Immersive art exhibitions to see in London now
In recent years, London has witnessed a surge in the popularity of immersive exhibitions. The global acclaim of renowned showcases like Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience and L'Atelier des Lumières, coupled with their portrayal in popular media such as Netflix's Emily in Paris, has significantly fuelled this trend. London presently hosts a diverse array of immersive experiences, ranging from an exhibition dedicated to the Italian fashion house Gucci, expertly designed by Es Devlin, to a mind-bending exhibition by United Visual Artists that pushes the boundaries of reality. Additionally, Kew Gardens hosts an exhibit featuring the works of artist Mat Collishaw, which delve into the intricate interplay between art, nature, and more. Discover the vibrant world of immersive exhibitions currently gracing London with our comprehensive guide.
Illusionaires: Multi-sensory Art Odyssey
Image: Latent Spaces is the latest immersive art exhibition at Illusionaries in Canary Wharf. © MTotoe.
#FLODown:Latent Spaces is the latest immersive art exhibition at Illusionaries in Canary Wharf, London, offering a multisensory journey created by generative artist Markos Kay. The exhibition takes visitors through four distinct spaces, exploring the relationship between artificial intelligence and the collective unconscious. It features visually stunning artworks by Kay, presented for the first time in this format, along with a specially composed soundtrack by Jesse Solomon Clark. The four rooms, ‘Formation Space,’ ‘Complexity Space’, ‘Agents Space’, and ‘Breathing Space’, provide a unique blend of art and technology.
Date: 14 October - 24 December 2023. Location: Illusionaries, Crossrail Place, London E14 5AR. Price: from £24. Book now.
UVA: Synchronicity
Image: Installation view of UVA_Synchronicity at 180 The Strand. Polyphony, UVA, 2023. Commissioned by 180 Studios. Photo by Jack Hems.
#FLODown: Synchronicity, 180 Studios' 20th-anniversary exhibition by United Visual Artists (UVA), showcases eight large-scale immersive works that challenge the way we perceive reality. These installations skillfully blend light, space, sound, and custom kinetic instruments to engage your senses. Notable collaborations with Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack explore the intricate relationships between humans and animals through mesmerising audiovisuals created by bioacoustician Bernie Krause. A standout among them is 'Present Shock II,' which dynamically integrates algorithmically generated global news headlines.
Date: 12 October – 30 December 2023. Location: 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA. Price: from £20. Concessions available. Book now.
Mat Collishaw: Petrichor
Image: Albion by Mat Collishaw.
#FLODown: Contemporary artist Mat Collishaw is presenting Petrichor, now open at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens. This showcase delves into the fusion of nature, art, and technology with noteworthy features, including flower art inspired by AI, a historical plant transportation projection, and digitally animated flowers linked to the 17th-century tulip mania. Additional attractions include a zoetrope portraying courtship displays and an oak tree illusion. The exhibition's themes resonate with Kew Gardens' dedication to conservation.
Date: 20 October 2023 - 7 April 2024. Location: Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. Price: Admission to the exhibition is included in a ticket to Kew Gardens. Book now.
Delight: Media Art Exhibition
Image: Delight exhibition at Borough Yards.
#FLODown: Delight is an immersive multimedia exhibition that takes its inspiration from the vibrant city life of Seoul, South Korea. Visuals, sound, and augmented reality all come together to bring Seoul's rich cultural heritage to life. The mastermind behind this is none other than the talented artist Gyoungtae Hong, teaming up with director Younsook Im. This exhibition was a huge hit in Seoul and is now being hosted in Borough Yards' historic tunnels. Inside, you'll find 12 digital installations that draw from over 1,000 years of Seoul's incredible history. Walking through this exhibit is like strolling the vibrant streets of present-day Seoul—neon lights, music, and sirens all around, totally immersing you in the city's lively energy.
Date: 13 October - April 2024. Location: 219-221 Dirty Ln, Borough Yards, London, SE1 9AD. Price: £25.00/ £17.30 adult/child. Book now.
Gucci Cosmos
Image: Gucci Cosmos Exhibition at 180 Studios. October 2023.© MTotoe.
#FLODown: 180 Studios hosts Gucci Cosmos, an immersive experience designed by artist Es Devlin and curated by Maria Luisa Frisa. Gucci Cosmos traces the brand's history from 1921 to the present day. The exhibition's centerpiece is the Cabinet of Wonders, a 3D digital display showcasing archival pieces. Through nine immersive installations, visitors can explore Gucci's evolution, from Guccio Gucci's original vision to the latest fashion show by Creative Director Sabato De Sarno. Be sure not to miss this fascinating glimpse into Gucci's rich legacy.
Date: 11 October - 31 December 2023. Locaton: 180 Studio, 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA. Price: from £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Studio Dreamachine
Image: Dreamachine. Photo by David Levene.
#FLODown: Studio Dreamachine is an immersive experience in Hackney that offers an intimate spin on the original. Guided by light and music, participants journey into a unique world of patterns and landscapes, driven by their brain's power. Afterwards, drawings express their experience in the Dreamachine Exhibition, showcasing each individual's unique experience. Following a successful UK tour, Studio Dreamachine addresses requests for a permanent version, enhancing well-being through connections, creativity, and reflection. Whether in groups or individually, it offers a transformative experience.
Date: Tuesday - Sunday, with multiple shows per day between 7.30am and 9pm until October 2023. Location: Hackney Downs Studios, located at 17 Amhurst Terrace, London, E8 2BT. Price: Tickets are £15 per session. We also offer low-income tickets for £6 as we believe Studio Dreamachine should be accessible to all. Book now.
Dalí Cybernetics: The Immersive Experience
Image: Dalí Cybernetics: The Immersive Experience
#FLODown: Dalí Cybernetics: The Immersive Experience is a 360º digital art exhibition that invites you to step into the universe of the Spanish artist Salvador Dalí.The immersive exhibition will allow you to discover how Dalí's work was born from an open, ambitious, provocative, but also scientific thought. Visitors will also get to experience an inter dimensional digital art portal for Salvador Dalí to enter the metaverse. Location: Boiler House London, 152 Brick Lane, London E1 6RU. Price: from £13.90/ £22.90 (Child/Adult). Concessions available. Book now.
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
Image: Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
#FLODown: The Van Gogh immersive experience will give you a chance to explore the life and works of the most renowned artist in the world, Vincent Van Gogh. Visitors will experience more than 300 of Van Gogh’s sketches, drawings, paintings and a VR experience which will take you on an interesting interactive exploration of some of Van Gogh’s works and life (this is not included in the price of a standard ticket). Throughout the experience, there is also a fantastic area where kids and adults alike can colour in some of Van Gogh’s most recognisable works. The immersive exhibition has been touring since 2018 and appeared in cities all over the world including Los Angeles, Beijing and New York.
Location: 106 Commercial Street, E1 6LZ. Price: from £11/ £18 (child/adult).Concessions available. Book now.
Twist Museum
Image: Twist Museum
#FLODown:Twist Museum is an immersive experience that explores the joy and wonder of illusion. Putting to the test the power of your mind in experiencing the world around you. Twist has been developed with artists, psychologists, neuroscientists and mathematicians, and features more than 60 exhibits and interactive illusions. Expect to step into mind-altering immersive rooms, get up close and personal with unexpected interactive illusions, and discover how your brain interprets reality.
Location: 248 Oxford Street, London W1C 1DH. Price: from £16.50/£19.50 (child/adult). Book now.
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer
Image: Installation of David Hockney’s The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven). Oil on 32 canvases (36 x 48" each), 144 x 384" overall (Copyright © David Hockney) Collection Centre Pompidou, Paris. Musée national d’art moderne – Centre de création industrielle
#FLODown: David Hockney has become the latest artist to dive into the world of immersive art. The six-chapter, 50-minute show at the Lightroom in King’s Cross, features a dedicated score by American composer Nico Muhly, and commentary narrated by Hockney himself. This immersive experience will allow visitors to journey through Hockney's world, demonstrating how Hockney, now well into his ninth decade, continues to embrace new media.
Date: 22 February – 3 December 2023. Location: Lightroom, Lewis Cubitt Walk, London N1C 4DY. Price: £15/£25 (Child/Adult). Book now.
Outernet Arts
Image: The Summer Palace Experience
#FLODown: Outernet Arts is a pioneering public art initiative in Tottenham Court Road, featuring Europe's largest digital exhibition space. With five stories of LED screens, it's a groundbreaking platform for contemporary art year-round. By commissioning both established and emerging artists, Outernet Arts explores the concept of 'media space,' sparking conversations about our digital lives. The exhibitions are free and open to the public every Sunday from Noon to 6pm.
Current exhibition:
The Butterfly Trail, a groundbreaking mixed reality experience created in partnership with Pixel, offers a deeply immersive adventure. Join Professor Peter Pelgrin in his Botanical Workshop, then step into his Glass House for interactive exploration using your smartphone. Experience the magic of holding digital butterflies and releasing AR butterflies that create real-time animations on large screens. Best of all, this extraordinary experience is entirely free!"
Location: Outernet (The Now Building), Denmark Place, Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2H 8LH. Price: Free. Website: outernetarts.com
Dopamine Land
Image: Dopamine Land
#FLODown: Dopamine Lands is a multi-sensory, immersive experience that channels the limitless imagination of your inner child and transforms it into reality. Combining traditional media and innovative technology, there are various rooms and zones to travel through that including the Bubble Room where you can sip on bubble tea under a sky of bubbles and stained glass windows; memory and smell intertwine in the Popcorn Room and you can let loose and get competitive, in the Pillow Fight Room. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a break from your everyday life, have some fun and be happy! Location: 79-85 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 3LD. Price: £15/20 (child/adult). Book now.
Frameless
Image: The Waterlily Pond: Green Harmony by Monet. Credit: Jordan Curtis Hughes
#FLODown: Discover groundbreaking digital art at Frameless, Marble Arch Place's expansive immersive venue spanning 30,000 sq. ft. This large permanent immersive art space showcases interactive digital renditions of masterpieces by renowned artists such as Rembrandt and Monet. Utilising cutting-edge 4K technology and projections, Frameless offers an unforgettable journey into the immersive realm of art. In collaboration with Panasonic, Frameless establishes itself as a cultural icon in London, making art appreciation accessible through iconic paintings and music.
Location: Frameless, 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP. Price: from £15/£25 (child/sdult).Book now.
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms
Image: Infinity Mirrored Room - Filled with the Brilliance of Life, Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of Tate Modern
#FLODown: The highly anticipated immersive show features two of the artist’s acclaimed mirror room installations offering a mesmerising and immersive glimpse into the mind of the Japanese artist, transporting visitors into Kusama’s unique vision of endless reflections. A small presentation of photographs and moving image – some on display for the first time – provides historical context for the global phenomenon that Kusama’s mirrored rooms have become today.The sold out exhibition has been extended with more tickets available until April 2023.
Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG , Date: until 2 April 2023, Price: £5/£10 (Child/Adult). Book now.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR
Image: Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR, Design Museum, 2022, MTotoe
#FLODown: Have you ever heard a sound that has brought you a sense of calm? Or even made your skin tingle? Millions around the world are part of an online community who experience ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response): a physical sensation of euphoria or deep calm, sometimes tingling in the body, triggered through sound, touch, and movement.This is the first exhibition of its kind to lift the world of ASMR out from your screen and into physical space. Step into this immersive environment of relaxation! This exhibition is now closed. Location: 224-238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London W8 6AG. Price: £10.90/£9.50 (Weekend/Weekday).
Memories of a Dead Poet
Image: Illusionaries: Memories Of A Dead Poet. Canary Wharf.
#FLODown: Illusionaries, the UK's first story-based multi-sensory art experience, is now open in Canary Wharf. Explore an enchanting fusion of art and technology, with light, sound, and movement creating mind-bending illusions. The premiere exhibition, Memories of a Dead Poet, features three galleries and a network of tunnels, offering otherworldly imagery and soulful soundscapes. Illusionaries is the perfect after-work activity or date spot.
Location: Illusionaries, Crossrail Place, London E14 5AR. Price: from £24. Book now.
