Mary NguyenLondon,
When we put on a brand new pair of shoes “we have pleasure, but suffer a little bit of pain” says Victoria and Albert Museum (V & A) curator Helen Persson on the opening of her unique exhibition, Pleasure and ...
With the overwhelming format reined in this year, visitors can appreciate a wonderful snapshot of contemporary art.
Frances WilsonLondon,
It’s hard to be dispassionate about the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. Now in its 247th year, the exhibition has been held annually, without interruption, since 1769, the year after King George III founded the Royal Academy Schools in ...
This striking collection of modern work presents new aspects of Chinese artists’ humanity and sensibility.
Emily S. MendelSan Francisco,
Mera and Don Rubell, prominent art patrons of the Rubell Family Collection in Miami, visited China six times in the last ten years, looking for the best in Chinese contemporary art. Works by 28 of the talented artists they discovered ...
Michael McDonaghNew York,
We think we know what things are about when we see them. Sure, they are what they are, but how could they not be, and if things were only that we wouldn't need art, and our latest phony "deep" buzz ...
Exhibition of portraits and paintings of urban life
Nancy S. BishopChicago,
Archibald Motley Jr. was not your average African-American male in 1914. The man who became a world-renowned artist and contributor to the Harlem Renaissance was the son of a Pullman porter and the daughter of a former slave. But in ...
This unique show cleverly questions the notion of luxury today, challenging common interpretations.
Frances WilsonLondon,
A thought-provoking new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum poses the question “What Is Luxury?” and challenges our traditional notions and definitions of luxury. If you are expecting Louis Vuitton handbags, de Beers diamonds or Patek Philippe watches, you ...
Mary NguyenLondon,
In our beloved V&A museum, there’s a glowing neon sign overseeing the balcony of the entrance lobby that spells out the words "All of This Belongs to You." Its artist Ugo Rondinone uses bold, white lights to attract our attention ...
This new show gives monarchy watchers an opportunity to peek at the royals and also learn about how they developed their stately gardens.
Nicholas MarloweLondon,
Among the highlights of Henry VIII's library was a book called "Ruralia Commonia," which is generally considered the world's first "how to" gardening manual. Written in Latin around 1304 by a Bolognese lawyer, Petrus de Crescentiis, it contains practical advice ...
The frustrations and ultimate triumphs of the painter's life are evident in this small but ambitious show.
Nicholas MarloweLondon,
Before last week, I knew the work of Californian artist Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993) only secondhand and had never actually stood in front of one of his paintings. Compared to the giants of the New York school, the San Francisco Bay ...
Using high-tech research, this small but detail-rich exhibition reveals the artist's unusual methods and techniques.
Frances WilsonLondon,
In Britain Sir Joshua Reynolds is regarded as something of a national treasure. The first president of the Royal Academy of Arts, his statue greets you on arriving at the art school and gallery he founded. In his day, he ...
