Fill your Easter break with the World’s best art. From London to New York, explore the hottest exhibitions on display this weekend.
David Ralph: Second Skin — Michael Reid, Berlin
Reflecting on how the built environment and the cities that we live in shape our identities, Australian Artist David Ralph’s exhibition at Michael Reid in Berlin is a must-see for all those interested in the psychology of architectural space. Ralph’s most recent works have a keen interest in the derelict buildings around Leipzig, where he lives and works, that have been reoccupied by artist communities.
The artist’s paintings are not just collective portraits of the art world’s thriving scene, however. They challenge the increasing cost of rent and studio costs in the western world — something all artists can relate to. An insightful exhibition by a little-known artist — a must-see if you are in Berlin.
Tacita Dean: Still Life — National Gallery, London; Portrait — National Portrait Gallery, London
Tacita Dean is one of the foremost artists of her generation. Her 2011 film installation ‘Film’ at the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, was seen by millions. In 2018, she returns to London with three exhibitions — two of which are currently on show this Easter weekend. The exhibitions as a trio explore the magic of film. The first, ‘Portrait' at the National Portrait Gallery focuses on the human side of Dean’s video work. The second, ‘Still Life’, at the National Gallery, examines the genres continuing importance even in the twenty-first century.
It’s not often you can see such a rich exploration of a leading living artist’s oeuvre. But in London this Easter weekend, you can access two-thirds of genius — with the other third, ‘Landscape,' appearing at the Royal Academy of Arts from 19 May.
Carmen Herrera: Lines of Sight — K20 Grabbeplatz, Dusseldorf
Featuring work spanning over seventy years, the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Dusseldorf exhibits the largest ever solo exhibition of the American-Cuban artist Carmen Herrera. Herrera is one of the masters of geometric abstraction. Despite this, she was ignored by the art world until she was 89 years old — the artist is amazingly still practicing at 102 — which just goes to show that it’s never too late to make it as a contemporary artist. Herrera’s paintings are bold, powerful and radical, with clear cut lines and experimental compositional structures.
Lines of Sight is one of the most impressive exhibitions to hit Dusseldorf this year, but you’ll have to be quick as the exhibition closes on 8 April. If you didn’t need encouragement already, it is one more reason why you should go and see it over the Easter break.
Adrian Piper: A Synthesis of Intuitions, 1965-2016 —MoMA, Manhattan, New York
Exploring the potential of conceptual art, Adrian Piper has been challenging art, the world around us, and its social structures since the 1960s. This exhibition at MoMa Manhattan, opening March 31, looks back at the artist’s achievements over forty years. Taking up the entire sixth floor of the gallery, as well as the Marron Atrium, there are over 290 works on display. From the early works exploring LSD, to her later works challenging racial stereotypes, the exhibition explores some challenging themes in highly creative ways.
Though you won’t be able to see the exhibition until the very end of the Easter break, if you are in and around Manhattan, you can’t miss out on this large-scale retrospective of a hugely influential artist.
Slight Agitation 3/4: Gelitin — Fondazione, Milan
Like the Carmen Herrera exhibition in Dusseldorf, you’ll have to be quick if you want to see the subversive celebration of sculpture by the Austrian collective Gelitin. The exhibition, on until the 22 April, is titled ‘POKALYPSEA-APOKALYPSE-OKALYPSPEAP’ and addresses classical architectural tropes, subverting monumentality. Made up of three sculptures — an obelisk, an arch, and an amphitheatre — Gelitin’s liberating artistic approach invites people to interact with the artworks. Quite unlike most galleries, you are encouraged to sit and even smoke within the installations.
Known for their reinterpretation of totalitarian art, Gelitin are at the very forefront of radical artistic practices. This installation is as radical as any, offering an engaging sensory, physical experience. This exhibition, part three of four of the Slight Agitation series, is a must-visit if you are in and around Milan this Easter weekend.