Wifredo Lam Exhibition at Tate Modern

A new exhibition at Tate Modern will feature the works of Wifredo Lam (1902-1982). Born in Cuba of mixed heritage, Wifredo Lam pursued a successful artistic career within avant-garde circles on both sides of the Atlantic and was closely associated with 20th century artistic and literary icons such as Pablo Picasso, André Breton, Aimé Césaire, Lucio Fontana and Asger Jorn.

Wifredo Lam’s work poetically addresses themes of social injustice, nature, and spirituality, and was greeted internationally with both consternation and acclaim. A witness to 20th-century political upheaval throughout his long career – including the Spanish Civil War and the evacuation of artists and intellectuals from France with the onset of World War II – Lam defined a new and unique way of painting for a post-colonial world. Lam’s work now brings a historical perspective to contemporary issues. The Wifredo Lam exhibition at Tate Modern runs 14 September 2016 – 8 January 2017.

The Sombre Malembo, God of the Crossroads, 1943. Photo Credit: © SDO Wifredo Lam.

Tina Engstrom

This is the first comprehensives exhibition in the United Kingdom of Giovanni Battista Moroni’s work. He was one of the greatest portraits of 16th century Italy. Famed for his gift capturing the exact likeness of his sitters, he created portraits that are as penetrating and powerful now as they were more than 400 years ago.

15 March 2017

The Rosetta Stone at London's British Museum – Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Egypt

One of the most popular items in the British Museum in London is the Rosetta Stone. It is rather unremarkable. It is the height of a child, cracked at the edges, lacking colour, and with inscriptions on only one side. There is little beauty in it, and the inscriptions are boring decrees - yet it is maybe one of the most famous stones in the world. For over 20 years it became the focus of a race to crack a code of strange pictures and shapes and in doing so uncover the life of Ancient Egypt.