A fascinating exhibition at the Mauritshuis in Den Haag brings together a number of paintings by the 17th century master of the trompe-l'oeil, Cornelius Gijsbrechts.
"Visionary Belgium", the exhibition that marks the 175th anniversary of Belgium, is also the last exhibition curated by Harald Szeemann and a chance to see his incredible visual intelligence at work.
There is much to see and enjoy at Gegenwelten. The 20th Century in the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, with works by Barnett Newman, Andy Warhol, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, Otto Dix, Mario Merz and many, many others.
Berlinde de Bruyckere's work is as poignant as sculptures get. Once you've seen them, approached them, walked around them, they will get under your skin and stay there for some time to come.
More than anything De Keyser's paintings celebrate painting and as such life itself. It’s just paint on canvas, nothing more, nothing less. There's no ideology, no meaning, no hidden manifesto and no bravura. Just paint on canvas, but sometimes the paint speaks for itself.
As I entered the Turbine Hall I could hear a voice shouting somewhere from above "Think think think think think think think think think". It seized me by the throat. For a moment I was frozen in my steps. There was no escaping. It felt as if I was thrown against a wall. Shivers ran down my spine.
Some of Hopper's paintings have become icons of 20th century art. This is perhaps one of the greatest honours that can be conferred upon an artist, but the omnipresence of his work in the form of posters and coffee mugs also makes it difficult to approach the original paintings with an open mind.