This summer, the art world has apparently decided "go big or go home." Museums across the globe are rolling out exhibitions so ambitious, so spectacular, you might need a second coffee just to process the concepts.
We're talking artists tackling quantum physics (because, why not?), crafting monumental sculptures that look like they could house a small city, and generally just making the rest of us feel wildly unaccomplished. If you thought art was just pretty pictures, prepare for a cerebral — and sometimes slightly unhinged — adventure.
From the Cosmos to the Earth
Take Paris, for instance, where Laure Prouvost is diving headfirst into quantum physics at the Grand Palais. Because who doesn't want their mind bent by the fabric of reality while strolling through a grand exhibition hall? Meanwhile, in Beijing, Carsten Höller is cooking up a "secret" (read: probably mind-blowing) show for the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. And in Munich, Tomás Saraceno is unveiling sculptures so massive, they're practically architectural wonders at the Haus der Kunst.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxNot content with merely occupying galleries, Saraceno is also launching a permanent land artwork in his native Argentina. Because apparently, the Earth itself is his canvas now. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.
Other artists are getting equally grounded, though in a more literal sense. Carolina Caycedo's work at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo explores the land and its history. The National Gallery of Canada is spotlighting contemporary Indigenous artists, giving a vital platform to voices from Inuit Nunaat, Sápmi, and Denendeh. And a major retrospective for Ana Mendieta at Tate Modern promises to be one of the art events of the season, showcasing her pioneering work on similar themes.
The Biennial Bonanza
If that's not enough to fill your culture calendar, the Venice Biennale is still going strong through November. But wait, there's more! Manifesta, the roving European biennial, has landed in Germany's industrial Ruhr region this year. And for good measure, two brand new biennial-style shows are popping up in the Northeastern US.
All told, we're looking at 46 major museum shows and biennials this summer. That's 46 excuses to escape the heat, expand your mind, and maybe, just maybe, feel a little less intimidated by quantum physics. Or at least, by the art about it.
