Exhibition of the week: Sonia Delaunay
One of the great pioneers of abstract art electrifies Tate Modern with swirling painted light.
• Tate Modern, London SE1, from 15 April until 9 August.
Other exhibitions this week
Modigliani
It’s Ecole de Paris week: as Delaunay hits Tate Modern, the sensual post-cubism of Modigliani goes on show in Islington.
• Estorick Collection, London N1, from 15 April to 28 June.
Kapwani Kiwanga
For her first British exhibition, Kiwanga excavates the history of the Maji Maji rebellion in German East Africa in 1905-8.
• South London Gallery from 15 April to 7 June.
Listening
An exhibition about the act of listening in art, featuring among others Laurie Anderson, Haroon Mirza and Christian Marclay.
• Site Gallery, Sheffield, from 11 April until 30 May.
Gillian Ayres
Paintings and prints by the noted British abstract artist.
• Alan Cristea Gallery, London W1S, from 13 April until 30 May.
Masterpiece of the week
Paolo Uccello – The Battle of San Romano (c1438-40)
The most beautiful of three paintings by this Renaissance perspective pioneer that tell the story of a skirmish between mercenaries in the Tuscan countryside. The other two are in the Uffizi, Florence, and the Louvre, Paris. Uccello imagines what was actually a scrappy little fight as a glorious pageant of chivalry, with multicoloured weaponry, marvellous armour and a lovely rustic setting. War has rarely looked so sweet – but note the fallen warrior among the broken lances.
• National Gallery, London WC2N.
Image of the week
What we learned this week
That Roger Ballen has caused a storm with his portraits of marginalised South Africans
And here’s what his outsider portraits look like
How bronze zombie statues are ruining art
That Jesus Christ was a family man – but the church will never buy it
That Kenneth Clark’s Civilisation might get a Benedict Cumberbatch reboot
Inside the global battle that’s raging over the British Museum’s Indigenous Australian show
That the selfie has officially died – because of Prince Harry
The most staggering things ever made out of brick
That Tracey Emin’s still the real deal
All about the birth of dazzling neon signs
And finally ...
Are you an art student? Send us your alternative election posters now
