Opened Ground, Void, Derry
This group show of photography and film is named after a collection of poems by Seamus Heaney, written between 1966 and 1996, that explore the physical and psychic landscape of that period in Northern Ireland. The three artists exhibiting – Willie Doherty, Amar Kanwar and Aslan Gaisumov – deal with the concept of borders, and their effect on society as a whole. With the approaching deadline of Brexit, and the lack of clarity on how the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will manifest, the show could not be more timely.
Until 30 March 2019. www.derryvoid.com
Franz West, Tate Modern, London
Austrian artist Franz West was known for making abstract sculptures, furniture, collages and large-scale works. This major retrospective features a range of his playful sculptures that incorporated objects from everyday life such as hats, brooms, and whisky bottles, plus replicas of his Passstücke (Adaptives) – papier-mâché pieces made to be picked up and moved. West was a major influence on a number artists, and his friend and collaborator Sarah Lucas has contributed to the design of the exhibition.
Until 2 June 2019. www.tate.org.uk
A Coven A Grove A Stand, Firstsite, Colchester
London-based artist susan pui san lok‘s installation at Firstsite explores the folklore surrounding witchcraft and the history of the witch persecutions across East Anglia in the 16th and 17th centuries. There is a focus on the self-styled ‘Witchfinder General’ Matthew Hopkins, who, along with John Stearne, was responsible for the execution of as many as 300 ‘witches’ – often simply single and elderly women. Lok will continue to evolve the project during its run, with the installation also including works by members of the Colne and Colchester Embroiderers’ Guild, Stitch and Bitch Colchester, YAK – Young Art Kommunity, and Colchester Bangladesh Mohila Shomity.
Until 22 April 2019. www.firstsite.uk
Borderlines, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh
This group exhibition explores the ‘conceptual, geo-political, economic and cultural impacts of borders’. Timed to coincide with the UK’s scheduled exit from the EU, it covers a range of subjects including the rules governing the international movement of goods, nation-states, the UK border in Ireland, and tribal territories. Featured artists include: Lara Almarcegui, Rossella Biscotti, Lonnie van Brummelen and Siebren de Haan, Willie Doherty, Núria Güell, Ruth E Lyons, Amalia Pica, Khvay Samnang, Santiago Sierra, Mona Vatamanu and Florin Tudor.
Until 4 May 2019. www.ed.ac.uk
Callum Hill, LUX, London
Artist Callum Hill‘s first solo show in London features Crowtrap, a short film that weaves together the lives of two men exploring their different and shared psychologies. Part documentary and part fiction, it focuses on a man who created and runs a coal yard in Prenzlauer Berg, East Berlin, the perimeter of which is contained by 79 pieces of the original Berlin wall. His story is paralleled by that of a heather burner in North Yorkshire who witnessed the Piper Alpha disaster of 1988.
Until 30 March 2019. www.lux.org.uk
Image:
1. Willie Doherty, The Road Ahead, 1997. Courtesy: the artist and Kerlin Gallery, Dublin
2. Franz West, Rrose/ Drama, 2001 Telenor Art Collection © Estate Franz West © Archiv Franz West. Photo: Tate (Matt Greenwood)
3. Susan Pui San Lok, A Coven A Grove A Stand, 2019, Installation view. Photo: Douglas Atfield; Courtesy: Firstsite
4. Van Brummelen & De Haan, Revolt of the Giants (film still), 2008. Courtesy: the artists
5. Callum Hill, Crowtrap, 2018. Courtesy: LUX
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