2024 - Issue 97
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention last week. Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter to find out what didn’t make the cut.
“Discoveries” shows are such a treat: a curated short list of highly skilled works from artists that are either still studying, classified as “emerging” or have somehow managed to float under the radar for far too long. The latest exhibition showcases four wildly different practices that incorporate fabric, film, latex, photo manipulation and yes, even paint. Are these future art stars? Go have a look and let me know what you think.
Featuring:
Adrian Ramos (@adrianramosartist)
Constanza Pulit (@constanzapulit)
KV Duong (@kvduongart)
Nicole Morris (@nicole_e_morris)
‘Discoveries V’ at Fiumano Clase (@fiumanoclase) until 02 Mar
This is a show where you expect to see problematic, racist works, because they’ll contextualise the contemporary works that were inspired by or reacting to them. However, they just kept popping up long after the point has been made, and there are some odd inclusions, like the “Royal Academy Selection and Hanging Committee 1938” (all male, all white, and we didn’t need a giant painting to tell us that) and, for reasons not listed, the Somerset House floorplan. There’s so many confusing, unnecessary inclusions that the show often feels like a non-apology apology about the RA’s colonial connections (“…and here’s another problematic work that our curators quite liked.”). Thankfully the scales tip once you get to the Kara Walker room (aka ‘Beauty & Difference’) and then the show gets quite good. In fact, it only gets better although the final three rooms, which are devoid of any historical works, haven’t really been filled with much else. You could argue they’ve gone sparse because of the strength of the art. Or maybe the RA still needs to appoint more non-white artists.
‘Entangled Pasts’ at Royal Academy of Arts (@royalacademyarts) until 28 Apr
Adults £22 / Discounts available / Under 16s Free
I was incredibly moved by these works. The solemn poses, frequently with eyes closed, remind me of death masks. Maybe that’s just the oppression of having to be re-drawn so many times… up to 50!… that weighed on the sitters? Auerbach worked and reworked and erased and drew and erased and redrew these portraits so many times that the papers often ripped and had to be patched, adding a layered Frankenstein effect. Up close you can practically feel the pressure of Auerbach’s hand pushing charcoal into paper. Unlike his thickly layered oil paintings these are totally flat but the images have such depth they look almost sculptural.
‘The Charcoal Heads’ at The Courtauld Gallery (@courtauld) until 27 May
Adults £14 / Discounts available / 18 and under Free
A rare opportunity to explore the early career of Yoko Ono (@yokoono), a hugely influential conceptual artist whose impact was often hidden in the shadows of her more famous Beatle husband. The few late career installations feel a bit twee, and certainly don’t have the edginess of her 60s era, but I suspect audiences will love them for their interactive aspects, something Ono was championing since the beginning. In fact, much of this show enables and encourages visitor engagement. Bring a friend, I imagine this will be a more enjoyable show if you come together.
‘Music of the Mind’ at Tate Modern (@tate) until 01 Sept
Adults £22 / Discounts available / Under 12s Free
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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