Places to go, things to see - part 1

Gdansk, a "fair-tale port city" (reconstructed after being 90% bombed in WW2), is rumoured to have a wonderful engineering museum, and is the birthplace of 17th century astronomer Hevelius, who mapped the moon ("The sketched topography reveals that as more of the moon is illuminated in its cycle, the features visible one night are not in the same location the next."). He and his wife Elisabeth, also an astronomer and born in the same year as Selenographia was published, are buried in St Catherine's Church. After her husband's death in 1687, Elisabeth went on to compile their star catalogue, which was published in 1690.

One of the 40 engraved plates in Johannes Hevelius's 1645 Selenographia (via)

In Norwich, the Sainsbury Art Centre has an Elisabeth Frink show, "Humans and other animals" till 24 February. A version of "Mirage II" was shown at the Royal Academy for many years and I liked to see it there -

(via)

Birmingham, for Matthew Krishanu's several shows (he teaches painting at Camden Arts Centre and I have benefitted from his demonstrations and patience) -

The Sun Never Sets, MAC, Birmingham My solo exhibition The Sun Never Sets is showing at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham from 12 January - 10 March 2019. All are welcome to the opening event at MAC: Saturday 19 January 2 - 4pm On the same day there will be an opening event for my show A Murder of Crowsat Ikon Gallery, Birmingham from 5 - 7pm. A catalogue for The Sun Never Sets is available featuring texts by Jenni Lomax (former director of Camden Arts Centre), and Ruxmini Choudhury (assistant curator at Dhaka Art Summit). Jenni Lomax writes in her introduction to the exhibition catalogue: “Autobiography plays some part in all Krishanu’s work, whether populated by figures or uninhabited like his landscapes. However, his paintings are given a deliberate edge of uncertainty that folds reality in with the collapsing of time.” Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH

Exhibition dates: Saturday 12 January - Sunday 10 March 2019 Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm Admission free. Opening event: Saturday 19 January 2 - 4pm Artist Talk and Tour: Thursday 21 February, 6 - 7.30pm Website: www.macbirmingham.co.uk   A Murder of Crows, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham A murder of crows is roosting around Ikon Gallery (39 of them in total), spread across the ground floor. Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HS Opening event: Saturday 19 January 2019, 5pm - 7pm Exhibition dates: 8 January - 10 March 2019 Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday, 11am - 5pm Admission free. Website: www.ikon-gallery.org   Too Cute!, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery My painting Boy and Mask, 2017 (Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, London) will be showing as part of Too Cute! Sweet is about to get sinister, curated by artist Rachel Maclean. Rachel Maclean examines the world of cuteness by curating works from the Arts Council Collection and Birmingham’s collection to reveal how objects and images can have the unique ability to be simultaneously sweet and sinister. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH Exhibition dates: 26 January - 12 May 2019 Opening times: Monday - Thursday 10am - 5pm | Friday 10.30am - 5pm | Saturday & Sunday 10am - 5pm Admission free. Website: www.birminghammuseums.org.uk