“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.鈥 These are the words of renowned artist Edgar Degas. A century later, the sentiment continues to ring true. In a contemporary moment plagued with political polarisiation, and where those with power often wield it to the detriment of the most vulnerable, it is more important than ever to 鈥渕ake others see.鈥 Art invites us to step into another鈥檚 shoes and see the world anew. Exhibitions can spotlight stories history has overlooked, striving to ensure all voices are heard. These five exhibitions are powerful examples of this effort, from deconstructing the legacy of colonialism in Ghana, to envisioning a future that values the lives of all creatures alongside humanity. Each one presents a new way of seeing 鈥 confronting historical injustices and imagining alternative futures.听
ICP, New York | Until 28 September听
Iranian American artist Sheida Soleimani presents听笔补苍箩别谤别丑,听a series that takes its name from the Farsi for 鈥渨indow鈥 or 鈥減assageway.鈥 The artist is known for her intricate, studio-based compositions that combine photographs, props, live animals and even her own parents in surreal, magical realist scenes.听听The show builds on Soleimani鈥檚 ongoing exploration of her parents鈥 experiences of political exile and migration, using their stories as a lens to examine broader systems of geopolitics.听笔补苍箩别谤别丑听will bring together more than forty photographs, drawn from her work as a wildlife rehabilitator and founder of Congress of the Birds, a federally licensed wild bird rehabilitation centre in Rhode Island. The vocation was one passed down from her mother, who was forced to give up being a practicing nurse and instead began caring for wild birds.
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Meterhuis Westerpark, Amsterdam | 12 July 鈥 10 August听
Since the 1970s, LGBTQIA+ communities around the world have worked to create environments where they can live, gather, and express themselves freely 鈥 away from the discrimination and hostility that many still face today. Often described as 鈥渟afe spaces,鈥 these are both physical and emotional refuges where queer people can exist without fear, and where joy, resistance and belonging can thrive.听Queer Havens听is an exhibition of more than 40 works. Together, they explore what safe spaces look like, how they are built and what they mean to the people who create and inhabit them.听The exhibition brings together 12 powerful photographic projects 鈥 six from the World Press Photo archive and six from Pride Photo 鈥 each offering a distinct lens on what it means to find or make safety as an LGBTQIA+ person today.听
Design Museum, London | 11 July 鈥 6 October听
More than Human听is a landmark exhibition, seeking to establish a new direction for the design industry. The title refers to a flourishing movement that questions the 鈥渉uman-centric lens鈥 that has defined western design practice, instead looking to incorporate all forms of life.听Approaches to this idea range from the sharing of ancient knowledge to the design of new wildlife habitats. Highlights from Design Museum鈥檚 show include major new commissions by four designers. Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg produces a new tapestry exploring the perspective of pollinators, whilst an 8-metre-long mural by MOTH depicts the emerging drive to award legal rights to waterways around the world. Elsewhere, Julia Lohmann creates a large-scale seaweed installation, a series of organic forms that appear to grow from the gallery鈥檚 floor.听
The Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester | Until 13 September
Each year, the Griffin Museum of Photography calls for entries to its听Vision(ary)听public art projects. This year, more than 200 artists submitted their work, offering images rich with insight into the contemporary world. The selected series are displayed together in an outdoor exhibition throughout the summer. Highlights from this year鈥檚 shortlist include Kevin Hoth鈥檚听The Fifth Chanel.听The artist has photographed the Southwestern American landscape for decades, only using digital editing software sparingly. In the series, he turns this decision on its head, editing the works to appear like technical glitches. He explained: 鈥淭he digital marks made in collaboration with the software hint at some kind of corruption. They are a reminder of what I chose to see and what is left out. They also show me what the software sees in the images.鈥
Kunsthalle Wien | 9 July 鈥 2 November听
Kunsthalle Wien presents a major new exhibition by听Ibrahim听Mahama听(b. 1987). The artist鈥檚 work scrutinises the legacy of colonialism, post-colonialism and industrialisation in Ghana. Here, Mahama showcases his research on Ghanaian railway network, first created under British colonial rule during the 1890s. The show sees the fulfilment of a long-term aspiration to deconstruct, transport and exhibit a full-size diesel locomotive.听听He explained: 鈥淚鈥檓 interested in the idea of this heavy material which is so fragile when kept near water. It can dissolve in a few decades. So I started looking at ways in which I could collect it.鈥澨Zilijifa听features a sculpture that sees a hollowed out train become a metal shell. It is accompanied by photographic works that consider the human cost of building and running the railway.听听
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. 漏 Kevin Hoth. The Fifth Channel.
2. Sheida Soleimani,Laleh,2023 漏 Sheida Soleimani, Courtesy Edel Assanti,London and Harlan Levey Projects, Brussels.
3. Le Croele 漏 Adrien Selbert.
4. Alusta Pavilion. Photo by Maiju Suomi.
5. 漏 Kevin Hoth. The Fifth Channel.
6. Ibrahim Mahama. Courtesy Redclay; Ibrahim Mahama; White Cube, Hong Kong/London/New York/Paris/Seoul; and APALAZZOGALLERY, Brescia.
