When the Second World War ended in 1945, Japan was a country in ruins. Two atomic bombs had been dropped on its cities and a devastated population faced a bleak future. But by the time of the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, the country had undergone a profound transformation in which the adoption of democracy had led to a flowering of creative expression. This was keenly felt in photography and now a UK exhibition shows in more than 100 images the full extent of that turbulent time, as tradition was replaced with modernity. Metamorphosis of Japan after the War runs at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool until April 26. For more information, visit www.openeye.co.uk.
Shanghai’s history inspires monumental works
Shanghai is one of the mega-cities that's driven China's massive growth over the past 20 years – a place of sprawl, industry and colonial heritage. These varying influences have inspired three new monumental works by the US artist Mark Bradford, now on view in Shanghai. Bradford found colonial-era maps of the city at a local market, which sparked an interest in how the city has changed, been partitioned and evolved. The collage paintings are 12 metres long and will fill each of the gallery floors of the museum. Mark Bradford: Tears of a Tree runs at the Rockbund Art Museum from today until May 3. for more information, visit www.rockbundartmuseum.org.
A personal history of Turkey’s art scene
The Turkish artist Mehmet Güleryüz is also an actor. It is this multidisciplinary quest for expression that is most striking about his work. This exhibition in Istanbul features works he has produced since the 1960s, including drawings, sculptures, paintings, engravings and multimedia displays. Güleryüz's art tries to show how ordinary people have been affected by Turkey's transformation and this retrospective also provides an instructive personal history of the artistic scene in the country since the 1960s. Painter and Painting: A Mehmet Güleryüz Retrospective runs at Istanbul Modern until June 28. For more information, visit www.istanbulmodern.org.
