Modern and contemporary art is always the perfect opportunity to broaden our horizons, to question our open minds and preconceptions, and of course, it’s also perfect for inspiring new ideas and creative approaches. Whether you’re an artist, an art lover or simply interested in the world and its diverse artistic expressions, there are countless galleries waiting to be explored. We recommend just a few of the most interesting ones.
Sarah Sze is known for blurring the boundaries between media, including painting, sculpture, sound, print, video and even architecture. Her exhibition “Timelapse” presents site-specific installations inside the Frank Lloyd Wright building at the Guggenheim in New York and even outside the museum’s walls. The exhibition also features two key works from the museum’s collection: Untitled (Media Lab) and The Timekeeper. Through the installation, Sze aims to offer a reflection on how we mark time and how time marks us, presenting time as a collection of lived and remembered experiences. The exhibition is curated by Kyung An, Asian Art.
2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s death at the age of 91. To pay tribute to his unparalleled work and contribution to art, a series of celebrations and exhibitions will be held in Spain this year, with exhibitions not only showcasing his most iconic works but also exploring the factors that contributed to his extraordinary success. One of the most interesting events to highlight Picasso’s legacy is the exhibition Picasso and El Greco at the Prado in Madrid. The exhibition, curated by Carmen Giménez, will showcase works by the Andalusian artist alongside paintings by El Greco, a Renaissance painter known for his religious works such as The Stripping of Christ and The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, and of course a huge influence on Picasso. The exhibition is on until 17 September.
In Bilbao, at the Guggenheim Museum, until 8 October, the exhibition Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to the present covers the 94-year-old Japanese artist’s entire career, from her first drawings as a teenager, near the end of the Second World War, to her latest series of paintings, Every Day I Pray for Love. The exhibition includes around 200 works and is full of the artist’s famous polka-dot, pumpkin motifs, and mirror installations. The exhibition explores six recurring themes in Kusama’s life, which the artist defines as “Infinity”, “Accumulation”, “Radical Interconnection”, “Biocosmic”, “Death” and “The Power of Life”.
Known for his vibrant and colourful paintings, the British artist David Hockney is one of the most innovative post-war artists, working in various media for over 60 years, including graphic design, photography, and stage design, in addition to painting. He is known for his depictions of the California landscape, portraits of friends and his artistic use of new technologies such as the iPad. The British artist’s most comprehensive solo exhibition in Asia to date is on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo until 5 November. The exhibition features more than 100 selected works, ranging from Hockney’s early works from California in the 1960s to recent large-scale paintings of landscapes from his native Yorkshire.
The MET’s Cecily Brown exhibition is also a must-see when visiting New York. The British painter is known for her vibrant and sensual abstract works, which mix elements of figuration and abstraction. Her paintings often depict fragmented and distorted figures, landscapes, and objects, layered with gestural brushstrokes and rich colours. Brown’s work is influenced by a variety of sources, including art history, literature, and popular culture, and often explores themes of sexuality, desire, and the body. Her dynamic and expressive style has earned her critical acclaim and a prominent place in the world of contemporary art. The exhibition Death and the Maid is on view until 3 December.