Chris Jones' second exhibit with Marc Straus (299 Grand St., New York) runs May 4 to June 22, 2014. There will be an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 4.

Jones, from Britain, is a sculptor using books, magazines, atlases and encyclopedias as the basis for his works. These pieces deconstruct the original materials and then refashions them. These now oft-overlooked items are given new significance.

Jones has an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design.

Prabir Purkayastha's new collection of large black and white photos runs at Sundaram Tagore (547 West 27th St., New York) May 1 to May 31, 2014. There will be a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 1.

In these photos Purkayastha documents colonial architecture in Calcutta--now fading. The project has been eight yeas in the making. In 2006 the artist noted the slowly crumbling Parsi, Christian, Armenian, Jewis and Ango-Indian communities in the city. He was awestruck by the crumbling architecture associated with all these groups. The project grew to include British colonial architecture as well.

Purkayastha’s  2002 exhibition, Aksaha  received the Habitat Award for Best Photography Exhibition. This is just one of the awards he's been nominated for or received.

Joris Laarman Lab: Bits and Crafts runs May 1 to June 14, 2014 At Friedman Benda (515 W 26th St.,New York). There will be an opening 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1.

Laarman, a designer from Holland, creates experimental designs via cutting edge tools. The exhibit has four themes; Maker furniture; Micro Structures; Vortex; and Spirographic. Each theme is the result of extensive research, handcraft and cutting-edge fabrication.

Laarman graduated Cum Laude from Design Academy Eindhoven. His work is in collections such as  MoMa (NYC) and Centre Pompidou (Paris).

Tatjana Valsang's Light Paint runs at Galleri Anderson/Sandstrom (Aktrisgränd. 6, S-903 64, Umea) April 26 through May 23, 2014. There will be an opening from 1 to 4 p.M., Saturday April 26.

Here abstract works detail complicated interactions between composition, form and color. She paints wet on wet and thus colors mix and shapes appear within these colors while, at the same time, other shapes are obliterated. Her process is evident via the overlapping, translucent layers she uses.

Valsang lives and works in Wuppertal, Germany.

Shao Fan's Face to Face opens April 25, 2014 at Galerie Urs Meile (Rosenberghöhe 4 6004 Lucerne). There will be a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 25. This is Fan's first solo show in Lucerne. He is a native of Beijing.

His work does not reproduce real life models but creates out of his own inner world. He especially draws from nature and Chinese antiquities. His striking animal portraits show "kindred souls" looking at the viewer "as equals." One great compliment you can pay an artist is this; once you see their work you will always recognize their art. It may change in subject or form or even medium but they have something of them--something unique comes through. Fan is such an artist.

Jim Iserman's Paintings And Drawings runs April 26 to May 24, 2014 at Richard Telles Fine Art (7380 Beverley Blvd.,Los Angeles). There will be an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 26.

This new exhibit of Iserman's work includes a suite of drawings and six new paintings. The artist, therein, explores the "exhausted modes of expression" of modernism. This is art that employs mathematical codes.

Iserman has worked for over 30 years creating paintings, sculpture and installation.

Paci Contemporary (Brescia) showed pieces by Michal Macku at Impulse/Pulse Miami 2013.

Macku is a photographer but one who used experimental techniques to create "gellage." The term refers to gelatin and collage. Macku removes the emulsion of gelatin from photographic film and then transfers it to paper--giving new form to the image. The figure is cracked open, some hidden aspect revealed. The next part of his process involves glass which turns this liberated image into a sculpture.

It is truly fascinating work that straddles fine art photography and design.

Art Caitlin (London) showed work by David Smith, Steven Allan and Juno Calypso at Impulse/Pulse Miami 2013.

Art Caitlin supports emerging artists (indeed that is the purpose of the Impulse section at Pulse Art Fair) in the United Kingdom. They are responsible for the Caitlin Art Guide, a limited edition guide of profiles of emerging artists. The most recent guide launched at the London Art Fair, January, 2014.

La New Gallery (Madrid) showed work by Ruth Gomez.at Impulse/Pulse Miami 2013. This installation had to be videotaped. It is an installation that, though static, seemed to move.

You can find out more about Gomez and see a list of HERE.

Luz Blanco's Eden-The End opens May 15, 2014 at Sanatorium (Asmalı Mescit Mah. Asmalı Mescit Cad.
No:32/A Beyoğlu İstanbul). There will be an opening at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15.

This is Blanco's second exhibition with the gallery. Her work seems like a randon circulation through fragmented images taken from movie and documentary images. Drawings are recreated from photographs and these pieces are shown as works in progress.

Blanco, a French/Spanish artist lives in Istanbul and is a graduate of Duperré Arts School (Paris). She has wored in photography and video.