POP ART: LONDON
American History X: Volume 1
If you’re in London this weekend stop by the Brixton East gallery to see American History X: Volume 1, a solo exhibition by conceptual pop-artist Ben Turnbull. The show features sculptures and collages portraying the very best (and worst) of Americana that the US has given the world, with real-life heroes and villains such as presidents Lincoln and Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Charles Manson and Lee Harvey Oswald on show. Turnbull’s art provides a skewed view of where the US’s social and political ideologies meet – with humour, depth and colour.
Brixton East Gallery, 100 Barringon Road. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11.00-18.00. Until 18 April
brixtoneast.co.uk
PHOTOGRAPHY: MINNEAPOLIS
Alec Soth: Until Now
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Magnum photographer Alec Soth’s works have garnered international acclaim and have been featured around the world, and now Weinstein Gallery in his home city is presenting a retrospective of 35 images dating back to 1998. Soth’s images unveil a vulnerability in his subjects. For example, his photograph “Jane” from the Paris / Minnesota series captures a woman staring darkly into her wine glass at the conclusion of a meal – alone even though there’s enough food on the table for more. A picture might paint a thousand words but Soth deliberately leaves enough space for for the viewer’s imagination to fill in the gaps.
Weinstein Gallery, 908 West 46th Street. Open Tuesday to Saturday 12.00-17.00. Until 10 May.
weinstein-gallery.com
ART: SINGAPORE
Of Time and Memory
The works of five artists from Korea, Australia and the Philippines have been gathered at Singapore’s TAKSU gallery for Of Time and Memory. As the show’s title suggests, the show presents the artists’ personal reflections such as those of Manila-based mixed-media artist Norberto Roldan. Roldan believes that no matter how seemingly insignificant, objects and images are innately imbued with life and should not be thoughtlessly tossed aside so he's gathered and assembled paraphernalia – from snuff bottles to old an Kodak pamphlet – into frames and presents them to the viewer as trophies. It'd an exhibition of memories worth preserving, enjoying and savouring.
TAKSU, 43 Jalan Merah Saga, 1-72, Workloft at Chip Bee Gardens. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00-19.00; Sunday 12.00-18.00. Until 27 April.
taksu.com
Art Fair: Dallas
Dallas Art Fair
This Friday saw the opening of Dallas Art Fair’s sixth edition housed at FIG (Fashion Industry Gallery) in the downtown Arts District, and not to be outdone by neighbouring cities the art gathering promises to impress in just three busy days of exhibitions showcasing over 90 local and international galleries. Look out for Argentinian conceptual artist Rirkrit Tiravanija’s installations, Chicago multimedia artist Paula Crown’s self-portrait MRI scans, and Bostonian painter Elise Adibi’s immersive paintings that also incorporate aromatherapy.
FIG, 1807 Ross Avenue. Open 11.00-19.00. Until 13 April.
dallasartfair.com
MUSIC: GLOBAL
School of Language: Old Fears
Sunderland in the northeast of the UK doesn’t really get its dues paid properly when people draw up maps of global musical talent. But two brothers – David and Peter Brewis – have been dedicated to putting the area on radar in recent years with projects such as the much-celebrated Field Music, and David’s solo project, School of Language. Old Fears is the second album from School of Language and builds on Field Music’s foundation of smart, math-rock-y arrangements of guitar and drums wired around an obvious love of soft rock and pop melodies from the likes of Roxy Music and more disposable 1980s fare. This music is fun yet sincere, inventive yet accessible, and is certainly coming from the right place. Sunderland, it seems.
‘Old Fears’ is available to buy now.
memphis-industries.com/artist/school-of-language
