Upper East Side Neighborhood Event Calendar: Jan. 15-21
Thursday, Jan. 15
ASL Tour | “Made in America”: Join the Cooper Hewitt for an American Sign Language tour of “Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne.” This exhibition brings together more than 70 large-format photographs captured by Christopher Payne over a decade-long photographic journey to learn more about the craft of both industrial and artisanal making in the United States. 5:30 p.m. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2 E. 91st St., New York, NY, 212-849-8400.
Friday, Jan. 16
Library Playdate: Children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers can visit the 58th Street Library for unstructured play. This is a great time for the librarian to get to know you and your little ones while the little ones also develop socialization and early literacy skills. 10:15 a.m. 58th Street Library, 127 E. 58th St., New York, NY, 212-759-7358.
Saturday, Jan. 17
Studio Workshop—Self-Portrait Painting: Learn techniques from teaching artist Jaqueline Cedar to create a self-portrait painting inspired by the work of Helene Schjerfbeck. Start the workshop with a tour of the Met exhibition “Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck” to understand the artist’s expressive use of color and abstraction. Then, return to the studio to work on a series of self-portrait studies and a final painting using acrylic paint. 1 p.m. Met Fifth Avenue, 1000 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 212-535-7710.
Sunday, Jan. 18
Laugh the Pain Away with Ken Jones: Step into the spotlight at Rodney’s Comedy Club, the new home of live standup at the legendary Dangerfield’s, America’s oldest comedy club. Celebrate standup comedy at this iconic venue where legends like Rodney Dangerfield, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jim Carrey once graced the stage. 8 p.m. Rodney’s, 1118 First Ave., New York, NY, 212-256-0961.
Monday, Jan. 19
Performance: Rotunda Stage: Experience weekly activations of Rashid Johnson’s Rotunda Stage, a platform installed on the Guggenheim’s rotunda floor. Positioned at the entrance to the exhibition, the stage will be activated through readings, spoken word and vocal performances in a dynamic series presented in collaboration with partners from across the city. 4 p.m. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 212-423-3500.
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Gayle Feldman reads from her new book, Nothing Random: At the midcentury, everyone knew Bennett Cerf, the panelist on “What’s My Line?,” who TV brought into America’s homes each week. But they didn’t know that the young man of the 1920s had vowed to become a great publisher and, a decade later, he’d signed Eugene O’Neill, Gertrude Stein, and William Faulkner, and had fought the landmark censorship case that gave Americans the freedom to read James Joyce’s Ulysses. Using interviews with more than 200 individuals, archival material, and letters from private collections, this book brings Cerf to life. 6 p.m. The Corner Bookstore, 1313 Madison Ave., at 93rd Street, New York, NY, 212-831-3554.
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Little Movers: Storytime: Join the NYPL with your toddler to share books, sing songs, and explore movement. 11 a.m. 96th Street Library, 112 E. 96th St., New York, NY, 212-289-0908.