The art scene in New York City is as vibrant as ever. But if you’re looking for an excuse to seek out art abroad, the season to do so starts now. Dakis Joannou, the mega-collector behind Deste, once again has the art world’s habitual summer Hydra visitors covered—and the rest of Europe has plenty on offer as well. Here are the museum and gallery shows not to miss as you put those vacation days to use:
Leonardo da Vinci at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Washington, D.C.
The MLK Jr. Memorial Library is giving its Smithsonian neighbors some competition with the first U.S. showcase of a dozen drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. Spanning 1478 through 1519, the works come from the massive Codex Atlanticus collection of da Vinci that Milan’s Biblioteca Ambrosiana has preserved in its archives since 1637. And they sure take their preservation efforts seriously: To make up for the light they’re being exposed to, the drawings will spend three years in the dark when the exhibition concludes on August 20.
Bob Colacello at Thaddaeus Ropac
London
At some point during his time as Andy Warhol’s right-hand man at Interview, the writer and editor Bob Colacello purchased a Minox camera said to be favored by Cold War-era spies. In a way, he became something of a spy himself, capturing intimate, candid scenes at the type of glitzy ‘70s and ‘80s parties where paparazzi access was restricted. For a star-studded blast of nostalgia, find a selection of his spontaneous snapshots at Thaddaeus Ropac’s London outpost through July 29.
Yayoi Kusama at the Guggenheim Bilbao
Bilbao, Spain
Still looking for a summer vacation destination? If you’re a fan of Yayoi Kusama, consider Spain. The Guggenheim Bilbao is playing host to more than 200 works by the 93-year-old artist—and it’s not hard to see why the show was repeatedly described as a blockbuster when it first opened at M+ museum in Hong Kong. Starting with the drawings she made as a teen in Japan during World War II, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now spans seven decades, offering a comprehensive view of the artist that goes far beyond what you’ve seen on Instagram.
Dream Machines at Deste Foundation Project Space
Hydra, Greece
Deste Foundation’s Project Space, located in a former slaughterhouse with scenic coastal views, is ready as ever to welcome the many art lovers who summer in Hydra, Greece. Titled Dream Machines, its latest exhibition features Marcel Duchamp, Jeff Koons, Pipilotti Rist, Anicka Yi, Maurizio Cattelan and many, many more. Curators Daniel Birnbaum and Massimiliano Gioni keep it timely, focusing on the impact of new technology on human imagination and creativity. They resisted the urge to have ChatGPT write the press release.
Wynnie Mynerva at the New Museum
New York City
It’s hard to think of a contemporary artist more committed to their practice than Wynnie Mynerva. For their first solo museum exhibition in the U.S., the experimental Peruvian up-and-comer created the largest painting the New Museum has ever exhibited, devoting 70 feet of canvas to a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve. And because their version depicts Eve gifting her so-called Adam’s rib to Lilith? Mynerva figured that, as they casually put it to Cultured, “it would only be appropriate” to surgically remove and incorporate their own rib into the showing. See it for yourself in the museum’s lobby gallery through September 17.
Wes Anderson — Asteroid City at 180 Studios
London
Asteroid City, the titular locale of Wes Anderson’s latest film, doesn’t actually exist—but a version of it does in London through July 8. 180 Studios has teamed up with Universal Pictures on a pop-up exhibition that aims to immerse visitors in its 1950s-era American West look and feel. (It’s worth noting that even critics of the film can’t deny the director’s aesthetic sense is characteristically on point.) The props, costumes and sets on view feel meticulously era-appropriate. The same goes for the recreation of the film’s luncheonette—save for the menu prices being in dollars rather than cents.
