Sarah Lucas, Whitechapel Gallery, London
One of the autumn’s must-see exhibitions, Whitechapel Gallery presents their broad survey of Sarah Lucas’s work. Beginning with the artist’s 1990s foray into the salacious perversities of British tabloid journalism, the show also features her recent Penetralia – flying penises combined with wood and flint.
Until 15 December, www.whitechapelgallery.org
Shunga: Sex And Pleasure In Japanese Art, British Museum, London
The British Museum presents an overview of the erotic Shunga prints that flourished from 1600 onwards. Frequently tender and humorous, they celebrate sexual pleasure in all its forms with brilliantly coloured paintings and prints, culminating in beautiful and explicit works by iconic artists Utamaro, Hokusai and Kunisada.
Until 5 January 2014, www.britishmuseum.org
George Grosz. Berlin. Prostitutes, Politicians, Profiteers, Richard Nagy, London
Richard Nagy is currently staging the first major UK exhibition dedicated to George Grosz since the Royal Academy’s retrospective almost 20 years ago. Some 50 works by the titan of German satirical art have been assembled from leading private and public collections around the world.
Until 2 November, www.richardnagy.com
Art Sheffield 2013: Zero Hours, various venues, Sheffield
Taking its cue from Joseph Beuys’ Wirtschafteswerte (Economic Values), Art Sheffield’s Zero Hours exhibition presents new and existing works in venues across the city. Elena Bajo, Ryan Mosley, Katja Strunz and Zoe Beloff are among the artists showing painting, sculpture, film and installation that questions how the legacies of our industrial past are shaping our future.
Until 14 December, www.artsheffield.org
April Ashley: Portrait of a Lady, Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool
This exhibition pays homage to former Vogue model April Ashley – one of the first people ever to have gender reassignment surgery. Photographs and documents explore Ashley’s very public story through her previously unseen private archive and investigate the wider impact of changing social and legal conditions for all trans and lesbian, gay and bisexual people, from 1935 to today.
Until 21 September 2014, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Selection compiled by Jack Hutchinson
Also on a-n.co.uk:
Art Sheffield 2013: a festival instigated by a work of art – Richard Taylor reports on the fifth instalment of the citywide art festival
