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
Barbara Kruger; BARBARA KRUGER: THINKING OF YOU, I MEAN ME, I MEAN YOU Installation view, The Art Institute of Chicago - AIC, Chicago, September 19, 2021–January 24, 2022 Courtesy the artist and Sprüth Magers Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago.
#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
Yoko Ono with Glass Hammer 1967 from HALF-A-WIND SHOW, Lisson Gallery, London, 1967. Photograph: Clay Perry © Yoko Ono.
#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
Angelica Kauffman, Self-portrait at the Crossroads between the Arts of Music and Painting, 1794. Oil on canvas, 147.3 x 215.9 cm. National Trust Collections (Nostell Priory, The St. Oswald Collection). Purchased by private treaty with the help of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund 2002. Photo: © National Trust Images/John Hammond.
#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!
Gina Birch 3 Minute Scream 1977 © Gina Birch.
#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
Cristina de Miguel's debut solo exhibition opens at Almine Rech London on 29 February 2024.
#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
Maja Djordjevic, When It's Time You Might Not Want To Go, 2024, Oil and Enamel on Canvas, 130 x 250cm. Photography by Ben Westoby. Courtesy of Carl Kostyál and the Artist.
#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.