Worldbuilding and building better worlds — these are idealistic notions that can become indulgences in the art world. But, to paraphrase Hyperalleric’s Editor-in-Chief, Hrag Vartanian, in his review of artist Saya Woolfalk’s current survey, when executed well, they can be powerful. All of the artists below have endeavored to build ethical worlds and improve our own. While Woolfalk’s futuristic installations and hybrid creatures toy with the concept of hyperreality, Umber Majeed merges the analog world of the past with forward-facing technologies. On the other hand, Ben Shahn spent his career collaborating and organizing with others to create a world that is more just for all, and for almost half a century, Magali Lara has championed feminism and carved out a space for women in Mexico’s art world and beyond. —Natalie Haddad, Reviews EditorMagali Lara: Stitched to the BodyInstitute for Studies on Latin American Art, 142 Franklin Street, Tribeca, ManhattanThrough August 16Magali Lara, “Y entonces escuché el fuego” (1990) (photo Natalie Haddad/Hyperallergic)“Lara’s sinuous trees, in sync with a mosaic of blue and indigo brushstrokes, are not overtaken by the elements but rather move with them; their roots and branches seemingly shape the world around them through sheer psychical force.” —NHRead the full review.Saya Woolfalk: Empathic UniverseMuseum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, Columbus Circle, ManhattanThrough September 7Saya Woolfalk, “Utopia Conjuring Chamber, Greene County, New York, circa 2012” (2012) (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)“In her aesthetic universe, the artwork moves beyond realism to a more psychological state of being, and she mines pop culture and historical allusions at every turn.” —Hrag VartanianRead the full review.Ben Shahn, On NonconformityJewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, ManhattanThrough October 12Ben Shahn, assisted by John Ormai, “Harvesting Wheat [study for the west wall of The Meaning of Social Security mural, Washington, DC]” (1941), buon fresco on wallboard (photo Isabella Segalovich/Hyperallergic)“If we are to learn from his work — as well we should — we must understand that ‘nonconformity’ is not, and cannot be, a solo venture.” —Isabella SegalovichRead the full review.Umber Majeed: J😊y TechQueens Museum, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, QueensThrough January 18, 2026Installation view of Umber Majeed, “WE CAN FIX IT” (2025), ceramic, decal, and wood (photo Lisa Yin Zhang/Hyperallergic)“This one-room exhibition is one of the most technically inventive I’ve seen, and is a fresh and exciting excavation of the fertile physical/digital intersection between diasporic Asian and early internet aesthetics.” —Lisa Yin ZhangRead the full review.