Political video is strong in both, but the variety of art is greater in Basel

At the climax of McCarthy's career, the cowboy and the pirate are brought together with pleasing dissonance

On view at Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris

John Wood and Paul Harrison’s minimal, deadpan performances make complicated references to the art world of the past—with a dash of slapstick

Speaking to the artist who immerses himself in the Northern Irish situation and responds to its shifting sense of reality

Our overview also reveals the highs and lows of this year's biennale, which draws heavily on Scandinavian artists and pays tribute to grand masters Serra, Beuys, Twombly and Richter

On view at St Mary-le-Bow, City of London, until 19 December