Do it 2013, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester
Conceived and curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, this Manchester International Festival exhibition includes contributions from, amongst many others, Richard Wentworth, Yoko Ono, Ai Weiwei, Tracey Emin and Liam Gillick. Consisting of a series of artists’ instructions, some of which have been realised across the gallery (and the streets of the city), you’ll find lemons being squeezed on an upturned bicycle seat, the strong smell of garlic and chillies from a recipe by Rirkrit Tiravanija, and – at set times in the morning and afternoon – a live vulture swooping across the galleries.
Until 21 July, www.mif.co.uk
The Spirit of Utopia, Whitechapel Gallery, London
Ten artists and collectives from around the world speculate on alternative futures for the economy, the environment and society itself. From live studio pottery, to a verdant greenhouse, a remarkable series’ of installations and events engage the audience in playful, provocative and creatively pragmatic models for social change.
Until 5 September, www.whitechapelgallery.org
Melissa Gordon: Material Evidence, Spike Island, Bristol
The first solo exhibition in a British public gallery by American-born, London-based artist Melissa Gordon. Material Evidence features a new body of work produced by the artist during her recent joint residency with Spike Island and Spike Print Studio. Gordon draws on source material that might be considered by-products of history, of medium and of making: the grid structure of Modernist painting, the dot matrix of the silk screen and details from her own painting studio.
Until 1 September, www.spikeisland.org.uk
Martin Boyce: All Over Again and Again, The Modern Institute, Glasgow
The 2011 Turner Prize winner presents new wall-based and sculptural pieces for this hometown show at The Modern Institute’s Aird’s Lane gallery. A mobile made from steel chains forms the show’s centrepiece, hanging above a concrete table surrounded by an upended bench, a lantern and other forms familiar to Boyce’s practice. The show also features a series of new photographic works.
Until 31 August, www.themoderninstitute.com
Susan Aldworth: Transience, GV Arts, London
The relationship between mind and body are explored in Susan Aldworth’s Transience. Combining state-of-the-art medical imagery and digital photography, Aldworth claims to have created a historical first – etchings directly from human brain tissue.
Until 20 July, http://www.gvart.co.uk
Layla Curtis: Antipodes, Spacex, Exeter
Layla Curtis’ Antipodes is an ongoing interactive online and photographic project that pairs webcam images from places at opposite ends of the globe. A series of photographic diptychs, distilled from the stream of webcam footage, highlight both the distance and the difference between us – but also how online communications and digital technology bring us closer together.
Until 13 July, spacex.org.uk
Selection compiled by Jack Hutchinson and Chris Sharratt
