This Saturday the 57th Venice Biennale opens on the island city, with Art21 roster artists prominently featured throughout. Season 4’s Mark Bradford is representing the United States with his exhibition Tomorrow is Another Day, organized in collaboration with the Baltimore Museum of Art. Season 3 artists Teresa Hubbard and Alexander Birchler are representing Switzerland alongside artist Carol Bove in an exhibition titled Women of Venice. The work of artists Ellen Gallagher and Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA) are included as part of the Diaspora Pavilion, and Charles Atlas’ work is featured in the Biennale’s exhibition Viva Arte Viva.
Also this week:
- A proposed new piece by James Turrell will light entire facade of the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in South Brisbane, Australia beginning in December.
- Last Thursday, Tania Bruguera walked the streets of Philadelphia dressed in a suit made of mud and nails in a reprise of her 1998 performance, Displacement. Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation, the piece was performed in conjunction with the Barnes’ exhibition Person of the Crowd: The Contemporary Art of Flânerie.
- Finally in awards, William Kentridge won Spain’s Asturias art prize, the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles honored Jeff Koons at their annual gala, Art League Houston named Trenton Doyle Hancock Texas artist of the year, and Mel Chin was honored at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College as a distinguished alumnus.
Events & exhibitions
New York City
- Saturday, May 13-Sunday, May 14—Mary Mattingly is one of more than 100 artists participating in this weekend’s DUMBO Open Studios. From 1-6pm the artists are opening their studios to the public.
- You can also visit Mary Mattingly’s floating food forest, Swale at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 through June 30. The barge is open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from noon till 6pm.
Charlottesville, Virginia
- A recent installation by Mark Dion entitled Virginia Curiosity Shop will be on view at the University of Virginia through 2019. Dion created the work as part of his residency at the university last year, and it will remain on campus for three years to ensure that “future students can learn from Dion’s work.”
Savannah, Georgia
- A new exhibition of work by William Wegman entitled Improved Photographs opens this Friday, May 12 at the Telfair Museum.
St. Louis
- A new exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis entitled Urban Planning: Art and the City 1967–2017 features work by artists Robert Adams, Edgar Arceneaux, Mark Bradford, Abigail DeVille, Theaster Gates, Glenn Ligon, Josiah McElheny, and Catherine Opie among others. On view through August 13.
London
- This is the last week to see El Anatsui’s solo exhibition at October Gallery. Benchmarks closes Saturday, May 13.
It’s impossible to include all the incredible exhibitions and art events happening this week in a single post. If there’s something you feel should have been included in today’s roundup, leave a comment below!