This episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three major topics. Host Ben Luke interviews painter Rachel Jones about her exhibition 'Gated Canyons' at Dulwich Picture Gallery, which features both giant and tiny works. Contemporary art correspondent Louisa Buck reviews the Liverpool Biennial 2025, titled 'BEDROCK', held at the Walker Art Gallery. The episode also features writer Charlie Porter discussing the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, a commemorative work made of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels honoring 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS, currently installed at Tate Modern's Turbine Hall.
The episode matters because it brings together three significant yet distinct strands of contemporary British art: a solo show by a rising young painter at a historic institution, a major biennial that surveys the current art scene in Liverpool, and a poignant community-driven memorial that addresses social history and public memory. The inclusion of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt at Tate Modern highlights how major museums are increasingly engaging with activist and commemorative art, while the biennial and gallery show underscore the vitality of regional and institutional exhibitions in the UK art landscape.