Shojo Manga, The Atkinson, Southport
This show is the first major exhibition of Japanese shojo (girls’) manga in the UK. It gained popularity due to the innovative work of a small group of artists in the 1970s, three of which are featured here: Akiko Hatsu, Keiko Takemiya and Yukiko Kai. Also on display is work by a further 17 artists who have helped shape this unique art form. The exhibition tours to London’s House of Illustration in March.
Until 14 February 2016, www.theatkinson.co.uk
Early Mondrian, David Zwirner, London
Last chance to see this exhibition of early paintings by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. It focuses on his figurative landscape paintings from 1900-1905, highlighting the period prior to his involvement with De Stijl and Neo-Plasticism, for which he is best known. As a precursor to Mondrian’s increasingly geometric abstractions, this is pretty exquisite stuff.
Until 23 January 2016, www.davidzwirner.com
JMW Turner, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
Another celebrated master is on show at the Scottish National Gallery. Turner in January spans the artist’s entire career in watercolour, from his early topographical wash drawings to his atmospheric sketches of continental Europe from the 1830s and ‘40s.
Until 31 January 2016, www.nationalgalleries.org
Jiann Hughes, Millenium Court Arts Centre, Portadown
This multimedia installation from Belfast-based artist Jiann Hughes explores the high tech materials relied upon for today’s memory making and storage. Acting almost like an ode to the digital memories we’d rather forget, the work makes use of accumulated excess: the material residue from an over developed world.
Until 30 January 2016, www.millenniumcourt.org
Collateral Drawing, Waterfront Gallery, Ipswich
The latest incarnation of this evolving exhibition, which has been touring venues in the UK and Europe since 2014, focuses on artists with an East Anglian connection. 16 artists, including Biggs & Collings, Glenn Brown, Gillian Carnegie and Graham Crowley, have been asked by curators Bella Easton and John Stark to present ‘collateral’ elements from their working environment alongside a finished artwork, in order to explore the subconscious actions and accidental logic of their day-to-day working methods.
Until 19 February 2016, www.ucs.ac.uk
