Art exhibitions to see in the UK this summer 2023
Experience a wealth of fantastic exhibitions throughout the UK this summer, beyond the bustling art scene of London. Explore the versatility of tartan fabric, dive into the works of the founder members of the Blk Art Group, or challenge societal norms and hierarchies with Eva Koťátková's installations. Whether you're looking for a day trip to Margate or a long weekend getaway to Edinburgh, there are numerous exhibitions and shows opening up. Check out our top picks for the best art exhibitions to see beyond London this summer and make the most of the exciting season of art ahead.
Beyond the Little Black Dress
Image:Model Zelda Smyth wears a Gareth Pugh dress hand-embroidered with black plastic drinking straws. The dress will go on display in Beyond the Little Black Dress at the National Museum of Scotland.
#FLODown:Beyond the Little Black Dress is an exhibition that delves into the profound cultural significance of the little black dress and the bold power of the colour black in fashion. Tracing the evolution of the LBD from Coco Chanel's daring 1926 creation to its current status as a wardrobe staple, this exhibition offers a mesmerising exploration of the versatility and accessibility of the LBD and its enduring appeal through time. From early designs by revered fashion houses, including Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, to contemporary interpretations by cutting-edge designers like Simone Rocha and Virgil Abloh, the exhibition presents a breathtaking range of fashion that showcases the evolution of the LBD through the ages. In addition, the exhibit casts a spotlight on Black British designers who explore Blackness as an identity and Afrofuturism within their work.
Date: 1 July - 29 October 2023. Location: National Museum of Scotland, Chambers St, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Price: from £12-14.50. Concessions available. Website: nms.ac.uk
Eva Koťátková: How many giraffes are in the air we breathe?
Image: Eva Koťátková: My body is not an Island, CAPC d'Art Contemporain, Bordeaux, 2022. Photo by Arthur Péquin.
#FLODown: Eva Koťátková's installations challenge social rules and hierarchies, inviting visitors into a world where imagination is used as a tool to envision a world free from oppression, inequality, and violence. Her exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary is centered around the story of Lenka, a young giraffe captured in 1954 and presented as the first-ever giraffe at the Prague Zoo, surviving only two years in captivity before being preserved as a museum object. Through performance, storytelling, and participatory elements, the exhibition explores the metaphorical possibilities of Lenka's story, engaging local communities and audiences in Koťátková's exploratory world. The exhibition features a large-scale installation with a net-like rope sculpture and a floor-based textile for visitors to sit, listen, and contribute their own stories, as well as workshops and activities developed by the artist and the Learning and Live Programs teams.
Date: 27 May 2023 – 3 September 2023. Location: Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, Nottingham, NG1 2GB. Website: nottinghamcontemporary.org
Tartan
Image: Cheddar Gorgeous in suit designed by Liquorice Black, 2017. Liquorice Black, 2017.
#FLODown: Discover the global impact and rich history behind the unique fabric pattern tartan in this exhibition showcasing over 300 objects from around the world. Tartan celebrates the versatility of the crisscross design in fashion, architecture, photography, graphic design, furniture, ceramics, film, performance, and art. The exhibition features loans from over 80 collections, including Highland Folk Museum, Vivienne Westwood, and Alexander McQueen, with many on display together in Scotland for the first time. The exhibition tells the story of the iconic design from early Scottish use to modern-day fashion and how the rules of the grid have inspired creativity from the everyday to the sublime. From the high fashion of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen to Jackie Stewart's racing helmet and Bay City Rollers trousers, tartan has connected and divided communities worldwide, inspiring great works of art as well as playful and provocative designs.
Date: 1 April 2023 - 14 January 2024. Location: V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ. Price: from£7.00. Concessions available. Website: vam.ac.uk.
The more things change…
An exhibition examining the legacies of the Blk Art Group
Image: Marlene Smith, Ad(dress) Rehearsal -Wesley. 2014.© Marlene Smith
#FLODown: The Wolverhampton Art Gallery is hosting a new exhibition called The more things change... featuring the work of the founding members of the Blk Art Group. Formed in 1979 by black art students seeking to challenge and redefine the identity of black art, the exhibition focuses on the group's evolution from 1979 to 1984 and showcases the individual practices of key artists from 1985 to the present day. The exhibition includes over 30 works in different mediums such as paintings, mixed media, sculptures, and films, with new commissions by Claudette Johnson and Marlene Smith. This show not only marks the 40th anniversary of the group but also highlights Wolverhampton's role in bringing this collective together and shaping the history of black artists that still resonates today. Visitors can delve into the Blk Art Group archives and gain a renewed appreciation for the artworks created by this pioneering movement in British Black Arts.
Date: 29 April – 9 July 2023. Location: Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DU. Price: Free. Website: wolverhamptonart.org.uk.
Betty Woodman and George Woodman
Image: Betty Woodman, Aztec Vase and Carpet: April, 2016. Courtesy of Woodman Family Foundation. © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London.
#FLODown: The Betty Woodman and George Woodman retrospective exhibition features the works of the 20th-century ceramic artist Betty Woodman and her husband, painter and photographer George Woodman. It is the first time that both artists are exhibited together in the UK, showcasing their shared life, experiences, and influences. The exhibition includes works produced during their yearly visits to Antella, Italy, and archival photography that highlights the ancient stone farmhouse that served as their home and studio. The exhibition delves into how Antella became an inspiration for their creative expressionism and influenced both their works.
Date: 25 March 2023–10 September 2023. Location: West Firle, Lewes BN8 6LL. Price: from£10. Website: charleston.org.uk
Antony Gormley: Another Time
Image: Installation view of Another Time by Antony Gormley at Turner Contemporary, Margate. Photo: Thierry Bal, courtesy Turner Contemporary
#FLODown: Antony Gormley's Another Time is a series of 100 solid cast-iron figures exploring the experience of being human. One of these figures is located in Margate, beside the Turner Contemporary gallery, and will remain there until November 2030. The sculpture becomes visible about three hours before low tide, and similar figures have been installed in various locations around the world. Gormley describes these figures as an attempt to bear witness to the experience of being alive and alone in space and time. The figures are identical to those in Another Place, permanently located on Crosby Beach in Liverpool, but with different orientations. Another Time is organised by Turner Contemporary in partnership with Folkestone Triennial 2017.
Date: Until 1 November 2030. Location: Behind Turner Contemporary Rendezvous Margate Kent CT9 1HG. Price: Free. Website: turnercontemporary.org.
Larry Achiampong: Wayfinder
Image: Larry Achiampong, Wayfinder, 2022. Feature-length single-channel 4K film with stereo sound. Commissioned by Turner Contemporary with MK Gallery and Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. © Larry Achiampong. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2022. Courtesy the artist and Copperfield, London.
#FLODown: In May 2023, Baltic will host the first major solo exhibition of British-Ghanaian artist Larry Achiampong, showcasing his works in film, sculpture, installation, sound, collage, music, and performance. The exhibition includes his most ambitious film to date, Wayfinder, which explores class, economic exclusion, belonging, displacement, cultural heritage, and the meaning of home. Other works in the exhibition include Relic Traveller, Glyth collages, Sunday's Best, and The Expulsion. On Baltic's Level 2, Achiampong's Gaming Room will showcase the video games that influenced his work and explore the theme of journeying. The exhibition aims to offer multiple perspectives and reveal the deeply entrenched inequalities in our society.
Date: 20 May - 29 October 2023. Location: Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA. Price: Free. Website: baltic.art
NT Art Month
Image: Turquoise and Sand, Oldshoremore Beach, Sutherland, The Atelier Gallery
#FLODown: NT Art Month is a new month-long festival in Edinburgh's New Town celebrating the incredible arts quarter. Ten art galleries in Dundas Street, Howard Street, Summer Place, and Queen Street will participate in the festival, showcasing paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, ceramics, and bronze editions. The festival will launch with an exciting Late event across the galleries, and visitors can also check out a pop-up photography exhibition at a wine bar. The festival aims to support commercial spaces and nurture new artistic talent, offering the opportunity to explore Edinburgh's wealth of culture and galleries through a walking tour or events happening throughout June. Date: 8 – 30 June 2023. Location: Edinburgh. Website: ntart.org
Click the link here to discover the must-see exhibitions in London this summer 2023.
