“In a New Field,” the first U.K. exhibition of work by the Canadian artist Jaclyn Conley, includes 17 striking paintings on wood panels, many of them large-scale. Richly colored and expressive, recalling the thick brushstrokes of Frank Auerbach, the paintings repurpose scenes from classic works of art as well as documentary photographs from key moments in American history. Conley’s primary focus is class and social progress in the U.S. We see evocations of the Great Depression, Robert Kennedy’s assassination, and the civil rights movement. Conley cuts and layers the painted panels to create a collage effect that fragments images, blurring the line between realism and abstraction. Unlike her previous work, which often depicts famous figures, “In a New Field” meditates on the everyday subjects and scenes that figure into American memory and identity. It’s no surprise that Conley’s work is part of the Obama Family Collection. —Rebecca Dolan