The word ‘April’ comes from Latin to openWhich means ‘to open’. It is believed to refer to nature’s seasonal bloom – and certainly, nowhere like our capital city in spring, when parks become showcases for the wonder of renewal, and cherry blossoms adorn the streets. But the term could equally apply to the outstanding art exhibitions in London this month – as well as, excitingly, a whole new museum. Galleries at East of the V&A Explore the power of creativity through the people and ideas that shape global culture and Inaugural Exhibition is a multi-sensory celebration of music.
This month also sees Easter, which celebrates life’s triumphs and new beginnings – and an exhibition at the Royal Academy is reviving a name from the mists of time, and bringing us works. Michaelina Wautierwho was a contemporary of Artemisia Gentileschi and whose paintings and religious scenes come across with extraordinary tenderness. Then, there is a new body of work by at Serpentine South Cecily Brownwhose vivid paintings blur the line between abstract and figurative. Tate Britain is organizing the first major show dedicated to Hervin Anderson – Large landscapes and interior scenes merge their diasporic identity with the art historical tradition to magnetic effect. And Dulwich Picture Gallery is mounting the first show in this country to focus on the great Estonian artist Conrad Mageewhose avant-garde style was inspired by the movements of Neo-Impressionism, Expressionism and Cubism.
Meanwhile, in our commercial galleries, there are exhibitions that offer fascinating insights into the time, place and specific aspects of an artist’s career. Victoria MiroN1 holds the most comprehensive show of Paula Rego’s drawings to date. Mu Josh LillyNick Goss is exhibiting new paintings inspired by the legendary Eel Pie Island Hotel, a music venue in Twickenham that was very popular in the 1960s. David ZwirnerW1 is presenting work by a group of artists who were at the forefront of the American art scene in the 1960s and 1970s – a must-visit if you’re into minimalism. And Alison JacksW1 is hung with some of Gordon Park’s most important photographs, intensely moving and capturing important moments in American history. Scroll for more.
