We are today the 1st of November. On this day, All Saints Day was made compulsory by Pope Gregory IV throughout the Frankish Kingdom (835); Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican was first exhibited (1512); William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello is first presented (1604); an earthquake in Lisbon kills over 50,000 in Portugal (1755); Mustafa Kemal Ataturk takes Constantinople from Mehmed VI, proclaiming the Republic of Turkey and bringing an end to the Ottoman Empire (1922); T. S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral premieres in London (1935); Ansel Adams shoots Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, one of his most famous photographs (1941); The U.S. explodes the first hydrogen bomb code named “Ivy Mike” in the Marshall Islands (1952); Willem de Kooning’s Two Women sells for nearly $2 million USD, a then record for a contemporary work of art and for a living artist (1984); The Maastricht Treaty formally starts, establishing the European Union (1993); The European Court of Human Rights is instituted (1998); Scientists detect evidence of light from the universe’s first stars, predicted to have formed 500 million years after the Big Bang (2012).
Welcome to November. Welcome to the 104th edition of Prescriptions. Here is our review of the week in the arts.
Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits
Spanning nearly seven decades, Lucian Freud’s self-portraits give a fascinating insight into both his psyche and his development as a painter, from his earliest in 1939 to his final one executed 64 years later. On view through January 26, 2020 at Royal Academy of Arts, London.
Kennedy Browne
Kennedy Browne: The Redaction Trilogy
The trilogy of works by Kennedy Browne explore the impact of digital technology on labour and politics, questioning the mythical hero status given to tech pioneers alongside the impact of technology on social behavior. At Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, through January 26, 2020.
Robert Capa
Capa in Color
Robert Capa regularly used color film from the ’40s until his death in 1954. Some of these photographs were published in magazines, but the majority have never been printed or even seen. Organized by ICP. On view at Caixa Forum Palma through January 26, 2020.
Rachel Rose
Rachel Rose
In recent years Rachel Rose has quickly risen to prominence for her compelling video installations and films. This selective overview of Rose’s practice comprised of five works focuses on moving images. On view through January 12, 2020 at Fridericianum.
Jesús Rafael Soto
Soto. The Fourth Dimension
Structured around his concept of the aesthetic experience, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to re-examine the career of Jesús Rafael Soto who transformed the art of the second half of the 20th century. Through February 9, 2020 at Guggenheim, Bilbao.
Helen Cammock
What Can Be Done
These works by Helen Cammock interweave women’s stories of loss and resilience with 17th Century Baroque music by female composers, exploring lament in women’s lives across histories and geographies. On view at Collezione Maramotti through February 16, 2020.
Robert Capa
PROFILES
Lucian Freud whose poignant Self-Portraits are on view at Royal Academy of Arts; Berangere Fromont, whose recent UK publication Except the Clouds is exhibited at Offshoot Gallery; Kennedy Browne explores the impact of digital technology in The Redaction Trilogy at Hugh Lane Gallery; Rachel Rose presents a selective overview comprised of five works at Fridericianum; Jesús Rafael Soto whose career is re-examined in The Fourth Dimension is on view at Guggenheim, Bilbao; Robert Capa, whose color works Capa in Color is on view at Caixa Forum Palma in Spain, organized by ICP / International Center of Photography.
