Image via Complex Original
April showers bring May flowers, but also a slew of amazing art shows. As spring is the busiest season for the art world, there's no shortage of can't-miss exhibitions to see this month.
So in addition to participating in Cinco de Mayo shenanigans and celebrating your mom on Mother's Day, why not take some time to visit one of the many art shows happening this month? We're of course excited for the high-profile art events like the Venice Biennale and Frieze New York, but if you're into lesser-known or up-and-coming artists, Japanese artist Chiho Aoshima's exhibition "Rebirth of the World" is another must-see. Either way, there is truly something for everyone this month. Read on to check out The Best Art Exhibitions to See This Month.
“Point Blank”
Location: Station 16 Gallery, 3523 Boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 2T6, Canada
Dates: April 30 - May 24, 2015
In an ongoing project, Toronto-based photographers Peter Andrew and Derek Blais present images of handguns in extreme detail. Fascinated by the power and lethality that these weapons represent, the duo decided “to photograph them as you might photograph a powerful person.” The high-resolution, full-frontal images are not meant to be a political statement but rather, an examination of both the flaws and the beauty inherent in their design.
“The Formless Figure”
Location: The Watermill Center, 39 Water Mill Towd Rd, Water Mill, NY 11976
Dates: April 4 - June 7, 2015
Known for his haunting figures and manipulations of architecture, artist Daniel Arsham brings a site-specific sculpture to the Watermill Center. The hooded, draped figure is integrated directly into the architecture of the building, a continuation of the artist's fascination with the transfomation of surface and space.
“Viscera”
Location: Venus Over Los Angeles, 601 South Anderson St, Los Angeles 90023
Dates: May 2 - June 27, 2015
An exhibition of three new bodies of work by artist Dan Colen, Viscera investigates the nature of physical form and how it affects the human experience. “Canopics,” the highlight of the exhibition, features sculptures cast from the negative space formed by guardrails mangled by automobile accidents. The series explores the concept of “la petite mort,” or the sense of vitality that arises from acts of death or violence.
“All My Bones”
Location: Jonathan LeVine Gallery, 529 W 20th St #9E, New York 10011
Dates: May 14 - June 13, 2015
Influenced by mid-century modern design, artist Josh Agle (also known as “Shag”), depicts brightly saturated, stylized subjects in opulent settings. In All My Bones, he invites the viewer to step into a satirical world of excess and materialism, incorporating themes from the Old Testament of the Bible as inspiration.
“Fantasy Island”
Location: Lazarides Rathbone, 11 Rathbone Place, London W1T 1HR
Dates: May 1 - May 28 2015
The self-taught Todd James brings his signature vivid, cartoonish style to Lazarides with his next exhibition Fantasy Island. Showcasing a mix of characters including Somali pirates, UN soldiers, and scantily-clad women, the artist blends both humor and vulgarity in his exploration of current socio-political events.
“Rebirth of the World”
Location: Seattle Asian Art Museum, Volunteer Park, 1400 E Prospect St, Seattle 98112
Dates: May 2 - Oct. 4, 2015
Japanese artist Chiho Aoshima's latest exhibition explores the tensions between technology and the organic world. She explains, “Humankind thinks nature precious, but it is difficult for humankind and nature to coexist.” Rather than taking on a pessimistic view of our future, however, the exhibition celebrates both the beauty and darkness inherent in our condition.
“Off the Wall”
Location: Galerie Openspace, 56 Rue Alexandre Dumas, 75011 Paris
Dates: May 2 - 16, 2015
In his first Paris solo show, Austrian street artist Nychos presents a series of dissective drawings and sculptures that explore, in fascinating detail, the anatomy of animals. Morbid yet strangely beautiful at the same time, his works showcase the miraculous nature and vitality of the inner workings of his subjects.
“A Voice Remains”
Location: Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, 6 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BT
Dates: April 24 - May 30, 2015
Showcasing a series of works by Andrea Bowers, Sam Durant, Hans Haacke, Sharon Hayes, Mary Kelly, and Carrie Mae Weems, A Voice Remains explores how each artist contends with history, memory, and the desire to preserve cultural stories in the age of globalization. Often political, such as Haacke's critique of George W. Bush's administration, or Bowers' documentation of the fight for a higher minimum wage, the exhibition links both past and present together to explore how history has shaped today's reality.
“This is Not a Poster”
Location: FIFTY24SF Gallery, 218 Fillmore St, San Francisco 94117
Dates: May 1 - June 15, 2015
Highly sought after for their striking use of color and expressive linework, Brazilian duo Bicicleta Sem Freio have been tapped to create posters for the likes of Vampire Weekend, Beck, Kings of Leon, and many others. For their first show in the US, the pair present a series of posters advertising a nonexistent show. “The essential idea,” the pair explained, “is that we love posters and…we wanted to a show with fake posters with no info, the letterings are only ornamental and don't mean anything.” In other words, art for art's sake.
“Ground and Figures”
Location: OHWOW Gallery, 937 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Dates: April 11 - May 16, 2015
Influenced by a snapshot she took of the Piazza San Marco, Diana al-Hadid created impossibly complex panels and a large-scale installation for her first solo exhibition at OHWOW Gallery. Formed from a combination of polymer gypsum, fiberglass, plaster, and steel, the fissured works allow viewers to pass through them, creating a sense of the disentegration of time and structure.
“America is Hard to See”
Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St, New York 10014
Dates: May 1 - Sept. 27, 2015
Following the inauguration of their newest building, the Whitney Museum presents "America is Hard to See," an examination of the history of American art from the 20th century to the present day. Spanning over 600 works, the exhibition explores the myriad of political ideas, social themes, and passions that have engaged and inspired American artists over the years. Some of the many artists featured include Alex Katz, Edward Hopper, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
“Trenton Doyle Hancock: Skin and Bones, 20 Years of Drawing”
Location: Studio Museum of Harlem, 144 W 125th St, New York 10027
Dates: March 26 - June 28, 2015
Chronicling the progression of Trenton Doyle Hancock's prolific 20-year career, the Studio Museum in Harlem presents the first in-depth examination of the artist's many drawings and collages. Hancock's works draw from both Abstract Expressionism as well as the biblical stories he heard as a child, creating a world that is often dreamlike and mythological.
“Hervé Télémaque”
Location: Centre Pompidou, Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris
Dates: Feb. 25 - May 18, 2015
The Centre Pompidou in Paris presents a retrospective of Hervé Télémaque, one of the most prominent French-Haitian artists today. Drawing from Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and New York Pop art, Télémaque's works make frequent references to topics like blackness and anti-colonialism, exploring the links between image and language in French culture.
“International Pop”
Location: Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Dates: April 11 - Aug. 29, 2015
While the discussion of Pop art has usually been limited to its presence in New York or London, the Walker Art Center presents a groundbreaking exhibition that chronicles the more expansive, global trajectories of this movement, from countries like Argentina to Japan to Hungary. Created in collaboration with a variety of scholars and curators, the exhibition presents a selection of 140 works from around the world.
“Isa Genzken: New Works”
Location: Museum für Moderne Kunst, Domstrasse 10, 60311 Frankfurt, Germany
Dates: March 14 - May 31, 2015
Known for her works that explore the anxieties of contemporary life, German artist Isa Genzken's latest exhibition features some 20 sculptures “representing alienated self-portraits of the artist.” Wearing items from Genzken's own personal wardrobe, many of these figures are covered in adhesive tape or have twisted limbs and spray-painted genitals—distortions that comment both on the artist herself and the world around her.