Female-led art exhibitions to see in London in 2024
Marina Abramović's 2023 solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts marked a historic moment as the first solo show by a woman in the RA's Main Galleries. While strides have been made in achieving gender equality in the art world, there's still progress to be made. Encouragingly, the National Portrait Gallery has increased the representation of female sitters in their portraits from 35 to 48 percent. Additionally, Tate Britain's recent rehang features the work of about 70 living artists, with half of them being women.
In 2024, London offers a platform for outstanding women artists with notable exhibitions including a retrospective of Yoko Ono, an exhibition at the Serpentine by Barbara Kruger, a showcase dedicated to the works of Angelica Kauffman, and all-female group shows curated by Tate Britain exploring themes of ecology, climate, and art activism. As well as solo shows by emerging artists. Discover exhibitions highlight the diverse talent and perspectives of women artists in London's art scene today.
Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You
#FLODown: Barbara Kruger, renowned for her impactful exploration of visual culture and societal themes, will host her solo exhibition, Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You, at Serpentine South and Outernet Arts in London after more than two decades. This return to Serpentine showcases Kruger's installations, moving images, and soundscapes, engaging deeply with contemporary issues of power, gender, and capitalism. Featuring iconic works like ‘I shop therefore I am’ and ‘Your body is a battleground,’ alongside reinterpretations, this curated exhibition by Kruger herself aims to provoke thoughtful reflection on societal constructs, individual identity, and the evolving digital landscape.
Date: 1 February – 17 March 2024. Location: Serpentine South Gallery, London W2 3XA. Price: Free. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.
Yoko Ono Exhibition
#FLODown: Tate Modern present 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 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: £22. Concessions available. Book now.
Angelica Kauffman Retrospective
#FLODown: The Royal Academy of Arts will host an exhibition dedicated to the life and art of Angelica Kauffman. This major retrospective traces her journey from child prodigy to esteemed painter, showcasing her celebrity portraits and pioneering history paintings. Explore Kauffman's rise to fame in London, her pivotal role as a founding member of the Royal Academy, and her later career in Rome. Heralded as 'the most cultivated woman in Europe' by her contemporaries, this exhibition will help you discover why.
Date: 1 March – 30 June 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. Price: £17. Book now.
Women In Revolt!
#FLODown: Women in Revolt! is a groundbreaking exhibition, surveying the work of more than 100 British women artists from 1970 to 1990, a period marked by significant societal, economic, and political changes. The exhibition spans diverse mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, and performance, and explores pivotal moments such as the Women's Liberation movement, legal changes affecting women, maternal and domestic experiences, cultural movements like Rock Against Racism and Punk, the Greenham Common peace movement, the visibility of Black and South Asian Women Artists, Section 28, and the AIDS pandemic. Celebrating women often marginalised by mainstream art institutions, the show highlights their contributions to British culture and their legacy for future artists.
Date: 8 November 2023 - 7 April 2024. Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Book now.
Cristina de Miguel: Dissolving
#FLODown: Cristina de Miguel's debut solo exhibition at Almine Rech London showcases thrilling and risky painterly feats. Her art, both fun and uncanny, defies simple explanation, characterised by fluid forms and daring techniques. Using acrylics on wet surfaces, her work evokes emotive distortions reminiscent of swimming and dissolving. It invites viewers to embrace uncertainty and find joy in exploration, defying narrative constraints and celebrating the mutability of experience.
Date: 29 February - 6 April 2024. Location: Almine Rech,Broadbent House, Grosvenor Hill, London W1K 3JH. Price: Free.
Maja Djordjevic: HOPE AND REBIRTH
#FLODown: Belgrade-born artist Maja Djordjevic's second solo exhibition at Carl Kostyál gallery, titled HOPE AND REBIRTH, delves into themes of empathy, empowerment, and resilience in the face of societal turmoil. Djordjevic's evocative paintings feature the iconic figure of "My Girl," embodying hope and solidarity in various roles. The exhibition showcases intricate floral motifs like the Lily of the Valley and Water Lily, laden with cultural and symbolic meaning. HOPE AND REBIRTH prompts viewers to reflect on the potency of empathy and the enduring optimism for a better future.
Date: 23 February 2024 – 16 March 2024. Location: Carl Kostyál, 12A Savile Row, London W1S 3PQ. Price: Free. Website: kostyal.com.
Bermondsey Street Festival · Frieze Sculpture 2024 · London Design Festival 2024 · Future of Food Festival · Ara Malikian · La traviata, The Royal Opera · Open House London · Negroni Week · Michael Craig-Martin · Yelena Popova: Of Dust and Breath · Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum: It Will End in Tears · Lap-See Lam · Tracey Emin: I followed you to the end…
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 …
A significant piece of London’s nightlife history is making its way to the new London Museum, set to open in 2026. The iconic sign from the renowned nightclub fabric, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, will be featured in the museum’s permanent installation…
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 …
We were keen to receive an invitation to tour this year’s 13th Edition of Sculpture in the City. There is something about public sculpture, which is extremely appealing, with each sculpture displayed with its own unique back drop…
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