Mark Wallinger, Freud Museum, London
This solo show from 2007 Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger – timed to coincide with the Freud Museum London’s 30th anniversary and the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sigmund Freud – offers means for reflection in more ways than one. He has installed mirrors on the gallery’s ceiling, effectively doubling the space and creating an almost surreal experience. Also on show are a number of the artist’s early self portraits, cleverly placed within the gallery’s collection.
Until 25 September 2016. www.freud.org.uk
The Playground Project, Baltic, Gateshead
This intriguing show explores the history of playgrounds as places for spectacular sculptures, social experiments, and risky projects. Kids and adults alike can play on the installations, which highlight numerous playground initiatives. Take it as an investigation into public space and urban planning – or simply run, hide and play.
Until 30 October 2016. www.balticmill.com
Olivia Webb, Trinity Apse, Edinburgh
Sound art can be tricky to pull off, but Olivia Webb’s new work for Edinburgh Art Festival thankfully hits all the right notes. She focuses on the human voice, particularly through a-cappella song, as a way of exploring traditions, histories and experiences. Here she re-presents her 2014 Voices Project, which featured a series of sound installations at sites around Christchurch, New Zealand, the work intended to activate church and community spaces which had been lost or relocated since a series of earthquakes of 2011.
Until 28 August 2016. www.edinburghartfestival.com
Kan Xuan, Ikon, Birmingham
For her first UK exhibition, Chinese artist Kan Xuan presents a wide selection of single screen video pieces made since the late 1990s. Exploring the nature of human life, she has become increasingly preoccupied by the effects of globalisation and its economic impact, both in China and the West. Adding to the impact of the show is the presentation of Xuan’s films on television screens placed on stripped down crates and wooden blocks.
Until 11 September 2016. www.ikon-gallery.org
Lucy Foakes, Aspex, Portsmouth
This ceramic and mixed-media exhibition from Bristol-based artist Lucy Foakes features a range of works inspired by Ancient Egypt. In a quirky twist, her ‘CAN-opics’ (named after the jars that would hold the vital organs of deceased pharaohs) are a metaphorical brand of fizzy drink for pharaohs in the afterlife.
Until 16 October 2016. www.aspex.org.uk
Images:
1. Freud Museum London. Photo: Karolina Urbaniak/Freud Museum London
2. Playground Project, Baltic
3. Olivia Webb, Voices Project, 2014. Courtesy of the artist
4. Kan Xuan, Ikon Gallery, 2016. Photo: Stuart Whipps
5. Lucy Foakes, Rich In Vitamin Art, Portsmouth. Courtesy of the artist
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