Five Art Exhibitions to Check Out This July

From exploring the history of incense burning to visualising the colours of the rainbow, this month’s exhibitions showcase a variety of mediums and diverse practices from established and emerging artists.

Medium Master

David Zwirner hosts Merrill Wagner: Nature, an exhibition by the celebrated American visual artist who’s known for her use of non-traditional painting supports. The show showcases works that explore the artist’s interest in the transformational effects of time, which are created in a variety of mediums that include canvas, slate, stone, plexiglass and steel.

Until August 2

Over the Rainbow

There’s a special chance at Whitestone Gallery this month to see the kaleidoscopic, energetic and downright joyful works of Japanese visual artist Ay-O, who in his six-decade-long career became such a master of colour that he earned the nickname “The Rainbow Artist”. In a show titled Ay-O: Nijitsukai (the Japanese term translates as “rainbow-charming”), expect a multitude of acrylic canvases in every colour of the spectrum.

Until August 10

Fluid Existence

This month, Villepin opens its group summer exhibition, Liquid Memory, which features works by artists Koji Yamaguchi, Yuri Yuan, Ted Gahl and Travis MacDonald. The show, whose name refers to the fluid and ephemeral qualities of memory, invites viewers to consider the uncertainty of reality. To further warp viewers’ sense of the present, the arrangement of the works takes inspiration from other-worldly architect Ricardo Bofill.

Until July 31

Olfactive History

The Hong Kong Museum of Art celebrates China’s history of incense burning and the various roles it’s played in culture and society over thousands of years. Titled Fragrance of Time: In Search of Chinese Art of Scent, the exhibition showcases a variety of artefacts including ceramics, bamboo carvings, paintings and bronze objects dating from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty.

Until October 16

Sight Unseen

Massimo de Carlo Gallery offers a chance to see I Want To Buy Unseen Eyes, a solo show from emerging female Korean artist Hejum Bä, who works primarily with prime colours and abstracts. The show references the overstimulation and schizophrenia of modern life and the constant stream of content we consume, whether we choose to or not.

Until August 24

Check out our picks of last month’s openings here.

(Hero Image: Installation view, Merrill Wagner: Nature, David Zwirner, Hong Kong, May 30—August 2, 2024. Courtesy David Zwirner)