This week's art dispatch brings a rich array of exhibitions and discoveries, from the queer gaze in Liverpool to monumental mud sculptures in London, and a major retrospective of James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain.
Exhibition of the Week: James McNeill Whistler
The brilliant American who captivated Victorian Britain with avant-garde ideas from Paris and Japan gets a comprehensive show, including his iconic portrait of his mother. Tate Britain, London, from 21 May to 27 September.
Also Showing
- Gender Stories: Gender explored through art by David Hockney, Grayson Perry, Rene Matić, and more. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, from 16 May to 31 August.
- Delcy Morelos: Spectacular earthy sculpture set against the rugged architecture of London's Barbican, promising a brutalist dialogue. Sculpture Court, Barbican Centre, London, until 31 July.
- Henry Moore: Moore's abstract yet unthreatening sculptures are spaced through Kew Gardens' green vistas. Kew Gardens, London, until 31 January 2027.
- Nomenclature for the Time Being: A group exhibition with artists including Hannah Black, Atiéna R Kilfa, and Zanele Muholi. Raven Row, London, from 21 May to 6 September.
Image of the Week
The Franco-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira's When Words Fall Silent, Cinema Speaks, unveiled at Tate Britain, pays homage to revolutionary cinema of the 1960s and 70s, described as a place where idealistic young people met to watch revolutionary art, argue about building a better world, and hope for romance.
What We Learned
- A portrait looted by Nazis was found in the home of a Dutch SS leader's family.
- Several Venice Biennale pavilions shut in protest over Israel's inclusion, while organizers pretended all was fine.
- Venice's German pavilion artist Sung Tieu shared a single bed with her mother for three years.
- A London car-park art space has redrawn the map for presenting art.
- The Smithsonian in Washington DC celebrates America in 250 objects.
- The V&A's survey of Indigenous art across three continents feels cramped.
- Es Devlin creates a 'national portrait' of the UK using selfies submitted by viewers.
Masterpiece of the Week
The Dice Players by Georges de la Tour, c. 1650. The sultry candlelight reveals a suspicious nocturnal gambling session. The glint of steel breastplates and a helmet suggests soldiers, but would they wear armor for an evening game? There is a masquerade alerting us to ambiguities: perhaps some are fake soldiers, and some are fake men. Gender is uncertain, as players include those who may be women in male garb. The figure at far right seems female, and the long-haired gambler leaning over the table is feminized. De la Tour depicted women in other candlelit gaming scenes, like The Cardsharp with the Ace of Diamonds in the Louvre. This haunting painter, influenced by Caravaggio's realism and cinematic lighting, reveals the subversive nature of Caravaggism in early modern art. Preston Park Museum, Stockton-on-Tees.
