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Expressionists, disappearances, civil war and Zidane make their way to the galleries

The MMFA (1370 Sherbrooke W.) opens the year with Lyonel Feininger: From Manhattan to the Bauhaus (Jan. 21–May 13). Feinigner, who was born in New York but spent most of his life in Berlin, was best-known for his Expressionist paintings, but this exhibit, the first of its kind in North America, will also explore his work as a comic artist and caricaturist.

Three big solo shows open at the MAC (185 Ste-Catherine W.) in early February (Feb. 2–April 22). New York-based Egyptian artist Ghada Amer has created an intriguing and exciting oeuvre through the use of embroidery, sexuality and pop culture references. Local artist Valérie Blass explores the forms of humans, animals and inanimate objects with her large-scale sculptures, while Kenyan-born artist Wangechi Mutu’s drawings and collages examine the relationship between humans and nature.

DHC/ART (451 St-Jean) rings in the new year with the group exhibition Chronicles of a Disappearance (Jan. 19–May 13), featuring work by Omer Fast, Teresa Margolles, Philippe Parreno, Taryn Simon and José Toirac. The thematic exhibit is inspired by the Elia Suleiman film of the same name, and the Palestinian director will be in town to introduce and talk about two of his films in early February.

Quebec City-based collective BGL return to Parisian Laundry (3550 St-Antoine W.) with the sculpture-installation Concessionaire (Jan. 18–Feb. 25), which will explore the gallery’s walls. Run­ning alongside the installation is Michael Jones McKean’s large-scale sculpture “The Gilded Scab,” which will take over the gallery’s bunker.

Later in the season, check out the work of up-and-coming art stars at the gallery’s annual Collision exhibit (March 14–24), featuring the work of Concordia’s MFA grads. Later that month, the paintings of Janet Werner (March 28–April 28) brighten the gallery walls.

SPORT, LANGUAGE AND HISTORY

Canadian-Iranian artist Abbas Akhavan opens the year at the the Darling Foundary (745 Ottawa) with a solo exhibit (March 15–May 27). After a stellar 2011, Gallery UQÀM (1400 Berri) con­tinues its strong programming starting with Nadia Seboussi’s Le Dernier été de la raison, a video installation that looks back at the Algerian civil war. It opens with a vernisage, tonight, Thurs­day, Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m., and runs until Feb. 18. Also opening tonight is Loin des yeux près du corps, a group exhibit that includes pieces by Louise Bourgeois, Geneviève Cadieux, Betty Good­win and Kiki Smith.

Soccer fans may finally find some contemporary art that speaks to them (if they haven’t already) when Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno’s exhibition Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle opens at Gallery UQÁM (Feb. 25–April 14).

Battat Contemporary (7245 Alexandra, #100) kicks off the year with work by Winnipeg artist and Columbia Universtity grad Krisjanis Kaktins-Gorsline, whose exhibit Nervous Lattice looks set to excite—if the cut-out invitations are anything to go by (Jan. 19–Feb. 25).

In March, local artist Carl Trahan takes over Articule (261 Fairmount W.) with from the letter’s image to the space of the text, or: diving into the mainstream, a work that explores language and text (March 9–April 8). And at Art Mûr (5826 St-Hubert), Nadia Myre, Magalie Comeau, David Spriggs and Laurent Lamarche show off their latest (March 3–April 21).

Finally, photography gallery Vox (2 Ste-Catherine E., #401) fete their new digs in the contemporary art hub Le 2-22 with Art Histories (March–May), a group exhibit that re-examines artistic heritages. ❉

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