Venice Film Festival opens with George Clooney, Murdoch film and geopolitics

A self-confident woman strides on to the Fourth Plinth, Nan Goldin captures sex, cats and death and even the Turner Prize shows promise this year • See all of our unmissable autumn arts recommendations here The most anticipated exhibition of the year centres on an embroidered epic of war and conquest that miraculously preserves an intimate window on the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066. Yet, you may find yourself simply fascinated by the artistry of the Anglo-Saxon women who used coloured wool to depict billowing sails, charging horses and King Harold’s spectacular moustache. Jonathan Jones • British Museum, London, 10 September to 11 July..

François Picard is pleased to welcome Dana Thomas, author of Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, and the New York Times bestseller Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. The fiery controversy over the Met's now-cancelled John Galliano retrospective challenges the timeless debate over whether art can be separated from the artist. Our guest argues that the key issue is institutional power. From her perspective, Galliano’s stature as an artist and fashion designer is never in dispute. All the while, his character has been once again very publicly called into question.

Children return to school in DR Congo amid growing concerns over Ebola