Europe's cultural calendar has an almost endless offering of works old and new; from classic collections held in some of the continent's most celebrated galleries to fresh exhibitions that show the latest talent breaking in the art world, there's plenty to see.
From Hilma af Klint to Johannes Vermeer, here's our run-down of some of this year's must-see exhibitions.
1. Biennale 18th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice
This year's Architecture Biennale is called "The Workshop of the Future" by its curator Lesley Lokko. The central theme is the African continent and the show will look into colonialism, power dynamics between the global North and South and climate change.
Architecture is key to presenting a "vision of a modern, diverse, and inclusive society," Lokko states. For her, the exhibit enables artists to offer the audience a different perception of what the future can hold.
When: 20 May - 26 November 2023
More here.
Biennale architecture presentation 2023. Lesley Lokko and Roberto Cicutto. Credit: Venice Biennale
2. Vermeer, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
This will be the largest retrospective of Johannes Vermeer's work and will showcase works that are already part of the museum's collection, such as 'The Milkmaid' and 'The Little Street', together with at least 28 other paintings that have been borrowed from collections in Europe, the United States and Japan. 'The Girl with the Pearl Earring' from Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden will also be on display.
The 17th-century Dutch master was a meticulous painter and only produced 2-3 paintings a year of which 34 are definitely attributed to him. The exhibition will explore his approach to painting, particularly his use of light through the camera obscura, which earnt him the title "Master of Light".
When: 10 February - 4 June 2023
More here.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer ca. 1665. Credit: Wikipedia
3. Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece, British Museum, London
As the debate rages on whether to return the Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, back to Greece, the British Museum is nevertheless opening an exhibition to explore the relationship between ancient Greek city states and their mighty neighbour, the Persian empire.
Rather than focusing on everyday people, the exhibit instead displays how luxury was used as a political tool and how artefacts were used to show status by high-ranking individuals, which in turn influences attitudes towards luxury today. The pieces on display include precious metals, an intricate Persian silver-gilt drinking container and the extraordinary Panagyurishte Treasure on loan from Bulgaria.
When: 4 May to 13 August 2023
More here.
Panagyurishte Treasure. Credit: Wikipedia
4. Manet/Degas, Musée d’Orsay, Paris
The exhibit will explore the work and lives of two French icons of Impressionism between the 1860s and when Manet died in 1883. The two contemporaries shared many of the same subjects, such as café scenes, theatres, travelling in similar circles and charming collectors.
Despite their similarities, the exhibit will consider the ways they were different, including their differences in background, temperaments and tastes, and how these tendencies impacted their work, the notion of success and their friendship itself.
Once the exhibit finishes in Paris, it will move to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in September 2023.
When: 28 March - 23 July 2023
More here.
Edouard Manet, Le balcon, between 1868 and 869. Credit: Musée d'Orsay
5. After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art, The National Gallery, London
The National Gallery's spring hit explores a period of upheaval when artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Paul Cezanne broke with tradition between 1880 and 1906 in the period known as La Belle Époque.
It examines how the artists innovated in their artistic approach and laid the foundation for modern art in the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibition features work with artists including Klimt and Kokoschka, Matisse and Picasso to Mondrian and Kandinsky, depicting how art evolved from Expressionism to Cubism to Abstraction.
When: 25 March - 13 August 2023
More here.
Example of modern art by Paul Cézanne. The Large Bathers 1898–1905. Credit: Wikipedia
6. Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian, Tate Modern, London
Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) and Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) could initially seem like an odd pairing. Af Klimt was a Swedish painter and mystic whose work was inspired by her spirituality. By contrast, Mondrian was a Dutch artist who explored Minimalism and geometric shapes. Although contemporaries, they never met.
Around the turn of the 20th century, both artists made the jump from conventional landscape artists to pioneers in Abstraction. The exhibition will display over 250 of their artworks, featuring vibrant colours and enigmatic shapes in their exploration of expression.
When: 20 April - 3 September 2023
More here.
Hilma af Klint, The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 3 Youth 1907. Credit: The Hilma af Klint Foundation
7. Dana Schutz, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark
American artist Dana Schutz (b. 1976) is considered one of the greatest contemporary figurative painters. Her work depicts people and our relationships in huge and often grotesque compositions.
The exhibit takes place in a museum 30 minutes outside of Copenhagen and it shows an overview of the artist's career. It will include paintings such as The Interview, which the museum recently got for its permanent collection.
The exhibit will go to the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris when finished in Denmark.
When: 9 February - 11 June 2023.
More here.
Dana Schutz. Credit: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
8. Avant l’Orage (Before the Storm), Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection, Paris
Set in the old stock market, this exhibition will examine how ecosystems evolve in the context of the climate emergency. The multidisciplinary exhibition will feature paintings, installations and digital art from artists such as Cy Twombly, Danh Vo, Frank Bowling, Anicka Yi and Pierre Huyghe.
The exhibition will be held in two stages. The first part kicks off with a 360-degree installation in the gallery’s rotunda by the Vietnamese-Danish artist Danh Vo (b. 1975). At the end of May, part two will begin and Vo's work will be replaced by Tacita Dean (b. 1965).
When: 8 February – 11 September 2023
More here.
Tropaleum, Danh Vo. Credit: Pinnault Collection
9. Chagall, Atelier des Lumières, Paris
An immersive digital art space brings new life to the paintings of Russian-French artist Marc Chagall through light, music and movement.
The exhibit reinterprets Chagall's dreamy and surreal landscapes populated by jugglers, beasts, circus, lovers and peasants to a soundtrack of jazz, classical music, and traditional Jewish instrumental music klezmer.
When: 27 February 2023 – 7 January 2024
More here.
Digital artwork of Marc Chagall at the L'Atelier des Lumières. Credit: L'Atelier des Lumières
10. Art Nouveau, various exhibitions, Brussels
Art Nouveau is an ornamental style of art that had its heyday between 1890 and 1910 across Europe. Belgium's Victor Horta was an influential figure in this movement and Brussels will highlight the capital's architectural heritage and the impact of Art Nouveau on the urban landscape.
The goal is to explore the movement with a fresh perspective through exhibitions as well as new venues and guided tours.
More here.
Staircase in the Hôtel Tassel, Brussels, designed by Victor Horta in the Art Nouveau style, 1892–93. Credit: Wikipedia
