The must-see exhibitions of summer 2023
A selection of vessels by Takahashi McGil. Photo: courtesy of Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Oliver Cook: Momentary Flow
Manchester-based sculptor Oliver Cook (who features in Crafts’ Spring/Summer 2023 issue) uses alabaster to create elevated editions of basket, bowls and other everyday objects. His latest exhibition at The Scottish Gallery sees him focus on the pale stone’s translucent quality, exploring its ability to diffuse, catch and absorb light at different points of the day.
Until 24 June at The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
London Design Biennale
How can design help foster collaboration across borders? That's the question asked at this year’s London Design Biennale. Showcasing projects from more than 50 countries, cities and territories, the event’s craftier highlights include the Abu Dhabi pavilion, which spotlights the Al-Sadu weaving technique, and an installation by Malta that draws on Phoenician-Maltese fabric production practices. Don’t forget, Crafts members get 20% off tickets.
Until 25 June at Somerset House, London
Takahashi McGil and Emma Lawrenson: Balance and Form
This exhibition unites the distinct yet complementary practices of printmaker Emma Lawrenson, who produces minimalist, colour-infused imagery, and woodworking duo Takahashi McGil, who create textural vessels inspired by Japanese craft traditions. Want to take a piece home? Everything from the show will be available to purchase via Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s physical or online store.
Moki Cherry: Here and Now
Up until her death in 2009, Swedish artist Moki Cherry turned her hand to a range of creative practices, including ceramics, textiles, woodworking and fashion design. This exhibition collates more than 30 of her experimental works, including the fanciful tapestries and costumes she made during her romantic and artistic partnership with jazz musician Don Cherry.
Until 27 August at Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Brian Clarke: A Great Light
Held in concurrence with his 70th birthday, Brian Clarke: A Great Light presents exceptional pieces that the artist has created from 2002 through to present day. Among the older works will be two new installations: Ardath, a 42-metres-squared wall of blown glass, and Stroud Ossuary, a towering series of stained-glass panels that feature etched skulls.
9 June – 24 September at Newport Street Gallery, London
Grayson Perry | Smash Hits
The biggest exhibition to date of Grayson Perry’s oeuvre, Smash Hits will offer an extensive look at the artist’s 40-year-long career and his unflinching approach to exploring contentious topics such as sexuality, class, religion and politics within his work. As well as his revered ceramic pots, visitors can also expect to see Perry’s prints, sculptures and sprawling, intricate tapestries.
Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis
As the climate crisis accelerates, this exhibition at the Hayward Gallery takes pause to explore how art can be used to alter and enhance our connection to the environment and its ecosystems. A total of 15 artists will be offering a response, including names such as Cornelia Parker, Otobong Nkanga and Andrea Bowers.
21 June – 3 September at the Hayward Gallery, London
In Shadows
Japanning artist (and Crafts SS23 star) Tuesday Riddell takes visitors down to the forest floor for her latest solo show at Messums London, which offers a look at the other-wordly moments that often go unnoticed in the undergrowth. One of the key inspirations behind the show’s ethereal imagery was Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s countryside retreat – Riddell has long admired the author for her ability to capture the “darkness of nature”.
5 July – 4 August at Messums London
Material Matters: contemporary craft practice by Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust makers
A celebration of fresh regional talent, this exhibition at Gloucestershire’s Court Barn museum showcases the work of eight local makers who have recently studied under the craft-focused Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. Together they practice an array of different skill sets, from textile making and woodturning to ceramics and silversmithing.
Gabriel Chaile in collaboration with Laura Ojeda Bär
South London’s Studio Voltaire gallery will get a new look as part of this Gabriel Chaile exhibition, which will see the artist coat the building’s interior in adobe – a nod to the earthen homes and churches that populate his home country of Argentina. Chaile has also invited fellow Argentinian Laura Ojeda Bär to create a series of paintings for the show that speak to themes of value, and power.
12 July – 10 September at Studio Voltaire, London
In Good Company: Nicole Farhi + Lucille Lewin
Former fashion designers Nichole Farhi and Lucille Lewin both decided to leave the clothing industry behind and instead turn to sculpture. Now the two are coming together for Harley Foundation’s In Good Company exhibition series, in which they’ll present their respective work: Farhi will be showing over 100 hand-painted busts, while Lewin will present organic, nature-inspired forms.
1 July – 24 September at the Harley Foundation, Nottinghamshire
Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life
Having originally launched at Tate St Ives, this touring exhibition on artist Barbara Hepworth has now drifted down the coast to Towner Eastbourne gallery. The show will display some of Hepworth's most revered sculptures, and touch on her childhood, friendships and cultural fascinations.
Barbara Hepworth with the plaster prototype for the United Nations Single Form at the Morris Singer foundry, London, May 1963. Photo by Morgan-Wells, ©Bowness
Isamu Noguchi: This Earth, This Passage
Taking pieces from across the sculptor’s six-decade-long career, this show will highlight how Isamu Noguchi boldly engaged with material, place and performance. On display will be works made from an array of mediums (think bronze, granite, and hot-dipped galvanised steel), along with some of the striking stage sets he made for choreographer Martha Graham.
Until 1 July at White Cube Mason’s Yard, London
Threads
Co-curated by artist Alice Kettle, this exhibition weaves together 21 international creatives who use textiles to tell stories, protect traditions, and make connections between cultures. The extensive show will span the Arnolfini’s three floors, and celebrate a wealth of making techniques from spinning and stitching to knitting and embroidery.
Atmospheres: A Collaborative Exhibition by Celia Dowson & Isobel Napier
Atmospheres sees Celia Dowson, who creates glassware, and Isobel Napier, who chiefly works with paper, come together to meditate on the fragility and solidity of their respective mediums; the resulting exhibition demonstrates the transformative power of materials, and the importance of creative process.
13 July – 6 September at Flow Gallery, London
Collections
To celebrate a staggering 25 years in business, Sarah Myerscough Gallery is hosting Collections: an exhibition which brings together the makers and materials that are reflective of its ethos. Several of the pieces on the display will be crafted from wood – the gallery’s ‘first love’ – but visitors will also get to see objects made out of metal, porcelain, stone, magpie feathers and more.
Until 21 October at Sarah Myerscough Gallery, London
Andy Warhol: The Textiles
Andy Warhol is most known for his vivid paintings and screen prints but, unbeknown to many, the pop artist was also an accomplished textile designer. This exhibition at The Fashion and Textile Museum showcases more than 45 of his creations, which are adorned with expectedly vibrant imagery of everything from ice cream sundaes to jumping clowns.
Until 10 September at The Fashion and Textile Museum, London
