ART

THE WORLD OUTSIDE An artist of Cuban-Dominican heritage, Quisqueya Henriquez is given her first major survey, at the Bronx Museum, with a selection of sculptures, installations, drawings, photographs, videos, and light/sound works. The artist’s pieces frequently explore themes such as environment and its role in how cultural clichés are produced. This exhibit collects art works created between 1991 and 2007. Ms. Henriquez aligns herself with an avant-garde group of Cuban artists that rose to prominence in the 1980s. Through Sunday, January27, Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, 718-681-6000, $5 general, $3 students and seniors.

CONNECT THE DOTS “Prakriti” is the intriguing title of the latest work by artist Anil Revri. Mr. Revri’s geometric abstractions employ a variety of dotted, curved, and slanted lines that create an illusion of three-dimensional space. Mr. Revri uses an abstract language of serialized stripes, dots, and circles to replicate the meditative aspects of Middle Eastern arts. The Sundaram Tagore Gallery is noted for its commitment to developing artists that engage in the current social dialogue of this increasingly globalized world. Through Saturday, October 13, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, 547 W. 27th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-677-4520, free.

ABSTRACT THOUGHTS “The Abstract Impulse,” an exhibit that celebrates 50 years of abstract art, is presented by the National Academy Museum. The show includes a variety of works (dating from 1956 to 2006) from its permanent collection, and explores the impact of abstract art over the last half century and its continuing relevance today. Also on view is the work of American landscape artist Asher B. Durand. Through Sunday, January 6, Wednesday and Thursday, noon–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-369-4880, $5 general, free for students.

DANCE

BRICK TO BRICK Choreographer George Hirsch and his collaborator, Carla Rey, present the world premiere of “De Urbo Cotile” or “Of the Brick City,” a site-specific dance work, which unfolds in six scenes along a pathway through the Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition gallery. The new work is set to the music of Estonian composer Arvo Part as well as live, original music by composer John Patrick Hederman. The dance performance is held among the historic brick warehouses along the Red Hook Piers. Sunday, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, 499 Van Brunt St., Red Hook, Brooklyn, 718-596-2507, free.

BOLLYWOOD IN BRYANT PARK “India at the Park” is presented by the Incredible India at 60! campaign. The event brings Indian music, dancing, and fashion to Bryant Park. For two days, the park is in full bloom with displays and demonstrations of Indian handicrafts. During “Bollywood Live,” at 5 p.m., contemporary and traditional folk dances and live music performances are also featured. A fashion show featuring pieces by designer Ritu Kumar tops off the cultural experience. Today and Tomorrow, noon–9 p.m., Bryant Park, 42nd Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, free. For complete information, go to indiaat60. in.

DESIGN

MAKING AN ENTRANCE The New York School of Interior Design presents the opening of “Making an Entrance: Design Philosophy and the Entry in Western Architecture.” The exhibit explores the history and evolution of the entryway in architecture. Particular attention is paid to the classical tradition and the ways in which the modern movement produced a practice of building entrances that embodied both a literal structure and a metaphorical divide between the outside world and the interior of an architectural composition. The director of the NYSID library, Eric Wolf, is curator of the show. Tonight through Friday, December 21, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., 212-472-1500, New York School of Interior Design, 170 E. 70th St., between Lexington and Third avenues, free.

PAINTINGS

SOUL KNOCKING For the past 30 years, painter Duncan Hannah has consistently focused in his work on English scenes that explore life in the country during the transition between the two world wars. In his latest exhibit, “Wanderlust,” presented at James Graham & Sons, Mr. Hannah visits the world of England beyond World War II, depicting scenes from the 1960s, including portraits of children at play and movie starlets. Selections from the exhibit include “The Shipwreck Boys in St. Agnes Bay” (2007), above. Through Saturday, October 6, Tuesday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., James Graham & Sons, 1014 Madison Ave. at 78th Street, 212-535-5767, free.

READINGS

MUSIC AND NO LYRICS The author of “The Dive from Clausen’s Pier” (Knopf ), Ann Packer, reads from and discusses her sophomore novel. In “Songs Without Words,” (Knopf ), Ms. Packer presents a meditation on the place of friendship in women’s lives. After her mother’s suicide, Sarabeth’s childhood friendship with 16-year-old Liz deepens. Now, the two women are in their 40s and living in the San Francisco area. A responsible mother of two, Liz has come to see eccentric, bohemian, and promiscuous Sarabeth as more like another child than as mutually supportive friend. The two women struggle to preserve their relationship when Liz’s teenage daughter is plunged into a crisis. Tonight, 7 p.m., Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway at 12th Street, 212-473-1452, free.

TALKS

WORLD CHATTER Although the big news at Columbia University is the talk this afternoon with the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the rest of the university’s current World Leaders Forum proceeds with insightful, less controversial, world leaders. Founded in 2003, the forum was created to establish the university as a center for public debate on global culture, economics, and politics. The series begins this morning with a talk by the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, at 9 a.m. (the Italian Academy, 1161 Amsterdam Ave. at 117th Street), and another by the president of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika, at10a.m.(Low Memorial Library,116th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). Mr. Ahmadinejad gives a talk at 1:30; the site is closed to the public. The president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, gives a lecture at 6:30 p.m. (Low Memorial Library, 116th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). Today, various security restrictions are in effect; pre-registration is advised for talks. For complete information and to register, go to worldleaders. columbia.edu.

GLAMOROUS LIFE The Museum at FIT presents a discussion of its ongoing exhibit “Luxury.” An associate research curator at the museum, Tamsen Schwartzman, leads a talk on the varied meanings of luxury through the lens of fashion as it is represented in this exhibit, from couture gowns to fashion accessories dating from the 18th century through the current day. Ms. Schwartzman explores an analytical approach to the meaning of luxury and its place both politically and historically within the context of fashion. Tomorrow, 6 p.m., exhibit through Saturday, November 10, the Museum at FIT, Fashion and Textile History Gallery, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street, 212-217-5800, free.

FIND YOURSELF The Museum of the City of New York presents “Abigail Pogrebin and Letty Cottin Pogrebin: The Challenges of Passing on Jewish Identity.” The two authors, who are also daughter and mother, discuss what it means to be Jewish, and the difficulties of chronicling the Jewish identity in literature. Ms. Cottin Pogrebin is a co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and an advocate of Jewish-feminist causes. Her daughter, Abigail, is a journalist and the author of “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish” (Broadway). Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m., Museum of the City of New York,1220 Fifth Ave. at 103rd Street, 212-534-1672, $9 general, $5 museum members, seniors, and students, reservations required.

THEATER

DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE When John Keane’s sexually charged “Sive” was first performed in 1959, his tale of a young schoolgirl forced into an arranged marriage with a lecherous old man proved scandalous to theatergoers. This revival, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly at the Irish Repertory Theatre, delivers a glimpse of 1950s rural Ireland and a landscape inhabited by with traveling tinkers, bitter housewives and scheming matchmakers. Through Sunday, November 11, Tuesday-Saturday, 8 p.m., Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 W. 22nd St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-727-2737, $60, $55.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.