Tactile surfaces and signifiers seen from the back. Lyle Ashton Harris (from 2000) in the Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility group show at the Guggenheim.

Turning away from the layered doubling of race and gender. Lorna Simpson (from 1990-1992) in the Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility group show at the Guggenheim.

Erased by Photoshop’s checkered transparency filter. Stephanie Syjuco (from 2017) in the Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility group show at the Guggenheim.

The obscuring anonymity of a red hoodie. John Edmonds (from 2016) in the Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility group show at the Guggenheim.

Split second multiple exposures capturing the swirling movement of a fencer’s blade. Georges Demeny (from 1906) in the second floor hallway at the Met.

A twisting geometric montage, featuring a slice of voyeuristic watching. Maurice Tabard (from 1929) in the second floor hallway at the Met.

Echoes of circles and rectangles, drifting into shadow. František Drtikol (from 1927) in the second floor hallway at the Met.

Hanging backyard laundry flattened into angled lines and light/dark contrasts. Paul Strand (from 1917) in the second floor hallway at the Met.

A three-part panorama of Esna (from 1850), layering the river, the banks, the palms, and a single minaret into a calmly sweeping view. Maxime Du Camp at the Met.

Cascading tendrils against a backdrop of burnished gold. Albarran Cabrera at Sous Les Eotiles Gallery.

Adding a dose of tiny figure romanticism to a Hudson River view. Andrew Moore at Yancey Richardson Gallery.

A burnished photographic still life of fig branches, walnuts, snails, and a single dragonfly. Paulette Tavormina at Winston Wächter Fine Art.

Pointing to “here” and “there” to define spatial relationships. Lee Kun-Yong (from 1975) in Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s at the Guggenheim.

Plaster sculptures made from the artist’s body cavities, which become flattened emptiness when photographed. Kim Youngjin (from 1978) in Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s at the Guggenheim.

Testing our sense of scale with rephotographed rulers. Sung Neung Kyung (from 1975) in Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s exhibit at the Guggenheim.

Cleverly matching video images of inclined water with performative movements. Park Hyunki (from 1979) in Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s exhibit at the Guggenheim.

Hanging drapery, crumpled plastic, and the faint disappearing smoke of a birthday candle. Frances Denny at CLAMP.

Invisible energy transferred from cinder block to lawn chair. Adam Ekberg at CLAMP.

Patti Smith in the warm basement glow of Subterranean Records. Danny Clinch at Jim Kempner Fine Art.

A penetrating stare surrounded by darkness. Man Ray (from 1930) in Seeing Is Believing: Lee Miller and Friends at Gagosian Gallery.