London has an abundance of art exhibitions to enjoy this summer. From widely publicised events like the Barbie exhibition at the Design Museum and the Naomi exhibition at the V&A to displays by artists such as Peter Kennard, Tavares Strachan, Lonnie Holley, Marc Quinn, and Rheim Alkadhi. Here is our guide to 40 must-see exhibitions in London this August.

Marc Quinn: Light into Life

#FLODown: Marc Quinn brings Light into Life to Kew Gardens, featuring outdoor sculptures and works in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Through collaboration with Kew's experts, Quinn explores the human-plant relationship and debuts new pieces, including monumental sculptures inspired by medicinal plants and a bronze bonsai that challenges human control over nature. Inside, visitors find reinterpretations of Kew's herbarium collection and existing artworks that reflect on nature's role in humanity. Light into Life offers a profound reflection on our connection to the natural world, merging art, science, and environment.

Date: 4 May – 29 September 2024. Location: Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. Price: Entry to the festival is free with a ticket to Kew Gardens. From adult £20, child: £4.50. Book now.

Roger Mayne: Youth

#FLODown: Acclaimed British photographer Roger Mayne (1929–2014) becomes renowned for his evocative documentary images of British youth in the mid-1950s and ‘60s. This exhibition features around 60 vintage photographs, including iconic street images of children and teenagers, as well as intimate later photos of his family in Dorset and honeymoon in Spain. Self-taught and influential, Mayne captures human life authentically. This is the first exhibition of his work since 2017. Note: The exhibition contains photographs of childbirth.

Date: 14 June – 1 September 2024. Location: Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £10. Concessions available. Book now. 

Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere

#FLODown: The Hayward Gallery hosts There Is Light Somewhere, the first mid-career survey of New York-based Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan. The exhibition showcases monumental sculptures, large-scale collages, and installations that focus on themes of cultural visibility and remembrance. Strachan celebrates unsung explorers and cultural trailblazers while questioning historical biases. Through his art, he sheds light on colonial legacies, racism, and the universal quest for belonging.

Date: 18 June — 1 September 2024. Location: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre. Price: £18. Concessions available & Southbank Centre Members go free. Book now.

C. Rose Smith: Talking Back to Power

#FLODown: Talking Back to Power explores the intertwined histories of violence and wealth rooted in Southern U.S. cotton plantations. Through evocative self-portraits, C. Rose Smith focuses on the symbolism of the white cotton shirt, staged in locations linked to plantation-generated prosperity. These sites, once opulent homes, now bear witness to the brutal legacy of slavery. Smith's portraits, reminiscent of 19th-century paintings, reclaim the black body from its commodification, demand visibility, and challenge historical structures of anti-blackness. Her work confronts and contests these legacies, asserting freedom of expression amid landscapes marked by exploitation and suffering.

Date: 14 June – 1 September 2024. Location: Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £10. Concessions available. Book now. 

REVERB by The Vinyl Factory

#FLODown: REVERB, an exhibition presented by The Vinyl Factory at 180 Studios, offers an immersive experience showcasing over 100 artists and musicians. The exhibit features a dynamic blend of installations, live performances, and thought-provoking discussions, focusing on the intersection of art and sound. Notable contributors include Theaster Gates, Es Devlin, and Julianknxx, alongside premieres by Kahlil Joseph and the late Virgil Abloh.

Date: 23 May – 28 September 2024. Location: 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, London, WC2R 1EA.Website: 180studios.com.

Beyond Fashion

#FLODown: Beyond Fashion at Saatchi Gallery explores the evolution of fashion photography into an art form, featuring over 100 images from 48 photographers. Divided into four sections, it celebrates creativity and beauty while highlighting the intersection of fashion with reality. The exhibition includes *Under Your Smell*, an installation by students from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne. They visually interpret Jean Paul Gaultier’s perfumes through staged images, using the scents to tell stories of transgression and fantasy.

Date: 31 May – 8 September 2024. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £12. Concessions available. Book now.

Rheim Alkadhi: Templates for Liberation

#FLODown: The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) hosts the UK's inaugural exhibition of artist Rheim Alkadhi's work. Alkadhi's exhibition, Templates for Liberation, explores the enduring impacts of war and colonialism, particularly in contemporary Iraq and the wider region. Through a combination of sculptures, historical records, and narratives of liberation, the exhibition offers a series of counterpoints to the prevailing narratives.

Date: 11 June - 8 September 2024. Location: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA),The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH. Website: ica.art. 

Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection

#FLODown: The V&A presents an exhibition featuring over 300 rare prints from Sir Elton John and David Furnish's private collection. Showcasing modern and contemporary photography by 140+ photographers like Mapplethorpe, Sherman, Eggleston, and Arbus, it spans from the 1950s to the present. Themes include fashion, reportage, celebrity, the male body, and American photography. Commemorating 30 years of collecting, it highlights portraits of icons and pivotal historical moments, including the Civil Rights movement, AIDS activism, and 9/11.

Date: 18 May 2024 – 5 January 2025. Location: V&A Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: £20. Book now.

Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN

#FLODown: Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN at Japan House London showcases a fascinating array of Japanese design treasures, as envisioned by seven prominent creators from various disciplines. Spanning 10,000 years and representing diverse regions of Japan, these treasures include the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival, a transacoustic piano, haburagin garment, sportswear inspired by paper lanterns, Yanagi Sōri Cutlery, Jōmon Period earthenware, and wooden spinning tops. Each creator provides insight into their chosen treasure's significance and its connection to Japanese culture and design.

Date:  15 May – 8 September 2024.  Location: Japan House London,101-111 Kensington High St, London W8 5SA. Price: Free.

Fragments of a Panorama

#FLODown: Fragments of a Panorama is an exhibition by Indian transmedia artists Murthovic (Sri Rama Murthy) and Thiruda (Avinash Kumar), currently on at Arebyte Gallery. It combines speculative futures with alternative pasts through immersive 3D video games, AI art, and motion-captured dance, set in a vision of India in 2079 AD. The exhibition integrates spatial sound and visuals with Indian electro-classical dance music, aiming to preserve and reinterpret Indian heritage. The project, an evolution of their Elsewhere in India collaboration, features Meenakshi, a 'cultural cyborg' tasked with maintaining Indian traditions and fostering cultural harmony.

Date: 11 July - 13 October 2024. Location: arebyte Gallery, Java House, 7 Botanic Square, London City Island, E14 0LG. Price: Free. arebyte.com.

Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970 – 2023

#FLODown: To Be Free! is a retrospective of South African painter and printmaker Gavin Jantjes, marking his largest solo presentation in the UK. Showcasing over 100 works from more than five decades, it highlights his evolution as an artist and his significant roles as a writer, curator, and activist. The exhibition spans his early years in apartheid-era Cape Town, his influential roles in UK, German, and Norwegian art institutions, and his shift to non-figurative painting, reflecting his pursuit of artistic emancipation from Eurocentric norms. It also underscores his impact on London's cultural landscape, notably through his anti-apartheid series A South African Colouring Book and the 1986 Whitechapel Gallery exhibition From Two Worlds. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of South Africa's first free election, this retrospective offers a comprehensive view of Jantjes’s career and his role in shaping discourse on African and diasporic representation.

Date: 12 June - 1 September 2024. Location: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX. Website: whitechapelgallery.org.

Francis Alÿs: Ricochets

#FLODown: The Barbican hosts Ricochets, the largest UK solo exhibition of artist Francis Alÿs in nearly 15 years. The exhibition transforms the gallery into a cinematic playground, featuring Alÿs's Children's Games series, filmed over two decades in 15 countries, which highlights the universal nature of play amidst the threats of urbanisation and digital entertainment. It also includes new animation films of hand games and interactive playrooms for children. As part of a year-long programme with local schools, the exhibition reflects the Barbican area's historical legacy of play and Alÿs's focus on children's resilience in conflict zones.

Date: 27 June - 1 September 2024. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £18.50. Concessions available. Book now.

Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence

#FLODown: Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence delves into the architectural style of Tropical Modernism pioneered by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew in post-World War II West Africa and India. Initially introduced by the British Empire, this style, blending minimalism with solutions for tropical climates, becomes embraced by newly independent nations as a symbol of progress and a break from colonial culture. The exhibition at the V&A Museum explores how Tropical Modernism expresses newfound freedoms and shapes distinct identities in post-colonial societies.

Date: 2 March  – 22 September 2024. Location: V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL, United Kingdom. Price: from £14. Book now.

Yoko Ono Exhibition

#FLODown: Tate Modern presents a major exhibition dedicated to Yoko Ono, a celebrated artist and activist known for her influential contributions to conceptual and performance art, experimental film, and music. Covering over six decades, the exhibition features Ono's diverse body of work, including early performances, works on paper, objects, and music. Visitors 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,  Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: £22. Concessions available. tate.co.uk.

Anthony McCall: Solid Light

#FLODown: Tate Modern presents an exhibition of Solid Light installations by Anthony McCall, a British-born artist known for his innovative use of light and material film installations. The exhibition features four interactive solid light works, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the art and create new shapes and perspectives as they move through the translucent sculptures. The exhibition also includes film, photography, and archive material documenting McCall's early career and development of his practice, including early performances and installations such as Landscape for Fire and Room with Altered Window.

Date: 27 June 2024 – 27 April 2025. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: £10. Concessions available. Book now.

Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music

#FLODown: Beyond the Bassline at the British Library celebrates five centuries of Black British music. Curated by Dr. Aleema Gray and Dr. Mykaell Riley, the exhibition uses art, photography, soundscapes, artefacts, and film to trace the rich history and influence of the UK's Black communities on music and culture. It highlights important figures like 18th-century composer Ignatius Sancho and Dame Shirley Bassey, as well as various musical movements including calypso, jazz, grime, and jungle. The exhibition also celebrates Black spaces of innovation, including clubs, carnivals, and studios, acknowledging their profound significance in music history.

Date: until 26 August 2024. Location: The British Library, 96 Euston R., London NW1 2DB. Price: from £15/£10 adult/child. Book now.

Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2024

#FLODown: The much-loved Royal Academy Summer Exhibition returns for its 256th edition. Curated by Ann Christopher RA, this year's theme is ‘Making Space,’ showcasing sculptures, paintings, and textiles by invited artists and Academicians. The inspiring Architecture Rooms, curated by Assemble RA, explore innovations in workspaces, featuring notable architects and industrial prototypes. The exhibition also includes tributes to late members and examines the intersection of art, architecture, and space-making.

Date: 18 June – 18 August 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: £22 - £24.50. Book now. 

Judy Chicago: Revelations

#FLODown: The Serpentine hosts Revelations, Judy Chicago's largest solo exhibition in a London institution. Spanning her six-decade career, Chicago challenges the art world's male dominance, exploring gender equality and feminist identity. The exhibition features rare drawings, multimedia elements, and an AR app, offering a unique experience. Accompanying the show is Chicago's manuscript Revelations, reimagining forgotten women's stories. This exhibition embodies the Serpentine's mission of connecting art with pressing social and environmental issues.

Date: 23 May – 1 September 2024. Location: Serpentine North, West Carriage Drive,
London W2 2AR. Price: Free. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.

Zanele Muholi

#FLODown: Tate Modern is presenting a major UK survey of Zanele Muholi, the acclaimed visual activist and photographer. This exhibition features over 260 works documenting South Africa’s Black LGBTQIA+ communities. Highlights include key series such as Only Half the Picture, which captures both intimate and traumatic moments; Faces and Phases, an archive of portraits that challenge viewers' perceptions; Brave Beauties, celebrating non-binary and trans women; and Being, which portrays couples. Muholi's self-portraits in Somnyama Ngonyama delve into themes of labour, racism, and sexual politics. The exhibition builds on Muholi's previous 2020-21 show at Tate Modern and includes new works.

Date: 6 June 2024 – 26 January 2025. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.

Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking

#FLODown: Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking at Dulwich Picture Gallery showcases the artworks of the renowned Yoshida family, spanning three generations: Hiroshi, Fujio, Tōshi, Hodaka, Chizuko, and Ayomi. This exhibition is the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, highlighting the legacy of these woodblock print artists and the evolution of Japanese printmaking over two centuries. Featured works include many by Hiroshi Yoshida, with pieces on loan from Japan's Fukuoka Art Museum making their UK debut. The exhibition culminates in a stunning cherry blossom installation by Ayomi Yoshida.

Date: 19 June – 3 November 2024. Location: Dulwich Picture Gallery, London SE21 7AD. Price: £20, concessions available. Book now.

NAOMI

#FLODown: The V&A Museum hosts NAOMI, a unique exhibition celebrating Naomi Campbell's 40-year career as a trailblazing British fashion model and icon. The exhibition features around 100 looks from top global designers, along with fashion photography curated by Edward Enninful. It also highlights Campbell's advocacy for social change and her support for emerging creatives.

Date: 22 June 2024 - 6 April 2025. Location: V&A South, Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.

23rd Serpentine Pavilion by Minsuk Cho

#FLODown: Minsuk Cho's vision for the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void, breaks from tradition by decentralising the structure, turning the centre into an open space. The Pavilion comprises five distinct 'islands' of varying sizes and forms, connected by a central void. These timber structures, supported by adaptable footings, sit strategically around the lawn, reminiscent of traditional Korean houses with central courtyards. Each island serves a different purpose, from housing a gallery featuring a multi-channel sound installation to hosting a library of unread books. Other structures include an auditorium for public gatherings, a play tower for interactive experiences, and a tea house that pays homage to the site's history. Cho's design encourages engagement with both nature and cultural exchange.

Date: 7 June – 27 October 2024. Location: Serpentine, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA. Price: Free. serpentinegalleries.org.

In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900-1930s

#FLODown: In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900–1930s, opening at the Royal Academy of Arts, showcases around 70 works from renowned artists, including Alexander Archipenko and Kazymyr Malevych, while lesser-known figures such as Mykhailo Boichuk and Oleksandr Bohomazov also receive highlight. The exhibition explores Ukraine's complex history and cultural identity through themes like Cubo-Futurism, theatre design, the Kultur Lige's avant-garde, and Soviet influence. It highlights Ukraine's quest for a unique artistic identity within European modernism, shedding light on an often-overlooked chapter in art history.

Date: 29 June – 13 October 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Under 16s go free. Book now.   

Discover Degas and Miss La La

#FLODown: The National Gallery's 'Discover' series showcases Degas's 1879 masterpiece Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando, highlighting the exceptional acrobat Anna Albertine Olga Brown, also known as Miss La La. The exhibition unveils new insights into her life and career, presents unseen photographs, and emphasises her unique European and African-American heritage. It features a significant collection of Degas's preparatory drawings, including recently discovered sketches. Additionally, the exhibition explores Degas's uncommon representations of people of African American heritage and examines how the painting influences British art in the 1920s.

Date: 
6 June – 1 September 2024. Location: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN. Price: Free.  nationalgallery.org.uk. 

Ernest Cole: House of Bondage

#FLODown: The Photographers’ Gallery showcases the groundbreaking work of South African photographer Ernest Cole, who exposes the brutal reality of apartheid. Born in 1940, Cole documents the injustices faced by Black South Africans, fleeing the country in 1966. His banned book, House of Bondage, becomes iconic, shedding light on apartheid's violence. The exhibition features over 100 photographs, including previously unpublished works, curated in collaboration with Magnum Photos.

Date: 14 June – 22 September 2024. Location: The Photographers’ Gallery 16–18 Ramillies Street London W1F 7LW. Price: £8 / £5 concessions (members go free) Advance online booking: £6.50 / £4 concessions. Book now.

Meditations on Love also on show at the Photographer’s Gallery, features a special reading room curated by Develop, a collective of six young people. This reading room showcases an archive of photobooks, novels, and non-fiction works centred on the theme of love.

Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024

#FLODown: The Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award returns to the National Portrait Gallery in July, celebrating outstanding contemporary portrait painting. Open to artists aged eighteen and over, this prestigious competition garners over 40,000 entries from 100+ countries since its inception 40 years ago. The accompanying exhibition receives over 6 million visitors, highlighting its global impact and significance in the art world.

Date: 11 July - 27 October 2024. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Pl, London WC2H 0HE. Price: Free. npg.org.uk.

Beryl Cook / Tom of Finland

#FLODown: Studio Voltaire presents a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing the works of two cultural icons for the first time: Beryl Cook, known for her vibrant portrayals of everyday life, and Tom of Finland, renowned for pioneering depictions of homosexual machismo. The exhibition delves into themes of fleshly excesses, gender, sexuality, taste, and class, revealing interconnected ideas through archival materials never before seen by the public. Both artists hyperrealise the body to celebrate pleasure and reject shame, leaving a profound impact on wider popular culture through their direct engagement with audiences.

Date: 15 May–25 August 2024. Location: Studio Voltaire,1A Nelsons Row, London SW4 7JR. Price: Free. Website: studiovoltaire.org. 

Barbie Exhibition

#FLODown: A significant exhibition on Barbie™ opens at the Design Museum in July, coinciding with the doll's 65th anniversary in 2024. Curated by Danielle Thom and in collaboration with Mattel Inc., the exhibition showcases Barbie's design evolution and cultural impact since Ruth Handler created her in 1959. With exclusive access to the Barbie archives in California, the exhibition explores various design elements, including fashion, architecture, furniture, and vehicles.

Date: 5 July 2024 - 23 February 2025. Location: The Design Museum. 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG. Price: adult from £14.38. Children aged 6 to 15 from £7.19. Under 6s go free. Book now.

Lonnie Holley: All Rendered Truth

#FLODown: Camden Art Centre is hosting a major solo exhibition by Lonnie Holley, the American artist and musician from Birmingham, Alabama. The show includes new works created during his recent UK residency and previously unseen sculptures from his 2023 time at The Mahler and LeWitt Studios in Spoleto, Italy. Holley, a significant figure in both Black Art and contemporary art, transforms discarded objects into meaningful art, drawing on his experiences of poverty, civil rights, and cultural change. His work reflects themes of resilience and renewal, rooted in Americana and his personal journey.

Date: 5 July - 15 September 2024. Location: Camden Art Centre, Arkwright Rd, London NW3 6DG. Price: Free. camdenartcentre.org.

Joy Labinjo: We Are Briefly Gorgeous

#FLODown: For Southwark Park Galleries’ 40th anniversary programme, British-Nigerian painter Joy Labinjo presents a new body of work that celebrates the local community in her largest London institutional exhibition to date. Inspired by scenes from Southwark Park and Bermondsey, her paintings depict how people spend time in these areas. Using a mix of personal and found imagery, Labinjo’s works evoke a sense of familiarity, inviting a diverse audience to connect with them.

Date: 6 July - 29 September 2024. Location: Southwark Park Galleries. 1 Park Approach, Southwark Park, London, SE16 2UA. Price: Free. southwarkparkgalleries.org.

Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent

#FLODown: The Archive of Dissent at Whitechapel Gallery presents Kennard's five-decade career across three former library galleries. Known for iconic resistance images from the Vietnam War to current issues, his photomontages challenge norms in a printed materials archive. Inspired by John Heartfield, Kennard's work explores power dynamics amidst societal fractures. Installations like Boardroom and Double Exposure reinterpret photomontage with light and projection, alongside The People’s University of the East End, honouring the space's protest tradition.

Date: 23 July - 19 January 2025. Location: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX. Price: Free. whitechapelgallery.org.

Firelei Báez: Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream)

#FLODown: Firelei Báez, a Dominican American artist, showcases her inaugural solo exhibition in the UK at the South London Gallery, curated by New Curators. Báez's exhibition, Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream), explores folklore, gender, power, ecology, and resilience through a focus on the Ciguapa, a mythological figure from Dominican folklore. Her immersive installations and vibrant paintings challenge conventional narratives of identity and history while addressing climate change and migration experiences.

Date: 28 June – 8 September 2024. Location: South London Gallery,65 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH. Price: Free. southlondongallery.org. 

The Lore of LOVERBOY

#FLODown: Somerset House hosts an exhibition celebrating the 10-year milestone of Charles Jeffrey's fashion brand, LOVERBOY. The exhibition, titled The Lore of LOVERBOY, takes visitors on a journey through the brand's creative process, showcasing archival materials and striking outfits. The show provides an immersive look into the world of fashion, highlighting LOVERBOY's unique style and its influence on celebrities such as Harry Styles and Tilda Swinton.

Date: 8 June – 1 September 2024. Location: Somerset House, London
Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: Pay What You Can. Book now.

Enzo Mari: A Retrospective Celebration

#FLODown: This major exhibition celebrates the extraordinary life and work of Enzo Mari, one of the most influential Italian designers of the 20th century. Recognised not only for his designs but also as an artist, teacher, and theorist, Mari's impact resonates across generations. The retrospective, originally premiered at Triennale Milano in 2020, spans six decades of Mari's career, showcasing his diverse creations including furniture, children's books, product design, and installations. With a focus on Mari's unwavering commitment to the social responsibility of design, the exhibition offers insight into his principles and research process through archival materials. Additionally, the museum features a complimentary display, presenting tributes from contemporary artists and designers, celebrating Mari's enduring legacy.

Date: 29 March – 8 September 2024. Location: Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG. Price: from £16.33. Concessions available. Book now.

Out Shopping: The Dresses of Maud and Marion Sambourne (1880-1910)

#FLODown: Out Shopping: The dresses of Marion and Maud Sambourne (1880-1910) is a major exhibition that highlights the fashion journey of Victorian mother-daughter duo, Marion and Maud Sambourne. Featuring over 40 rare outfits and archival materials, the showcase offers insight into their shopping habits and the significance of fashion in their lives. The exhibition spans three spaces: the Verey Exhibition Gallery at Leighton House, the Tavolozza Drawings Gallery at Leighton House, and Sambourne House, providing an experience into dressmaking and early 20th-century shopping. Visitors explore the Sambourne family's life at their preserved home and enjoy a publication resembling late 19th-century fashion magazines.

Date: 23 March – 20 October 2024. Location: Leighton House and Sambourne House. Price: from £11, or from £20 for full access to Leighton House, Sambourne House, exhibition galleries, displays and documentary film. Concessions available. Book now. 

Yinka Shonibare CBE RA: Suspended States

#FLODown: Serpentine showcases Suspended States, a solo exhibition featuring new and recent works by British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. Set at Serpentine South, the exhibition coincides with Shonibare's showcase at the 60th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia. This marks his first solo exhibition in a London public institution in over 20 years, returning to Serpentine where he first exhibited in 1992.

Date: 12 April - 1 September 2024. Location: Serpentine South Gallery. Price: Free.

MONUMENTAL: Tipping the Scales of Historic Design

#FLODown:  MONUMENTAL is a landmark exhibition by Carpenters Workshop Gallery, exploring scale through nine innovative artworks by renowned designers like Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand. Highlights include rare pieces like Le Corbusier's Bureau des Ministres and Charlotte Perriand's imposing Conference Table. The exhibition extends outdoors with Jean Prouvé's Maison Démontable, showcasing the fusion of art and nature.

Date: 16 May – 22 September 2024. Location: Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Ladbroke Hall, 79 Barlby Rd. Price: Free. carpentersworkshopgallery.com. 

Hospital Rooms x Hauser & Wirth: Digital Art School 

#FLODown: Hospital Rooms and Hauser & Wirth are celebrating their three-year collaboration with the Digital Art School exhibition from 22 August to 10 September 2024, followed by fundraising auctions on 11-12 September at Hauser & Wirth, London. The initiative supports mental health services across the UK by commissioning artists to transform in-patient units and other mental health facilities. This year, they launched the Digital Art School, providing digital workshops and free art materials to NHS inpatient sites. The exhibition will feature live creative sessions and invite visitors to create artwork. Funds raised aim to reach £1 million to enhance mental health care environments nationwide.

Date: 22 August – 10 September 2024. Location: Hauser & Wirth, 23 Savile Row, London W1S 2ET. Price: Free.

SIN CENTRE

#FLODown: SIN CENTRE at Hannah Barry Gallery is a space dedicated to pleasure, created by artists, writers, and designers. It offers a range of entertainment options, such as a bar and library, along with unprogrammed spaces for leisure. The focus is on promoting comfort, connection, surprise, and delight. Contributors include George Rouy, Jesse Pollock, Mellony Harvey, Nikolaj Schultz, Stevie Dix, and many others, who also contribute to the Love Library.

Date: 31 May -  14 September 2024. Location: Hannah Barry Gallery, 4 Holly Grove, Peckham, London, SE15 5DF. Price: Free.

Sin Bar opens on Saturdays only 5pm – midnight. Until 14 September 2024.

DOMINION

DOMINION opens at Newport Street Gallery, showcasing 80 works from Damien Hirst's collection across all six gallery spaces. The exhibition features pieces by artists including Johannes Albers, Francis Bacon, Banksy, Georg Baselitz, Tracey Emin, Jeff Koons, Sarah Lucas, Andy Warhol, and many others.

Date: 24 May - 1 September 2024. Location: Newport Street Gallery, 1 Newport St, London SE11 6AJ. Price: Free.

Communion at Bold Tendencies

#FLODown: Bold Tendencies transforms a disused car park in Peckham into an art venue for the summer season. This year’s theme is Communion, delving into community resilience amidst crisis. The sculptures based on this theme feature works by artists such as Saelia Aparicio, Adam Farah-Saad, Olu Ogunnaike, Yoko Ono, and Martin Parr, each offering poignant reflections on social and ecological justice. Other highlights on their extensive summer programme of music, literature, and dance include Mahler's Symphony No. 2. Special performances by acclaimed artists like Maki Namekawa and Julia Bullock, alongside a centenary celebration of James Baldwin, experimental dances and literary events that explore Franz Kafka's work. Frank’s Cafe on the rooftop offers food, drinks, and the best city views!

Click here for their full programme of events.

Date: 17 May – 14 September 2024. Location: Multi storey Car park, 7th-10th Floors, 95a Rye Ln, London SE15 4ST.

Ahmed Mater: Chronicles

#FLODown: Christie's London hosts its summer exhibition, Chronicles, a mid-career retrospective of Saudi contemporary artist Ahmed Mater. The exhibition showcases over 100 works, including paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture and video. This extensive collection highlights Mater's artistic evolution and his exploration of Saudi Arabia's social and cultural transformations, providing insight into the psychological impact of these changes on individuals and society.

Date: 17 July - 22 August 2024. Location: Christie’s London, 8 King St., St. James’s, London, SW1Y 6QT. Price: Free.

Ernest Cole: A Lens in Exile

#FLODown: Ernest Cole, celebrated for his uncompromising documentation of apartheid's harsh realities, fled South Africa in 1966 and become stateless two years later. Upon settling in New York City, his lens turned to capturing Harlem and Manhattan during the civil rights movement, now showcased at Autograph in an exhibition titled A Lens in Exile. Despite aspirations for freedom from racism, Cole's photographs continue to expose systemic injustice. Rediscovered in 2017, his images from 1967-1972 illuminate the struggles of African Americans in the United States.

Date:13 June - 12 October 2024. Location: Autograph, Rivington Pl, London EC2A 3BA. Price: Free.

Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider

#FLODown: Tate Modern's exhibition, Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider, explores the influential circle of artists in the early 20th century. Led by figures like Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter, the Blue Rider collective aimed to transcend borders through art. The exhibition displays their diverse perspectives, innovative approaches to form, and lasting legacy, offering a glimpse into their transformative impact on modernist art.

Date: 25 April – 20 October 2024. Location: Tate Modern Bankside London SE1 9TG. Price: £22. Book now.