The dog days of summer are upon us. Here are the top art destinations to visit this season.
1. Greek Islands
“Kiki Smith: Memory”
By Slaughterhouse
Art insiders know to head to Hydra during the summer for some of the most cutting-edge art. This year the DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, a nonprofit institution and organizer of international contemporary art shows, presents a collection of new works by iconic artist Kiki Smith installed around the Slaughterhouse art space. Ranging from sculptures and flag textile to installations and wall prints, Smith’s work illustrates goat motifs and nautical symbols. “The slaughterhouse connects the goats to the sea by their blood and entrails being offered,” says Smith. “The Capricorn is a goat climbing a mountain whose snake-fish tail enters the sea. The milk is an offering to the goats and the sea. In the Hydra constellation, similar to the island and to the old island’s flag, sits the owl, the cat, the crow, the sextant, and the offering chalice.”
Where: DESTE Foundation Project Space, Hydra
When: Through September 30
“Antony Gormley on the Island of Delos: Sight”
By NEON in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades
This summer, a 5,000-year-old archaeological site in Greece was transformed by an ambitious installation by acclaimed British sculptor Antony Gormley, on view through October. The tiny island of Delos, once a flourishing trading center in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is revered in Greek mythology as the sacred birthplace of twins Apollo, god of light, and Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Twenty-nine life-size iron body forms by Gormley, who is known for site-specific works that investigate our relationship to place, are dotted across the island—one on a rocky platform above the water’s edge, two more shortly arise on Plakes Peak and Mount Kynthos as well as the former theater district.
Where: Archaeological Site & Museum of Delos Island, Delos
When: Through October 31
2. Yorkshire, United Kingdom
“David Smith: Sculpture 1932–1965”
From Yorkshire Sculpture International
Headlining the Yorkshire Sculpture Park International exhibition, the acclaimed late British sculptor presents a compelling array of dynamic installations throughout the green meadows. Including major loans from museums and private collections, along with works from the artist’s estate, and never-before-seen objects from his home, this exhibition of over 40 works is considered one of Smith’s most important shows to date.
Recommended: The Ultimate Art Lovers’ Guide to the Berkshires
Where: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
When: Through January 5, 2020
3. Venice, Italy
“The 2019 Venice Biennale: May You Live in Interesting Times”
By La Biennale di Venezia
The 58th Venice Biennale, titled “May You Live in Interesting Times,” consists of a main international group exhibition, which is curated by Ralph Rugoff this year and features 79 artists, as well as roughly 90 national pavilions, each organized by a different country. Don’t miss standout pavilions, including the first showcase by Ghana at the biennale, designed by architect David Adjaye, or the Lithuania pavilion, which transforms the interior of a historic quayside building within the Marina Militare complex into a durational opera set on an artificially lit beach scene replete with sand. (The project won the Golden Lion 2019.)
But beyond the Giardini and the Arsenale and the many pavilions installed in beautiful churches and palazzos, there are a slew of art and design exhibitions to discover. Here are a few not to miss: Luc Tuymans’s “La Pelle” at the Palazzo Grassi; Helen Frankenthaler at the Palazzo Grimani; and “DYSFUNCTIONAL,” a design show presented by Carpenters Workshop Gallery in partnership with the Lombard Odier Group at the majestic Galleria Giorgio.
Where: Various locations
When: Through November 24
4. South of France
“Art-O-Rama”
By Fræme
Taking place on the Côte d’Azur, the 10th edition of the boutique art fair Art-O-Rama is a regular stop for French collectors passing through Marseille after their vacation. Located at the Friche la Belle de Mai, a former cigarette factory turned cultural center that houses several art spaces and studios, some 20 galleries will set up with a vibrant assortment of works.
Where: Friche la Belle de Mai, Marseille
When: August 30–September 1
“Les Rencontres de la Photographie”
City of Arles
This year is the 50th edition of the prestigious photography festival in Arles. Expect to see masterpieces by some of the 20th-century photography greats, as well as up-and-coming contemporary talents such as Ukrainian artist David Denil, Shanghai artist Pixy Liao, and Turkish lensman Emeric Lhuisset.
Where: Arles
When: Through September 22
