5 art exhibits worth travelling for in 2018

omotolani

January 8, 2018 2:57 PM

From the Chale Wote festival to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors, here are some art exhibitions to watch out for in 2018.

From Harry Potter and AfrikaBurn to Star Wars and The Power of Costume.

Here are some art exhibitions to watch out for in 2018.

1. "Harry Potter: A History of Magic" London and New York

Potter fans should prepare for The British Library's first-time exhibit available through February 28, 2018, marking the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Philosopher’s Stone in the U.K.).

Among the curiosities on display are ancient Chinese oracle bones used in fortune telling, the actual tombstone of the real-life Nicolas Flamel and a black crystal ball that belonged to the Smelly Nelly. A 20 foot-long manuscript containing instructions for making the philosopher’s stone would be on display too.

2. AfrikaBurn, South Africa

AfrikaBurn is Africa’s most alternative arts festival. Everything that happens in Tankwa Town (the temporary settlement where festival goers gather in the Karoo desert) is up to the creativity of participants.

There is no entertainment organised – instead, the participants of the festival create their own artworks, their own music and their own performances. You’re guaranteed an experience that will blow your mind.

April 24 – 30.

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3. Chale Wote, Ghana

The Chale Wote Street Art Festival is an alternative platform that brings art, music, dance and performance out of the galleries and onto the streets of James Town, Accra, Ghana.

The festival targets exchanges between scores of local and international artists and patrons by creating and appreciating art together.

This festival lasts an entire week from August 18 - 21.

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4. "Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors", North America

Yayoi Kusama is a living legend whose exhibits attract sold-out crowds. Her latest, "Infinity Mirrors," features six of her famous infinity rooms. Each of these mirrored spaces is filled with a theme, from polka dots to lanterns, which appear to be reflected into eternity.

Other newer pieces involve her painting series, "My Eternal Soul," on view in the U.S. for the first time. In 2018, the show will be moving on to the Art Gallery of Ontario (March 3-May 27), and the Cleveland Museum of Art (July 9-September 30), before wrapping at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta (November 18-February 17, 2019).

5. "Star Wars and The Power of Costume", St. Petersburg, Florida and Detroit

This one is a must see for Star Wars fans. The popular touring Smithsonian exhibit is entering its final year and is a must-see. More than 60 costumes are on display, along with detailed sketches and backstories.

Catch it at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida. through April 1, 2018, and the Detroit Institute of Arts in Michigan from May-September 2018.

omotolani