Nature by the uncool YBA, armoured ceramics and dizzying Aussie abstraction – the week in art

The article is a weekly art roundup highlighting several major exhibitions opening in London and Cambridge. It spotlights a new show of nature-themed paintings by Cecily Brown at the Serpentine Gallery, ceramics by Phoebe Collings-James at Pitzhanger Manor, a career survey of Turner Prize-winner Veronica Ryan at the Whitechapel Gallery, a Frank Bowling retrospective at The Fitzwilliam Museum, and a presentation of Aboriginal Australian art at Edel Assanti. The piece also features a powerful war photograph from Iraq and includes brief news items on topics ranging from a Matisse retrospective to potential museum entry fees.

‘What a fascinating challenge for an artist’: how Monet captured Venice in his twilight years

A major exhibition at San Francisco's de Young Museum, titled 'Monet and Venice,' brings together over 100 works, focusing on the two dozen paintings Claude Monet created during his only visit to the city in 1908. The show contextualizes his Venetian output with works by contemporaries like J.M.W. Turner, John Singer Sargent, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, revealing that the trip was almost cancelled and was initially planned as a brief holiday.

Estonia exports a modernist, Glasgow gets poetic and Leonora Carrington goes wild – the week in art

The article is a weekly roundup of art events and news highlights. It spotlights several upcoming exhibitions, including a showcase of Estonian modernist Konrad Mägi in London, a poetic conceptual art show by Fiona Banner in Glasgow, lyrical paintings by Turner Prize-shortlisted Hurvin Anderson at Tate Britain, and a surrealist exhibition of Leonora Carrington's work at London's Freud Museum. It also mentions films by Rehana Zaman and features an image story about a unique, family-run trompe l'oeil painting school in Brussels.

King Charles Visited Tate Britain’s ‘Turner and Constable’ Show and Loved What He Saw

King Charles Visited Tate Britain’s ‘Turner and Constable’ Show and Loved What He Saw

King Charles visited the "Turner and Constable" exhibition at Tate Britain, expressing visible admiration for the works on display. He was particularly struck by J.M.W. Turner's early painting *The Rising Squall, Hot Wells*, which was recently rediscovered and sold at auction. The visit underscores the exhibition's popular success, having already attracted 185,000 visitors since opening last November.

A book exploring the evolution of J.M.W. Turner’s positions on slavery

Art historian Sam Smiles has released a comprehensive new book examining J.M.W. Turner’s complex relationship with the slave trade, expanding on his 2007 discovery of the artist's personal investment in a Jamaican cattle farm that utilized enslaved labor. The research traces Turner’s financial ties from his early patronage by wealthy plantation owners to his own speculative ventures, challenging the long-held perception of the artist as a straightforward abolitionist.

ArtReview Podcast | Episode 5: Rene Matić

Artist Rene Matić discusses their multidisciplinary practice and cultural influences in the latest episode of the ArtReview Podcast. The conversation explores Matić’s background as a second-generation skinhead of St Lucian heritage, their status as the youngest-ever Turner Prize nominee, and the upcoming commission for the grand opening of the V&A East Museum in April 2026.

Staff at Goldsmiths art college plan industrial action ahead of redundancies

Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, have voted to take industrial action in response to a massive restructuring plan aimed at saving £22 million by 2027. The University and College Union (UCU) reports that the 'Future Goldsmiths' initiative will lead to significant redundancies for both professional services and academic staff. Tensions have escalated following revelations that the institution spent over £14 million on private consultants and legal fees related to previous restructuring efforts while simultaneously cutting jobs.

At the Tate Modern, the Moving Renaissance of Tracey Emin

À la Tate Modern, la bouleversante renaissance de Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin has returned to the Tate Modern for a major retrospective titled "A Second Life," marking a poignant milestone in her career. The exhibition features over a hundred works, including the iconic and once-scandalous "My Bed," which first catapulted her to international fame during the 1999 Turner Prize. This survey explores her evolution from the "enfant terrible" of the Young British Artists to a Dame of the British Empire, showcasing her multidisciplinary practice across painting, sculpture, and installation.

Last chance! Four excellent London exhibitions close this weekend

Four major art exhibitions are scheduled to conclude their London runs on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The closing shows include the high-profile 'Turner & Constable: Rivals and Originals' at Tate Britain, the 'Theatre Picasso' centenary celebration at Tate Modern, and the 'New Contemporaries' showcase of emerging talent at the South London Gallery.

On View: First Major Museum Exhibition of Hurvin Anderson at Tate Britain Spans Entire Career of Acclaimed British Painter

Tate Britain has launched the largest-ever museum survey of British painter Hurvin Anderson, featuring over 80 works spanning from 1995 to the present. The exhibition showcases Anderson’s unique blend of abstraction and figuration, highlighting major series such as his Barbershops, Country Clubs, and the monumental new 16-panel work "Passenger Opportunity." The show tracks his evolution from a Royal College of Art student to a Turner Prize finalist and one of the most significant Black painters in contemporary art.

London’s Most Talked-About Art Exhibitions Close This Weekend: Don’t Miss Your Final Chance to See Turner, Picasso, and New Contemporary Talent

Four major art exhibitions across London are entering their final weekend, with closing dates set for April 12, 2026. Highlights include Tate Britain’s face-off between landscape masters J.M.W. Turner and John Constable, and Tate Modern’s dual offerings: a deep dive into Pablo Picasso’s theatrical influences and Máret Ánne Sara’s monumental Hyundai Commission installation in the Turbine Hall. The South London Gallery is also concluding its showcase of the New Contemporaries, which highlights emerging artistic talent.

Veronica Ryan review – the seeds are sensational but the detritus is distracting

A major retrospective of Turner Prize-winning artist Veronica Ryan has opened, showcasing her career-long exploration of organic forms and repurposed materials. The exhibition features new works made from plastic bottles, bandages, and avocado trays, alongside earlier sculptures in bronze and lead that reference seed pods and fruit.

These Artists Dominated Auction Sales in 2025

The article presents a data-driven analysis of the top-performing artists at auction in 2025, highlighting specific works and their record-breaking sales. J.M.W. Turner re-entered the top ranks with a $11.9 million sale, while Jean-Michel Basquiat dominated the contemporary category with a $48.3 million result for his painting 'Crowns (Peso Neto)'. Other notable sales included works by René Magritte, David Hockney, and the ultra-contemporary artist Matthew Wong.

Lubaina Himid on Representing Great Britain at the 61st Venice Biennale

Lubaina Himid will represent Great Britain at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. She plans to exhibit a new installation of large, multi-panel paintings and works on found objects, accompanied by a sound piece by Magda Stawarska, all inspired by her lifelong exploration of belonging. The work aims to navigate melancholy and deep remembering, inviting visitors to bring their own experiences into the pavilion.

Helen Legg appointed artistic director of Royal Academy

Helen Legg has been named the new artistic director of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, starting in June. She joins from Tate Liverpool, where she served as director since 2018, and brings prior leadership experience from Spike Island in Bristol and curatorial work at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham.

ELENA DAMIANI, XIMENA GARRIDO-LECCA AND ISHMAEL RANDALL-WEEKS: SIGNAL AND STRATA

ELENA DAMIANI, XIMENA GARRIDO-LECCA E ISHMAEL RANDALL-WEEKS: SIGNAL AND STRATA

An exhibition titled 'Signal and Strata' featuring Peruvian artists Elena Damiani, Ximena Garrido-Lecca, and Ishmael Randall-Weeks was presented at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts from February 5 to April 5, 2026. The show, examined in an accompanying essay by curator Madeline Murphy Turner, focuses on how the artists use materials like travertine, copper, and concrete to interrogate narratives of modernity, resource extraction, and the climate crisis.

World-class exhibition showcases the complete Rugby Collection of contemporary art

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has launched "UNVEILED - The Rugby Art Collection in Full," a landmark exhibition featuring all 257 artworks from its permanent collection. This marks the first time in decades that the entire body of work has been displayed together, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the collection's founding in 1946. The show includes a prestigious roster of British masters such as L.S. Lowry, Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, and Paula Rego, alongside Turner Prize winners Lubaina Himid and Gillian Wearing.

In John Constable’s Hometown, a Trio of Shows Marks His 250th Birthday

A series of three exhibitions in Suffolk, England, celebrates the 250th anniversary of John Constable's birth. The program, hosted at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, includes "Constable: A Cast of Characters," focusing on his personal life and circle; "The Hay Wain: Walking Constable's Landscape," featuring his iconic paintings including *The Hay Wain* displayed in its depicted county for the first time; and "Constable to Contemporary," examining his ongoing influence on modern artists.

Bank of England to Replace J.M.W. Turner with UK Wildlife on Banknotes

The Bank of England has decided to replace historical figures, including painter J.M.W. Turner, with depictions of native UK wildlife on its next generation of banknotes. This follows a public consultation where 'Nature' was the most popular theme, selected by 60% of respondents. A panel of six wildlife experts will now create a shortlist of species for a further public vote this summer.

A Drama of Two Masters

A new documentary film titled "Turner & Constable" attempts to dramatize the artistic rivalry between the two iconic British landscape painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable. The film is based on a recent exhibition of the same name at Tate Britain in London.

A unique chance to immerse yourself in the world of engravings at Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery

Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery is hosting "A Simple Line," a specialized exhibition dedicated to the history and craft of engraving. The show features a prestigious selection of works ranging from 17th-century Dutch masters like Gerard Douw to 18th-century Italian printmaker Giovanni Battista Piranesi and the celebrated English landscape painter J.M.W. Turner. Visitors can view rare pieces such as Turner’s mezzotint of Dunstanburgh Castle and architectural etchings of Pompeii, alongside a concurrent "Festival of Arts" showcasing local regional talent.

‘Volcano Snake Sun, September’: A Poem by Ella Frears

Poet Ella Frears has composed a new literary work in response to Charlie Prodger’s 2024 drawing, 'Volcano Snake Sun, September'. The poem explores themes of observation, physical detachment, and the tension between tranquility and underlying violence, mirroring the shift in Prodger’s practice from conceptual film to representational pencil-and-pastel works on paper.