Art exhibitions opening in London in September 2024
September will see the opening of several highly anticipated exhibitions in London. Highlights include a major Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery, showcasing iconic works such as Sunflowers and Starry Night Over the Rhône, a retrospective of Michael Craig-Martin at the Royal Academy of Arts, and an exploration of the Silk Roads at the British Museum. Here are our top picks for art exhibitions to watch for in London.
Yayoi Kusama
#FLODown: Yayoi Kusama's fourteenth solo exhibition at Victoria Miro gallery features a new Infinity Mirror Room and a series of detailed, vibrant paintings titled Every Day I Pray for Love. These works further her exploration of line and form, reflecting both microscopic and expansive themes. The exhibition also includes new sculptures displayed in the gallery and on the canalside terrace, commemorating 26 years since Kusama's debut solo show with Victoria Miro in 1998.
Date: 25 September -2 November 2024. Date: Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Rd, London, N1 7RW. Price: Tickets will be released on Monday 2 September 2024. Entry is free and booking is essential. Book now.
Click here to discover where you can find Yayoi Kusama's free public art in London.
Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers
#FLODown: The National Gallery is hosting its first-ever exhibition dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh, titled Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers, to mark its 200th anniversary. The exhibition will showcase over 50 works from various collections, highlighting Van Gogh's imaginative transformations and his poetic and romantic themes. The display focuses on his time in Arles and Saint-Rémy, exploring how he turned places into idealised spaces in his art. It will also delve into his series painting approach and use of contrasts. The exhibition will include major paintings from the National Gallery's collection, including Sunflowers.
Date: 14 September 2024 - 19 January 2025. Location: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN. Price: from £24. Book now.
Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum: It Will End in Tears
#FLODown: Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum's upcoming commission at The Curve will feature a diverse array of drawings, paintings, and installations, exploring themes of home, hybrid identities, and unity. Inspired by her experiences across Africa, South Asia, and North America, Sunstrum collaborates with Remco Osório Lobato to create an installation that transports visitors to an imagined rural life of a twentieth-century colonial outpost, loosely based on her grandmother's hometown in Botswana.
Date: 18 September 2024 – 5 January 2025. Location: The Curve, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London,EC2Y 8DS. Price: Free. barbican.org.uk.
Silk Roads
#FLODown: The Silk Roads exhibition will redefine the traditional view of the Silk Road as merely a trade route between East and West. Instead, it presents the Silk Roads as a complex web of interconnected networks linking diverse regions from Japan to Britain and Scandinavia to Madagascar. Spanning five geographical zones, the exhibition features over 300 artefacts, including items like Indian garnets in Suffolk and Iranian glass in Japan, highlighting the extensive cultural and historical impacts of these routes.
Date: 26 September 2024–23 February 2025. Location: The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, The British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Price: Adults from £12, Members and under-16s free. britishmuseum.org.
Geumhyung Jeong: Under Construction
#FLODown: The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) will present Geumhyung Jeong's exhibition Under Construction, highlighting her distinctive blend of choreography and technology. Featuring new installations of sculpture and video, the exhibition explores the dynamic between humans and machines through animatronic figures and Jeong's own body. It includes autonomous sculptures and videos capturing interactions between Jeong and her creations, with live performances scheduled for October 8th, 9th, and November 13th, along with a performative lecture on November 15th.
Date: 25 September – 8 December 2024. Location: Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: from £6. Free on Tuesdays. Book now.
Michael Craig-Martin
#FLODown: The Royal Academy of Arts will host the UK's largest exhibition dedicated to British artist Michael Craig-Martin. Known for his significant contributions to conceptual art, Craig-Martin's body of work spans sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, and prints. His pieces blend elements of pop, minimalism, and conceptualism, transforming everyday objects with bold colours and simple lines. The exhibition will explore his influence on contemporary art and education, addressing the crisis in art education in the UK.
Date: 21 September - 10 December 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts,Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: £22- £24.50. Book. now.
Monet and London: Views of the Thames
#FLODown: Monet and London: Views of the Thames will feature Claude Monet's lesser-known 'Thames series,' painted during his London stays from 1899 to 1901. These Impressionist masterpieces depict iconic London landmarks like Charing Cross Bridge and the Houses of Parliament with evocative atmosphere and vibrant colour. Originally planned for a 1905 London exhibition, this collection will finally be shown in the UK for the first time, offering a unique glimpse into Monet's artistic vision from this period.
Date: 27 September 2024 – 19 January 2025. Location: The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £16. Book now.
Lap-See Lam
#FLODown: Marking Lap-See Lam's UK debut, this exhibition at Studio Voltaire follows her presentation at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024. Inspired by the 'Sea Palace', a haunted funhouse once a floating Chinese restaurant, Lam delves into cultural heritage and diasporic identity. The showcase includes a new film intertwining the restaurant's history with Cantonese Opera themes, alongside a large-scale bamboo scaffolding installation.
Date: 18 September –15 December 2024. Location: Studio Voltaire,1A Nelsons Row, London SW4 7JR. Price: Free. studiovoltaire.org.
Tracey Emin: I followed you to the end
#FLODown: Coinciding with Frieze London, White Cube will host a significant solo exhibition by Tracey Emin at their Bermondsey gallery. The expansive showcase encompasses new paintings, works on paper, and a monumental bronze sculpture.
Date: 19 September – 10 November 2024. Location: White Cube Bermondsey, 144 – 152 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ. Price: Free. whitecube.com.
Nairy Baghramian: Jumbled Alphabet
#FLODown: The South London Gallery will host a new exhibition by Nairy Baghramian, marking her first major solo show in London in fourteen years amidst growing international acclaim. Baghramian’s conceptually rigorous sculptures challenge perceptions of self, space, and objects, using diverse techniques and materials to explore the spatial, architectural, social, and political contexts of contemporary art. Her works, which blend geometric shapes, organic matter, and industrial processes, subtly examine the intersections between art and fields like interior design, dance, and theatre. The exhibition will feature sculptures from her Misfits series and collaborative works with other artists in the Fire Station galleries.
Date: 27 September 2024 - 12 January 2025. Location: South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH. Price: Free. southlondongallery.org.
National Art Pass
From 22 - 29 August, the National Art Pass offers a limited-time opportunity to embrace an autumn of creativity at a special discounted rate. Enjoy 50% off major exhibitions, free access to over 250 venues, and exclusive discounts at museum shops and cafés. Get three months now for just £15. artfund.org
Slice teams up with Yard Sale Pizza for free Pizza on the 24 September at their Hackney Road Store….
The exhibition ‘MARY MARY’ will feature sculptures by nine women artists on the roof terrace above Temple tube station from October 2024 to September 2025…
Hayu FanFest will make its debut in London on 26 October, featuring exclusive panels, star-studded meet-and-greets, and a special appearance by Andy Cohen…
London's bustling art week returns next month, with Frieze London and Frieze Masters launching at The Regent's Park from 9 to 13 October 2024. During this time, several other art fairs will also be taking place across the city…
Queen’s Park is set to bid farewell to summer with a vibrant street party on Lonsdale Road, scheduled for Friday, 13th September, from 4-10pm. This exciting event will unite the local community with a lively set by Hed Kandi DJ John Jones …
London Podcast Festival 2024 · Birkenstock 250th Anniversary Exhibition · Rolf Hind: Sky in a Small Cage · Totally Thames 2024 · Unlimited Southbank Centre · London Mural Festival 2024 · Cornelius + Ichiko Aoba · The Marriage of Figaro, The Royal Opera · Rooftop Book Club · The Vinyl Factory: REVERB · Ernest Cole: House of Bondage · Roger Mayne: Youth …
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Babur is a respected family run restaurant in an unassuming neighbourhood which opened back in 1985 and has clearly stood the test of time. The kitchen is led by two talented chefs (formerly of the renowned luxury Oberoi Hotel Group) head chef Jiwan Lal and sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta, who both helped Babur receive London’s Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Restaurant Awards in 2022.
One Tree Hill Nature Reserve offers a peaceful retreat from busy London. Located in Honor Oak It can be reached by the Overground train arriving at Honor Oak, a small reserve of 7 acres with interesting history, wildlife and stunning panoramic views towards the city.
Lumen Studios present NONOTAK’s ECLIPSE in London with a 1,000-square-metre immersive light and sound exhibition.
Shifters, currently on at The Duke of York’s Theatre following a sold-out first run at Bush Theatre, is the story of Dre and Des: two childhood friends who reunite at the wake of Dre’s Nana after eight long years apart.
Kinnari Saraiya is a London-based Indian artist, curator, and researcher whose work focuses on trans-altern and post-humanist ideas from the Global South. She is currently a curator at Somerset House and has held positions at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Frieze Art Fair, and Bowes Museum....
Arte Povera at Bourse de Commerce · retrospective of Jackson Pollock’s Musée National Picasso-Paris · Barbara Crane’s photography at Centre Pompidou · Pop Forever, Tom Wesselmann & …, at Fondation Louis Vuitton · Petit Palais Palais de Tokyo…
Berlin, Berlin: 20 Years of the Helmut Newton Foundation · Alexandra Pirici and Nama Tsbar at Hamburger Bahnhof · Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley: The Soul Station · Luis Roque: Estufa · Galli: See How You Get On · Akinbode Akinbiyi: Being, Seeing, Wandering · Frans Hals: Master of the Fleeting Moment · Dream On—Berlin, the 90s...
Wilhelm Sasnal: Painting as Prop at Stedelijk Museum · Matthew Wong: Vincent van Gogh: Painting as a Last Resort at Van Gogh Museum · Point of View at Rijksmuseum…
On the last Saturday of August, Tate Modern Lates will present a unique collaboration with the acclaimed rapper, singer, and actor Little Simz, who will curate an exclusive evening of music, conversations, workshops...
Classical Music Opening Weekend Southbank Centre · CelebrASIA Festival at Battersea Power Station · Rooftop Book Club · Qudus Onikeku’s Re:INCARNATION · London Design Festival 2024 · Totally Thames 2024 · Open House London · Art Exhibitions · Voyages Extraordinaires at Gothic Bar · Waterworks Festival · The Last Night of the Proms · Unlimited Southbank Centre · London Mural Festival…
National Prosecco Weekend · Fiddler on the Roof · Hospitality In The Woods · All Points East Festival · Hogarth’s House · Afternoon Tea Week 2024 · Wellness in Nature · Homelessness: Reframed · Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent · Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look · Banksy’s in London · POoR Collective: Together We Rise…
Andi and Miquita Oliver introduced Wilderness Festival goers to a selection of European cheeses, sharing culinary tips and insights during a live podcast with special guest Matt Tebbutt….
Marc Quinn: Light into Life · Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere · Roger Mayne: Youth · C. Rose Smith: Talking Back to Power · Rheim Alkadhi: Templates for Liberation · REVERB by The Vinyl Factory · Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection · Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN · Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970 – 2023 · Francis Alÿs: Ricochets · Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence …
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Official Team GB Fan Zones · King’s Cross Fan Zone · Battersea Power Station Fan Zone · Grosvenor Square, Mayfair Fan Zone · Old Royal Naval College’s Summer Big Screen · Bishops Square, Spitalfields · Hammersmith Summer Festival · Lower Marsh, Waterloo · Summer in the Square, Marylebone · Summer Screens, Canary Wharf · Summer by the River….
José María Velasco: A View of Mexico · Noah Davis · Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism · Christina Kimeze · Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land · Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo · The Music Is Black: A British Story · Kiefer/Van Gogh · Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300‒1350 · Kerry James Marshall · A Story of South Asian Art: Mrinalini Mukherjee and Her Circle · Mickalene Thomas: All About Love · RA Summer Exhibition 2025…
Southbank Centre reveals exciting line-up for London Literature Festival 2024, co-curated by rapper Ghetts and featuring exclusive book launches and poetry events…
Cocktails in the City‧ Somerset House Summer Series‧ UEFA EURO 2024: England v Netherlands‧ BST Hyde Park‧ Wimbledon‧ Kew the Music‧ You Belong Here‧ Kaleidoscope Festival‧ Come As You Really Are‧ Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024‧ Barbie: The Exhibition‧ Joy Labinjo: We Are Briefly Gorgeous‧ Firelei Báez: Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream)‧ Old Royal Naval College’s Summer Big Screen‧ Rucola rooftop restaurant‧ The Literacy Pirates
Taylor Swift: Songbook Trail · Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence · Naomi: In Fashion · Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection…
Explore Taylor Swift's fashion journey from country beginnings to global pop phenomenon with 16 iconic looks at the V&A this summer…
Everyman Cinema returns with free outdoor screenings at two spectacular waterside venues, Kings Cross and The Brentford Project, this summer 2024…
Lonnie Holley: All Rendered Truth · Barbie Exhibition · Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024 · Joy Labinjo: We Are Briefly Gorgeous · Minoru Nomata: Continuum · Eliza Kentridge: Tethering · Ablade Glover: Inner Worlds, Outer Journeys · Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent · Postgraduate Fine Art Shows 2024 · Lottie Cole: A Commonplace Collection of Paintings · Firelei Báez: Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream)…