U-Mag Artscene

If you're looking to indulge in some culture but don't have the cash then the galleries of Wolverhampton, Walsall and Birmingham are for you. Emily Retter takes us on a tour of what's hot on the arts scene this season…

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

‘Decorating Life' - 29 November-24 January
If colour and decoration are your thing, then this one is for you. The work (and rather incestuous) relationships of the Bloomsbury Group are uncovered in this vibrant exhibition.

The Lighthouse

‘Man's Ruin' by Richard Heeps - 16 January-27 February
A collection of photographic images taken in America and the UK, which use colour to find beauty in ordinary things. Heeps creates a sense of suspense out of the most everyday moments.

The Ikon Gallery

Rirkrit Tiravanija - 19 November-25 January
A Thai artist based in New York and Berlin, Tiravanija alters the way in which art is proposed and viewed. The exhibition consists of three spaces: a pool hall, an exhibition of drawings based on photographs of political demonstrations, and a room of practical craft-making.

David Batchelor - 4 February-28 March
A British artist whose work is about colour and light. The exhibition promises to be dazzling.

Lonnie Holly - 4 February-28 March
An African-American, self-taught artist, showing for the first time in the UK. His work includes painting, sculpture and installation, which draws upon the symbolic imagery of African-American traditions of cemetery decoration.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Japan: Art and Nature - Until April 2004
An eclectic display of Japanese art and artefacts revolving around the theme of nature.

Michael Rowe - 18 October-18 January
A retrospective of Rowe's metalwork, including a body of new work produced especially for this showing.

Turner and the Birmingham Engravers - 25 October-15 February
A display of Turner's prints, and those of contemporary Birmingham engravers.

Turner's Britain - 7 November-8 February
This is the big one! With Turner mania sweeping the country, Birmingham has its very own major show. Over 130 paintings, drawings and watercolours, many internationally loaned, have been brought together. Particularly interesting are the sketches Turner made in our own region.

The Barber Institute of Fine Art

The Sun Rising through Vapour-Turner's Early Seascapes - 24 October-25 January
An intimate collection of Turner's early depictions of the sea. This is a chance to witness the early development of some of his most famous themes.

The Waterhall

The Human Condition - 27 September-29 February
A moving, and at times un-nerving collection of depictions of the human figure in British art from 1950-2002.

The New Art Gallery Walsall

Andy Lewis-Photo Opportunities - 5 December-25 January
A collection of sculptures and drawings which demonstrate highly detailed and rigorously thought out fantasies.