By Pamela Reynolds

Each year after the festive holiday season winds down, we are left to tackle a series of dreary winter tasks that begin with taking down the mistletoe and end with sending off tax forms. We console ourselves with winter’s brighter side — going skiing and not breaking a leg, finding an already-shoveled parking space, drinking way too much hot chocolate and binging on Netflix while feeling justified about it. And there’s one more silver lining under those gray skies — this winter in Boston, there are a plethora of worthy art exhibits on tap that will give us something to look forward to beyond a 60-degree day.

From Tschabalala Self’s colorful recreations of the black female form at the ICA to the opening of the MAAM, Boston’s newest contemporary art museum, here are a few winter exhibits that have me looking on the bright side.