Interview with Ilua Hauck da Silva, longlisted artist for Aesthetica Art Prize 2012

Ilua Hauck da Silva works in a wide variety of media to create subversive and thought-provoking art. Her practice explores dark aspects of the human condition and explores the idea of vanity.

Mortality: Death and the Imagination, Manchester

Mortality: Death and the Imagination exhibits works by Ian Breakwell, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Douglas Gordon, Julian Opie Cornelia Parker, Bob & Roberta Smith and Sam Taylor Wood.

Review of exhibition: Roger Ballen / Ryan Mendoza / Paul P at Massimo Minini, Brescia

Continuing to celebrate their 40th year, galleria Massimo Minini in Brescia presents a three person exhibition with photographer Rodger Ballen and painters Ryan Mendoza and Paul P.

Winning Poem Water by Sylvia Adams, the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition

Sylvia Adams is author of a novel, a poetry collection, an award-winning chapbook and a children’s book. As a book reviewer and poetry columnist, her contributions to the literary world have been great.

Interview with House of Peroni Artist, Ludovica Gioscia

Born in Rome and living in London, visual artist Ludovica Gioscia has produced a new piece, Liquid Sky Fits Heaven for the House of Peroni…

Review of Points of Departure, ICA, London

An exhibition which takes Palestine as its focus will raise certain expectations. Points of Departure looks at the earth and soul of Palestine, rather than solely at the protracted conflict surrounding it.

Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition Prizes: Win publication within the Creative Writing Annual

Inside the Creative Writing Annual you will find short fiction and poetry to inspire you long after reading. The writers included are the winners and finalists from the Creative Writing Competition 2012.

Stranger, Flowers Gallery

Illuminating the relevance of self-portraiture, Stranger at Flowers Gallery examines the practice’s aesthetic value through each individual’s varied approach to self-representation.

Project Space: Word. Sound. Power. at Tate Modern

Word. Sound. Power. is the result of a curatorial collaboration between Tate Modern in London and Khoj International Artists’ Association in New Delhi, who will take the exhibition in early 2014.

Meschac Gaba: Museum of Contemporary African Art 1997 – 2002, London

Meschac Gaba opens Museum of Contemporary African Art 1997–2002 at Tate Modern this week. Fusing art and everyday life, the immersive installation takes over 12 rooms.

Interview, Marcus Jansen, longlisted artist for Aesthetica Art Prize

Marcus Jansen’s work redefines urban landscape painting, blending action painting and objective subject matter. Major themes in Jansen’s work include global political and social concerns.

Review of PUNK: Chaos to Couture at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

PUNK: Chaos to Couture, at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, nods to the birthplaces of punk before progressing through a series of four Do-it-yourself themes of punk fashion.

Interview with James Franco: Psycho Nacirema at Pace gallery, London

When thinking of James Franco, images of an intense acting talent spring to mind, his performance in 127 Hours was nothing short of incredible, as he captivated audiences with his near solo performance.

Interview with Kate Nowakowski: Winner of the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition

Winner of the Short Fiction category of the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition 2012, Kate Nowakowski speaks to Aesthetica about her success and her advice to writers.

Review of Social Codes, Yannick Fournié and Cyril Le Van, Paris

The theme of contemporary dress codes was suggested by the Galerie Géraldine Banier who then proceeded to contact two French artists who would dovetail for a harmonious exhibition.

Aesthetica Art Prize Open for Entries

The Aesthetica Art Prize 2013 is now open for entries, offering both budding and established artists the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider, international audience.

Interview with artist Sarah Van Sonsbeeck

There is an increasing noise building around the work of Sarah van Sonsbeeck. Though this should hardly be surprising since her work is fundamentally concerned with the texture of the sonic.

On Kawara: One Million Years, Bozar Expo, Brussels

From today Bozar Expo, Brussels, exhibits conceptual artist, On Kawara’s One Million Years. The ongoing work, which documents the passage of time, will appear at the Centre for Fine Arts.

Blondiefest: One Way or Another at ICA, London

Curated by Tom Wilcox, Associate Curator at ICA and Hanna Hanra, Editor in Chief of BEAT Magazine, Blondiefest: One Way or Another celebrates the legacy of Blondie and frontwoman Debbie Harry.

A Cuckoo’s Broken Wing, Short Fiction Winner from Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition 2012

Kate Nowakowski’s short story A Cuckoo’s Broken Wing, is the winning entry for Short Fiction in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition. The final deadline for submissions is 31 August.

Aesthetica Short Film Festival at V&A Friday Late

This week a special programme of films from the 2012 ASFF festival will be screened at the V&A, London, for the Friday Late event. The event this Friday 28 June is the first in a series of Friday Lates.

5 Under 30: Young Photographers’ Competition at Daniel Blau, London

Artists Marianne Bjornmyr, Madoka Furuhashi, Andi Schmied, Tereza Cervenova and Lara Morrell will have new and recent works displayed in 5 Under 30 at Daniel Blau Photography Gallery.

Stephen Walter: Anthropocene, London

Anthropocene at Londonewcastle Project Space refers to the current geological age, a period of time during which human behaviour is the dominant impact on the environment and the climate.

Interview with Chelsea College of Art & Design Graduate Mimi Winsor

As part of the University of the Arts London, the Chelsea College of Art & Design show runs for one more day. We speak to recent graduate Mimi Winsor about the way she views her work.

Aesthetica Art Prize Open for Submissions

The Aesthetica Art Prize 2013 is now open for entries, offering both budding and established artists the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider, international audience.

Venice Report: The Encyclopedic Palace

Split between the old Giardini and the newer Arsenale site at this year’s Venice Biennale, The Encyclopedic Palace is based on the concept of self-taught artist Marino Auriti. Until 24 November.

Summertime Salon, Robin Rice Gallery, New York

For its summer exhibition, the Robin Rice Gallery, New York, opens Summertime Salon, an annual photography exhibit featuring both gallery artists and a selection of newcomers.

Review of Patrick Caulfield exhibition at Tate Britain

The majority of Patrick Caulfield’s work sees his gaze turned towards the croissant-and-orange-juice world of 60s, 70s and 80s pan-European glamour. At Tate from 5 June until 1 September.

Interview with Ruskin Graduate, Natasha Peel

Graduating from The Ruskin in 2012, Natasha Peel has gone on to present works at Saatchi Gallery. Peel speaks to Aesthetica about the benefits of studying art and her interest in malleable materials.

Sculpture in the City, London

Sculpture in the City shows works by Robert Indiana, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Antony Gormley, Keith Coventry, Richard Wentworth, Shirazeh Houshiary, Jim Lambie and Ryan Gander across London.

Tahnee Lonsdale: Waiting for Entry into that Holy Space

Upon entering the light-filled Shoreditch art gallery, the visitor is welcomed by a vibrant display of canvases painted in bold colours, whose imaginary characters roam an array of whimsical landscapes.

Fellini – The Exhibition, Amsterdam

Fellini – The Exhibition expands the influential filmmaker’s universe and uncovers the sources of his fertile imagination. 20 years after his death, EYE, Amsterdam opens this show on 30 June.

Venice Biennale Report: Russian Pavilion

Vadim Zakharov’s Danaë at the Venice Biennale represents the first time in the history of the Russian pavilion that the upper and lower storeys have been combined into a single installation.

Interview with the director of Secret Cinema, Fabien Riggall

This year sees innovative company, Secret Cinema, providing a boundary-pushing venture for five fruitful years, which fully immerses the audience into the world of a film. We speak to Fabien Riggall.

Interview with Brian Griffiths, 3rd Year Tutor at the Royal Academy Schools, London

The RA Schools Show, the annual exhibition of works by final year students, opens tomorrow. Held in the RA’s studio spaces, the event sees students present works developed over a three-year period.

Review of Haroon Mirza, The Hepworth Wakefield

Renowned for his multi-media works, Haroon Mirza has taken over the adjacent Galleries 1 and 10 at The Hepworth. He brings together and assembles works constructed of sound, image and objects.

Review of Sixto Rodriguez at the Hammersmith Apollo

The 66th British Academy Film Awards announced Searching for Sugar Man as the Best Documentary of the Year. It is a touching and highly-emotional documentary by Malik Bendjelloul.

Venice Biennale Report: Icelandic Pavillion

Situated away from the main exhibition space of the Giardini and Arsenale, the Icelandic pavilion sits in the tranquil gardens of Palazzo Zenobio along a quiet canal-front street at the Venice Biennale.

René Burri, International Centre of Photography, Verona

Below the sleepy streets of Verona, sits the International Centre of Photography. It is here where a breath taking transcendental retrospective of René Burri is revealed until 22 September.

Khaled Jarrar: Whole in the Wall, Ayyam Gallery, London

Whole in the Wall is the first UK solo exhibition by Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar. Running from 20 June at Ayyam Gallery, the showcase of work includes a new site-specific participatory installation.

Interview with Royal College of Art Graduate: Jonny Briggs

Jonny Briggs graduated from the Royal College of Art several years ago and has since gone on to feature in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Briggs speaks to Aesthetica about the influence of the RCA.

Venice Biennale Report: Danish Pavilion

The Danish pavilion at the Venice Biennale stands as a rather desolate figure among the well-tended buildings surrounding it. The apparent entrance is a door that stands permanently shut and unattended.

Paper Weight Genre-defining Magazines 2000 to Now

Paper Weight Genre-defining Magazines 2000 to Now takes a refreshing look at independent publishing in the 21st century. Opening today, the show runs until 27 October at Haus der Kunst.

Review of Katie Paterson, Kettle’s Yard Gallery & St Peter’s Church

Darwin’s epochal observation at the close of The Origin of Species (1859) might aptly describe artist Katie Paterson’s theme and agenda in her latest exhibition, at Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge.

Venice Report: Love Me Love Me Not

Love Me Love Me Not offers an insight into the rich and varied cultures of the countries represented. Running at the Venice Biennale until November, the showcase collates the work of 17 artists.

Review of Ute Lemper, London

Staged as part of this year’s London Literature Festival, Ute Lemper Sings Pablo Neruda was a fantastic concert dedicated to the memory of Pablo Neruda, one of the masters of Chilean poetry.

RA Schools Show 2013

The RA Schools Show, the annual exhibition of works by final year students, will open on 19 June at the iconic Royal Academy Schools. The show is held in the historic studio spaces of the Schools.

Turning FACT Inside Out, Liverpool

This summer FACT combines art and politics in Turning FACT inside Out. Running from 13 June, the show explores aspects of environment, architecture, capitalism and augmented reality.

Review of The Mercy Seat, Part of York Theatre Royal’s TakeOver Festival

York Theatre Royal’s TakeOver Festival is certainly to be admired. A performing arts festival programmed and run by young people, it succeeds in bringing compelling, often lesser known works to the fore.

Interview with Katarzyna Klimkiewicz: Director of Flying Blind

Since her success at the Edinburgh International Film Festival for her first directional feature debut; Flying Blind, Polish director Katarzyna Klimkiewicz’s is creating a stir in the film world.