5 to Read: This Month

July’s must-read books span photography and architecture, navigating the cultural significance of changing landscapes across the world.

A Theatrical Summer

Dean West’s ‘2015-2020’ series contains a system of signs, visual clues and deeply embedded narratives. The images ruminate cloudless skies in Palm Springs.

Photography as Reinvention

The 22nd edition of PHotoESPAÑA is arranged around key principles: nationhood, the environment and the next generation of talent.

From Behind the Scenes

The mid-20th century was a time of transformation and innovation. Shunk-Kender photographed events in Paris and New York.

Aesthetica Director to Receive Honorary Doctorate

Cherie Federico, Co-founder of Aesthetica, will receive an Honorary Doctorate from University of the Arts London, London College of Communication.

5 to See: This Weekend

Top picks for the end of June include architectural structures, a celebration of female photographers and a call-to-action on the climate crisis.

A Reflective Gaze

Cindy Sherman is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading contemporary artists. A major retrospective opens at National Portrait Gallery.

Revolutionary Tales

Over seventy photographers pay homage to half a century of change with Urban Impulses: Latin American photography from 1959 to 2016.

Neon Commutes

Andrew Albright’s compositions contain dreamy shifts in light and colour. They revel in high exposure to reveal neon palettes in the everyday.

Personal Structures

Made whilst living in Yangon, Myanmar, Jerome Ming’s new series, Oobanken, derives from an early interest in structures and interventions.

Adolescent Experiences

Turner Prize artist Mark Leckey returns to Tate Britain, London, with ‘O’ Magic Power of Bleakness’.

5 to See: This Weekend

This weekend’s must-see shows reflect on the present, exploring powerful stories of migration and humanity’s impact on the environment.

10 to See: Yorkshire Sculpture International

Aesthetica selects 10 artists and talks to see during Yorkshire Sculpture International 2019, the UK’s largest dedicated sculpture festival.

ECC: Concepts of Identity

The biennial Personal Structures, supported by the European Cultural Centre Italy, returns for 2019, responding to key 21st century questions.

Complex Messages

Welcoming speakers and invited guests from Magnum’s ‘The Medium is the Message’ symposium will explore four themes that define life in 2019.

10 to See: UK Summer Shows

Aesthetica collates 10 of the best exhibitions to see this summer, featuring the latest in digital technology and renowned self-portraiture.

Spaces for Expression

Nightclubs are epicentres of contemporary culture, providing arenas for experimentation. An exhibition explores their global development.

Anthropological Programming

Yorkshire Sculpture International explores how making objects – whether for aesthetic, functional, or spiritual purposes – is a human act.

Visual Authenticity

Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken was widely recognised for realist depictions of life in cities, capturing spontaneous images of the everyday.

Unseen Industry

Fostering a wider appreciation of natural habitats and the people working to preserve them, The Custody Code is a film offering essential insights.