Dark depths with Emin, a homoerotic saint and punchy political posters – the week in art

This week, the art world has welcomed a new exhibition that delves into the darker corners of human experience. "Crossing into Darkness", curated by Tracey Emin, takes us on a journey through the thresholds of despair and the power of melancholy, featuring an eclectic mix of visionary artists including Goya, Munch, Bourgeois, and Baselitz.

For fans of homoerotic art, Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate has opened its doors to Ming Wong's latest exhibition. Wong, the National Gallery's artist-in-residence, responds to the iconic paintings of Saint Sebastian, exploring themes of love, desire, and identity.

In other news, Fitzrovia Chapel is hosting an immersive installation titled "Souvenir", which pays homage to the lost London of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The exhibition features works by Michael Bracewell, Sal Pittman, and others, offering a nostalgic glimpse into a bygone era.

At St John's College in Oxford, "Story Painters, Picture Writers" is bringing together artists who are pushing the boundaries of narrative and visual storytelling. Julian Bell, Gala Hills, and Jane Griffiths are among the creatives showcasing their work in this thought-provoking exhibition.

Meanwhile, Scottish National Portrait Gallery has unveiled a powerful collection of community-made posters, collages, and artworks that testify to the power of popular struggle in north Edinburgh. "Solidarity Wins" is a testament to the resilience of community activism.

The week's image of the week features Paulus Potter's 17th-century masterpiece "The Bull", which has been restored to its former glory at the Mauritshuis in The Hague. What's fascinating, however, is that research has revealed the bull's testicles were halved in size by the artist to conform to 17th-century sensibilities.

Other highlights include a rare glimpse into the life of performance artist Tehching Hsieh, who lived in a cage for a year and spent time tied to a friend. The week also takes us on a trip down memory lane with performances by Ian McKellen lip-syncing to previously unheard audio tapes of LS Lowry and David Bowie's visit to a psychiatric clinic in 1994.

Finally, the National Gallery has put forward a compelling argument that Pietro da Cortona's "Saint Cecilia" – an early baroque masterpiece – offers a telling commentary on the role of women in early 17th-century Catholic art. By portraying Saint Cecilia as a bland-faced icon of chastity, Cortona's work invites us to consider the ways in which the church has historically sought to control and regulate women's lives.

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omg i just love how this week's exhibitions are bringing out all these deep and thought-provoking art pieces!! 🤩 Crossing into Darkness with Tracey Emin is giving me all the feels, it's like a emotional rollercoaster ride but in a good way! 💥 And I'm so down for Ming Wong's exhibition at Carl Freedman Gallery, exploring themes of love & desire is always a win in my book 😘. Fitzrovia Chapel's immersive installation "Souvenir" sounds amazing too, taking us back to the lost London of the 70s & 80s is like a nostalgic dream come true 🌙
 
I'm low-key impressed by how much depth they're bringing to these exhibitions 🤯, especially with Ming Wong's latest show, it's like a whole new world opens up for homoerotic art fans 😎. I mean, Saint Sebastian is such an iconic figure, and Wong's interpretation is so fresh and exciting!

And can we talk about how cool it is that Fitzrovia Chapel's "Souvenir" exhibition is like stepping back into time? It's amazing to see artists paying homage to a bygone era 🕰️. I also love that "Story Painters, Picture Writers" is highlighting those who are pushing the boundaries of narrative and visual storytelling - Julian Bell's work in particular is so captivating 📚.

I'm not sure what to make of Pietro da Cortona's "Saint Cecilia", though... some might say it's a bit too controlling for its own good 😬. But hey, at least we're having the conversation about it now!

Oh, and have you seen Paulus Potter's restored masterpiece "The Bull"? It's insane to think that he halved those testicles just to fit with 17th-century standards 🤣!
 
🎨 just had a weird thought... all these exhibitions are exploring some pretty dark and heavy themes 🤯 but isn't it also kind of interesting that they're doing so? like, what if we didn't have art about suffering and desire and identity? would we be better off for it? 😊
 
🤯 I mean, can't believe we live in a time where exhibitions are being held on dark corners of human experience and exploring themes like love, desire, and identity through homoerotic art 🌈💖. And it's not just that – there's also this incredible immersive installation in London that takes you back to the lost London of the 70s and 80s 😎🕰️. What I find really interesting is how artists are using their work to tell stories, share experiences, and create communities 🌟💪.

And have you seen those restoration pics of Paulus Potter's "The Bull"? Mind blown! 👀💥 Not just the fact that he altered the bull's testicles, but also how that says something about 17th-century sensibilities 😳👓. Anyway, it's been a wild week in the art world and I'm so glad we get to experience all this amazing stuff 🎨🌈📚
 
omg i love how diverse this week's exhibitions are 🤩 they're not just about pretty art, they're exploring some really heavy topics like mental health and community activism 💖 can't wait to check out "Crossing into Darkness" and learn more about Tracey Emin's vision! 💭
 
The art world is just getting darker and more depressing 🤕🎨 I mean, what's next? An exhibition on how to be miserable all the time? Crossing into Darkness sounds like a total downer fest 😒 But hey, if it's going to make people think about their emotions, then I'm all for it. The idea of exploring love and desire through art is actually pretty cool 💕 And Ming Wong's work sounds fascinating - I love how he's using iconic paintings as a starting point for his own exploration of identity 🤝
 
🤔 I love how these exhibitions are tackling some heavy stuff like mental health and societal expectations, but also exploring themes of identity and desire 💁‍♀️💕. The fact that Ming Wong's exhibition is responding to Saint Sebastian's iconic paintings with a focus on homoerotic art feels like a long-overdue conversation 🙌. And the use of historical figures in Pietro da Cortona's "Saint Cecilia" raises some really interesting questions about the role of women in history 📚💔. What I find fascinating is how these exhibitions are all connected by this thread of exploring and celebrating the complexities of human experience 🎨💖.
 
I'm getting so tired of these exhibitions and events that always focus on the 'dark' and the 'mysterious'. Can't they just showcase some normal art for once? Like, what's wrong with a nice sunset or a happy family scene? 🌅👪 It's like everyone's trying to be all edgy and avant-garde. And don't even get me started on the whole Saint Sebastian thing... is that really something we need to be celebrating? 😒
 
OMG, can u believe the weird stuff people used to do in 17th-century art? Like, literally, they halved a bull's testicles to make it more "feminine" lol 🤣. And then there's the Saint Cecilia thing – I'm no expert but isn't it kinda creepy that she's all chill and bland-faced while being a Catholic icon? Sounds like some modern-day #girlboss vibes, right? 😂 Anyway, can't wait to see more art that explores the darker corners of human experience... maybe with a side of therapy sessions for us museum-goers 🤔.
 
I don’t usually comment but I just found this whole thing a bit weird 😕. So there's an exhibition on "Crossing into Darkness" which sounds like it's gonna be super depressing, and I'm not really sure why anyone would want to go see that 🤔. But hey, art is all about personal interpretation, right? Maybe some people just need to vent their feelings through a good sob fest 🌧️.

And what's up with the Carl Freedman Gallery exhibition on Ming Wong? I don't know much about homoerotic art, but I'm pretty sure that's not my cup of tea 🍵. Don't get me wrong, it's cool that people are exploring new themes and stuff, but can we talk about something else for once? 🤷‍♀️

I do love the sound of "Story Painters, Picture Writers" though - narrative art is like, so underappreciated 📚. And I'm all about community activism, especially when it comes to north Edinburgh 🌈. Solidarity Wins sounds like a really powerful message.

The Mauritshuis restoration project is actually pretty cool 👏, and I didn't know that bull's testicles were halved in size - that's like, super interesting 🤓.

Lastly, Ian McKellen lip-syncing to LS Lowry and David Bowie? 🔥 That sounds like a performance art dream come true!
 
🤔 the art world is getting weirder by the day. first, it's all about exploring the darkest corners of human experience... but isn't that just a fancy way of saying 'looking into the abyss and expecting to come out with some profound insights'? 🤷‍♂️
 
ugh this week feels so draining 🤕 i'm already feeling a bit overwhelmed just reading through all these amazing exhibitions and artworks... it's like my heart is being pulled in a million different directions, from the darkness of goya's paintings to the nostalgia of michael bracewell's installations... can't wait to dive deeper into each of them and see how they all intersect with our own human experiences 🤗
 
I'm loving how diverse all these exhibitions are 🤩. Like, "Crossing into Darkness" sounds so intense and thought-provoking - I need to check it out ASAP 💀. And I'm super stoked that Ming Wong's exhibition is happening at Carl Freedman Gallery - his art always brings up so many interesting conversations about identity and desire 🔥. The immersive installation at Fitzrovia Chapel sounds like a total trip down memory lane 🕰️, and I'm all for celebrating the creativity of community activists in "Solidarity Wins". It's amazing how art can bring people together and give voice to social causes 💪.
 
I'm loving all these new exhibitions and installations! 🎨🌟 The fact that Ming Wong's latest exhibition is out now, exploring themes of love and desire through Saint Sebastian's iconic paintings, is giving me major feels. 💕 And can we talk about how cool it is that Tehching Hsieh lived in a cage for a year? Mind. Blown. 🤯 The way his work challenges our perceptions of performance art and endurance is just incredible.

And I'm also really excited to check out the community-made posters at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It's amazing how art can bring people together and showcase the power of collective activism. 💪 Solidarity wins, for sure! 🙌
 
🤔 i'm really intrigued by that Pietro da Cortona piece - it's wild to think the church controlled women's lives like that 🙅‍♀️ and still gets celebrated as a masterpiece 🎨 what about the artists who didn't conform? were they just erased from history or did some of their work survive? 💭
 
I'm so down for this week's art exhibition vibes 🎨🔥. I mean, who wouldn't want to explore the darker corners of human experience and reminisce about lost London? The fact that Ming Wong's latest exhibition is finally here, responding to Saint Sebastian's iconic paintings with his own twist on love, desire, and identity... *chef's kiss* It's like, the perfect blend of art, history, and queer culture 🌈💕. And can we talk about Pietro da Cortona's "Saint Cecilia" for a sec? Like, how interesting is it that she's depicted as this bland-faced icon of chastity? It's like, totally telling us what the church wanted women to be back then... anyway, I'm definitely signing up for that Art Weekly newsletter 📚👍
 
🙄 just read that Pietro da Cortona's "Saint Cecilia" is like, a total icon of female empowerment... said no one ever. i mean, come on, she's basically just a bland-faced icon of chastity. it's 17th century, not feminist art movement 🤷‍♀️ and btw, who gets to decide what women's lives are being controlled in the church? seems like a total power play to me 👀
 
so artists are finally embracing their dark side... literally 🤣 i mean who needs therapy when you can just create some emotional angst and sell it for a fortune? anyway gotta give props to Tracey Emin for bringing up the weird stuff, reminds me of that time my aunt watched too much True Detective in one sitting 😂 and now she's still traumatized 🙅‍♂️
 
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