The best art exhibitions opening in January

Jeremy Gardiner: Jurassic Coast The Victoria Art Gallery in Bath hosts this exhibition featuring the celebrated Jurassic Coast seen through the eyes of landscape artist Jeremy Gardiner, who is well known for his unique portrayal of the British coastline. 17 January to 1 March 2015 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street , Bath BA2 4AT www.victoriagal.org.uk 01225 477233

The Sea: John Virtue The paintings are vast in scale and have a powerful presence, the black and white paint freely applied to the raw canvas surface with brushes, hands and rags. These beautiful images convey the constant motion of the sea and bring a breath of sea air into the gallery. 17 January to 12 April Towner, Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4JJ www.scva.ac.uk 01323 434670

Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915 – 2015 Bringing together over 100 artists from all over the world, the exhibition celebrates a century of Abstract art. A multimedia event, it features a diverse spectrum of paintings, sculptures, film and photographs. This is a must for any serious student or connoisseur of modern art. 15 January to 6 April Whitechapel Gallery 77-78 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX www.whitechapelgallery.org 020 7522 7888

Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East In 1862, Francis Bedford, the royal photographer, accompanied the 20-year-old Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) on an educational tour of the Middle East. This exhibition displays Bedford’s photos of Egypt, Palestine and the Holy Land, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece. The photos are accompanied by objects collected on their travels. A fascinating insight into a region which was, even then, fraught with conflicting ambitions. Until 22 February The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA www.royalcollection.org.uk 020 7766 7301

Gold Gold hosts a selection of 50 objects from the Royal Collection, charting humanities’ obsession with the element from the Early Bronze Age to the 20^th century. From an Ecuadorian crown, to a jewel-encrusted tiger’s head from the throne of the ruler of Mysore in India, this exhibition will bring out the magpie in everyone. Until 22 February The Queen’s Gallery. Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA www.royalcollection.org.uk 020 7766 7301

Boyle Family: Contemporary Archaeology Their artworks have been described as ‘contemporary explorations of the world’, presenting their own interpretation of the environment surrounding them. The highlight of the show are their facsimiles of the ground, taken from randomly chosen locations throughout the world, which create a landscape within the walls of the gallery. Until 14 March Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5AL 01539 722464

Richard Skelton and Autumn Richardson, Memorius Earth: A Longitudinal Study This exhibition focuses on the artists’ Cumbrian projects and combines music, text, film, and objects. They reflect the natural history of the Cumbrian landscape, from the ‘post-glacial wasteland to the present day.’ Until 14 March Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5AL www.lakelandsarts.org.uk 01539 722464

The Illustrated Aviary Over 70 works from a remarkable collection of rarely-seen 18^th and 19^th century bird illustrations amassed by Victorian naturalist Thomas Eyton, including engravings and hand-coloured lithographs by James John Audubon, Edward Lear and John Elizabeth Gould, complemented by a new large-scale installation from contemporary artist, Mister Finch. 31 January to 14 June Museums Sheffield: Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PP www.museums-sheffield.org.uk0114 278 2600

Mr Turner- An Exhibition Turner’s fishing rod, fob watch and travel painting kit are among the ephemera on show in the display, hosted at Petworth, the home of his patron, the 3^rd Earl of Egremont. The exhibition integrates the location with the story of how Mike Leigh made the film, Mr Turner. The tour culminates with the four Turner landscapes inset into the panelling of the Carved Room. Until 11 March Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AE www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house 01798 342207

Mr Turner’s Prints Turner was not only a prolific painter, but also dedicated much of his career to the creation of prints of his work. This exhibition houses 50 of these prints, including rare examples of his large prints. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase a copy of your own favourite Turner. Prices range from £2500 to £4000. Until 11 March Kevis House Gallery, Lombard Street, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AG www.kevishouse.com 01798 215007

Peter Yates: Paintings 1939-1982 Peter Yates, while best known as an architect, was also an accomplished painter. Many of the paintings on display were inspired by the artist’s extensive travels around Europe, and his landscapes often focus on presenting the unique buildings associated with the places he visited, but always in his own modern style. Until 9 May Hatton Gallery, Kings Road, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU www.twmuseums.org 0191 208 6059

Arts and Crafts Metalwork This show focuses on the work of two blacksmiths, Bill Thornton and Charley Downer, who moved with the Guild of Handicraft from London’s East End to Chipping Campden in 1902. Alongside the fine silver and jewellery produced to Ashbee’s design in the workshops of the Old Silk Mill, they made a variety of fittings for furniture and buildings as well as domestic pieces, mainly in wrought iron, to be used on a daily basis. Until 29 March Court Barn Museum, Church Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, GL55 6JE www.courtbarn.org.uk 01386 841951

Renato Guttuso: Painter of Modern Life This is the first major exhibition in the UK for almost 20 years to focus on the career of Renato Guttuso (1911-1987). Guttuso is one of post-war Italy’s most widely respected painters whose powerful brand of expressionist realism vividly conveyed the angst of a generation. 14 January to 4 April Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 39a Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN www.estorickcollection.com 020 7704 9522

The Scottish Show The Scottish Show is an opportunity to see some of the best established Scottish artists and witness the launch of a selection of those up and coming young painters discovered during the previous year north of the border. Now the leading showcase for Scottish art in London, it’s a more cultural way to spend Burns night than drinking whisky! 27 January to 20 February Panter and Hall, 11-12 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5LU www.panterandhall.com 020 7399 9999

Breon O’Casey: Sculpture, Painting and Collage The first show of his work since his death in 2011, this exhibition looks back over his extraordinary career, as part of St Ives generation. His work ranged from textiles, to sculpture to painting, and this selling exhibition features a variety of these medias. The son of the Irish playwright Sean O’Casey, his Celtic roots permeated his aesthetic as he came to artistic maturity in St Ives, where he was apprenticed to Barbara Hepworth and Denis Mitchell. He had a passion for art and craftsmanship and was taught metalwork at Dartington Hall School in Devon by Naum Slutsky, previously head of metalwork at the Bauhaus. His life and background gave him myriad influences, from Modigliani to Ben Nicholson to ancient Cycladic sculpture. His stunning visual language oscillates between figuration and abstraction. 28^th January to 14^th March 2015 Pangolin London, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG www.pangolinlondon.com 020 7520 1480

William Gear: Centenary Exhibition of Works on Paper 1947-1996 This exhibition displays 48 of the hundreds of works that Gear produced during his lifetime, to celebrate the centenary of his birth. His abstract style is characterized by bright colours and decisive brush strokes. 1 February to 21 February The Fosse Gallery, The Manor House, The Square, Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire GL54 1AF www.fossegallery.com 01451 831319

Marc An exhibition of caricatures, cartoons and cartoon strips by Mark Boxer. Until 22 March Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH www.cartoonmuseum.org

Waterloo at Windsor: 1815 - 2015 To celebrate two hundred years since the victory at Waterloo, Windsor Castle is hosting this exhibition, including trophies from the battlefield, documents from the Royal Archive, and items belonging to Napoleon himself. The centerpiece is the Waterloo Chamber, commissioned by the Prince Regent (the future George IV) to create a lasting memorial to the battle. 31 January 2015 to 13 January 2016 Windsor Castle, Windsor and Maidenhead SL4 1NJ www.royalcollection.org 020 7766 7304

Self: Image and Identity - self-portraiture from Van Dyck to Louise Bourgeois. This exhibition celebrates the National Gallery’s acquisition of Van Dyck’s last self-portrait, with a collection of works from over 100 artists. Ranging from the astonishingly accurate, to figurative translations of their identity, this exhibition explores the ancient tradition of self-portraiture. 24 January to 12 May Turner Contemporary, Rendezvous, Margate , Kent CT9 1HG www.turnercontemporary.org 01843 233 000

Image and Word: The Julian Francis Collection of Prints and Illustrated Books An exhibition of prints and illustrated books from the collection of Julian Francis, including works by Edward Ardizzone, Barnett Freedman, Lucian Freud, Eric Gill, Enid Marx, John and Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious, on display with a selection of material from the artists’ archives. Until 27 March Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections Gallery, 3^rd Floor, Sir Kenneth Green Library, All Saints, Manchester M15 6BH www.specialcollections.mmu.ac.uk/exhibitions 0161 247 6107

New Forest: Ponds, Puddles and Paths Pete Gilbert’s bright and bold paintings, explore the hidden corners of the New Forest. These interpretations of the landscape are accompanied by Hugh Lohan’s evocative photography of the forest and its inhabitants. Until 28^th February St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, Lymington, Hampshire www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk 01590676969

Empire Builders: 1750-1950 Drawings, watercolours, photographs and models from the RIBA’s unique collections, showing the contribution made by British architects working abroad in a variety of scales and styles. Talk on 26 February: ‘British Architecture in India’ Until 15 June RIBA, Room 128a Victoria and Albert Museum, Exhibition Road, London W7 2RL www.architecture.com

Unseen Works from the Courtauld Collection that have not been seen in the last 20 years, often by fascinating lesser-known artists. Ranges across the centuries, from the Renaissance to the birth of Pop Art. On show in the new gallery space, the Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery. Until 29 March Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN www.courtauld.ac.uk

Rubens and His Legacy: Van Dyck to Cezanne Great works by the Flemish master are shown alongside works by artists who were inspired by him, during his lifetime and up until the 20^th century, including Van Dyck, Watteau, Turner, Delacroix, Manet, Cezanne, Renoir, Klimt and Picasso. The exhibition has six themes encompassing Poetry, Elegance, Power, Lust, Compassion and Violence. See preview in Country Life (21 January, 2015) Until 10 April Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD www.royalacademy.org.uk 020 7300 8027

Sir Jacob Epstein: Babies and Bloomsbury Although better known for his more public commissions, Epstein made many portraits of children. Epstein said, of it ‘To work from a child the sculptor has to have endless patience. He must wait and observe, and observe and wait.’ These touching works span his entire career, from his time in Bloomsbury next to the Foundling Hospital, to his portraits of his grandchildren. 30 January to 10 May 2015 The Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 1AZ www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk 02078413600

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