Art exhibitions to see at Camden Art Centre in 2026/2027

Camden Art Centre will present a strong programme of contemporary art across 2026 and 2027, bringing together both emerging and established artists. Nat Faulkner will present photographic and sculptural works that transform the surfaces of his studio into silver-plated impressions, while Donald Locke’s sculptures, ceramics and paintings, produced over five decades, explore history, identity and cultural memory. Phillip King’s Japanese Kamakura ceramics will be shown in the UK for the first time, highlighting his long-standing engagement with craft traditions and material experimentation. Spanning painting, sculpture, film and sound, the exhibitions below offer a preview of what to expect at Camden Art Centre in 2026 and 2027.

Catharina van Hemessen (1527/8 - after 1565). Portrait of a Woman, 1551, oil on wood, 22.8 × 17.6 cm. The National Gallery. Presented by Mrs D.E. Knollys, 1934. Photo © The National Gallery, London 

Nat Faulkner: Strong Water

London-based artist Nat Faulkner (b. 1995, Chippenham) presents his first major UK institutional exhibition, following his recognition as the recipient of Camden Art Centre’s 2024 Emerging Artist Award at Frieze. Strong Water investigates the mechanics and structures of photography through an ambitious new commission. Faulkner creates frottage reliefs by taking rubbings of his studio walls and floors on copper sheets, later electroplated with silver sourced from recycled X-ray film. These works combine to form haunting partial images that activate the gallery space. The exhibition is accompanied by the artist’s book 1:1, offering a deeper exploration of his methods and ideas.

Date: 16 January – 22 March 2026. Discover more. 

Nat Faulkner, 'Darkroom', 2024, Hand printed Chromogenic on plywood, Optium acrylic. Image courtesy of Brunette Coleman, London. Photography by Jack Elliot Edwards.

Donald Locke: Resistant Forms

This major survey traces the five-decade career of Guyanese-British artist Donald Locke (1930–2010), whose work spans Guyana, the UK, and the United States. Despite his pivotal role in 20th-century British sculpture and contributions as a post-war artist of the Windrush Generation, Locke remains under-recognised in the UK. The exhibition includes early biomorphic ceramics, mixed-media sculpture and paintings from his ‘Plantation Series’, large-scale works incorporating found materials, and later assemblages from his time in Atlanta. Locke’s practice consistently explores history, identity, and subjugation through formal ingenuity across multiple media.

Date: 10 April – 30 August 2026.

Donald Locke, Twin Form (black interior) (1978). Ceramic, 42 x 27 x 28 cm. Courtesy Estate of Donald Locke and Alison Jacques, London. © Estate of Donald Locke. Photo: Michael Brzezinski.

Ain Bailey

Composer, artist, and DJ Ain Bailey (b. 1963, London) explores identity, place, and architectural acoustics in this major exhibition of new and recent work. Bailey’s installations employ sound to create spaces of grief, resistance, remembrance, and community. Central to the exhibition is a newly commissioned film shot in Jamaica, the birthplace of her parents, reflecting a personal and collective engagement with heritage. The presentation will highlight Bailey’s pioneering approach to sonic exploration and participatory art.

Date: 10 April – 14 June 2026.

Liz Larner

American artist Liz Larner (b. 1960, Sacramento, CA) makes her UK institutional debut with a major solo exhibition. The show focuses on her work from the last decade, including pieces created specifically for Camden Art Centre, alongside works from her Asteroids series and plastic assemblages. Larner’s practice, particularly in ceramics, embodies transformation and instability, exploring the metamorphic possibilities of materials through complex processes of firing and glazing.

Date: 11 September 2026 – 17 January 2027.

Merlin James

Spanning more than forty years, this exhibition presents the most substantial survey of Merlin James’ (b. 1960, Cardiff) work in London. James’ paintings, drawings, and mixed-media works merge materiality and meaning, from intimate domestic scenes to landscapes, piers, and architectural motifs. Each motif functions both as a specimen for artistic experimentation and as a deeply resonant reflection of lived experience, showcasing James’ nuanced engagement with pictorial language and history.

Date: 29 January – 16 May 2027. 

Phillip King, Blue Blaze, 1967, aluminium, 183 x 762 x 610 cm. 72 1/8 x 300 x 240 1/8 in. Image courtesy of Thomas Dane Gallery/ the artist 

Phillip King: Kamakura Ceramics

Known for his vivid geometric sculptures, Phillip King (1934–2021) explored diverse materials throughout his career. This exhibition focuses on his lesser-known ceramic works produced in Japan during the 1990s, the result of a residency in Kamakura. Immersed in Japanese ceramic traditions, King experimented with hand-built vessels and glazes, producing over 70 works that have never been exhibited in the UK before. The show reveals King’s enduring commitment to experimentation and cross-cultural engagement.

Date: 29 January – 14 March 2027.

Visit camdenartcentre.org to discover more about Camden Art Centre’s exhibition programme.