View this email in your browser Thank you to everyone who came to Fresh Air the show I had with Emily Harris a few weeks ago. We so enjoyed putting together the exhibition and were overwhelmed by such a positive reaction. AdLib gallery continues to show some items of work so do pop in if you are passing through Wimbledon Village.I hope you enjoy the long Jubilee weekend, I am busy with a street party in our road. There are also lots of fantastic exhibitions recently opened in London, some suggestions below. |
 The blockbuster exhibition of the moment has to be Raphael. It is the first ever show of his full career outside Italy and covers paint, chalk, print, wool, bronze and ink. He achieved so much so early, painting St.Sebastian like this by 19 (left), he was one of the most sought after Italian Renaissance artists by his late 20s and had altered the course of Italian art by his death at 37. Phew. This show has 89 works from collections around the world and finishes with a room of portraits painted out of love and friendship rather than commission. A very special show. National Gallery until 31 July |
 Was Walter Sickert Jack the Ripper? This exhibition seems to throw up more questions than answers but it seems that if he wasn’t, then he fantasised that he was. Sickert’s grimly realist paintings portray Victorian urban life and his work conjures up dank rented rooms and gaslit pubs. He is not afraid to add drama to his paintings which then suggests his penchant for theatre may have led him to falsly confess to the police that he was the mass murderer Jack the Ripper. Or was he telling the truth? Either way he was a cracking painter. Tate Britain until 18 Sept Whilst you’re at Tate Britain seeing the Sickert, it would also be worth seeing the Cornelia Parker show. Parker’s work is immediately engaging and her visual puns will stay with you. The iconic exploding shed is here, mid-boom. Also here, is ink made from pornography confiscated by UK customs, a sculpture made from a gun used in a violent crime and an room covered in off-cuts from Rememberence Day poppies. What Parker does is invite contemplation to by repurposing key objects from current life, sometimes in a jokey way and sometimes serious. Tate Britain until 16 October Do you like aliens? If so, or are looking for something unusual and child/teen engaging, I would recommend Alienarium 5. This installation from Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster is designed as a welcoming meeting place between humans and aliens. Crazy no? There are even aliens there. There is also a tribute to the sci-fi genre in a huge mural featuring well-known figures, satellites and spaceships. The aim is to make you imagine a new type of future, one that hasn’t been invented yet. Fun and optimistic. Serpentine Gallery until 4 Sep |
 Roses from the garden, 27x32cm oil on canvasI was suffering a bit of Chelsea Flower fomo last week as I hadn’t booked tickets this year, so painted some roses from my garden to get my fix.Get in touchwww.katharinerowe.com katharine@katharinerowe.com |