Alice Neel: Painted Truths opened at the Whitechapel Gallery, London on 8 July. The exhibition surveys fifty years of Neel’s paintings and is arranged thematically into nine themes: Allegory, the Essential Portrait, the Psychological Portrait, Portraits from Memory, Cityscapes, Nudes, Parents and Children, the Detached Gaze and Old Age.

The exhibition has been described as ‘the most remarkable exhibition of the year’ (Laura Cumming, Observer), a ‘magnificent display of 60 paintings from across Neel’s career’ (Robin Blake, Financial Times), ‘an eye-peeling, heart-wrenching triumph’ (Rachel Campbell-Johnston, Times), ‘a revelation - exhilarating, touching, tender and a little bit wild’ (Adrian Searle, Guardian), and a ‘punchy retrospective’ (Richard Dorment, Daily Telegraph).

A major catalogue with essays by Tamar Garb, Jeremy Lewison, Robert Storr and Barry Walker is co-published by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and Yale University Press. The exhibition continues at the Whitechapel Gallery until 17 September and will travel to Moderna Museet, Malmö opening 9 October. It was previously shown at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.