Exhibitions

Jean-Michel Basquiat is sill on view at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, France until January 14, 2019

The work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the most significant painters of the 20th century, is spread over four levels of Frank Gehry’s building. The exhibition covers the painter’s whole career, from 1980 to 1988, focusing on 120 defining works. At a young age, Jean-Michel Basquiat left school and made his first studio in the streets of New York. Very quickly, his painting achieved great success, which the artist both sought out and felt subjected to. His work refers back to the eruption of modernity, that of the expressionists, but his filiations are numerous. The acuteness of his gaze, his visits to museums, and the reading of a number of books gave him a real sense of culture. Yet his gaze was directed: the absence of black artists being painfully evident, the artist imposed the need to depict African American culture and revolts in equal measure in his work. Basquiat’s death in 1988 interrupted a very prolific body of work, carried out in under a decade, with over one thousand paintings and even more drawings.

Robin Rhode: A Plan of the Soul is still on view at Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland until January 13, 2019

In his exhibition Rhode presents photographs, sculptures, and installation works that he has specially conceived or adapted for Museum Haus Konstruktiv. The title A Plan of the Soul comes from Virginia Woolf’s 1929 essay A Room of One’s Own, in which she concluded that creativity can only develop in an androgynous mode of existence, whereby male and female parts of the soul blend harmoniously. An androgynous blend of male and female parts is evident in the two sculptural figures that Rhode has placed on the first floor of Museum Haus Konstruktiv: Untitled (Compass – Male & Female) shows two compasses, each as tall as a person, driven by a motor and rotating around their own axes. Differing from each other only in size, the drawing tools become a male figure and a female figure. However, they are neither given life nor a soul, until the observer approaches the sculptures, which are equipped with sensors. Thus, the observer dictates the speed of their rotations and becomes the choreographer of their interrelated movements.

Abundance: the art of giving is still on view at White River Gallery in White River, South Africa until January 27, 2019

A group show by resident/visiting artists showing artworks in oil, print, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media. This group show is a celebration of diversity, specifically in the selection of different approaches to art making. White River Gallery celebrates the art of artists living and working in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the neighboring country – Mozambique. The work on show has been carefully selected to suggest a broad range of possibilities as gifting options over the festive period. The gift of an artwork infused with creative spirit is unique and inspirational, and serves to provide joy and engagement for a lifetime. The exhibition will feature new artworks of nearly thirty artists including Sanusi Olatunji, Andrew Hamlet, Rene Eloff, Tony Fredriksson, John Moore, Sizwe Khoza, Sue Martin, Susann Oosthuizen, Braam van Wijk, and Sue Pam-Grant.

Art Fairs

London Art Fair 2019 will open at Business Design Centre in London, United Kingdom from January 16-20, 2019

Connecting the best galleries from around the world with both seasoned and aspiring collectors, London Art Fair provides a unique opportunity to discover and champion exceptional modern and contemporary art from the 20th century to the present day. Sitting alongside the main fair, London Art Fair provides expert insights into innovative curatorial concepts in contemporary art through its critically-acclaimed curated sections: Art Projects, offering a platform for the next generation of artists and gallerists, and Photo50, showcasing current trends in contemporary photographic practice. In addition, London Art Fair continues to champion and support regional museums through its annual Museum Partnership, which this year invites Eastbourne’s Towner Art Gallery to showcase its extraordinary evolving collection at the Fair.

Affordable Art Fair Milan 2019 will open at Superstudio Più in Milan, Italy from January 25-27, 2019

Established in 1999 in London, UK, the Affordable Art Fair is now an integral part of the art scene and shows paintings, graphics, sculptures and photographs in various cities around the world.  Affordable Art Fair Milan returns to Superstudio Più to showcase the latest artistic trends and revolutionise the way people collect contemporary art. Visitors will browse through nearly 85 local, national and international galleries showcasing various contemporary artworks including hand-selected paintings, photographs, prints, and sculptures. At the fair, both young aspiring and already known artists will exhibit their works up to a maximum charge of €6,000. The fair will also host an exciting programme that is packed full with hands-on workshops, kids’ activities, live performances, guided tours, and informative talks.