Top five art shows this fall in Boston

“This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s” at the Institute of Contemporary Art
This multimedia exhibition captures the political and aesthetic urgency of the 1980s. Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the collected works are divided into four sections: “The End is Near” features discourses on the end of painting, the end of the counterculture and the end of history. “Democracy” deals in street art, burgeoning mass media, the rise of Central American artists and artists of color, and the commitment to political statements. “Gender Trouble” discusses the implications of the women’s movement of the 1970s, while “Desire and Longing” deals in themes of queer visibility and the AIDS crisis. Nov 16, 2012–March 3, 2013. Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Waterfront, Boston (icaboston.org)

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“Mario Testino: In Your Face” at the Museum of Fine Art
A glimmering career retrospective from the Peruvian fashion photographer known for his fashion photography and portraits of the beautiful people. One of the world’s most celebrated men behind the lens, Testino is a regular contributor to fashion mags Vogue, Vanity Fair and V. He’s also shot campaigns for Versace and Valentino, as well as plenty of big-name fashion houses that don’t start with V (Gucci, Burberry and Dolce & Gabana, for example). His images capture the elusive world of high fashion, mass media and celebrity, emphasizing his enormous influence in the industry. Oct 21, 2012–Feb 3, 2013. Museum of Fine Art, 465 Huntington Ave, Mission Hill, Boston (617-369-9300, mfa.org)

“Elsewhere” at the Distillery Gallery
Curated by gallery fixture Liz Devlin of art blog FLUX.Boston, this show features site-specific installations, sculptures and works on paper and canvas created by a variety of local talent. The underlying theme is the re-imagination of the idea of surreal and realistic space—exploring possibilities and encouraging discovery. Sept 20–Oct 26, 2012. Distillery Gallery, 516 E 2nd St, South Boston (gallery.distilleryboston.com)

“Raqs Media Collective: The Great Bare Mat & Constellation” at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The new wing at the Gardner Museum hosts two installations: The Great Bare Mat takes its inspiration from two Han bronze bears in the museum’s collection that traditionally weighed down mats on which debaters would sit and argue philosophical points. For the exhibition, a Bulgarian carpet expertly woven in the constellation of the Great Bear sits at the feet of a two-fold Japanese screen. The second installation is a silent, looped video projection that transforms many photographs and film stills projected onto an adjacent gallery wall that features a luminous array of shiny metal surfaces. Sept 20, 2012–Jan 7, 2013. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 280 The Fenway, Mission Hill, Boston (gardnermuseum.org)

Circa 1963 at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
The Le Corbusier-designed Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts celebrates its 50th year with an exhibition of iconic works from the early to mid-1960s. Drawing on diverse media, circa 1963 presents works contemporary to the building’s first years, including pieces from artists who were associated with the Center in its formative years. Curated by David Rodowick, director of the Carpenter Center, the show includes work by Josef Albers, Albert Alcalay, Eduardo Chillida, Dmitri Hadzi, György Kepes, Sol LeWitt, Roy Lichtenstein, Morris Louis, Yoko Ono, Bridget Riley, Ben Shahn, Aaron Siskindand and George Sugarman. Aug 30–Oct 7. Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, 24 Quincy Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (617-495-3251, ves.fas.harvard.edu/ccva.html)

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