Art Exhibitions Across Europe Explore Sex Work History, Music, and Identity

Multiple art exhibitions are opening across European cities this weekend. In Bonn, the Bundeskunsthalle presents 'Sex Work. Eine Kulturgeschichte der Sexarbeit,' curated with sex workers, tracing the history of sex work from ancient times to the present. It highlights intersections with art and politics, including examples from ancient Athens, 19th-century Paris, Weimar Berlin, and Nazi concentration camp brothels, and addresses post-1945 developments like the AIDS crisis and sex worker advocacy. In Ghent, Hisae Ikenaga's solo show 'Anatomies of Use' at Kiosk features industrial objects repurposed into sculptures and a video exploring transformation. Hamburg's ICAT at HFBK hosts 'When Music Becomes Form,' examining connections between visual art and music through installations and performances. London's Whitechapel Gallery features three exhibitions: Senga Nengudi's performance works from 1972-1982, Gabriel Chaile's 'Archaeology of Memory' with adobe sculptures exploring indigenous Argentine cultures, and Veronica Ryan's 'Multiple Conversations' focusing on nature and human psychology. Paris's Palais de Tokyo presents shows by Pauline Curnier Jardin on female bodies and deviation, Benoît Piéron on illness and hospital experiences, and Cheryl Marie Wade on disability arts. Vienna's Albertina Modern opens 'KAWS. Art & Comix,' showcasing the artist's cartoon-inspired sculptures in dialogue with modern art. These exhibitions run through various dates, with some starting in early April.