Artists Not to Miss Now Through June

Our quasi-monthly exhibitions round up focuses on the best bets for who to see and where to see them.

Now through June finds our pick of top Artfetch artists on show in Ireland alongside the likes of Tracy Emin, and in group and solo exhibitions setting new standards in art from Brazil to London.

 

Cecilia Danell at the RHA

 

RHA Annual Exhibition, Cecilia Danell at Royal Hibernian Academy

The RHA Annual Exhibition is a staple on the Irish arts calendar whether you’re after the big names of the established art world or the fresh faces making their initial appearances on the scene. Cecilia Danell is one of the artists chosen to exhibit in this year’s instalment, which is the 185th annual edition of the open submission show, quite an achievement for any artist and especially when you consider that out of every 10 works entered only 1 is selected. But take a look at her paintings and the strength, beauty and talent and her selection will seem as natural as her brilliant ability with paint and as intuitive as her response to the materials. Cecilia’s inclusion in this well respected exhibition certainly adds another piece to the foundation of her rise as an artist to watch as well as another angle to the face of contemporary painting.

Dublin, Ireland, now through 9 August

 
 
Julia Csekö with her latest sculpture
 

YOU / ME, Julia Csekö at MUV Gallery

We’ve said it before, Julia Csekö is in love with love and it’s contagious. Her brilliant and colourful works exploring those human relationships and bonds are as powerful as they are beautiful and her upcoming solo exhibition YOU / ME will again explores ideas of affection, love and desire. Featuring an installation of plush pink and red hearts (which reference back to her cloth sculptures), these objects await a conqueror. From opening night on visitors will be invited to bring an object of personal significance representing an emotion of love and this will be given in exchange for one of the handmade hearts in the installation. Over the course of the exhibition only these offerings will remain, thus creating an archive of many unique experiences of love. This act of sharing, exchange and dialogue is in itself a form of friendship and affection – and we say there can never be enough love in this world.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, opening 17 June

 

We are made of stars, Guillermo Aguilar-Huerta at cueB Gallery

Guillermo Aguilar-Huerta’s aptly named globe trotting work from the Universal Series is going to the United Kingdom for a solo exhibition opening this Thursday. The Mexican-born, Berlin-based artist will be showing installation and paintings from the series that has already gained popularity on two continents. The work utilises his trademark geometry and patterns, sometimes a hint of technology coming through in the form of a QR code or sometimes the traditions of the Mayans, and it always encourages us to look afresh at the world and the environment around us. Guillermo also notes that the materials of his installation work, plastic and cardboard, “can grow constantly and adapt to any space no matter how big or small.“ Next stop, London.

London, UK, 29 May – 28 June

 
Olivia Parkes, Funeral, Mixed media collage out of and on hardback book cover
 

A Cohesive Cognitive Dissonance, Olivia Parkes at 1878 Main Street

The name Olivia Parkes has been on our lips a lot lately and an overview of the best of the best simply wouldn’t be complete without a mention of her latest event. A selection of Olivia’s newest work, along with work by five other bright lights in the Southern CA emerging art scene has been curated by our own Antoinette Williams, and will be on show starting tomorrow for a five-day tour de artistic force. Olivia’s work on show is from her latest stay in the deserts of California (a location that has proven fruitful over the past two years).

San Diego (CA), USA, 27 – 30 May with an opening reception on 28 May

 

Olivia Parkes, Under My Wings, Mixed media collage on card

 

A Challenge to the Summer Group Show, Eric Wall at Chicago Artist Coalition

Also on in the USA is artist Eric Wall in the group exhibition of work from alumni of the BOLT artist residency program at the Chicago Artist Coalition. He will be showing a new work and the latest in his explorations pushing the boundaries of painting, and this ongoing interest in universal forms and architecture have led to a stunning paring down of a shape and repeating pattern found in his earlier work. Quatrefoils, acetate mounted on dry wall, focuses on a pattern in which the artist tests his ongoing exploration creating “complexity from simplicity.” The work will be shown alongside a selection of pieces from other resident alumni too, in the words of the exhibitors, link “artists and audiences through community, education, and cultural engagement.”

Chicago (IL), USA, 29 May – 17 June, see the website for the full line up of events

 
 

Also of note on the calendar

From 29 May, Tracy Fitzgerald is in the south of Ireland at the Carlow Arts Festival

From 14 June, last month’s artist to watch Amanda Karlsson is part of OpenArt, Scandinavia’s largest art biennial

 

Stay tuned as we bring you more artist coverage next week. Can’t wait? Follow us on Twitter and Faceb ook for the latest news.