What’s Happening: The late pop art grand master’s former studio and home has reopened its doors on his centenary as living and learning quarters for the art world’s rising stars, care of a thoughtful overhaul by Johnston Marklee.

The Download: Some may have been aghast when the Whitney Museum proudly threw open the doors to a “full renovation” of Roy Lichtenstein’s former studio and home in the West Village. The museum acquired the space last year—a donation from the late artist’s namesake foundation, created and presided over by his widow, the philanthropist Dorothy—to house its Independent Study Program (ISP). But Roy, who once led seminars for the program, “wouldn’t have wanted” the space to be enshrined as an unchanging landmark, Dorothy told the New York Times at last week’s opening preview of the space. It is, however, a landmark, and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission approved its refit in 2022.

Thanks to Johnston Marklee, it now resembles the most idealized version of the vaguely industrial studios where the art school cohort ask their brains to make sense of space, color, and symbolism; where they develop the muscle memory for the craft that, with dedication and a good stroke of luck, will become their livelihood. Its century-old pine floors remain intact, and warm West Village sunlight bounces around its white-washed walls. Not yet paint-stained porcelain sinks gleam from within a cavernous inner chamber housing 15 standalone plywood studios for study, creation, and exhibition.

Living space can host international fellows whose induction to the program requires them to uproot their lives and relocate to New York City. A landscaped rooftop garden hosts Lichtenstein’s Garden Brushstroke—a thought to warm the soul and stoke a touch of envy within anyone who has pulled all-nighters to literally watch paint dry in dank and frigid university art studios.

The facilities and resources afforded to Whitney ISP fellows is extensive, and maybe even unprecedented with the addition of the Lichtenstein studio, but it’s for good reason. While many, even art-world insiders, don’t know more than a few passing details about the program, its alumni have shaped contemporary American art as we know it. Just a handful among them include artists LaToya Ruby Frazier, Jenny Holzer, and Julian Schnabel, critic Roberta Smith, curator Naomi Beckwith, and more who have—and, with future classes, will—go on to shape how the world sees, engages with, and understands American art.

In Their Own Words: According to ISP director Gregg Bordowitz, finally having a permanent home for the program and its fellows is more crucial than ever as boundaries between curators, artists, and critics blur to the point of all but disappearing. “Increasing numbers of creators are trans-disciplinary—their multiple activities move across traditional specializations,” he told Surface. “Emergent practices and forms, including new digital platforms, now arise. The curriculum of study now required proceeds from questions rather than answers. The question has priority over the answer. What constitutes theory now? What constitutes criticality now?”

Surface Says: “Back to school” has never looked this good.

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The 2023 edition of the Art Dealers Association of America’s Art Show coincides with the 130th anniversary of the Henry Street Settlement, the 35-year-old event’s philanthropic partner. This year’s outing brings a strong presence of 78 member galleries, including ADAA newcomers like Perrotin and Ortuzar Projects. Highlights include a showcase of Sheila Hicks’ new works by Sikkema Jenkins & Co. and Castelli Gallery’s exhibition of paintings, sculpture, and collages by Roy Lichtenstein, and Eric Firestone’s tribute to boundary-breaking exhibitions of African American art through the works of Ellsworth Ausby, Joe Overstreet, Anderson Pigatt, Thomas Sills, and Paul Waters.

Paris’s historic Faubourg-Montmartre neighborhood has seen a boutique hotel renaissance in recent years with the opening of the Walled Off Hotel (a recreation of Banksy’s art-driven property in Israel) and the stylish art deco Monsieur Cadet. Now comes La Fantaisie, a whimsical gem that stands as a tribute to its location on Rue Cadet, named for the master 16th-century gardeners Jacques and Jean Cadet.

The interiors, crafted by celebrated Swedish designer Martin Brudnizki, offer a serene escape from the city’s pulsating energy. Each of the 63 rooms and 10 suites captures the essence of nature, adorned with a delicate palette of soft greens, warm yellows, and hints of coral. Floral wallpapers, lavish headboards, and ornate details offer up signature Brudnizki maximalism packaged in a serene wrapping. (The minibar’s high-vibe holistic health treats amplify that feeling with Cosmic Dealer’s vegan chocolate, ayurvedic tongue cleaners, être’s CBD tinctures, and L’Officine Botanique’s sleep elixir).

Marking her triumphant return to Paris, renowned chef Dominique Crenn’s zero-waste restaurant, Golden Poppy, showcases her California spirit with dishes like banana pancakes with caviar and line-caught sea bass ceviche. But plan ahead: The 9th arrondissement’s discerning epicureans have already set up shop at the rooftop bar and clamor for a spot at the sun-drenched brasserie for breakfast come morning.

Perched on a quiet residential street in Queens is a swooping building that carries the legacy of America’s most enduring Black popular music icon. The newly opened Louis Armstrong Center is a vibrant hub housing the late jazz musician’s 60,000-piece archive as well as a 75-seat venue and community educational facilities.

Local firm Caples Jefferson Architects conceived the 4,000-square-foot building to seamlessly blend with Corona’s scale of modest two-story houses—it’s located next to Armstrong’s own home and garden—while shining as a cultural beacon at night. “We wanted to keep the building in the scale of its surroundings while creating an urban precinct that notes the singular work of the man whose music underlies so much of what we listen to today,” say architects Sara Caples and Everardo Jefferson. “The center simultaneously fits in and stands out—a paradox reflecting Armstrong’s life and work.”

In October, interior designer Brigette Romanek hosted a cocktail party at her recently finished L.A. home to celebrate the launch of Livable Luxe, her debut book. Nearly 200 esteemed guests from across the cultural and creative spheres gathered for the occasion, which was catered by local haunt Jon & Vinny’s and included the restaurant’s crowd-favorite stone-fired pizza. Guests also enjoyed specialty drinks crafted by mixologists from Cocktail Academy, who used Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Tequila Don Julio.

When was it? Oct. 17

Where was it? Brigette Romanek’s private home, Los Angeles

Who was there? Santigold, Gia Coppola, Honor Titus, Lupita Nyong’o, Kelly Rowland, Law Roach, Jessica Alba, Anita Ko, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Elaine Welteroth, Giampiero Tagliaferri, Yuka Izutsu, and more.

When: Until Jan. 27

Where: Chelsea, New York

What: It’s a daunting task to survey eight decades of women artists’ contributions to art history, but Cecilia Alemani, chief curator of the High Line and the Venice Biennale’s 59th International Art Exhibition, has done precisely that in “Making Their Mark.” The exhibition showcases works from an astounding lineup of more than 80 major artists from the past 80 years, both historic and contemporary. From the works of such artists as Judy Chicago, Julie Mehretu, Anicka Yi, Sheila Hicks, Emma Amos (work pictured), and more, commonalities like historical impact and significant breakthroughs in artists’ practices and overall careers emerge to link the intergenerational roster.

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Matthew Fisher’s practice ranges from one-of-a-kind art objects to editioned productions and celebrates the union between heritage, natural materials, and refined craftsmanship.

Surface Says: The trained eye can see the depth of anthropological study that lies beneath the surface of Fisher’s coterie of functional and collectible objects, but anyone can appreciate their sleek form and masterfully sculpted stone construction.

Paleontologists locate 337-million-year-old shark fossils in a Kentucky park.

ChatGPT induced some missteps in this rendition of Artificial Flavors.

Keith Houston shares five insights from his new book about pocket calculators.

California has its very own museum of scent headed by perfumier Mandy Aftel.