For those who missed this year's Upstate Art Weekend, there's no need to worry. Summer is in full swing in the Hudson Valley, offering a rich selection of exhibitions throughout August. Whether you're a local or just passing through, you'll find a variety of art shows to explore and enjoy.

For those in a rush, check out our not-to-miss highlights:

• • Contemporary Art: Until 2025, Steve McQueen has transformed Dia Beacon with an immersive installation to celebrate their 50th birthday! | Nina Chanel Abney’s exhibition 'Lie Doggo' at Jack Shainman Gallery explores themes of oppression with cubist-inspired works. | The group exhibition 'Symbolic Convergence' at Front Room Gallery showcases innovative uses of symbolism and collage, featuring artists: Ken Butler, Linda Ganjian, and Melissa Murray.
  • Sculpture: 'Arlene Shechet: Girl Group' at Storm King Art Center, featuring six new monumental colourful sculptures | Storm King's permanent outdoor collection includes must-see works by Alexander Calder and Lynda Benglis. | At Opus40, the exhibition 'Bound Rocks and Functional Women' features the playful, thematic works of Jared Handelsman and Portia Munson.
  • Experimental Techniques: At Franc Palaia’s solo exhibition, 'Urban Cuba - Cuba Urbano' enjoy his non-traditional approach to manipulating materials to create unique three-dimensional photographic sculptures.

Dia Beacon is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the stunning exhibition 'Steve McQueen', on view until April 2025. The show features McQueen's immersive installation 'Bass', which transforms the 30,000-square-foot gallery space. The installation includes sixty ceiling-mounted light boxes that gradually change colours, accompanied by a resonant soundtrack of bass instruments. This engaging experience is a must-see.

Just a short drive away, Changolife Arts Gallery at the Ethan Cohen KuBe Art Center is showcasing Franc Palaia's solo exhibition 'Urban Cuba - Cuba Urbano', running through 31 August 2024. Palaia's work combines layered murals and photographic sculptures, capturing the raw, rebellious energy of Havana's street art scene, inspired by his travels to Cuba.

Storm King Art Center is currently featuring 'Arlene Shechet: Girl Group', an exhibition running until 10 November 2024. This showcase includes six new monumental sculptures in metal, inspired by Shechet's earlier ceramic works from her 'Together' series, created during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series, which emphasises geometry, colour, and form, is complemented by a variety of public programmes, including an outdoor performance in collaboration with the artist. The expansive grounds of Storm King Art Center offer the perfect setting for a day of hiking or biking, and the permanent collection includes iconic works by artists like Alexander Calder and Lynda Benglis.

At the Jack Shainman Gallery, Nina Chanel Abney's solo exhibition 'Lie Doggo' is on display until 5 October 2024. The exhibition explores themes of oppression, including colonialism and homophobia, through the artist's distinctive geometric figures in collages, site-specific murals, and large-scale sculptures. The title 'Lie Doggo', meaning to remain inconspicuous, reflects a call to action amidst these challenging themes.

The Front Room Gallery presents the group exhibition 'Symbolic Convergence', running through 1 September 2024. This exhibition features works that embrace symbolism and collage, including Ken Butler’s 'Hip Bone Saz' (2005), which merges a guitar-like instrument with an animal pelvis bone. Linda Ganjian’s mixed media pieces, such as 'Queen of Darkness' (2024), combine ink, watercolour, and origami paper to create sci-fi inspired designs. Melissa Murray's 'Before You Learned to Harness The Stars' (2022) showcases butterflies and strawberries floating in a cosmic landscape.

Finally, Opus40 in Saugerties hosts 'Bound Rocks and Functional Women', an exhibition featuring Jared Handelsman and Portia Munson, on view until 11 August 2024. Munson’s 'Functional Women Drawings' series explores playful themes, as seen in pieces like 'Into Her Head', a drawing of a porcelain cup with a female face. Handelsman complements these works with his silver emulsion photograms and sculptures, such as 'Rope' and 'Bolt Cutter', which explore calligraphic shadows and forms.