16 must-see art exhibitions in London celebrating Black artists in 2023
London is evolving into a vibrant hub for Black artists, presenting a plethora of inspiring art exhibitions this summer. Notable showcases feature an exhibition dedicated to the dynamic realm of contemporary African photography at Tate Modern, a significant group exhibition at the South London Gallery delving into the intertwined cultures of Lagos and Peckham, and the unveiling of Thomas J Price's compelling sculptures at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This guide provides a curated selection of current and upcoming exhibitions in London, spotlighting the exceptional works of Black artists.
Please note the exhibitions are categorised into current, upcoming, and past events.
Current exhibitions
Julianknxx: Chorus in Rememory of Flight
Image: Julianknxx, Production still of Chorus in Rememory of Flight, 2023 © Studioknxx.
#FLODown: Poet, artist and filmmaker Julianknxx explores themes of inheritance, loss and belonging as he crosses the boundaries between written word, music and visual art. The Sierra Leonian artist will use his personal history as a prism to deconstruct dominant perspectives on African art, history, and culture. Rich with symbolism, his work conveys the Black experience of defining and redefining the self rejecting labels to form new collective narratives. Offering song and music as forms of resistance, the exhibition invokes new understandings of what it means to be caught between, and to be of, multiple places. Choirs and musicians from cities across Europe give voice to a single refrain: ‘We are what’s left of us’, transforming the Curve into a collaborative space of communication.
Date: 14 September 2023— 11 February 2024. Location: The CurveBarbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS. Website: barbican.org.uk
A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography
Image: Kiripi Katembo Avancer, Un regard series 2008 - 2013 © Kiripi Katembo, courtesy Kiripi Katembo Siku Foundation & MAGNIN-A Gallery, Paris.
#FLODown: Experience the dynamic world of contemporary African photography in an immersive exhibition at Tate Modern. Artists from different generations come together to reimagine Africa's diverse cultures and histories through photography, film, and audio. Explore themes like spirituality, identity, urbanism, and the climate crisis, as you journey through dream-like utopias and bustling cityscapes. Witness how photography bridges the past and future across Africa's landscapes, borders, and time zones.
Date: until 14 January 2024. Location:Tate Modern, Bankside London SE1 9TG. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Book now.
Lagos, Peckham, Repeat: Pilgrimage to the Lakes
Image: Adeyemi Michael, Entitled, 2018. Lagos, Peckham, Repeat: Pilgrimage to the Lakes . South London Gallery.
#FLODown: This major group exhibition explores the connections between Lagos and Peckham, showcasing the works of over ten Nigerian and British Nigerian artists. Through sculpture, installation, photography, and film, the exhibition delves into themes of transnational exchange, sense of place, and the contemporary metropolis. Highlights include a large-scale installation evoking the Lagos marketplace and a Lagos-inspired beer brewed specifically for the exhibition. Don't miss this opportunity to witness the artistic reflections of Nigerian diaspora communities and the journeys that shape their creative practices.
Date: 5 July – 29 October 2023 . Location: South London Gallery, Main Building 65–67 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UH. Price: Free. Book now.
Angèle Etoundi Essamba: Africanesse
Image: Autoportrait. Courtesy of Angèle Etoundi Essamba and Doyle Wham.
#FLODown: Doyle Wham presents Africanesse, the UK's first solo exhibit by acclaimed Cameroonian artist Angèle Etoundi Essamba. The exhibition showcases vintage silver gelatin prints, challenging stereotypes about Black women. These rare artworks, hand-developed between 1985 and 2006, now grace prestigious collections globally. Essamba reflects on her shift from the darkroom to digital photography, cherishing her intimate connection with craft during the darkroom era.
Date: 28 September - 25 November 2023. Location: Doyle Wham, 91a Rivington Street,EC2A 3AY. Price: Free. Website: doylewham.com
Armet Francis: Beyond The Black Triangle
Image: From the series Lambeth and Brixton Tube 1994.
#FLODown: Armet Francis, a Jamaican-British photographer, has dedicated over four decades to documenting the African diaspora, capturing life-affirming moments that celebrate resilience and survival within diasporic cultures. Having immigrated from Jamaica to Britain as a child, Francis, feeling culturally displaced, turned to photography to connect with the diverse Pan-African world. His 'Black Triangle' concept has guided his photographic practice, encapsulating the experiences of diasporic communities across Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Francis' work, including fashion shoots in Brixton Market and portraits of Empire Windrush passengers, serves to give visibility to proud, radical individuality within British history.
Date: until 20 January 2024. Location: Autograph, Rivington Place, London EC2A 3BA. Price: Free. Website: autograph.org.uk.
Gabriel Massan & Collaborators: Third World: The Bottom Dimension
Image: Third World: The Bottom Dimension © Serpentine. Photo by Hugo Glendinning
#FLODown: Third World: The Bottom Dimension is a groundbreaking multi-part project by artist Gabriel Massan, delving into Black Brazilian experiences and the enduring impact of colonialism. Through an immersive exhibition, a thought-provoking video game, and web3 tokens on the Tezos blockchain, the project challenges established narratives and raises consciousness. Blending art with advanced technologies, it pushes the boundaries of artistic expression.
Date: 23 June - 22 October 2023. Location: Serpentine North, West Carriage Drive,London W2 2AR. Price: Free. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.
Thomas J Price at the V&A Museum
Image: Lay It Down (On The Edge Of Beauty), by Thomas J Price, 2018 . Photo: Ken Adlard. © Thomas J Price. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth
#FLODown: The Victoria & Albert Museum is teaming up with artist Thomas J Price for a new sculpture display. The exhibition will feature eight of Price's thought-provoking sculptures placed throughout the museum, including in the Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries and the Europe 1600 - 1800 Galleries. Price's works challenge preconceived notions of status and appearance, emphasising the shared humanity among individuals. His sculptures, depicting everyday people, address issues of visibility and identity, particularly for Black individuals in visual culture. The exhibition highlights include Lay It Down (On The Edge Of Beauty), a polished bronze head, and Signals, a sculpture of a young man holding his phone up to the sky.
Date: 22 July 2023 – 27 May 2024. Location: Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL.Price: Free. Website: vam.ac.uk
Vanley Burke and Francis Williams: Between Two Worlds
Image: Self-portrait, photograph, by Vanley Burke, 2023, Birmingham, England. © Vanley Burke.
#FLODown: Between Two Worlds,is an exhibition that delves into the portraits of Jamaican scholars, Vanley Burke and Francis Williams, covering three centuries of history. This display encourages contemplation on themes of identity, cultural memory, racism, and colonial legacies in both British and Caribbean history. The exhibition forms a part of the V&A's commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.
Date: from 12 June – 31 December 2023.Location: Rooms 88a and 90, V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price: Free.
Yinka Ilori: Types of Happiness
Image: Yinka Ilori Types of Happiness. June 2023. © MTotoe.
#FLODown: The Line's vibrant summer program begins with an installation by Yinka Ilori titled Types of Happiness. Presented in collaboration with the Royal Docks Team, the artwork features two 10 ft high sculptural chairs adorned in a Dutch wax print, representing various forms of happiness. This major installation can be viewed near City Hall in front of the Good Hotel. The Line, a collection of public art sculptures in East London that connects Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to The O2 along waterways and the Greenwich Meridian, offers an exciting lineup of events for the summer. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions, art tours, wellbeing walks, creative activities, and talks as part of this immersive experience. Click here for the full line-up of events.
Location: The Line Sculpture Trail, Olympian Way, London, 0AX. Website: the-line.org.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair
Image: Kyle Weeks, Spo and Holali, 2021, photography, size tbc, from the series Good News. Courtesy of Galerie Gomis.
#FLODown: The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is back at Somerset House for its monumental 11th edition this October, presenting its largest showcase yet. Over 60 international exhibitors are set to feature, boasting a remarkable 170+ artists from 31 countries, all contributing to the rich tapestry of African representation. The fair will be graced by the commissioned masterpiece, Illuminate the Light, by the renowned artist Amine El Gotaibi, a powerful display of African diversity through geometric sculptures and illuminating light. Noteworthy collaborations with Christie's and Infiniment Coty Paris underscore the fair's substantial global influence. For broader accessibility, the event will also be available online through Artsy during the month of October.
Date: 13-15 October 2023. Location: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: from £25. Book now.
Hyundai Commission: El Anatsui
Image: Aluminium and copper wire, 1000 x 560 cm © El Anatsui. Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Kunstmuseum Bern. Courtesy the Artist and October Gallery, London. Photo © Jonathan Greet
#FLODown: Renowned artist El Anatsui is set to create the upcoming Hyundai Commission at Tate Modern, featuring his unique metallic sculptures crafted from recycled materials. This site-specific work will be exhibited in the Turbine Hall starting from October. Anatsui's sculptures blend local and global elements, delving into environmental, consumption, and trade-related themes. The annual Hyundai Commission is part of a longstanding partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor, set to continue until 2026.
Date: 10 October 2023 - 14 April 2024.Location: Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG.Price: Free. Website: tate.org.uk.
Here & Now
Image: Trisha McCauley, Claude McKay , 1920. Courtesy the artist and Alternative Arts.
#FLODown: Here & Now by Alternative Arts showcases contemporary works by black British photographers inspired by African and Caribbean culture in London. Celebrating Black History Month, the exhibition presents powerful portraits, culinary tributes, and scenes reflecting African and Caribbean heritage. Artists like Àsìkò, Olufemi Olaiya, and Tanesha Lewis contribute unique series honouring motherhood, African soldiers' legacy, and exploring individual identity through fashion and self-narrative. The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of black culture and history.
Date: 6 - 28 October 2023. Location: Brady Arts Centre, 192-196 Hanbury Street, London E1 5HU. Price: Free.
Ukuzilanda, Homegoing: Ernest Cole, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Mikhael Subotzky
Image: Harlem. Photographs by Ernest Cole (1971) via @magnumphotos
#FLODown: In South Africa, the Xhosa term 'Ukuzilanda' encapsulates the act of connecting to one's past and understanding oneself amidst the nation's complex history shaped by colonisation, slavery, indentured labour, and racial segregation. Magnum Photos showcases a conversation among three South African artists—Ernest Cole, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, and Mikhael Subotzky—who interpret Ukuzilanda in unique yet intertwined ways. Their images delve into the impacts of migration, displacement, and labor systems, unveiling the ongoing systemic uprooting deeply ingrained in South African society. Within this challenging landscape, the quest to find one's identity and a sense of home remains an enduring and essential journey.
Date: 3 - 15 October 2023. Location: Gallery 10, Cromwell Place, SW7 2JE . Price: Free. Website: cromwellplace.com.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Summer Salon
Image: Tommie Ominde, Tree Climbers, 2021. Image courtesy of Doyle Wham and the artist.
#FLODown: Doyle Wham's Summer Salon presents a vibrant showcase of talented photographers from the African continent, highlighting diverse working practices and mediums. The gallery transforms into a comfortable living-room style setting, inviting visitors to enjoy the artworks in a relaxed atmosphere, as if in their own home. Featured artists include Puleng Mongale, Tommie Ominde, Water Dixon, and the all-female artistic collective Umseme Uyakhuluma.
Date: until 4 August 2023. Opening hours: Wednesdays-Saturdays 10am-6pm. Location: Doyle Wham, 91A Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3AY. Website: doylewham.com.
Isaac Julien: What Freedom Is to Me
Image: Installation view, Once Again... (Statues Never Die), Tate Britain, 2023. Photo_ Jack Hems. © Isaac Julien, Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro.
#FLODown: Tate Britain presents the first survey exhibition of British artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien. Spanning four decades, the exhibition showcases his pioneering films and immersive installations, exploring themes of politics, identity, and artistry. Highlights include Looking for Langston and Lessons of the Hour. This compelling exhibition is a celebration of Julien's influential career.
Date: until 20 August 2023. Location: Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Book now.
Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now
Carrie Mae Weems. The Louvre from Museums, 2006. © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York / Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin
#FLODown: The Barbican Art Gallery will host a groundbreaking exhibition on influential American artist, Carrie Mae Weems. It's her first major UK exhibition, exploring her work on identity, power, and social justice. The exhibition includes photographs, films, objects, and installations spanning three decades. Weems critically examines representations of race and challenges systemic racism. Her work is performative and cinematic, featuring iconic pieces like the Kitchen Table Series and The Shape of Things, which explores the history of violence in the US.
Date: 22 June – 3 September 2023. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £16. Concessions available. Book now.
Ajamu: The Patron Saint of Darkrooms
Image: Ajamu: The Patron Saint of Darkrooms, Autograph, London, 2023. Courtesy the artist and Autograph, London. Photo by Kate Elliott.
#FLODown: Autogragh presents an exhibition by celebrated artist Ajamu, who has been a pioneering force in genderqueer photography for over 30 years. His work unapologetically celebrates black queer bodies, using sensuality and pleasure as activism. The Patron Saint of Darkrooms showcases evocative photographs, including self-portraits and depictions of lovers, portraying the lives and experiences of himself and his community. Ajamu's art challenges dominant ideas about masculinity, gender, and representation of black LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK. Through his powerful and liberating representations, Ajamu reshapes cultural norms and emphasises the significance of representation and visibility in art.
Date: 28 April – 2 September 2023. Location: Autograph, Rivington Pl, London EC2A 3BA. Price: Free. Website: autograph.org.uk.
Atta Kwami: Maria Lassing Prize Mural
Image: Atta Kwami, Dzidzɔ kple amenuveve (Joy and Grace), 2021-22. Installation View: Maria Lassnig Prize Mural, Serpentine North Garden, 6 September 2022 – 3 September 2023. Courtesy of the Estate of Atta Kwami. Photo by Hugo Glendinning.
#FLODown: The final mural commission of the late painter Atta Kwami, who was also a printmaker, independent art historian, and curator, is currently on display at the Serpentine. Titled DzidzƆ kple amenuveve (Joy and Grace), the mural originates from a painting that Kwami was reworking in his studio in 2021 shortly before his death, making this the final public work of his oeuvre. The mural embodies Kwami’s vibrant palette and abstract painting style and is painted on wood by his widow, Pamela Clarkson, and designer Andy Philpott.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Serpentine North Garden, West Carriage Drive, London W2 2AR. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.
Simone Brewster: The Shape Things
Image: Simone Brewster, The Shape of Things, Tropical Noire Line Up. Courtesy: NOW Gallery.
#FLODown: NOW Gallery are showcasing, The Shape of Things, a 2023 Design Commission by contemporary designer Simone Brewster. The exhibition explores objects' power to convey beauty, representation, and empowerment, with a focus on "intimate architecture." It delves into societal norms, race, gender, and equality in design. Brewster's bold and geometric designs offer an immersive experience, including wearable comb sculptures inspired by African hairstyles. The exhibition celebrates Black British design and African heritage while raising significant issues of visibility in design and architecture.
Date: 29 June - 24 September 2023. Location: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ.Price: Free. Book now.
Black Venus
Image: Delphine Diallo, Highness – Hybrid 1, 2011. Featuring: Joanne Petit-Frère, Nefertiti’s Return Crown, 2010-2011 & Nefertiti’s Return Face Shield, 2010-2011. © Courtesy of MTArt, Delphine Diallo, Joanne Petit-Frère & JoGoesWest.
#FLODown: Black Venus showcases the works of 20+ Black women and non-binary artists. It explores the representation and evolving legacy of Black women in visual culture, addressing issues of fetishisation, othering, and reclamation of narratives. The exhibition contrasts historical exploitation with contemporary artworks, highlighting the complexity of Black femininity. Participating artists include Sonia Boyce, Widline Cadet, Shawanda Corbett, Renée Cox, Delphine Diallo, Ellen Gallagher, Ayana V Jackson, Zanele Muholi, Lorna Simpson, and Carrie Mae Weems, among others. It invites viewers to confront oppression, challenge prejudice, and celebrate the transformative power of Black women.
Date: 20 July – 24 September 2023. Location: Terrace Rooms & Courtyard Rooms, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: In order to make the exhibition as accessible as possible. It is ‘Pay What You Can.’ SS are asking visitors who are able to do so to consider making a donation to support the work of Somerset House. Book now.
Battle Royale II: Pantheon of Champions by Godfried Donkor
Image: Godfried Donkor, St Joseph Agbeko , 2023, Oil, Acrylic and Gold Leaf on Canvas.
#FLODown: Gallery 1957 London presents Battle Royale II: Pantheon of Champions, a solo exhibition by British-Ghanaian artist Godfried Donkor. The show explores the social-historical relevance of boxing in Ghana, from its origins to the contemporary scene. It pays homage to legendary local champions and captures the dynamic energy of Jamestown, Accra.
Date: 2 June – 12 August 2023. Location: Gallery 1957, London 1 Hyde Park Gate SW7 5EW. Website: gallery1957.com
