Bhupen Khakhar, Tate Modern, London
Accountant-turned-artist Bhupen Khakhar is known for his figurative paintings that explore class and sexuality. This show brings together five decades worth of his work, including vivid canvas paintings, watercolours and experimental ceramics. The results explain why Khakhar played such a central role in modern Indian art in the 20th century.
Until 6 November 2016. www.tate.org.uk
Cathy Wilkes, The Modern Institute (Aird’s Lane), Glasgow
With a CV that boasts being nominated for the Turner Prize and representing Scotland at the Venice Biennale, it’s easy to see why Belfast-born, Glasgow-based artist Cathy Wilkes has a growing reputation as one of the key artists of her generation. This small, typically evocative show features four new paintings alongside found objects and installation, imbued with ghost-like traces of human presence, seemingly speaking of memories frozen and times past.
Until 27 August 2016. www.themoderninstitute.com
Jon Adams, Aspex, Portsmouth
Originally commissioned for Parliament In The Making, a year-long programme of events marking the anniversary of the Magna Carta in 2015, Jon Adams’ digital posters are a celebration of the UK’s democratic heritage. The work has been created using computers and smartphones that map the UK’s streets based on names suggested by the public.
Until 25 August 2016. www.aspex.org.uk
Bridget Riley, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
This show features a group of paintings created over 50 years of Bridget Riley‘s life, from 1963-2015. Exploring the dialogue between monochrome and colour in her practice, the show also features several paintings from private collections that have rarely been exhibited.
Until 16 April 2017. www.nationalgalleries.org
Not Vital, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
Nomadic sculptor Not Vital has studios in the tiny Swiss village of Sent (where he was born in 1948) and Beijing, China, as well as homes in Rio de Janiero and Niger. This solo show – his first major UK exhibition – is similarly diverse, featuring paintings and works on paper, indoor pieces made from plaster, silver, gold, marble, glass and coal, and outdoor sculptures in stainless steel and bronze.
Until 2 January 2017. www.ysp.co.uk
Images:
1. Bhupen Khakhar, You Can’t Please All, 1981. © Bhupen Khakhar
2. Cathy Wilkes, The Modern Institute, installation view.
3. Jon Adams, Suffrage Street, Birmingham
4. Bridget Riley, Burn, 1964. © Bridget Riley 2015. All rights reserved, courtesy Karsten Schubert, London
5. Not Vital, Let 100 Flowers Bloom, 2008
More on a-n.co.uk:
A Q&A with… Alex Katz, painter
Upcoming events: grit, crit and ways to engage
a-n Degree Shows Guide 2016
