Art exhibitions to see in London in April 2024
April brings a lively lineup of art exhibitions in London, promising an exciting month for art lovers. Highlights include the return of the Sony Photography Award exhibition, British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare's first solo show in a London public institution in two decades, and an intriguing showcase of 20th-century Brazilian art at Raven Row. Explore our selection of forty-plus exhibitions to see in London this April 2024.
Yinka Shonibare CBE RA: Suspended States
#FLODown: Serpentine will showcase 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. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.
Bright Lights, Big City
#FLODown: The exhibition Bright Lights, Big City celebrates the cultural significance of 20th-century urban life. From the bustling streets of Chicago and New York to the vibrant scenes of London, LA, and San Francisco. The show will include 15 legendary photographers, such as Norman Parkinson, Kevin Cummins, Terry O’Neill, and Eve Arnold, among others. Featuring never-before-seen photographs of icons like Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford, Muhammad Ali, and the Rolling Stones, the exhibition offers a rare glimpse into moments captured by these renowned photographers. Held at the Iconic Images Gallery Piccadilly, showcased fine art and books are available for purchase.
Date: 7 March – 25 May 2024. Location: Iconic Images Gallery Piccadilly, 16 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AR. Price: Free.
Sony World Photography Awards
#FLODown: The Sony World Photography Awards exhibition returns to Somerset House this April, featuring a diverse range of images capturing everything from breathtaking landscapes to poignant documentary projects. With a refreshed curatorial approach, visitors will encounter photographs presented in various formats, including prints, projections, and digital displays. Discover the works of Edgar Martins, 2023 Photographer of the Year, and iconic Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado's black and white masterpieces spanning five decades.
Date: 19 April – 6 May 2024. Location: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: from £15. Concessions available. Book now.
Coumba Samba: Capital
#FLODown: Capital is the debut UK solo exhibition by Senegalese-American artist Coumba Samba, featuring a mud installation, photographic prints, and the performance FIFA in collaboration with École Des Sables and Gretchen Lawrence. The exhibition explores the circulation of objects and ideologies between the West and West Africa, addressing themes of capitalism, colonialism, and hope. Samba's work examines the recycling of Euro-American trash and its ties to capitalist logic, while the FIFA performance combines movements from various sports. Gretchen Lawrence's sound composition accompanies the exhibition, incorporating field recordings from Senegal.
Date: 28 March – 2 June 2024. Location: Cell Project Space, 258 Cambridge Heath Rd, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9DA. Price: Free.
Chocolate House Greenwich
#FLODown: The Old Royal Naval College is hosting a new immersive exhibition called Chocolate House Greenwich, exploring the rich history and allure of chocolate. Set in the 18th Century, the exhibition delves into chocolate's rise to prominence during this era and its significant role in the cultural and scientific landscape of Georgian Greenwich. Visitors can step back in time to experience the recreated royal Chocolate House run by Grace and Thomas Tosier, which was a social hub for influential figures of the Enlightenment.
Date: 29 March – 3 November 2024. Location: Old Royal Naval College, King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9NN. Price: Included as part of Painted Hall ticket (£15, rising to £16.50 from 1st April). Kids go free. Book now.
Purple Hibiscus
#FLODown: Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama's new commission, Purple Hibiscus, will debut at the Barbican in April 2024. The artwork will cover the Barbican's Lakeside Terrace with approximately 2000 square metres of woven cloth, featuring vibrant panels of pink and purple fabric embroidered with approximately 100 'batakaris' – robes historically worn by Northern Ghanaians. Collaborating with craftspeople from Tamale in Ghana, Mahama's commission engages with local economies and reflects solidarity with marginalised communities. This installation, part of the exhibition Unravel: The Power & Politics of Textiles in Art, highlights the significance of collective labour, echoing Mahama's belief that art should be accessible to all.
Date: 10 April – 18 August 2024. Location: Barbican Lakeside Terrace. Price: Free.
Art Through Time: Contemporary Reflections
#FLODown: Alon Zakaim Fine Art presents Art Through Time: Contemporary Reflections, an exhibition showcasing a juxtaposition of modern and contemporary artworks by artists including Michael Craig-Martin, Gavin Turk, Keith Tyson, Tal R, Richard Wathen, Wen Wu, Sam Shendi, Von Wolfe, Emma Bennett, Zavier Ellis, Gordon Cheung, Tsuguharu Foujita, Scott Eaton, and Jaume Plensa. These artists delve into themes of transformation, identity, and memory through various mediums, bridging traditional and technological art forms. The exhibition curated by Virginia Damtsa celebrates the evolution of artistic expression, emphasising the significance of contemporary art in today's world.
Date: 3 April - 31 May 2024. Location: Alon Zakaim Fine Art, 27 Cork Street, London W1S 3NG. Price: Free.
Art Without Heroes: Mingei
#FLODown: The William Morris Gallery presents the UK's largest exhibition dedicated to Japan's Mingei folk-craft movement. With over 80 works, including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, and film, the exhibition highlights unseen pieces from private collections in the UK and Japan, exploring Mingei's historical context, evolution, and contemporary interpretations.
Date: 23 March - 22 September 2024. Location: William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4PP. Price: Free entry (suggested donation of £5). Book now.
Amelia Bowles: Wayfinding
#FLODown: Amelia Bowles' debut exhibit blends sculpture, painting, and architecture, exploring light, colour, and form. Inspired by celestial and aquatic themes, her abstract works provoke reflection on simplicity and complexity. Through a multi-stage process, Bowles creates sculptures with spontaneity and unique character. Her pieces reflect on our connection to the natural world, prompting contemplation on light, water, and urban life.
Date: 22 March 2024 – 18 April 2024. Location: IONE & MANN , 6 Conduit Street, 1st Floor, London, W1S 2XE. Price: Free.
Betty Parsons
#FLODown: Alison Jacques presents a solo exhibition of Betty Parsons' works spanning from 1950 to 1981, showcasing her paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Despite her fame as a gallery owner, Parsons was dedicated to her own art, exploring colour and form with energy and vitality influenced by her travels. The exhibition highlights Parsons' significance in art history and contemporary discourse.
Date: 20 March – 27 April 2024. Location: Alison Jacques, 22 Cork Street, London W1S 3NG. Price: Free.
The Future is Female
#FLODown: The Future is Female is a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing over 40 sculptures by 14 contemporary female artists at Chelsea Barracks. Curated and managed by women, it challenges gender imbalances in the art world and explores diverse perspectives in sculpture. Despite progress, gender disparities persist in pay and auction prices. The exhibition aims to promote diversity and challenge stereotypes in sculpture, highlighting themes of empowerment and representation.
The exhibition's location at the Garrison Chapel, formerly restricted to men, adds symbolic significance, highlighting the historical exclusion of women from certain spaces and underscoring the importance of gender equality in the art world.
Date: 8 March – 6 April 2025. Location: The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea, London SW1W 8BG. Price: Free.
MAKING KIN
#FLODown: MAKING KIN, a group exhibition at STUDIO WEST, explores humanity's relationship with the earth through art inspired by Donna Haraway's Staying with the Trouble. Featuring works by Imogen Allen, Olha Pryymak, Yuma Radné, Paula Turmina and Freya Fang Wang, the exhibition prompts reflection on ecological challenges and alternative futures.
Date: 14 March - 11 April 2024. Location: STUDIO WEST , Unit 1, 216 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 1NR. Price: Free.
Some May Work as Symbols: Art Made in Brazil, 1950s–70s
#FLODown: Some May Work as Symbols: Art Made in Brazil, 1950s–70s explores Brazil's diverse artistic scene in the mid-twentieth century, featuring a range of styles from abstraction to symbolism. Renowned artists like Judith Lauand and Lygia Clark are celebrated alongside pioneers of Afro-Brazilian symbology like Mestre Didi and Abdias Nascimento. The exhibit also highlights everyday life and labour, depicted by artists such as Silvia de Leon Chalreo and Heitor dos Prazeres.
Date: 7 March - 5 May 2024. Location: Raven Row, 56 Artillery Lane, London E1 7LS. Price: Free.
Jasper Johns: The Seasons
#FLODown: Between 1984 and 1991, American artist Jasper Johns explored the theme of the four seasons through paintings, drawings, and prints. Titled The Seasons, these works blend artistic creation, time passage, and Johns' biography, with his shadow appearing in each piece. The exhibition showcases Johns' printmaking techniques, resulting in striking collages of imagery. The Courtauld received this series in 2016 from Barbara Bertozzi Castelli, widow of Johns' dealer Leo Castelli, making it the only museum in the UK with such a comprehensive collection.
Date: 28 February - 12 May 2024. Location: Project Space, The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: Free.
Olivia Longstaff: Precipice
#FLODown: t H E I R introduces an exhibition, offering a glimpse into the artist studio space for the first time. This unique showcase unveils Olivia Longstaff's vibrant and daring series of abstract expressionist works, exploring the intersection of colour, gesture, and form. Departing from her previous monochromatic style, Longstaff's pieces embody raw freedom and risk, capturing the intense moment between creation and destruction. Developed since her completion of an MA at the Royal College of Art in 2023, this exhibition marks the premiere of Longstaff's latest works, inviting viewers to experience the messy and chaotic process behind their creation.
Date: 7 March – 7 April 2024. Location: tHEIR, 56 Dawes Road, London, SW6 7EJ. Price: Free.
Marria Pratts: Some Wizards in Savile Row
#FLODown: Carl Kostyál presents Marria Pratts' debut exhibition in London, featuring monumental paintings with familiar themes like ghosts and melting clocks. Pratts sees painting as a ceremony of absolute freedom.
Date: 22 March 2024 - 20 April 2024. Location: Carl Kostyál, 12A Savile Row, London W1S 3PQ. Price: Free.
Stop and Smell the Flowers by Holly Graham
#FLODown: UP Projects and Barnet Council unveiled 'Stop and Smell the Flowers,' a mural by Holly Graham in Edgware Town Centre. The artwork, on 158 Station Road, addresses the climate emergency and encourages action for clean air and green space. Developed with input from 75 local young people, it features a slogan, 'Stop and Smell the Flowers,' symbolising reconnecting with nature and realising truths.
Location: 158 Station Road, Edgware.
on-going ART EXHIBITIONS in London
Barbican Centre
Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
Highlighting the transformative influence of textiles in contemporary art, this exhibition showcases over 100 works by renowned artists including Faith Ringgold, Louise Bourgeois, and Tracey Emin.
Date: 14 February – 26 May 2024. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Moroccan-born artist Soufiane Ababri has transformed the Barbican Curve with an exhibition that draws from his personal experiences. Date: 13 March —30 June 2024. Location: The Curve, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: Free. Website: barbican.org.uk.
Royal Academy of Arts
Entangled Pasts, 1768–now: Art, Colonialism and Change
Featuring over 100 artworks spanning 250 years. The exhibition explores art's entanglement with colonial histories, showcasing diverse mediums and artists.
Date: 3 February - 28 April 2024. Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: £22. Book now.
An exhibition dedicated to the life and art of Angelica Kauffman,one of the most celebrated artists of the 18th century.
Date: 1 March – 30 June 2024. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. Price: £17. Book now.
V&A South Kensington
Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence
The exhibit delves into the architectural style of Tropical Modernism pioneered by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew in post-World War II West Africa and India.
Date: 2 March – 22 September 2024. Location: V&A Museum
Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL, United Kingdom. Price: from £14. Book now.
South London Gallery
Acts of Resistance: Photography, Feminisms and the Art of Protest
Acts of Resistance showcases international artists and collectives redefining protest photography. Works on display focus on feminism and activism, exploring themes of intersectionality and digital empowerment.
Date: 8 March – 9 June 2024. Location: South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UH. Price: Free. Website: southlondongallery.org.
Motunrayo Akinola: Knees Kiss Ground
Akinola, the 13th Postgraduate Artist in Residence at South London Gallery, explores public attitudes toward migration, drawing from his upbringing in London, UK, and Lagos, Nigeria. His work identifies cultural knowledge gaps with the aim to foster a fresh understanding of post-colonial dynamics and space ownership.
Date: 8 March – 9 June 2024. Location: South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UH. Price: Free. Website: southlondongallery.org
Tate Modern
Covering over six decades, the exhibition features Ono's diverse body of work, including early performances, works on paper, objects, and music.
Date: 15 February – 1 September 2024.Location: Tate Modern. Website: tate.co.uk.
Tate Britain
Women in Revolt!
A groundbreaking exhibition, surveying the work of more than 100 British women artists from 1970 to 1990.
Date: 8 November 2023 - 7 April 2024. Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Book now.
Examining John Singer Sargent's portraiture, this exhibition delves into the artist's use of fashion to express the identity of his subjects.
Date: 22 February – 7 July 2024. Price: from £22. Book now.
Design Museum
Enzo Mari: A Retrospective Celebration
Celebrating the extraordinary life and work of Enzo Mari, one of the most influential Italian designers of the 20th century.
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.
Hayward Gallery
Nineteen international artists present works that emphasise spontaneity, gravity, and evolving sensations.
Date: 7 February - 6 May 2024. Location:Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Saatchi Gallery
BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction
Edward Burtynsky's largest exhibition to date exploring humanity's impact on Earth, including a multimedia experience titled In the Wake of Progress that encourages reflection on sustainability.
Date: 14 February – 6 May 2024. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £10. Book now.
The Photographers’ Gallery
Bert Hardy: Photojournalism in War and Peace
Explore the remarkable career of London-born photographer Bert Hardy. This retrospective presents key moments of his career, including his service in the Army Film and Photographic Unit during World War II and his extensive social documentary work across mid-century Britain and postwar Europe.
Date: 23 Feb 2024 – 2 Jun 2024. Location:16-18 Ramillies Street, London W1F7LW. Price: Advance booking Online: £6.50 On the door: £8. Concessions available. Book now.
Café Royal Books
Featuring over 600 publications of post-war documentary photography. Founded by Craig Atkinson, it offers glimpses into British and Irish culture.
Date: 23 February – 2 June 2024. Location: The Photographers' Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies St, London W1F 7LW. Price: Advance Booking Online: £6.50 On the door: £8. Concessions available. Book now.
Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2024
Explore diverse photographic perspectives by international artists VALIE EXPORT, Gauri Gill & Rajesh Vangad, Lebohang Kganye, and Hrair Sarkissian at the exhibition showcasing radical performances and collaborative explorations. The winner of the £30,000 prize will be announced on 16 May 2024.
Date: 23 February – 2 June 2024. Location: The Photographers' Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies St, London W1F 7LW. Price: Advance Booking Online: £6.50. On the door: £8. Concession available. Book now.
British Museum
Legion life in the Roman army
Explore Rome's military heritage through the perspective of soldiers in this exhibition, tracing the experiences of Roman soldier Claudius Terentianus from family life in forts to the rigors of battlefields.
Date: 1 February – 23 June 2024. Location: The British Museum, The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Price: from £22. Concessions available. Book now.
Serpentine Galleries
Explore the future of art at Serpentine's Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive by AI artist Refik Anadol.
Date: 15 February - 7 April 2024. Location: Serpentine North, Kensington Gardens,London, W2 2AR. Price: Free.
Studio Voltaire
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley: THE REBIRTHING ROOM
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley introduces an immersive gaming experience delving into the world of Black trans experiences using cutting-edge VR technology.
Date: 31January – 28 April 2024.Location:Studio Voltaire,1a Nelson's Row, London, SW4 7JR. Price: Free. Website: studiovoltaire.org.
Camden Art Centre
Camden Art Centre is showcasing New Contemporaries after a 20-year hiatus, featuring 55 emerging artists.
Date: 19 January – 7 April 2024. Location: Camden Art Centre, 1 Arkwright Road, London, NW3 6DG. Price: Free. Website: camdenartcentre.org.
Leighton House and Sambourne House
Out shopping: The dresses of Marion and Maud Sambourne (1880-1910)
An exhibition highlighting the fashion journey of Victorian mother-daughter duo, Marion and Maud Sambourne. Featuring rare outfits and archival materials, offering insight into their shopping habits and the significance of fashion in their lives.
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.
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Artists from the African Diaspora provide insights into their relationship with the natural world, addressing identity, history, and personal experiences.
Date: 14 February – 2 June 2024. Location: Dulwich Picture Gallery, London SE21 7AD. Price: from £17.50. Concessions available. Book now.
Somerset House
CUTE
CUTE explores the widespread fascination with cuteness in today's society.
Date: 25 January – 14 April 2024. Location: Strand, London, WC2R 1LA, United Kingdom Somerset House. Price: £18.50. Concessions available. Book now.
Bamboo as Method by Zheng Bo
Zheng Bo's Bamboo as Method project transforms the courtyard of Somerset House into a tranquil bamboo garden.
Date: 22 February - 28 April 2024. Location: Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA, United Kingdom. Price: Free. Website: somersethouse.org.uk.
The Courtuald
Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads
Featuring Auerbach’s hauntingly beautiful charcoal portrait heads from the 1950s and 1960s in post-war London.
Date: 9 February – 27 May 2024. Location: The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £14. Concessions available. Book now.
From the Baroque to Today: Recent acquisitions of Works on Paper
Discover twenty-four prints and drawings acquired by The Courtauld since 2018, spanning from the late 17th to the early 21st centuries. From figurative to abstract, by artists such as Maliheh Afnan, Sir Frank Bowling, Deanna Petherbridge, Susan Schwalb, Linda Karshan, and Sir Grayson Perry.
Date: 23 February - 27 May 2024. Location: Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: Free.
National Portrait Gallery
The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure
Curated by Ekow Eshun, The Time is Always Now presents a comprehensive exploration of the representation of the Black figure in contemporary art.
Date: 22 February – 19 May 2024. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE. Price: £16 / £18 with donation. Book now.
Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron: Portraits to Dream In
Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron, separated by a century, redefined portraiture with creativity and symbolism, showcased in an exhibition of over 160 rare vintage prints.
Date: 21 March 2024 – 16 June 2024. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE. Price: £8.50 / £9.50 with donation. Book now.
Global cinema platform MUBI and intersectional feminist publication Polyester kicked off Halloween week with a hauntingly glamorous launch event for the much-anticipated body-horror film The Substance at The Standard.