Fall Stars: Visual Arts
''Variations on a Theme by Sol LeWitt and Paula Robison" and ''Quantum Grids: Sol LeWitt, Yayoi Kusama, and Cai Guo-Qiang": Minimalist master LeWitt shows twice in the area. Mozart serves as inspiration for a LeWitt wall drawing in ''Variations on a Theme," and Robison will play the flute at random moments throughout the show. In ''Quantum Grids," LeWitt's 1978-79 ''Four-Part Geometric Structure" appears in tandem with grid-based works by two less-than-minimalist artists. ''Variations" at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Sept. 23-Nov. 21. 617-566-1401. www.gardnermuseum.org; ''Quantum Grids" at the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, 617-495-9400. www.artmuseums.harvard.edu.
''Thomas Hirschhorn: Utopia, Utopia = One World, One War, One Army, One Dress" and ''Jessica Stockholder: Rawhide Harangue of Aching Indices as Told by Light": Using camouflage as battle gear and fashion statement, Hirschhorn explores war, media, and style in his show. Stockholder is known to meld boundaries between painting, sculpture, and architecture as she transforms space. ''Utopia" at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Sept. 21-Jan. 16, 2006. 617-266-5152. www.icaboston.org. ''Rawhide" at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Sept. 15 through Oct. 21. 617-267-6100. www.smfa.edu.
''Zhang Huan: Seeds of Hamburg": Zhang Huan is recognized for his ritualistic performance art that can take the endurance of a triathlete and the patience of a saint. In 2002, he coated his body with honey and birdseed, then sat in a cage with 28 doves. Photos documenting the work, and music by Wang Gutong that accompanied the performance, will evoke the event. Huan will be in town for a live performance on Monday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. At the Museum of Fine Arts, Sept. 17-Nov. 13. 617-267-9300. www.mfa.org.
''Taj Mahal: The Building of a Legend": In 1630, a love affair ended when Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's wife of 18 years died giving birth to their 14th child. In her memory, he built the Taj Mahal as her mausoleum. Learn more about the architectural wonder's history and mystique, and view a contemporary riff on the subject with Calcutta-born artist Rina Banerjee's installation ''Take me, Take me, Take me. . . to the Palace of Love." At the Peabody Essex Museum, Oct. 15- July 23, 2006. 866-745-1876. www.pem.org.
''Edgar Degas: Six Friends at Dieppe": If ''Degas at Harvard" merely whetted your appetite for work by the great Impressionist, here's more. This show homes in on the artist's portraits, specifically of six male friends he summered with over several years, including ''Carmen" librettist Ludovic Halevy and British painter Walter Sickert. The show features 50 paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and books. At Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Sept. 17-Jan. 15. 401-454-6500. www.risd.edu/museum.
