26 art exhibitions to see in London ending in September 2023
September marks the conclusion of a series of remarkable exhibitions in London. Among them is a dual exhibition by artists Anila Quayyum Agha and Sue Wickison, delving into the themes of faith and cultural exchange. Additionally, Sotheby's presents a showcase of over a thousand items from the personal collection of the legendary Freddie Mercury. Noteworthy is also the collection of works by 14 artists responding to the urgent climate crisis, on display at the Hayward Gallery. Furthermore, the visionary creations of Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian take centre stage at the Tate Modern. In this guide, we present 26 must-see exhibitions in London closing in September.
Holding Space: Hauser & Writh
Image: Installation view, ‘Hospital Rooms. Holding Space,’ Hauser & Wirth London, 2023. Courtesy the artists and Hospital Rooms. Photo: Lucy Dawkins.
#FLODown: Holding Space is a sensory exhibition in partnership with mental health charity Hospital Rooms, displayed at Hauser & Wirth North Gallery. It features immersive artworks inspired by NHS mental health programs, aiming to transform hospital environments through art. The exhibition involves artists, workshops, and auctions to support mental health initiatives. Hospital Rooms envisions art as a healing tool for vulnerable individuals, working to improve mental health settings.
Date: until 12 September 2023. Location: Hauser & Wirth, 23 Savile Row, London W1S 2ET. Price: Free. Website: hauserwirth.com.
Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own
Image: Freddie Mercury Exhibition Sotheby. Auguste 2023. © MTotoe.
#FLODown: Currently on display at Sotheby's is a showcase of 1,400 personal items belonging to the legendary Queen frontman. These items, including iconic stage costumes, handwritten song drafts, and his cherished baby grand piano, offer a unique insight into his life. The exhibition, titled Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, will run until 5 September, coinciding with what would have been Mercury's 77th birthday. It serves as a tribute to his passion for collecting. His close friend Mary Austin, overseeing the auction of these items, plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.
Date: until 5 September 2023.Location: Sotheby's London, 34-35 New Bond St, London W1S 2RP. Price: Free. The auction will run 6-13 September 2023. Website: sothebys.com
Unearthing: Memory, Land, Materiality
Image: Somerset House. Photo by Mike Stezycki.
#FLODown: Featuring works from the Arts Council Collection and The Courtauld's Collection, curated by MA Curating the Art Museum students, the exhibition explores the theme of "unearthing" through modern and contemporary art. Eleven diverse works on display, spark a dialogue between post-1945 pieces and innovative contemporary artworks. The exhibition aims to shed light on hidden histories and our relationship with the environment.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Denise Coates Exhibition Galleries – Gallery 1, The Courtauld, Somerset House,Strand, London, WC2R 0RN. Price: included with Gallery admission. From £12. Concessions available. Book now.
Architects' Houses
Image:Sir John Soane Museum. © Gareth Gardner.
#FLODown: The exhibition focuses on how architects and designers express their ideas through personal homes. Starting with Sir John Soane's innovative use of his own house, the exhibition examines five London-based case studies spanning the 19th to 21st century. These homes serve as both living spaces and showcases for architectural concepts. The exhibition highlights collaboration in architectural creation and the evolving styles of each era. Featured homes include the Cosmic House, 2 Willow Road, Red House, Hopkins House, and 9/10 Stock Orchard Street.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Sir John Soane Museum, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A. Price: Free. Website: soane.org.
Callum Eaton:Look But Don’t Touch
Image: Portrait of Callum Eaton. Photography by Brynley Odu Davies
#FLODown: Carl Kostyál gallery presents Callum Eaton's debut solo exhibition titled Look but don't touch. Eaton explores everyday urban elements, like obsolete telephone boxes and vending machines, using his two-dimensional approach to highlight the shift from function to form. He employs trompe-l'œil techniques, capturing his surroundings and blurring the lines between reality and the canvas. Eaton also becomes part of his art, seen as an apparition in reflections and example images. The exhibition critiques modern commercialisation and captures the essence of contemporary culture.
Date: until 2 September 2023. Location: Carl Kostyál, 12a Savile Row, London, W1S 3PQ. Price: Free. Website: kostyal.com.
Martin Wong: Malicious Mischief
Installation views of Martin Wong, 'Malicious Mischief' at Camden Art Centre, 2023. Photo: Rob Harris.
#FLODown: The Camden Art Centre is hosting an exhibition of the works of Martin Wong, a Chinese-American artist known for his depictions of social, sexual, and political scenes from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Wong's work offers a countercultural voice that challenged the art establishment's reactionary discourse at the time. Wong's practice is influenced by Chinese iconography, urban poetry, graffiti, carceral aesthetics, sign language, and the Latin American community he became involved with. The exhibition titled Martin Wong: Malicious Mischief presents over 100 of his works, including early paintings and sculptures, his iconic paintings from the 1980s and 1990s, and his reminiscences on East and West Coast Chinatowns.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: Camden Art Centre, Arkwright Road, London, NW3 6DG. Price: Free.
All the Flowers are for Me and Plants of the Qur’ān
Image: All the Flowers are for Me, Anila Quayyum Agha. Installation at Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens. © MTotoe.
#FLODown: Renowned artists Anila Quayyum Agha and Sue Wickison have their latest works on show at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. The exciting dual exhibition centres around the theme of faith and cultural exchange and showcases contemporary sculptural works and intricate botanical paintings. Among the striking pieces by Anila Quayyum Agha is All the Flowers are for Me, a large laser-cut steel cube that draws inspiration from patterns found in Islamic art and architecture, as well as Stealing Moments (After Morris and Dürer), I and II, a wall-mounted piece that takes inspiration from Albrecht Dürer's Great Piece of Turf. Sue Wickison's exhibition, Plants of the Qur'an, features an impressive collection of new botanical paintings that beautifully depict plants mentioned in the Qur'an and highlight their cultural, agricultural, and botanical significance.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. Price: from £12. Book now. Admission to the exhibition is included in a ticket to Kew Gardens.
Andy Warhol: The Textiles
Image: Ice Cream Desserts © 2022 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. Licensed by DACS, London
#FLODown: Discover a new facet of the legendary artist Andy Warhol with the Andy Warhol: The Textiles exhibition, featuring over 60 unique fabric lengths and garments adorned with Warhol's textile patterns. This exclusive exhibit marks the first-ever showcase dedicated to Warhol's commercial textile designs, shedding light on how this lesser-known work played a pivotal role in the artist's oeuvre and gained global collector appeal. Visitors to the exhibition will witness Warhol's fascination with everyday objects and his artistic relationship with mass production, as evident in his textile designs. The exhibit also delves into Warhol's development as a Pop Artist and his elevation of subject matter through repetition. Expect to see many pieces never before exhibited, setting this exhibition apart from previous Warhol showcases.
Date: until 10 September 2023. Location: The Fashion and Textile Museum 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF. Price: from £12.65. Concession available. Book now.
Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now
Image: Carrie Mae Weems, Lincoln, Lonnie and Me, A Story in 5 Parts, 2012
#FLODown: Showcased at the Barbican Art Gallery, this exhibition pays homage to the influential American artist, Carrie Mae Weems. Serving as her inaugural major UK exhibition, this event delves into Weems' oeuvre, exploring themes of identity, power, and social justice. The exhibition presents an array of photographs, films, objects, and installations, spanning three decades of creative output. With a discerning gaze, Weems critically dissects portrayals of race and challenges systemic racism. Her artistic oeuvre, characterized by its performative and cinematic nature, comes to life through iconic pieces like the Kitchen Table Series and The Shape of Things, the latter offering an exploration of the history of violence in the US.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £16. Concessions available. Book now.
Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism
Image: Berthe Morisot, Eugène Manet on the Isle of Wight, 1885 © Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.
#FLODown: Step into the world of Berthe Morisot in this highly anticipated exhibition, which marks the first major showcase of this celebrated artist in the UK since 1950. In collaboration with the prestigious Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the exhibition features over 30 of Morisot's most significant works from international collections, including many that have never been seen in the UK before.Unveiling Morisot as a pioneering force of the Impressionist movement, the exhibition sheds light on her previously overlooked contributions to the movement and explores the unique connection between her work and 18th-century culture. Approximately 15 works will be on display for comparison, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience Morisot's evolution as an artist.
Date: until 10 September 2023. Location: Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD. Price: from £16.50. Book now.
Simone Brewster: The Shape Things
Image:Simone Brewster, The Shape of Things, Tropical Noire Line Up. Courtesy: NOW Gallery.
#FLODown: NOW Gallery is 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 include 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: until 24 September 2023. Location: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ.Price: Free. Book now.
Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis
Image: Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. June 2023. Photo by MTotoe
#FLODown: Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis showcases the ways in which artists will help reframe and deepen our psychological and spiritual responses to the climate crisis. The exhibition will inspire care, empathy, and promote a sense of political and social activism. Through the works of 14 artists, including Ackroyd & Harvey, Andrea Bowers, and Cornelia Parker, it will explore the interdependence of ecologies and ecosystems, as well as our emotional connection with nature. Dear Earth aims to foster environmental awareness and encourage positive change.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Southbank Centre, Hayward Gallrey Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price:from £15. Book now.
The Offbeat Sari
Image: Holidaze, 2020. Norblack Norwhite. Photo Bikramjit Bose.
#FLODown: This exhibition celebrates the contemporary sari and its metaphorical significance for modern India. Curated by Priya Khanchandani, it brings together numerous saris from designers, wearers, and craftspeople in India, showcasing how the traditional unstitched drape has morphed and absorbed cultural influences. The sari is no longer just a formal or uncomfortable garment; it's now worn as an everyday outfit by some and as a symbol of resistance and protest by others. Young people in urban areas have reinvented the sari by pairing it with sneakers for their daily commutes to work. The exhibition highlights the sari's design innovation, expression of identity, and cultural meanings, representing the complexities of modern India.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: 224-238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, W8 6AG. Price: from £12.60. Book now.
Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian: Forms of life
Image: Hilma af Klint, The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 7, Adulthood, 1907. Courtesy of The Hilma af Klint Foundation
#FLODown: Discover the visionary work of Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian, who both invented their own languages of abstract art rooted in nature. They shared an interest in science, spirituality, and philosophy. The exhibition features rarely exhibited works of both artists and showcases their beautiful, complex work through vibrant signs, shapes, and colours.
Date: until 3 September 2023. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside London SE1 9TG Price: from £20. Book now.
Anthony Caro: The Inspiration of Architecture
Image: Child’s Tower Room, 1983/1984, Japanese oak, varnished, Photo by MTotoe
#FLODown: Don't miss out on the opportunity to witness the late, celebrated sculptor Anthony Caro's breathtaking painted metal works in a setting that is both striking and steeped in history. This exhibition provides a profound exploration of Caro's imaginative use of materials and forms, and showcases his significant contribution to the progression of modern sculpture. The display boasts several expansive installations, some of which incorporate steps and doors, making for an exceptional chance to encounter the intricacy and profundity of Caro's sculptures, and how they seamlessly transcend into the realm of architecture.
Date: until 10 September 2023 Location: Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ. Price: from £9.90. Book now.
Brian Clarke: A Great Light
Image: Brian Clarke, World without End, 2017 Courtesy Brian Clarke Studio.
#FLODown: Newport Street Gallery presents an exhibition of works by renowned stained glass artist Brian Clarke. Presented by HENI, the exhibition celebrates Clarke's 70th year and showcases an extraordinary collection spanning from 2002 to the present. It highlights the versatility and creative possibilities of stained glass, featuring pieces like the graphically etched Stroud Ossuary and intimate Kabinettscheiben based on his latest collages and drawings. Clarke's earlier works, including vibrant folding screens and poignant leadworks, will also be on display. Known for pushing the boundaries of stained glass, Clarke's career has encompassed architectural installations worldwide, as well as exhibitions of paintings and drawings.
Date: until 24 September 2023. Location: Newport Street Gallery, 1 Newport Street, London, SE11 6AJ. Price: Free.
Patrick Hughes: The Newest Perspective
Image: Patrick Hughes. All Over. Alon Zakaim Fine Art.
#FLODown: Alon Zakaim Fine Art presents The Newest Perspective, a exhibition featuring celebrated British artist Patrick Hughes. The exhibition showcases twenty-five new works, including the pioneering ‘Solid Hollows’ series and the multiple edition ‘Paree’. Hughes, a key figure in contemporary British painting and the mastermind behind reverspective art, challenges perceptions with his mesmerising illusionary works. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore Hughes's world of illusion and narrative, inviting viewers to question their understanding of space and vision.
Date: until 8 September 2023. Location: Alon Zakaim Fine Art, 27 Cork St, London W1S 3NG. Price: Free.
Civilization: The Way We Live Now
Image: Reiner Riedler, Wild River, Florida, from the series Fake Holidays, 2005 © Reiner Riedler
#FLODown: Saatchi Gallery presents Civilization: The Way We Live Now, an international exhibition showcasing 350 original prints by 150 renowned artists. Offering a unique perspective on humanity's rapidly changing collective life worldwide, the exhibition explores various aspects of civilization through eight thematic chapters. Curated by William A. Ewing and Holly Roussell, the exhibition features previously unseen images that highlight the complexity and contradictions of contemporary civilization. As a celebration of photography as a collective civilizational endeavour, the exhibition captures the way we live, work, and interact in today's world.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £16. Concessions available. Book now.
Gabriel Chaile in collaboration with Laura Ojeda Bär: Usos y costumbres
Image: Gabriel Chaile in collaboration with Laura Ojeda Bär: Usos y costumbres. August 2023. © MTotoe.
#FLODown: Studio Voltaire presents an intriguing sculptural installation by Gabriel Chaile, inviting viewers on a transformative journey through collaborative and ritual spaces. Drawing inspiration from Argentina's rich history and indigenous artefacts, Chaile delves into ancestral knowledge, shedding light on colonial legacies. In a remarkable collaboration with Laura Ojeda Bär, their exhibition Usos y costumbres redefines traditional gallery displays. Clay covers the space, seamlessly integrating paintings into the walls, resulting in an immersive environment for exploration, experimentation, and dialogue. This powerful installation forges meaningful connections between the past and present, inviting visitors to engage with the profound narratives woven within.
Date: until 10 September 2023. Location: Studio Voltaire, 1A Nelsons Row London SW4 7JR. Price: Free. Website: studiovoltaire.org.
Life is more important than art
Image: William Cobbing, Written in Water. William Cobbing.
#FLODown: Life is more important than art is a summer-long program at Whitechapel Gallery, exploring the intersection of art and everyday life. Inspired by James Baldwin's perspective, it reflects on the role of art amidst the cost-of-living crisis and post-pandemic challenges. The exhibition focuses on London's dynamic histories of migration and difference, showcasing how art can reflect lived experiences and open new possibilities. Don't miss the podcast with the artists for deeper insights into the exhibition's themes.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX. Price: Free. Website: whitechapelgallery.org.
Sarah Sze : The Waiting Room
Image: Sarah Sze, Metronome, 2023. The Waiting Room, Peckham Rye Station.
#FLODown: Sarah Sze has transformed a disused waiting room at Peckham Rye station in London with her site-specific sculptural work, Metronome. The exhibition, titled The Waiting Room, explores our relationship with images, time, and materiality. Sze's immersive installations integrate everyday materials, torn photographs, and videos. Metronome is a dynamic structure resembling a globe, illuminated by moving images from 42 projectors. It reflects the fragility of life and captures the speed of modern existence.
Date: until 17 September 2023. Location: The Waiting Room, Peckham Rye Station,SE15 4RX. Price: Free.
we are a group of people composed of who we are at
Image: we are a group of people composed of who we are, installation view, Peer, 2023. Photo by Andy Keate.
#FLODown: we are a group of people composed of who we are is an exhibition showcasing the artistic, cultural, and social collective work that occurred in Hackney between 1971 and 1986. It explores the radical histories of cooperative and collective work, examining the intersection of art, literature, and social and political commitments. The exhibition features new commissions, existing artwork, literature, film, and archival material, shedding light on the complexities of collective work and its relevance for envisioning our future. It is part of Peer's 2023 program, which focuses on collective work, interdependency, and place.
Date: until 9 September 2023. Location: Peer, 97–99 Hoxton Street London, N1 6QL. Price: Free. Website: peeruk.org.
Nicolas Coleman and Xiao Wang
Image: Nicolas Coleman. Reading in Kensington Gardens, 2023. Oil on canvas. 61 x 51 cm 24 x 20 1/8 in. Image courtesy of the artist and AM/PM.
#FLODown: AM/PM continues its summer exhibition programme with two solo shows by Nicolas Coleman and Xiao Wang. Coleman's artwork showcases joyful and energetic scenes in luxuriously painted settings, exploring the complexities of our psychologies and responses to surroundings. Wang creates constructed scenes inspired by real-life settings, using dramatic colours and a realist approach to capture feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. His work reflects personal experiences as a Chinese immigrant, drawing from artistic movements and examining the collective psyche amidst rapid social changes.
Date: until 19 September 2023. Location: PM/AM, 37 Eastcastle Street, London W1W 8DR. Price: Free. Website: pmam.org
Tomás Saraceno: Web(s) of Life
Image Installation view of Spider/Web Pavilion 7: Oracle Readings, Weaving Arachnomancy, Synanthropic Futures: At-ten(t)sion to invertebrate rights!, 2019, at the 58th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, titled May You Live In Interesting Times, curated by Ralph Rugoff. Courtesy the artist Photography by Studio Tomás Saraceno © Tomás Saraceno.
#FLODown: Saraceno's UK solo exhibition explores interconnections between life forms, technology, and energy amidst the climate emergency. Highlights include spider-inspired research and a film on combating harmful lithium extraction. Interactive sculptures engage diverse species in Kensington Gardens, promoting a tech-free reconnection with nature.
Date: until 10 September 2023. Location: Serpentine South Gallery West Carriage Drive, London W2 2AR. Price: Free.
Ajamu: The Patron Saint of Darkrooms
Image: View of Ajamu: The Patron Saint of Darkrooms, Autograph, London, 2023. Photo: Kate Elliott. May 9, 2023
#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: until 2 September 2023. Location: Autograph, Rivington Pl, London EC2A 3BA. Price: Free. Website: autograph.org.uk.
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: Featuring the works of over 20 Black women and non-binary artists, curated by Aindrea Emelife, Black Venus explores the representation and evolving legacy of Black women in visual culture. It examines historical depictions of Black women, addressing the issues of fetishisation, othering, and the reclamation of narratives surrounding Black femininity. The exhibition presents a contrast between colonial-era exploitation and contemporary artworks that delve into the complex narratives of Black femininity.
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.