Modernist masters and up-and-coming artists share the stage this month

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City | August 2 to February 4, 2018 F85-21-1_Chagall-BasketOfFruitAndPineapples_recto.jpg

The show explores still life as one of art’s most beloved subjects in the 19th and 20th centuries. Diverse renditions of the genre are on display, from the impressionist style of Manet to the vivid depictions of fruit and flowers favoured by Marc Chagall, and the deconstructed floral subjects of Picasso.

Royal Academy of Arts, London | August 5 to November 12

key 40.jpgInviting the audience to “step into” the artist’s studio, the exhibition presents items from Matisse’s personal collection alongside the paintings, drawings, and sculptures they inspired. Exhibitions include African masks and textiles, Chinese calligraphy, and objects from the Islamic world—each a major influence on Matisse’s work throughout the decades.

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney |  August 23 to November 19

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Now in its 26th edition, Primavera showcases works by Australian artists aged 35 and under. This year’s show, themed Ancient Futures, asks eight creatives to explore the relationship between nature and man-made, past and present, in relation to archives and collections.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice | August 26 to January 7, 2018

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Ten drawings, three paintings, and a sculpture made by Picasso between February and December 1937 are the subjects of this intimate exhibition, launched in collaboration with the Musée Picasso of Paris. The show is part of Picasso-Méditerranée, an international initiative by more than 60 cultural institutions that focuses on the Mediterranean works of the Spanish artist.

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki | August 27 to June 17, 2018
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Presenting masterpieces such as Claude Monet’s Le Pont Japonais next to artworks by Kiwi artists, the retrospective offers a comprehensive look at the rise and significance of modernist forms of art, from late 19th century Europe to 21st century New Zealand.