Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 6,99, (1984).
Photo: Courtesy of Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat Licensed by Artestar, New York; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
5 Not-to-Be-Missed Museum Exhibitions to See This Spring
The season’s stellar selection of blockbuster shows presents many of the art world’s biggest stars in a fascinating new light
Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, (1665). Photo: Courtesy of Rijksmuseum
1. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam | “Vermeer”
For this massive retrospective of Johannes Vermeer, the Rijksmuseum drew significant loans from all over the world, bringing together some of the Dutch artist’s most renowned masterpieces, including several rarely available to the public. On view are Allegory of Faith, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and a fully restored Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window. Through June 4
Michael Halsband, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat #143 New York City, (1985). Photo: Courtesy of the artist
2. Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris | “Basquiat x Warhol. Painting 4 Hands”
In addition to leaving lasting impressions on the art world, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol were also close friends, collaborating on around 160 paintings in 1984 and 1985. More than 100 of these jointly signed artworks will go on display in Paris, alongside pieces by Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, and Kenny Scharf that capture the spirit of New York in the 1980s. April 5–August 28
Ai Weiwei, Glass Helmet, (2022). Photo: courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio
3. The Design Museum, London | “Ai Weiwei: Making Sense”
Best known for his accomplishments at the crossroads of art and activism, Ai Weiwei is now presenting his first exhibition focused on design. The show places Chinese artifacts representative of traditional craftsmanship in dialogue with pieces evocative of the urban development happening in China today. Also featured will be some of Ai’s most famous works as well as ones commissioned for the show. April 7–July 30
Georgia O’Keeffe, Evening Star No. III, (1917). Photo: Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art
4. The Museum of Modern Art, New York | “Georgia O’Keeffe: To See Takes Time”
Although Georgia O’Keeffe’s ethereal flower paintings may be her most readily identifiable artworks, her creations with charcoal, pencil, watercolor, and pastel are just as compelling. In a landmark exhibition that showcases the transformation of her main themes, these dreamy works on paper, spanning four decades of her career, will finally get their due. April 9–August 12
Hilma af Klint’s The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 7, Adulthood, (1907). Photo: Courtesy of the Hilma af Klint Foundation
Piet Mondrian’s Metamorphosis (1908). Photo: COURTESY OF KUNSTMUSEUM DEN HAAG AND SALOMON B. SLIJPER
5. Tate Modern, London | “Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian: Forms of Life”
While they never met, artists Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian each reinterpreted patterns found in nature in their own distinctive style. At Tate Modern, their paintings will be mounted side by side for the first time to draw attention to the artists’ interlinked practices and shared inspirations. In addition to Mondrian’s iconic grids, his rarely exhibited floral paintings will be on display. April 20–September 3
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Spring Issue under the headline “What’s On View.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 6,99, (1984).
Photo: Courtesy of Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat Licensed by Artestar, New York; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
