With spring in full bloom, London is gearing up for a new season of exciting exhibitions. Whether you're a seasoned art enthusiast or simply looking to explore the city, here are the 10 must-see art exhibitions in London.
Related: The Most Visited Museums In The World in 2022
1. Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle
Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle at the Barbican (February 16 - May 21) is the largest exhibition of American artist Alice Neel, showcasing her vivid portraits that reflect the changing social and political contexts of 20th-century America. A member of the US Communist Party, Neel painted people that were often ignored or marginalized, including labor leaders, civil rights activists, and queer performers – and drawing the attention of the FBI for that. Organized in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the 70 portraits featured will bring to life what she called ‘the swirl of the era’.
Related: Barnebys Visits: Souls Grown Deep at the Royal Academy
2. The Morgan Stanley Exhibition: Peter Doig
The Morgan Stanley Exhibition: Peter Doig at The Courtauld (February 10 - May 29) showcases the best of Peter Doig, one of the most influential painters in the contemporary art scene. Active since the 1990s, Doig creates vast and captivating landscape paintings that blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The exhibition includes pieces painted since his move from Trinidad to London in 2021, and it is the first show by a contemporary artist to take place at The Courtauld since its reopening in November 2021.
3. Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance
Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance at the Victoria & Albert Museum (February 11 - June 11) is the first exhibition in the UK to explore the works of the Renaissance master Donatello, revealing his impact on art and culture in 15th-century Italy. Arguably one of the greatest sculptors of all time, the exhibition explores his innovations, collaborations and influence on other artists. The show includes works in various sculptural materials such as marble, bronze, wood, terracotta and stucco, including the famous early marble sculpture of David.
Related: How the Medici Family Influenced Renaissance Florence
4. After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art
After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art at the National Gallery (March 25 - August 13) surveys the period between 1880 and the outbreak of World War I, a time of intense artistic questioning, experimentation, and innovation. It features the works of renowned artists like Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin, who forever changed European art with their pioneering works. There are over 100 works of art by artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Klimt, and Munch, as well as sculptures by artists like Rodin and Camille Claudel. Loans for the exhibition have come from various institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, and the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Related: Impressionism: Between Shadow and Light
5. Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece
Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece at the British Museum (May 4 - August 13) explores the role of luxury as a political tool in the Middle East and Southeast Europe from 550-30 BC, moving beyond the ancient Greek narrative that portrays the Persian Empire as weakened by decadence and excess. It showcases precious objects from Afghanistan to Greece, demonstrating how the Achaemenid court of Persia used luxury items to define authority and establish a visual style that spanned the empire from Egypt to India.
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6. Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian: Forms of Life
Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian: Forms of Life at Tate Modern (April 20 - September 3) offers a unique opportunity to experience the visionary works of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint and Dutch painter Piet Mondrian next to one another. Though the two never met, af Klint and Mondrian both created their own languages of abstract art rooted in nature. Visitors will see Mondrian's rarely exhibited flower paintings and af Klint's enigmatic works of abstracted natural forms. Both artists shared an interest in spirituality, philosophy, and scientific discovery, and the exhibition immerses visitors in the vibrant signs, shapes, and colors of the artists' compositions.
Related: Hilma af Klint: Non-figurative Pioneer
7. Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism
Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (March 31 - September 10) is the first major exhibition of the Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot in the UK since 1950. In collaboration with the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, it includes around 30 of Morisot's works. As a trailblazer of the Impressionist movement, the exhibition features artworks by renowned artists such as Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Fragonard and illustrates how Morisot drew inspiration from 18th-century artists and culture while maintaining the artistic originality that set her apart from her predecessors – thus shaping Impressionism.
Related: Berthe Morisot Emerges from the Shadows
8. Andy Warhol: The Textiles
Andy Warhol: The Textiles at the Fashion and Textile Museum (March 31 - September 10) explores the little-known world of textile designs created by the famous pop artist and cultural icon, Andy Warhol. These designs, which date back to his early career in the 1950s and 1960s, are now being reconsidered as vital components of his work. The exhibition features more than 45 of Warhol's textile patterns, highlighting a range of colorful objects, from ice cream sundaes to candy apples, buttons, pretzels, and jumping clowns.
Related: Andy Warhol: The Pope of Pop
9. The Rossettis
The Rossettis at Tate Britain (April 6 - September 24) showcases the romance and radicalism of the Pre-Raphaelite movement by following the Rossetti generation, which includes Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Christina Rossetti, and Elizabeth Siddal. The exhibition explores their boundary-pushing careers, incorporating spoken poetry, paintings, drawings, photography, design, and more in an immersive show. This retrospective of Dante Gabriel Rossetti is the first of its kind at Tate, featuring the largest exhibition of his paintings in two decades. Additionally, it presents the most comprehensive exhibition of Elizabeth Siddal's work in 30 years, displaying rare watercolors and significant drawings.
Related: Elizabeth Siddal: The Tragedy of the World's First Supermodel
10. Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney
Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney at the Wallace Collection (March 29 - October 15) is an exhibition that explores the connection between humans and their canine companions through a selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and even taxidermy featuring dogs from all eras. With over 50 portraits featured, the exhibition focuses on the British tradition of dog portraiture, which developed in parallel with human portraiture. The artworks on display are mainly from collections in the UK, and were chosen specifically for their lack of human presence.
