Tabish Khan the @LondonArtCritic picks his Top 5 Museum and Gallery Exhibitions to see right now. Each comes with a concise review to help you decide whether it’s for you.
Acts of Resistance: Photography, Feminisms and the Art of Protest @ South London Gallery
This punchy free exhibition highlights key issues such as women’s participation in Northern Ireland’s negotiations, the Rhodes Must Fall protests in South Africa, and the fight against female genital mutilation. Through powerful photography, it showcases how these images serve as tools for protest and advocacy, advancing women’s rights globally. Until 9th June.
Tatiana Wolska: Leisure as Resistance @ Midlands Art Centre
Prepare a cup of tea and leisurely explore the book and clothes swaps, perhaps even taking home a packet of seeds. This is the essence of Tatiana Wolska’s shelter, crafted from recycled wood, bringing a refreshing community feel to a museum exhibition. Her commitment to recycling continues with sculptures made from old plastic bottles and wooden pallets. Slow down and take it all in.
Until 2nd June.
Earthly Bodies @ Sarah Myerscough Gallery
Ceramic and clay vessels can often resemble human bodies and also bear the remnants of being made by the hands of the creator. This exhibition brings together a wider variety of works from the obviously figurative, the more abstract and the conceptual by over a dozen artists. Until 1st June.
Andy Harper: A New Nature @ James Freeman Gallery
These may look like a vertical garden or a scene from the undergrowth, filled with leaves and shoots but get closer and they aren’t actually representing anything natural. This is abstract painting and mark-making that needs to be seen up close so you can appreciate and get lost in the detail and brushwork. Until 1 June.
Zimingzhong: Clockwork Treasures from China’s Forbidden City @ Science Museum
There are clocks, and then there are these magnificent golden creations from the 1700s. Their intricate designs make it easy to forget their original purpose of telling time. Crafted in Britain and sent to China, these clocks provide insight into Western perceptions of Chinese culture at the time, including the tendency to merge various Eastern cultures into one. Until 2nd June, pay what you wish.
Acts of Resistance image: Courtesy Poulomi Basu, TJ Boulting and JAPC. Tatiana Wolska image: Tegen Kimbley. Zimingzhong image © Science Museum Group. All other images courtesy the gallery.
