complete with a period-appropriate corset, bustle, and drawers.”

Winner of Wallpaper*s 2008 Designer of the Year designation, Tokujin Yoshioka is curator of Second Nature. The exhibition, housed at Issey Miyake’s 21_21 Design Sight Gallery, incorporates the material of eight designers working through the idea of designs future. Yoshioka’s own portion is driven by the merger of technology and nature. Such hybrids inform some of the others as well, and via Yoshioka’s vision are presented in a space worthy of time transport analogies.

Wallpaper* selected a few of their favorites. Once again, and with thanks to them, we have selected a few of ours. More from Second Nature follows.

When it comes to the museum world, changes in the top brass generate the most newsworthy excitement. This year, after a rather successful run, Phillipe de Montibello stepped down from his position as Director of the MET. In his honor the museum has mounted The Phillipe de Montibello Years: Curators Celebrate 30 Years of Acquisitions. New acquisitions shows are always fun. So, combine three decades of them, and the level of intrigue and scope of material no doubt astounds.

In this case, visitors see a small sampling from among the 84,000 new objects brought to the MET under Montibello. The NYT has a more eloquent review than we’re capable of, and a glance over the piece is highly recommended. If you’re in New York, a trip to the MET this fall will allow a nice slice of institutional history, always appreciated.

Running from now until September 2009, The Louvre and the Masterpiece brings select objects from Paris’ keynote arts institution to the High Museum in Atlanta. The exhibition explores how taste, connoisseurship, and definitions of the “masterpiece” have changed over time. 91 works of art are presented, representing over 4,000 years of creative activity.

To complement the exhibition, the High has produced a great series of books revolving around issues great and small in the Louvre collection. From a museological perspective, this is great. One institution working to dissect the collections of another, and in this case grander, institution. On a less heady (or cynical) level, these books are also wonderful introductions to one of the worlds greatest assemblages of art.

At Home with Gustav Stickley: Arts and Crafts from the Stephen Gray Collection, presents approximately 140 objects from Grey’s collection, as well as related works from the holdings of the Wadsworth Atheneum. It marks the first time Gray’s exceptional collection has been on view to the public. Located in Hartford, the Wadsworth is America’s oldest public art museum. With a fine tradition in decorative arts exhibition, the museum is uniquely suited to the display of Gray’s Stickley material.

“The Arts and Crafts movement, rooted in late nineteenth-century Britain, espoused the principle of unity in the arts, believing that all creative endeavors were of equal value. There was a desire both to reform design but also to return quality to the process of making objects. The Arts and Crafts reformers wanted to re-establish a harmony between architect, designer, and craftsman, in order to produce well crafted, well designed, affordable, everyday objects.

Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman furnishings epitomized Arts and Crafts design in America. Most Stickley furniture was made of quarter-sawn white oak, a very heavy, dense wood that imparted a quality of spiritual beauty that strongly beckoned to future generations. Traditional cabinet-making techniques were used both structurally and as ornament, including mortise and tenon, bevel, key, peg, butterfly joint, and dovetail. The pieces were then finished to look aged and mellow. Stickley’s stylistic vocabulary exhibited a visual harmony and consistency that reflected across the spectrum of his production, including lamps, metalwork and textiles. This “honest” construction and unity of design became hallmarks of the American Arts and Crafts aesthetic. The Gray collection includes rare early examples of Stickley’s finest furniture designs with pieces dating from the seminal years of 1901-1905.”

On view until January 4, 2009, At Home with Gustav Stickley is accompanied by a full-color catalogue with essays by Stephen Gray, David Cathers, and Tommy McPherson.

Twenty-one years since the last Le Corbusier exhibition in Britain, the RIBA trust has opened a new one in a rather amazing space. Never before opened to visitors, the Crypt of Edwin Lutyen’s Metropolitan Cathedral is the site. The intent, to push thought of Le Corbusier beyond the obvious connections to brutalist architecture and remind of his work as a thinker, painter and writer. As Wallpaper points out, while there is potential there, his legacy is sure hard to break.

The exhibition remains open until January 18, 2009.

Thanks to them there are some great shots of the show and related material. More of Le Corbusier in Liverpool after the jump.

Yves Saint Laurent is the first retrospective exhibition of the designers fabled career. Produced by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, in conjunction with the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, the exhibition covers the work over the course of four themes. Visitors learn about the design process from sketches. Explore the revolution of feminized men’s apparel. Interact with YSL’s vision of color. And, finally, discover the literary and artistic influences that spurred momentum. The Museum has a nice sub-site for the show that you can visit here. Otherwise, head to Montreal before September 28 to see it in person. 

Get a sense of the shows layout after the jump.

International art stars, performers, photographers, Gilbert & George have challenged the art world since the 1970s, creating in their words "Art For All." They engage directly with pertinent contemporary issues, finding inspiration almost always directly outside their East London door. The pair met at Central St.Martins and established their reputation with a performance piece The Singing Sculptures. Milwaukee Art Museum is one of three US venues to host the Gilbert & George retrospective organized by the Tate Modern. In addition, the museums website features a very well put together online version of the material and a great introduction to the duo for those who are unfamiliar with their work. Check it out here. The live version stays in Milwaukee until September 1.

A rather impressive book has been released in conjunction with the exhibition as well.