Polari Mission, Bury Museum, Bury
Working with specialists in linguistics and computer science, the artists Jez Dolan and Joseph Richardson are on a mission to save Polari, one of the world’s most endangered languages and a bold yet secretive part of gay history. Presented as part of the Bury Text Festival, the exhibition explores the impact and influence of Polari on contemporary language.
Until 23 August, www.textfestival.com
Mishka Henner: Black Diamond, Carroll/Fletcher, London
Mishka Henner’s solo exhibition considers the ways in which social media, the Internet and drone technologies are used by governments, intelligence agencies and corporations. Included is the work Fifty-One US Military Outposts (2010), a series of photographs of overt and covert military outposts used by the United States in 51 countries worldwide.
Until 31 May, www.carrollfletcher.com
Eulogy, Vane, Newcastle upon Tyne
Featuring over 30 established and emerging artists, this show unpicks the enduring love affair between artist and nature. Many of the works are presented on the floor, the exhibition creating a ‘meadow of the gallery’.
Until 17 May, vane.org.uk
Zhang Huan: Spring Poppy Fields, Pace Gallery, London
Chinese artist Zhang Huan presents 14 vividly coloured oil on linen paintings that allude to Buddhist masks and iconography. The series is inspired by Huan’s extensive travel to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and India.
Until 31 May, www.pacegallery.com
Tim Shaw: Black Smoke Rising, mac, Birmingham
This installation by Belfast-born sculptor Tim Shaw features a powerful reworking of an infamous 2004 photograph of an Iraqi prisoner in Abu Ghraib prison, Baghdad. Shaw’s work grapples with contemporary and political realities, whilst evoking the mythical and metaphysical.
Until 8 June, macbirmingham.co.uk
Selections chosen by Jack Hutchinson
