10 best art exhibitions to see in London in Autumn 2023
As summer comes to a close and autumn descends upon London, the city is preparing to host a series of engaging exhibitions. These include a notable display of works by renowned artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, the Hyundai Commission by artist El Anatsui at the Tate, and the eagerly awaited return of Frieze London and Frieze Masters. To provide a sneak peek into the upcoming autumn season, here's a list of our top 10 art picks in the city.
Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine
Imagae: Hiroshi Sugimoto. © Sugimoto Studio.
#FLODown:The Hayward Gallery presents Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine, a retrospective spanning 50 years of the artist's work. Sugimoto's enigmatic photos explore time, memory, and photography's essence, blurring reality and imagination. The exhibit features key pieces from his series, revealing his philosophical inquiries and manipulation of 19th-century photography concepts.
Date: 1 October 2023 – 7 January 2024. Location: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: from £18. Concessions available.Book now.
UVA: Synchronicity
Image: Present Shock, 2023. © UVA.
#FLODown: London-based collective United Visual Artists (UVA) commemorates their 20th anniversary with UVA: Synchronicity, an immersive exhibit exploring human perception of reality. It features collaborations, including a piece with bio-acoustician Bernie Krause. UVA's innovative approach combines light, sound, and technology to transform spaces and challenge conventional thinking.
Date: 12 October – 17 December 2023. Location: 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, London, WC2R 1EA. Price: from £25. Concessions available. Book now.
Frieze Art Fair 2023
Image: Frieze London. Thomas Dane Gallery, Frieze London 2022. Photo by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Frieze and Linda Nylind.
#FLODown:Frieze London and Frieze Masters are celebrating their 20th and 11th anniversaries, respectively, with concurrent exhibitions from October 11-15 at The Regent’s Park, London. The 2023 edition of Frieze London features over 160 galleries from 40 countries, including notable London-based exhibitors. To commemorate the anniversary, the "Artist-to-Artist" initiative presents renowned artists like Olafur Eliasson and Tracey Emin proposing counterparts for solo exhibitions. The "Focus" section highlights emerging talents, while "Editions" offers affordable limited-edition artworks. Frieze Masters showcases over 130 galleries spanning millennia of art, and the new "Modern Women" section spotlights women artists from 1880 to 1980. "Studio" delves into artists' creative spaces, "Spotlight" emphasises underappreciated 20th-century artists, and "Stand Out" challenges traditional art hierarchies.
Date: 11-15 October 2023.Location: The Regent's Park, London. Price: from £46. Book now.
Georg Baselitz: Sculptures 2011 - 2015
Image: Georg Baselitz, Zero Dom (Zero Dome), 2015/2021. Courtesy Thaddaeus Ropac gallery, London · Paris · Salzburg · Seoul + Private Collection © Georg Baselitz 2023, photographed by Markus Kormann.
#FLODown:The Serpentine Gallery hosts Georg Baselitz's first solo exhibition, showcasing sculptures and drawings. It features the UK debut of his monumental Zero Dom sculpture, exploring the body's fragility through physical artistic processes. The exhibition highlights previously unseen wooden sculptures and related drawings, offering insights into his multidimensional approach to art.
Date: 5 October 2023 – 7 January 2024. Location: Serpentine South Gallery, London W8 4PU.Price: Free.
RE/SISTERS: A Lens on Gender and Ecology
Image: Fina Miralles, Relacions. Relació del cos amb elements naturals. El cos cobert de palla [Documentació de l'acció realitzada el gener de 1975 a Sabadell, Espanya] / Relationship: The Body’s Relationship with Natural Elements. The Body Covered with Straw, 1975 . Courtesy of MACBA, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.
#FLODown: RE/SISTERS: A Lens on Gender and Ecology at Barbican Art Gallery examines the link between gender and ecology through artworks by 50 global artists. It highlights the connection between women's oppression and environmental damage, emphasising marginalised communities. The exhibition advocates creative protest and care amid ecological challenges. It reframes gender-environment discussions, addressing extractive capitalism's impact and promoting empowerment. RE/SISTERS calls for equality, activism, and renewed planet care.
Date: 5 October 2023 – 14 January 2024. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £16. Concessions available. Book now.
Women in Revolt!
Image: Helen Chadwick, In the Kitchen (Stove), 1977 © The Estate of the Artist. Courtesy Richard Saltoun Gallery, London and Rome.
#FLODown: Tate Britain presents Women in Revolt! showcasing feminist art in the UK from 1970 to 1990. Over 100 women artists and collectives are featured, revealing their radical contributions to British culture. The exhibit celebrates both well-known artists and those who've been overlooked, offering a comprehensive view of their diverse mediums and narratives.
Date: 8 November 2023 – 7 April 2024.Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Price: £17. Concessions available. Book now.
Hyundai Commission: El Anatsui
Image: Aluminium and copper wire, 1000 x 560 cm © El Anatsui. Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Kunstmuseum Bern. Courtesy the Artist and October Gallery, London. Photo © Jonathan Greet
#FLODown:Tate Modern and Hyundai Motor announce artist El Anatsui's annual Hyundai Commission. Anatsui's sculptures made from recycled materials explore themes of environment and trade. The commission continues Tate and Hyundai's partnership, fostering transformative contemporary art installations in the iconic Turbine Hall.
Date: 10 October 2023 - 14 April 2024.Location: Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG.Price: Free. Website: tate.org.uk
Women in Art Fair
Image: Abigail Morris, Mother Tongue, 2022, Exhibitor in 'Unnatural Women', Women in Art Fair 2023.
#FLODown:The inaugural Women in Art Fair, coinciding with Frieze London, addresses gender disparities in the art industry. The event features established and emerging women artists, curators, and gallerists. It spans multiple spaces at Mall Galleries and includes an art fair, a curated exhibition, and a showcase of selected artists.
Date: 11-14 October 2023. Location: Mall Galleries. The Mall, London SW1.Price: Tickets go on sale from 1 September 2023. Website: womeninartfair.com.
Impressionists on Paper: Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec
Image: Edgar Degas. Dancers on a Bench, c. 1898. Pastel on tracing paper. 53.7 x 75.6 cm. Lent by Glasgow Life Museums on behalf of Glasgow City Council. Bequeathed by William McInnes, 1944. Photo: © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection.
#FLODown: The Royal Academy of Arts presents Impressionists on Paper: Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec, exploring how Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists transformed works on paper into standalone art forms. Around 80 pieces by artists like Degas, Monet, and Toulouse-Lautrec will be featured, showcasing the shift from preparatory techniques to independent creations.
Date: 25 November 2023 - 10 March 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD.Price: from £19. Concessions available. Book now.
Japan: Myths to Manga
Image: My Neighbour Totoro. © 1988 Studio Ghibli.
#FLODown: The Young V&A will debut its exhibition Japan: Myths to Manga. Geared towards young audiences and families, the exhibit explores how Japanese stories have shaped art and technology over time. Divided into sections like Sky, Sea, Forest, and City, it features 150 historical and contemporary pieces, including art, animation, fashion, and more. The event offers hands-on activities for all ages and showcases the influence of myths on iconic creations like Pokémon and Studio Ghibli.
Date: 14 October 2023 – 11 August 2024.Location: Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA. Price: £10.Concessions available. Book now.
Marina Abramović
Image: Marina Abramović. The Current, 2017.Video; 1 hour 35 mins. Courtesy of the Marina Abramović Archives. © Marina Abramović.
#FLODown:The Royal Academy of Arts hosts a solo exhibition of Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović. The exhibit showcases her diverse practice through photographs, videos, objects, and installations. Live reenactments of key performances highlight her transformative work.
Date: 23 September 2023 – 1 January 2024.Location: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD Royal Academy of Arts. Price: from £25.50. Concessions available. Book now.