Scotland's art scene is celebrating a major milestone this week as Victoria Crowe, one of the country's most distinguished artists, marks her 80th birthday with a comprehensive exhibition at Edinburgh's Dovecot Studios. The exhibition, titled "Shifting Surfaces," presents an evocative survey of Crowe's most compelling works, bringing together her renowned rural portraits and atmospheric winter landscapes that have defined her artistic legacy.

The retrospective, running until October 11, showcases the breadth of Crowe's artistic vision through decades of creative output. Her distinctive approach to capturing Scotland's countryside and its inhabitants has earned her recognition as a master of contemporary Scottish art, with her winter scenes particularly noted for their ability to convey the stark beauty and emotional resonance of the Scottish landscape.

Meanwhile, galleries across the UK are presenting a diverse array of contemporary and historical exhibitions. At the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne, visitors can explore the work of Paule Vézelay through August 31 in "Living Lines," a survey exhibition of this British abstract painter who was profoundly influenced by French modernism. Born Marjorie Watson-Williams in 1892, she later changed her name to reflect her artistic transformation and connection to continental European art movements.

Edinburgh continues to showcase innovative contemporary work with Nkem Okwechime's "Okolo" at the National Museum of Scotland until August 22. This installation explores the artist's alter ego through a multi-faceted approach that includes custom-designed wallpaper and tiles, created in collaboration with local community groups. The work demonstrates the power of participatory art in creating meaningful cultural dialogue.

London's art scene is equally vibrant, with the Serpentine Gallery North Garden hosting Dr. Esther Mahlangu's "Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu" through September 28. This bold open-air mural celebrates Ndebele cultural traditions, bringing South African artistic heritage to the heart of London. The work pays homage to the rich visual culture of the Ndebele people while creating new conversations about global artistic exchange.

At Pitzhanger Abbey, Permindar Kaur's "Mirror, Mirror" transforms ordinary domestic objects, including children's toys, into surreal artistic statements set against Sir John Soane's Romantic architecture until September 21. The juxtaposition of everyday items with historical architectural elements creates an unexpected dialogue between the familiar and the extraordinary.

This week's standout photograph comes from Josh Aronson's "Florida Boys," featured in LensClture's Critics' Choice awards. The competition highlighted striking images from around the world, including hazardous journeys through Kurdish mountains and explorations of queer identity within American culture. These photographs demonstrate the medium's continued power to document both intimate personal narratives and broader social experiences.

The art world has been buzzing with several significant developments. Renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor made headlines when Greenpeace activists installed one of his major protest artworks on a North Sea gas rig, highlighting environmental concerns through artistic intervention. Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced plans to ensure that exhibits at 19 museums maintain patriotic themes, sparking debate about government influence on cultural institutions.

The auction market continues to attract attention, with a Chris Ofili painting featuring elephant dung expected to sell for $1.5 million at upcoming sales. This price point reflects the continued strong market for contemporary British artists who gained prominence in the 1990s Young British Artists movement.

International stories include a Sudanese photographer who turned to his craft as an outlet for processing trauma from exile, demonstrating art's therapeutic and communicative power. In Ghana, local artisans continue the tradition of creating highly stylized coffins that reflect the deceased's profession or interests, showing how contemporary African artists maintain cultural practices while innovating within traditional forms.

London's infrastructure projects are yielding unexpected artistic benefits, with a major sewer project generating dramatic new public spaces featuring large-scale artworks. These developments show how urban planning can incorporate artistic elements to enhance community spaces.

Music and art history intersect with the announcement that early Beatles photographs taken by Paul McCartney will be exhibited in London, offering fans and art enthusiasts a rare glimpse into the band's formative years through the lens of one of its members.

Cultural critics are noting that Art Nouveau's sensuous aesthetic appears ripe for revival in the age of artificial intelligence, as designers and artists seek organic, hand-crafted alternatives to digital precision. This movement suggests a cyclical return to decorative arts that emphasize human creativity and natural forms.

The exhibition "Saved Treasures of Gaza" has become a significant success in Paris, drawing attention to cultural preservation efforts in conflict zones and highlighting the universal value of artistic heritage regardless of political circumstances.

This week's masterpiece spotlight focuses on "Pan Pursuing Syrinx" by Hendrick van Balen the Elder and a follower of Jan Brueghel the Elder, created possibly after 1615. The painting exemplifies the profound influence of Ovid's Metamorphoses on European and American art from Botticelli to Rauschenberg. This collaborative work demonstrates the period's practice of specialized artistic partnerships, with Jan Brueghel the Elder contributing his expertise in flowers and landscapes while his follower provided finely observed natural details including dragonflies and frogs. The piece depicts the moment before Syrinx transforms into reeds to escape Pan's aggressive pursuit, embodying Ovid's themes of transformation through love, desire, and divine intervention. Currently housed at the National Gallery in London, the painting represents just one example of countless artworks inspired by these ancient Roman tales of metamorphosis.