Seduced, Barney, Baselitz, Graham: Four London Shows Reviewed

Barry Schwabsky examines four exhibitions currently on display in London. At the Barbican, 'Seduced: Art and Sex from Antiquity to Now' (12 Oct 2007 – 27 Jan 2008), under the curation of Marina Wallace, Martin Kemp, and Joanne Bernstein, delves into sexual themes throughout history. Meanwhile, at the Serpentine Gallery (20 Sep – 11 Nov 2007), Matthew Barney's exploration of male sexuality garners both praise and critique from Benjamin Buchloh. The Royal Academy (22 Sep – 9 Dec 2007) showcases a retrospective of Georg Baselitz, curated by Norman Rosenthal, featuring both early and contemporary works. Lastly, Rodney Graham's 'Wet on West: My Late Early Styles' is on view at Lisson Gallery (10 Oct – 17 Nov 2007). Concurrently, Baselitz is also exhibited at Galerie Catherine Putman, Paris (17 Nov – 26 Jan) and Galerie Ropac, Paris (from 20 Feb 2008).