Nature Up Close, Sounding Stones, and Space Sculptures – This Week in Art

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition takes a dive into how photography boosts our understanding of the natural world. Running until July 19, 2025, this exhibition is a must-see for nature and photography enthusiasts alike.

In Edinburgh, the Stills Gallery is showcasing “Home,” a poignant collection of photographs capturing the uneasy coexistence of life and death in Ukraine amidst Russia’s unprovoked aggression. This exhibit will be open until October 5.

Artist Hayley Barker’s exhibition at Ingleby Gallery in Edinburgh, which runs until August 31, offers a surreal interpretation of the Ringing Stone. This peculiar boulder, celebrated since prehistoric times for its acoustic properties, is portrayed through a folk horror lens in Barker’s painterly works.

For animation fans, the secrets of stop-go animation come to life at “LAIKA: Frame x Frame,” a retrospective at the Blue Room, BFI Southbank in London. Known for enchanting films like Coraline and Box Trolls, LAIKA’s artistic journey is on display until October 1.

Over at Mostyn in Llandudno, Noémie Goudal’s exhibit merges photography and sculpture to investigate the enigmatic nature of space. This collection will be available until September 7.

One notable event this week is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg commissioning a colossal sculpture of his wife, Priscilla Chan. Created by New York-based artist Daniel Arsham, known for collaborations with Tiffany and Dior, the piece revives the Roman tradition of sculpting one’s spouse. Chan is depicted in motion, wrapped in a flowing silver cloak.

In our discoveries this week, we identified several prime locations for outdoor art across Europe, from Cyprus to the Berlin Wall. New York City’s Met Museum is currently hosting an extensive exhibit on Japanese poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Additionally, a survey found that arts and crafts significantly enhance life satisfaction, even more so than work.

Exploring Monet’s influences reveals a wealth of inspiration across central France. Meanwhile, French customs officers recently intercepted a fraudulent attempt to sell a fake Leonardo da Vinci painting valued at €1.3 million. Nek Chand, known for creating a 25-acre artistic wonder, reportedly never considered himself an artist. Banksy enthusiasts will be excited to learn about the newest and most notable installations of his works, though opinions on their quality vary widely. Lastly, Chile’s vibrant public art and graffiti vividly portray the nation’s political struggles.

Among timeless works, Roelandt Savery’s 1628 masterpiece, “Orpheus,” captures a serene moment as the legendary musician enchants animals with his melodies. A man fascinated by nature, Savery’s work blends the curiosity of the Renaissance with emerging scientific inquiry. His tenure at Emperor Rudolf II’s court in Prague allowed him to reflect on and depict natural wonders. Though his famous painting “The Dodo” is renowned for its portrayal of the now-extinct bird, “Orpheus” brings together a multitude of animals in a harmonious setting, demonstrating their peaceful interaction influenced by Orpheus’s music.

Source: The Natural History Museum, Stills Gallery, Ingleby Gallery, BFI Southbank, Mostyn, National Gallery