Art Exhibitions To Look Out For In June

UK

PORTRAITS OF LIVES PAST

From 10 June, the IKON Gallery in Birmingham presents two series of spray-painted portraits from late Australian artist, Sidney Nolan. The 1982 collection sees Nolan produce portraits of those who were significant in his life, including his brother who was tragically killed in the Second World War. The second, from 1987, was created during investigations into the frequent deaths of aboriginals while they were being held in Australian prisons, and it features several aboriginal subjects whose haunting portraits have a phantom-like quality.

Italy

CURTAIN CALL

After Liang Yuanwei represented China in the 54th Biennale di Venezia in 2011, the artist returns to Venice during the 57th Biennale courtesy of the K11 Art Foundation. Liang’s ‘Behind The Curtain’ exhibition at the Palazzo Pisani – Conservatorio di Musica is largely inspired by operatic traditions in both Europe and China where the stage curtain is a piece of art in itself while also serving to conceal and reveal another art form behind it. Liang uses oil painting to interpret this theme and the collection will be on display at the Palazzo Pisani in Venice until 18 June.

UK

BACK IN THE USA

The Shifting Landscape exhibition at the Sophia Contemporary Gallery in London sees American-based artists, Afruz Amighi, Iva Gueorguieva, Herman Mejia, Amir Nikravan, Holton Rower and Hannah Whitaker, explore the theme of abstraction in the USA. Through a variety of different techniques and mediums, the subjects of materialism, historical legacy and the post-modern nature of contemporary American society are all explored under the broad umbrella theme of abstraction. The result is an exciting collaborative project that displays the diversity of American culture as well as dissects its more acrimonious current issues. Visitors can browse the varied show until 23 June.

UK

PARADISE LOST

A photographic series, entitled ‘Panorama’, from artist Mónica de Miranda will be on display at the Tyburn Gallery in London for the month of June. Panorama is her first solo exhibition at the venue and it explores the architecture of buildings in Angola, Africa that were originally constructed for human pleasure, such as pools and entertainment spaces, and have since been abandoned. Her images of derelict hotels, pools and cinemas, which are being silently reclaimed by nature, are representative of Angola’s troubled past.

Switzerland

ART ABOUT TOWN

The annual Art Basel event returns to its original location of Basel, Switzerland on 15-18 June. Since its inception in 1970, Art Basel has grown from an exhibition of 90 galleries and 30 publishers to a whopping 291 galleries, displaying works from over 4,000 artists. Film, conversation and solo projects created especially for the event are also now incorporated, along with two other Art Basel shows taking place annually in Miami and Hong Kong. The flagship show promises to deliver a comprehensive programme that stretches the length and breadth of the world’s contemporary arts scene, with many site-specific displays going beyond the confines of the Messe Basel exhibition space into the city, creating a city-wide art week.