1 Pablo Bronstein
If you have ever wondered about the connections between the chinoiserie and gothic styles in the 18th century, this one’s for you. Bronstein is fascinated by architectural history and the human body. In his new permanent commission for Edinburgh’s wonderful sculpture park, he links two pavilions – one in the pseudo-Chinese style popular in Georgian Britain, one in the neo-medieval mode – with a narrow rose walk. Will it be genius or a folly?
Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh, 28 July to 1 October
2 Jac Leirner
This artist of elegant beauty whose work packs an uneasy punch is sure to be a highlight during Edinburgh art festival. Leirner lives in São Paulo, creating minimalist works using everyday stuff. Yet behind the composure of her creations lie personal confessions. Drug paraphernalia is among the quotidian things out of which she makes art, reflecting her decades of cocaine use. Sensational as well as ordered, this is intriguing art.
The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, to 22 October
3 Plywood
With its penchant for pop and fashion, the V&A can make anything glamorous these days – even plywood. This exhibition sees in an apparently mundane material the quintessence of the modern. Plywood made new kinds of curvy, funky design possible, from the soft, inviting lines of Alvar Aalto’s 1930 chair to the light frame of the second world war’s De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber. It turns out a large part of modern design would be impossible without this wonder wood.
Victoria and Albert Museum, SW7, to 12 November
4 The Dragon of Profit and Private Ownership
Revolution comes to Edinburgh’s Old Town as Zoë Walker and Neil Bromwich create a dragon representing capitalism and invite guests to slay it. The artwork is also an opportunity to visit one of Edinburgh’s most fascinating venues, a 15th-century gothic chapel that was demolished for Victorian railway construction then partly rebuilt over time.
Trinity Apse, Edinburgh, 27 July to 27 August
5 A Still Life by Chardin
The still lifes of the 18th-century French artist Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin exert a strong imaginative grip on modern art. The haunting way Chardin arranges things from dead fish to fruit, giving them a unique sense of philosophical significance, has many echoes in the art of the readymade. This interesting summer show explores his contemporary legacy.
Lisson Gallery, NW1, to 26 August
