SLEEK Top 10: Must-See Exhibitions

After enduring years of a pandemic and lockdowns, the arts and culture industry has recovered with outstanding exhibits in museums and galleries. Furthermore, the freedom to travel without restrictions, previously overlooked, has fully returned. Major European cities like Paris, London, Berlin, Venice, or Antwerp have packed schedules of shows in store for autumn 2023 that you absolutely shouldn’t miss before the year is over. Whether you’re a traveler unsure of what to see, someone struggling to choose from your city’s event calendar, or simply a lover of both fashion and art, we’ve got you covered with a selection of the most captivating exhibitions. 

Scroll down to discover the suggestions to add to your art calendar for the rest of the year.

Victor Man at the Städl Museum, Frankfurt

If you find yourself in Frankfurt, consider visiting one of Germany’s most important art institutions, the Städel Museum, where you can experience the captivating work of one of today’s most sought-after painters, Victor Man (b. 1974, Cluj-Napoca, Romania). The exhibition, titled “The Lines of Life,” takes its name from a quote in Friedrich Hölderlin’s poem “To Zimmer” (1812) and underlines Man’s intimate connection to poetry and literature. Featuring paintings completed over the past decade, including the series “The Chandler” (since 2013), as well as recent works never before exhibited, this showcase promises to immerse you in the artist’s melancholic imagery.

Drenched in deep dark green, blue, and black tones, you will find yourself standing before contemplative gazes within enigmatic portraits, each representing individuals from Man’s familial or social circle. His works intricately interweave numerous art historical references and metaphors, offering a poetic yet distinctly contemporary exploration of human existence.

“The Lines of Life” runs til the 4th of February 2024.

Mark Rothko Retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris

While in Paris, Mark Rothko (b.1903, Dvinsk, Russia – d. 1970, New York) exhibition is a definite must-see or even worth traveling for. After more than twenty years since his last retrospective in France, the American artist takes the stage at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The exhibition follows a chronological order, starting in the 1930s, proving how the painter’s techniques changed dramatically over time. The 115 paintings in display include Rothko’s early figurative works, reflecting the New York scene marked by the aftermath of the First World War, all the way to his final abstract paintings. It was after the Second World War that Mark Rothko fully turned to abstraction. Among the standout pieces are a series of nine paintings, all displayed together in what is known as the “Rothko Room,” a permanent space, designed by the artist for the Phillips Collection. They were initially commissioned by the Four Seasons to adorn their famous restaurant, but Rothko ultimately chose not to part with them.

These creations come from various collections, ranging from the National Gallery of Art in Washington to the private holdings of the Rothko family, and even the Tate in London. Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the artist’s entire career.

The exhibition runs til the 2nd of April 2024.

Edvard Munch at the Berlinische Galerie, Berlin

The exhibition “Magic of the North” is a collaborative effort with the Munchmuseet in Oslo. It narrates the tale of Edvard Munch (b. 1863 Løten, Norway – d. 1944, Oslo) and his connection to Berlin, depicted through 90 paintings, prints, and photographs. Included are works by other artists like Walter Leistikow and Akseli Gallen-Kallela, who left their mark in the late 19th century, influencing Berlin’s perception of the North and the Modernist art scene.

In the late 19th century, Berlin embraced Nordic culture. Even the traditionally conservative Association of Berlin Artists invited the then-unknown young artist to present a solo exhibition in 1892. The vivid colors shocked viewers, and the perceived sketchiness led to the exhibition’s closure. Munch emerged in the controversy, repeatedly living and working in Berlin between 1892 and 1908 before settling in Norway in 1909. The press sarcastically named the scandal the “Munch Affair,” considered the beginning of Modernism in Berlin.

Today, Munch is celebrated as a key figure in European modernism, with his art transcending its time and still influencing the global art scene. His themes and paintings remain as pertinent as ever, offering a unique past perspective on the North through his distinctive light, colors, and the melancholic spirit that defined his art.

“Magic of the North” is on display until the 22nd of January 2024.

Louise Bourgeoise “Persistent Antagonism” at Lower Belvedere, Vienna

As part of the Belvedere’s three-hundred-year jubilee, one can discover a major solo exhibition dedicated to Louise Bourgeois (b. 1911, Paris, d. 2010, New York), an artist who has shaped the history of art. The magnificent show, “Persistent Antagonism,” presented in the Baroque galleries of the Lower Belvedere, brings together around 60 paintings in dialogue with a selection of sculptures, installations, drawings, and prints from all periods of her artistic career. It’s a rare chance to discover the widest of oeuvres, allowing the viewer to observe the artistic change over decades captured in one room. Bourgeois’ wall quotes will guide you through the exhibition and help you understand the meaning and intention behind her work.

In her extensive body of work, which encompassed a broad spectrum of material experimentation, Bourgeois accomplished a remarkable balance between figuration and abstraction, male and female, and conscious and unconscious. By the 1990s, she had earned international acclaim for her artistic achievements, particularly gaining recognition for her monumental spider sculptures and room-sized Cells. Nevertheless, it was in her oil paintings created between 1938 and 1949 that the French-American artist initially forged the formal artistic vocabulary and established the thematic concerns that would remain at the core of her practice throughout the next seven decades.

“Persistent Antagonism” runs til the 28th of January 2024.

ECHO. Wrapped in Memory at the MoMu – Fashion Museum, Antwerp

At MoMu in Antwerp, a new exhibition explores the fascinating relationship between clothing and memory. “Echo,” curated by Elisa De Wyngaert, primarily focuses on three female artists: Irish fashion designer Simone Rocha, French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, and Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Each of the artists connects to the theme of the show in different ways and perspectives, evoking echoes of the past in their work. While Rocha and Bourgeois overlap in their frequent exploration of motherhood, all demonstrate the potent power of memory and how it can be woven into clothing, art, and dance to create a striking and emotional impact. Throughout the show, memories of infancy, childhood, motherhood, aging, nostalgia, handmaking, or repair transpire through the works of many other artists showcased in this exhibition, including Harley Weir, Laila Gohar, Martin Margiela, Raf Simons, Helmut Lang, Marianne Berenhaut, Billie Zangewa, Liz Magor, Cassi Namoda, alongside historical pieces of fashion from the museum’s vast collection of more than 38,000 objects.

Visit the exhibition until the 25th of February 2024.

Sarah Lucas at Tate Britain, London

In a city already packed with cultural programs, London promises to remain a key destination for contemporary art fans throughout the year. 

Mark your calendars for the Tate Britain exhibition featuring the internationally renowned British artist Sarah Lucas (b. 1962, London), running until January 14, 2024. 

“Happy Gas” is a vast retrospective showcasing more than 75 artworks that celebrate her diverse practice encompassing sculpture, installation, and photography. Over four decades, Lucas has explored with humor themes like sex, class, and gender through her work. The exhibition includes early sculptures and photographs, displayed alongside brand new works being shown for the first time, in materials such as bronze, resin, and concrete. There are throughout the years large-scale self-portraits, nude plaster casts, and installations, all of which reference Lucas’ examinations of the objectification of the female body and her explorations of materiality.

The exhibition runs til the 14th of January 2024.

“CHRONORAMA: Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century” at Palazzo Grassi, Venice

In Venice, explore “CHRONORAMA: Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century,” the first major exhibition of photographic masterpieces recently acquired, in part, by the Pinault Collection from the Condé Nast archives. This exhibition brings to life the 20th century’s social phenomena and figures that marked it through over 400 works by more than 150 international artists, including Edward Steichen, Berenice Abbott, Cecil Beaton, Lee Miller, André Kertész, Horst P. Horst, Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, and others. Notable among their generation, these artists significantly shaped the aesthetics of their time, with their works featured in various Condé Nast periodicals, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, House & Garden, Glamour, and GQ.

Presented in parallel is “Chronorama Redux,” a contemporary project offering a fresh perspective on these works from the Pinault Collection. The curator, Matthieu Humery, has selected the artists Tarrah Krajnak, Eric N. Mack, Giulia Andreani, and Daniel Spivakov, with in situ interventions that span four spaces at Palazzo Grassi, providing interludes in the chronological presentation of the main exhibition.

The exhibition runs til the 7th of January 2024.

Janis Kounellis at Cardi Gallery, Milan

In Milan, a solo exhibition featuring Jannis Kounellis (b.1936 Piraeus, Greece – d. 2017 Rome, Italy) is currently on display at Cardi Gallery, founded in 1972 by Renato Cardi, an Italian collector and enthusiastic advocate for emerging artists. 

Recognized as the leading figure of Italian Arte Povera and a significant presence in international contemporary art, Kounellis’ work serves as a critical reference point for successive generations of artists and is included in the permanent collections of major art museums worldwide. The exhibition, running until December 22, 2023, showcases seven wall-mounted iron panels created by the artist in 1991. Each panel is adorned with coal elements arranged in regular horizontal lines, evoking an almost archaic visual alphabet. These works, displayed on the gallery’s ground floor in an austere yet impactful setting, highlight the monumental quality of Kounellis’ wall reliefs, effectively capturing his fascination with raw, everyday materials that have fueled his practice since the 1960s.

Since its early manifestations in the late 1960s, Kounellis’ work has been distinguished by a pursuit of new spatial awareness. Although he identified himself as a painter, he utilized materials traditionally considered non-pictorial, departing from conventional concepts of representation.

The exhibition is open to the public until the 22nd of December 2023.

Anselm Kiefer at Galleria Lorca O’Neill, Rome

Discover Anselm Kiefer’s solo exhibition, “The Consciousness of Stones,” at Rome’s Galleria Lorcan O’Neill.

Born in 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany, Kiefer is a globally influential artist with works in major museums and private collections. The exhibit showcases eight monumental paintings and a sculpture, all created in the last two years, delving into the theme of islands and the sea. Drawing inspiration from mythology, literature, and personal experiences, Kiefer explores concepts of isolation, wandering, and the desire for connection, with references to Homer, Alexander the Great, the Bible, Beethoven, and Paul Celan.

Spanning his five-decade career, the show reflects Kiefer’s interest in myth, history, and human knowledge. A versatile artist, Kiefer’s practice encompasses various media, including painting, sculpture, photography, film, woodcut, book-making, site-specific installations and architecture. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the profound creations of Anselm Kiefer, a true luminary in the contemporary art world.

The exhibition runs until the 24th of February 2024.

Liang Fu: Ash to Ashes at the Galeria Nicodim, Bucharest

Probably not your typical destination; nevertheless, Bucharest’s art scene has been rapidly growing in the past five years, with new galleries and the first private museum, MARe, opening its doors in 2018. One of the most internationally active galleries in Romania is Nicodim, starting in 2006 in Los Angeles and moving eastward in 2014, featuring a solid program of artists like Adrain Genie, Ciprian Muresan, or Thania Petersen (currently showcased in the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale). With a keen eye for emerging talents, art dealer Mihai Nicodim has built a reputation for discovering artists from small-batch art scenes.

The Nicodim space in Bucharest will feature a new exhibition, “Ash to Ashes” from November 18 to December 22, 2023—a solo show by Paris-based artist Liang Fu (b. 1993, Sichuan, China). Fu’s practice revolves around the intricate interplay of corporeal forms, geographical landscapes, and the passage of time. His paintings are evocative and ambiguous, playing with figurative and abstract elements, transparent and opaque, visible and invisible, yet eternally in motion. Using oils with water-based mineral pigments, Fu materializes his ideas around the philosophy of transformation and the metaphysical cycling of elements.

While dust inevitably returns to dust, Liang Fu’s work serves as a reminder that perpetual reinvention holds its own beauty.

The exhibition is on display until the 22nd of December 2023.