What's On: UK

Date
6 December 2011

This week What’s On: UK keeps us north of Birmingham with a John Myers photography exhibition at the Ikon gallery, a broad and exact sculpture show at the Henry Moore Institute intriguingly titled United Enemies, and the self explanatory Hot Scots at the newly opened Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Hot Scots Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

Now that the Scottish National Portrait Gallery has officially opened, there is a genuinely spectacular host of shows to reward the anticipating public. The most crowd pleasing of which must surely be Hot Scots. Does exactly what it says on the tin – pictures of good looking celebs, captured by leading photography talent (like Eva Vermandel and Albert Watson), drawing the spotlight firmly onto Scotland as a producer of some of the most exciting, creative and culturally relevant figures working today. Showing until December 1.
www.nationalgalleries.org/hot-scots

United Enemies: The Problem of Sculpture in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s Henry Moore Institute, Leeds

Here is an exacting look at the decades of sculpture that provoked some radical ideas of what the medium meant and with that a generation of artists to challenge and fulfil them. Covering institutions, practices, publications and exhibitions, the sheer scope of pieces involved is like a who’s who of seminal practitioners – Tony Cragg, Barry Flanagan, John Latham, Gilbert and George – who would go on to reach forward with their experiments to touch many sculptors creating today. Showing until March 11.
www.henry-moore.org/united-enemies

John Myers: Middle England Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

John Myers chose to photograph people that lived within walking distance of his Midlands home. He documented with a perspective that reflected his subjects and with an intimacy derived his local familiarity. But there is also a sense of occasion, Myers is photographing them with a slightly old-school set-up – “surrounded by the telling paraphernalia of their daily lives” – and the portraits reflect that with a forced gesture and pose. Really worth checking out his the film below in which Myers makes insight heavy comment on his process and pieces. Showing until February 5.
www.ikon-gallery.co.uk/middle-england

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Bryony Quinn

Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

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