Best exhibitions in London right now
In 2024, London is gearing up for some interesting exhibitions, from a Barbie-themed event this summer to showcases celebrating the careers of Tim Burton and Naomi Campbell. Here's our ongoing list of the best exhibitions happening in London right now.
Ongoing
Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
This week, Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art opens at Barbican Art Gallery. This compelling exhibition shines a spotlight on the transformative role of textiles in contemporary art. Featuring over 100 works by artists including Faith Ringgold, Louise Bourgeois, and Tracey Emin, it explores how textiles challenge power structures, transcend boundaries, and address themes such as gender, sexuality, colonialism, displacement, and ancient knowledge. From hand-crafted pieces to large-scale installations, the exhibition highlights textiles as agents of resistance and repair, offering a fresh perspective on this often overlooked medium.
Date: 13 February – 26 May 2024. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Teressa Margolles, American Juju for the Tapestry of Truth, 2025. © Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Peter Kilchman, Zurich/Paris.
BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction
Saatchi Gallery's exhibition, BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction opens this week. Curated by Marc Mayer, it presents Edward Burtynsky's largest collection yet, with 94 photos, 13 murals, and augmented reality. The showcase explores humanity's impact on Earth, including a multimedia experience titled "In the Wake of Progress" for reflection on sustainability. With five sections, it prompts contemplation of our environmental relationship and highlights sustainability-focused organisations.
Date: 14 February – 6 May 2024. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £10. Book now.
Ed Burtynsky © Edward Burtynsky.
Yoko Ono
Tate Modern will open a major exhibition dedicated to Yoko Ono, the celebrated artist and activist known for her influential contributions to conceptual and performance art, experimental film, and music. Spanning over six decades, the exhibition features Ono's diverse body of work, including early performances, works on paper, objects, and music. Visitors will also have the opportunity to engage with some of Ono's significant activist projects, such as PEACE IS POWER and Wish Tree.
Date: 15 February – 1 September 2024.Location: Tate Modern. Price: from £22. Concessions available. Website: tate.co.uk.
Yoko Ono with Glass Hammer 1967 from HALF-A-WIND SHOW, Lisson Gallery, London, 1967. Photograph: Clay Perry © Yoko Ono.
Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive
Explore the future of art at Serpentine's Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive by AI artist Refik Anadol. An immersive experience blending AI with visual data from coral reefs and rainforests, the exhibition showcases innovation with works like Artificial Realities: Coral. The UK premiere of Living Archive: Nature transforms the gallery into an AI rainforest, highlighting 3D generative outputs. Developed through interdisciplinary research, the model draws from renowned institutions and anticipates future expansion with data partners.
Date: 15 February - 7 April 2024. Location: Serpentine North, Kensington Gardens,London, W2 2AR. Price: Free.
Refik Anadol, Artificial Realities: Coral, 2023. Courtesy Refik Anadol Studios.
Soulscapes
Soulscapes is an exhibition showcasing contemporary interpretations of landscape by artists of the African Diaspora. With over 30 remarkable artworks, including pieces by prominent artists such as Hurvin Anderson, Phoebe Boswell, and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the exhibition features diverse mediums like painting, photography, film, textile, and collage. The exhibition challenges the perception of landscape as a solely historical genre, emphasising its relevance in modern contexts.
Date: 14 February – 2 June 2024. Location: Dulwich Picture Gallery, London SE21 7AD. Price: from £17.50. Concessions available. Book now.
Mónica de Miranda, Sun rise (detail), 2023, inkjet print on cotton paper. Courtesy of the artist and Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid.
Doron Langberg: Night
Victoria Miro presents Doron Langberg's exhibition Night, featuring large-scale paintings of nightclubs and beach scenes that explore the nocturnal world and the ambiguity of spaces after dark. Langberg's works dissolve certainties of form, orchestrating multiple figures and details to create compositions where figures appear to move in or out of focus, emerging from or receding into their surroundings. The exhibition is accompanied by an essay by hannah baer, exploring the role of touch in bringing the figures into being and the smeared touch of individuality flickering in the night.
Date: 26 January–28 March 2024. Location: 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW. Price: Free.
Doron Langberg, Basement, 2023, oil on linen, 243.8 x 406.4 cm, 96 x 160 in, © Doron Langberg, courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro.
A dream Within A Dream
A Dream Within A Dream explores the delicate balance between reality and fantasy, inviting contemplation of the artists' enigmatic narratives. Alya Hatta delves into the diasporic human condition, drawing from her experiences in South London and Kuala Lumpur. Sophie Vallance Cantor blurs boundaries, presenting dreamlike scenes where joy and detachment intertwine. Aysha Nagieva's paintings transcend personal experiences, while Rafaela de Ascanio celebrates empowered female figures. Candice Dehnavi explores cultural familiarity and memory's nuances. Together, the exhibition celebrates the nuanced beauty emerging when imagination intertwines with existence.
Date: 2 February 2024 – 2 March 2024. Location: Haricot Gallery, 2 Blackall Street, London, EC2A 4AD. Price: Free.
The Blush Upon Her Cheek
Studio West presents The Blush Upon Her Cheek, an exhibition featuring Leo Costelloe, Florence Reekie, and Ki Yoong, drawing inspiration from Sir Peter Lely's Windsor Beauties. Costelloe explores gender and adornment through sculptural pieces, while Reekie liberates drapery to examine self-presentation and the beauty industry's false promises. Yoong's tender portraits revise Lely's idealised standards, emphasising each sitter's unique allure. Together, they challenge societal beauty norms, inviting viewers to reflect on the nature of beauty and its portrayal over time.
Date: 25 January – 22 February 2024 Location: Studio West, 216 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 1NR. Price: Free. Website: studiowest.art
Choir by Abraham Kritzman & Daniel Silver at Elizabeth Xi Bauer. Photo by MTotoe.
Abraham Kritzman & Daniel Silver: Choir
Choir at Elizabeth Xi Bauer Gallery introduces Daniel Silver's sculptures, repurposing Greco-Roman statuary, and Abraham Kritzman's large-scale relief paintings influenced by global travels. Kritzman's works, housed in black box structures, and bronze reliefs showcase his exploration of man-made concepts, while Silver's recent sculptural endeavors delve into psychoanalytic theory. The exhibition also features his semi-abstract ceramic busts and large works on paper from the Untitled series, blurring reality and imagination while exploring human relationships.
Date: 2 February – 30 March 2024. Location: Elizabeth Xi Bauer Gallery. Fuel Tank 8-12, Creekside, London SE8 3DX. Price: Free.
When Forms Come Alive
When Forms Come Alive: Sixty Years of Restless Sculpture opening at the Hayward Gallery, explores artists' fascination with movement and organic growth. Spanning 50 years of contemporary art, the exhibition showcases dynamic sculptural forms that evoke fluid experiences and challenge digitalisation. Nineteen international artists present works that emphasise spontaneity, gravity, and evolving sensations. The sculptures reject rigidity, encouraging interaction with ambiguous forms.
Date: 7 February - 6 May 2024. Location:Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Tara Donovan, Untitled (Mylar), 2011- 2018. Mylar and hot glue. Dimensions Variable. Installation view, MCA Denver. Photo by Christopher Burke. Courtesy the artist and Pace Gallery.
Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads
The Courtauld Gallery will host an exhibition by Frank Auerbach titled The Charcoal Heads, featuring his hauntingly beautiful charcoal portrait heads from the 1950s and 1960s in post-war London. The showcase includes seventeen major charcoal drawings and six paintings, exploring the interplay between Auerbach's painted and charcoal portraits. Drawn from public and private collections, the exhibition reflects Auerbach's enduring fascination with capturing the essence of the human form.
Date: 9 February – 27 May 2024. Location: The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £14. Concessions available. Book now.
Frank Auerbach (b.1931), Self-Portrait, 1958, Charcoal and chalk on paper. Private Collection © the artist, courtesy of Frankie Rossi Art Projects, London.
Entangled Pasts, 1768–now: Art, Colonialism and Change
Entangled Pasts, 1768–now: Art, Colonialism and Change at the Royal Academy of Arts will showcase over 100 artworks spanning 250 years, exploring art's entanglement with colonial histories.
Date: 3 February - 28 April 2024. Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: £22. Book now.
Installation view of the ‘Navigation Charts’ exhibition at Spike Island, Bristol, 2017, showing Lubaina Himid RA, Naming the Money, 2004.
Abraham Kritzman & Daniel Silver : Choir
Choir, a dual exhibition at Elizabeth Xi Bauer Gallery, introduces Daniel Silver's distinctive sculptures, repurposing Greco-Roman statuary, and Abraham Kritzman's large-scale relief paintings influenced by global travels.
Date: 2 February – 30 March 2024. Location: Elizabeth Xi Bauer Gallery. Fuel Tank 8-12, Creekside, London SE8 3DX. Price: Free.
Barbara Kruger; BARBARA KRUGER: THINKING OF YOU, I MEAN ME, I MEAN YOU Installation view, The Art Institute of Chicago - AIC, Chicago, September 19, 2021–January 24, 2022 Courtesy the artist and Sprüth Magers Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago.
Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You
Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You presents Kruger's impactful exploration of visual culture and societal themes at Serpentine South and Outernet Arts.
Date: 1 February – 17 March 2024. Location: Serpentine South Gallery, London W2 3XA. Price: Free. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.
Legion life in the Roman army
Legion life in the Roman army at The British Museum delves into Rome's military legacy through the eyes of soldiers, showcasing artifacts and insights into daily life, battles, and the transformation of soldiering into a career.
Date: 1 February – 23 June 2024. Location: The British Museum, The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Price: from £22. Concessions available. Book now.
Gold coin - oath-taking scene between two soliders © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Apocalypse Now
Tristan Hoare's first exhibition of 2024, Apocalypse Now, explores the theme of apocalypse through contemporary art. Against a backdrop of global challenges and cultural interpretations, the exhibition presents the visions of various artists, including Naoya Inose and Christabel MacGreevy.
Date: 25 January – 1 March 2024. Location: Tristan Hoare, 6 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HJ. Price: Free.
DREAMING OF HOW IT'S MEANT TO BE by Jeffrey Gibson at The Stephen Friedman Gallery. Photo by MTotoe
Jeffrey Gibson: DREAMING OF HOW IT'S MEANT TO BE
The Stephen Friedman Gallery presents DREAMING OF HOW IT'S MEANT TO BE, a solo exhibition by Jeffrey Gibson, blending his Choctaw-Cherokee heritage with contemporary influences. The showcase features multimedia pieces, sculptures, punching bags, and paintings on paper, highlighting Gibson's vibrant, geometric abstractions and use of traditional artisanal techniques like beadwork and quilting. The exhibition previews Gibson's upcoming solo pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, and explores themes of hybrid identities and the power of dreaming to envision alternative realities.
Date: 19 January - 24 February 2024. Location: The Stephen Friedman Gallery, 5–6 Cork Street, London, W1S 3LQ. Price: Free. Website: stephenfriedman.com.
Neil Stokoe
Saatchi Yates presents Neil Stokoe's posthumous solo exhibition, showcasing works from the 1960s to the 1990s. Despite being part of the Royal College of Art's 'Golden Circle', Stokoe remained largely unknown until now. The exhibition features fourteen major paintings capturing the evolution of his style, from psychologically charged interiors to experimental pieces influenced by Pop Art.
Date: 17 January - 25 February 2024. Location: Saatchi Yates, 14 Bury St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6AL. Website: saatchiyates.com.
Floss by Olivia Bax is on show at Holtermann Fine Art until 16 March 2024. Photo by MTotoe.
Olivia Bax: Floss
Holtermann Fine Art presents Olivia Bax's second exhibition, showcasing mobile sculptures displayed on custom-built furniture alongside wall works, including the sculpture after which the exhibition is titled: Floss. With whimsical forms and rolling components, Bax questions the nature of sculpture, inviting viewers to explore its evolving language.
Date: 20 January – 16 March 2024. Location: Holtermann Fine Art,30 Cork St, London W1S 3NG. Price: Free. Website: holtermannfineart.com.
Everyday Monument
Everyday Monuments on show at the Saatchi Gallery features the works of three emerging UK artists: Catriona Robertson, Jacob Talkowski, and Alaric Hammond. Through innovative use of everyday materials, they breathe new life into items typically overlooked or discarded, infusing them with power and significance. Their creations prompt reflection on our habitual interactions with objects, technology, and architecture, urging viewers to reconsider the materials and objects encountered in daily life beyond the confines of a gallery setting.
Date: 19 January – 10 March 2024. Location: Ground Floor in Gallery 3, Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY. Price: Free.
Everyday Monuments on show at the Saatchi Gallery features the works of three emerging UK artists: Catriona Robertson, Jacob Talkowski, and Alaric Hammond. Photo by MTotoe.
Alia Farid: Elsewhere
Alia Farid's Elsewhere debuts as her first UK solo exhibition, exploring overlooked histories often marginalised or obscured by the Global North. The exhibition reimagines the political significance of daily life, featuring sixteen hand-woven rugs portraying Palestinian diaspora narratives in Puerto Rico. Crafted in collaboration with weavers from Iraq, these vibrant textiles illustrate how migration within the Global South shapes shared struggles and solidarity. The exhibition serves as a living archive, tracing cultural convergence across continents and marking the start of a larger exploration into Arab and South Asian migration in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Date: until 4 February 2024. Location: Chisenhale Gallery, 64 Chisenhale Rd, Old Ford, London E3 5RG.Price: Free. Website: chisenhale.org.uk.
Elsewhere by Alia Farid at Chisenhale Gallery. © MTotoe.
Bloomberg New Contemporaries
Camden Art Centre welcomes back New Contemporaries after a 20-year hiatus, featuring 55 emerging UK artists meticulously selected by Helen Cammock, Sunil Gupta, and Heather Phillipson. This dynamic exhibition explores an array of themes encompassing care, identity, and climate justice through an assortment of mediums, including performance, painting, and film. Artists delve into personal narratives, merging reality and memory while tackling systemic issues such as ableism and environmental concerns. Dating back to 1949, New Contemporaries upholds its legacy of nurturing emerging talents, facilitating their transition into professional pathways by providing invaluable developmental opportunities.
Date: 19 January – 7 April 2024. Location: Camden Art Centre, 1 Arkwright Road, London, NW3 6DG. Price: Free. Website: camdenartcentre.org.
Efrat Merin, 'Turn Back Time', 2023. Cold encaustic on poly-cotton canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.
Spend Time Not Thinking About Tomorrow
IMT Gallery presents Spend Time Not Thinking About Tomorrow, an exhibition featuring the diverse creative expressions of artist Kenji Lim. The showcase features sculpture, video, digital collage, installation, and painting, offering a unique exploration of landscapes intertwined with culture, myth, and philosophy. Lim's art challenges conventional Western perspectives, inviting viewers to embrace alternative viewpoints that bridge the human and other-than-human realms.
Date: 19 January - 24 March 2024. Location: IMT Gallery, Unit 2, 210 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9NQ. Price: Free. Website: imagemusictext.com.
Kenji Lim Spend Time Not Thinking About Tomorrow digital image detail IMT Gallery.
Radical Landscapes Art inspired by the land
The William Morris Gallery showcases Radical Landscapes, an exhibition exploring art's connection to nature, politics, and social issues. Featuring over 60 works by artists like JMW Turner and Derek Jarman, the exhibit examines themes of freedom, exploitation, and land access in British landscapes. It spans historical paintings to contemporary pieces, addressing modern environmental challenges and Morris's environmental ideals. The exhibition also highlights protests through photographs and connects Morris's work to today's environmental movements.
Date: until 18 February 2024. Location: William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park House, 531 Forest Rd, London E17 4PP. Price: Free entry (suggested donation of £5). Book now.
Chris Kilip, Helen and her Hula-hoop, Seacoal Camp, Lynemouth, Northumberland, 1984. ‘Radical Landscapes Art inspired by the land’ at William Morris Gallery. Photo by MTotoe.
CUTE
Somerset House will showcase CUTE, an exhibition delving into the pervasive allure of cuteness in contemporary society. This exhibition explores the phenomenon through the lens of contemporary art, cultural facets like music and fashion, and societal influences such as the impact of social media. From emojis to endearing animals and beloved robotic designs, CUTE examines how this aesthetic holds significant sway over our emotions and perceptions, providing insights into its fascinating power and its impact on our world.
Date: 25 January – 14 April 2024. Location: Strand, London, WC2R 1LA, United Kingdom Somerset House. Price: £18.50. Concessions available. Book now.
Graphic Thought Facility (1990, UK). Playing Dress Up With AI, 2023.
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley: THE REBIRTHING ROOM
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley's inaugural exhibition, THE REBIRTHING ROOM, hosted at Studio Voltaire, introduces an immersive gaming experience delving into the world of Black trans experiences using cutting-edge VR technology. This groundbreaking showcase repurposes VR headsets, transforming individual experiences into a collaborative journey through a forest environment. The exhibition challenges visitors to engage deeply with the intricate facets of Black trans lives, offering an invitation to be reborn within an inclusive and authentic space. Brathwaite-Shirley's interdisciplinary approach, integrating animation, sound, performance, and video game development, ingeniously reshapes the narratives of Black Trans individuals by weaving together lived experiences and fictional storytelling.
Date: 31January – 28 April 2024.Location:Studio Voltaire,1a Nelson's Row, London, SW4 7JR. Price: Free. Website: studiovoltaire.org.
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, THE REBIRTHING ROOM, 2023. Images courtesy of the artist.
Lotte Keijzer: Chloro Galore
Lotte Keijzer's Chloro Galore at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery invites viewers into a world of nostalgic poolside reminiscence, juxtaposed with thought-provoking nuances. Keijzer's vibrant paintings capture 1980s Dutch pool scenes, sparking contemplation on innocence, environmental obliviousness, and the hidden impacts of our actions. The exhibition serves as a catalyst for introspection, leaving room for personal reflection rather than providing clear-cut answers.
Date: 6 January – 3 February 2024. Location: Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, 533 Old York Road, London SW18 1TG.
Lotte Keijzer Stainless to heaven Size: 150 x 150 cm Technique: acrylics, pencil and sand.
brave and pathetic is better than drowning in shame
Josefin Arnell and Max Göran present brave and pathetic is better than drowning in shame, their inaugural UK exhibition. Featuring new moving image installations, the show contrasts unattainable objects through themes of truckers, horse girls, and the police. Arnell's Beast and Feast follows a police officer's quest for a perfect horse, while Göran's Dieseline Dreams explores an artist's desire to become a trucker. Additionally, Göran's Mitsubishi Hop-on Hop-off - Grand Finale reflects on a car's final ride through Berlin. Both artists use humour and absurdity, challenging conventional narratives inviting viewers to reconsider perceptions and embrace the expressive power of their works.
Date: 8 December 2023 – 25 February 2024. Location: Cell Project Space, 258 Cambridge Heath Rd, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9DA. Price: Free. Book now.
Josefin Arnell's Beast and Feast. ‘brave and pathetic is better than drowning in shame’ is open at Cell Project Space, London.
Roby Dwi Antono: TUK
Almine Rech presents Roby Dwi Antono's latest exhibition from 11 January. Inspired by becoming a father to his daughter, Laut, in July 2023, Roby's art explores the complexities of parenthood. Departing from detailed landscapes, he uses raw strokes and vibrant colours to express emotions rather than specific scenes. Drawing from childhood memories in Ambarawa, central Java, his art serves as a metaphorical "Tuk," offering a genuine glimpse into his world and inviting reflection on personal experiences.
Date: 11 January – 17 February 2024. Location: Almine Rech, Broadbent House, Grosvenor Hill, London W1K 3JH. Price: Free. Website: alminerech.com.
Roby Dwi Antono, MENARI; MENTARI, 2023 - Oil and spray paint on canvas - 200 x 180 cm, 78 1/2 x 71 in / Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech - Photo: Moza Alatta.
The Glass Heart: Art, Industry & Collaboration
#FLODown: The Glass Heart exhibition at Two Temple Place explores the evolution and significance of glass in the UK, showcasing rare works from esteemed collections. Spanning from the mid-19th century to contemporary times, it highlights glass as an experimental art form, celebrating innovators and traditional methods. Curated by Antonia Harrison, it's a celebration of glass artistry and narratives.
Date: 27 January - 21 April 2024. Location:Two Temple Place, 2 Temple Place, London, WC2R 3BD. Website: twotempleplace.org.
Chris Day, Judge & Jury, 2023, glass & microbore copper pipe © The Artist. Courtesy of Vessel Gallery. Image Agata Pec.
