15 must-see exhibitions in London that end in June 2023
As summer approaches, we bid farewell to several remarkable exhibitions from the spring season. These include a tribute to 250 years of Veuve Clicquot, the V&A's exploration of the Korean wave's rise, and a groundbreaking exhibition that merges art and technology. Here are some of our favourite exhibitions that will be closing in June, so it's the last chance to see them.
Solaire Culture
Image: Solaire Culture Exhibition, London, May 2023, © MTotoe
#FLODown: It's the final opportunity to immerse yourself in this extraordinary exhibition of art and champagne heritage. Solaire Culture by Veuve Clicquot is an homage to the brand's rich 250-year history, celebrating the trailblazing spirit of Madame Clicquot and the iconic Yellow label. This immersive experience showcases original works by acclaimed female artists, including Yayoi Kusama and Rosie McGuinness. Don't miss the chance to savour the delightful fusion of Veuve Clicquot's Yellow Label and Caribbean flavours at The Sunny Side Up Café, expertly curated by Andi Oliver.
Date: until 6 June 2023. Location: Entrance at the corner of Piccadilly and Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, London. Price: Free. Book now.
Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance
Image: Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, February 2023, © MTotoe
#FLODown: The Victoria & Albert Museum’s Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, is the first UK exhibition of the sculptor's works in bronze, wood, marble and terracotta. The exhibition offers an opportunity to learn about his life, and how he influenced subsequent generations of artists that followed. Date: until 11 June 2023. Location: Sainsbury Gallery, V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price: £20/ Concessions available. Book now.
KUMIHIMO: Japanese Silk Braiding by Domyo
Image: KUMIHIMO: Japanese Silk Braiding by Domyo, February 2023, © MTotoe
#FLODown: Experience the intricate art of Japanese silk braiding at KUMIHIMO, the UK's first major exhibition dedicated to the ancient practice. Hosted by Japan House London, the exhibition delves into the rich history of the craft, spanning over 1300 years. Discover the wide-ranging applications of kumihimo, from fashion to science and engineering, that continue to inspire modern-day creatives.
Date: until 11 June 2023. Location: Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA. Price: Free. Book now.
Souls Grown Deep Like the Rivers
Image: Souls Grown Deep Like the Rivers: Black Artists from the American South, March 2023, © MTotoe
#FLODown:Souls Grown Deep Like the Rivers: Black Artists from the American South is a poignant exhibition that features a collection of approximately 64 works by 34 artists, spanning from the mid-20th century to the present day. These talented artists have created unique and thought-provoking pieces that reflect the South's complex history, including the inhumane practice of enslavement, the segregationist policies of the Jim Crow era, institutionalised racism, and the Civil Rights Movement. The exhibition showcases both the subjects and materials of these works, which resonate deeply with the region's legacy. This exhibition is a testament to the powerful and enduring impact of these artists' creativity.
Date: until 18 June 2023. Location: The Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries , Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, London, W1J 0BD. Price: from £13.Concessions available. Book now.
The Ugly Duchess: Beauty and Satire in the Renaissance
Image: The Ugly Duchess: Beauty and Satire in the Renaissance, March 2023. © MTotoe
#FLODown: The exhibition delves into Quinten Massys' painting, An Old Woman, and its original context as an early example of secular and satirical art. It explores the Renaissance's perspectives on older women, emphasising society's emphasis on youth and appearance while showcasing a broader visual tradition that ridiculed and marginalised them. An Old Woman is displayed with her male pendant, An Old Man, and two related drawings after Leonardo da Vinci that show the same unmistakable face. The exhibition highlights Massys' pioneering exploration of the grotesque as a subject in painting and reveals his shared interest with Leonardo da Vinci in the humorous, expressive, and subversive possibilities of distorting the human face.
Click here to read our interview with exhibition curator Emma Capron.
Date: until 11 June 2023. Location: Room 46,The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London,WC2N 5DN. Price: Free. Book now.
Hallyu! The Korean Wave
Image: Hallyu! The Korean Wave. October 2022. © MTotoe.
#FLODown: Experience the dynamic and colourful popular culture of South Korea at Hallyu! The Korean Wave. The exhibition offers the opportunity to explore the rise of the Korean Wave through cinema, drama, music, and fandoms. See K-drama props, posters, photography, sculpture, fashion, and energetic videos of Gangnam style! Discover the historical context of the Korean Wave, from a war-ravaged country in the late 1950s to a leading cultural powerhouse by the early 2000s.
Date: until 25 June 2023 Location: Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL. Book now.
Thin Air
Image: Thin Air, March 2023. © MTotoe
#FLODown:Experience the groundbreaking fusion of art and technology at Thin Air exhibition. Explore interconnected environments spanning 55,000 square feet, showcasing the works of seven contemporary artists. Curated by renowned digital artist Alex Czetwertynski and produced in collaboration with That Right There, Thin Air is a must-see at Beams, a new cultural venue by Broadwick Live. Don't miss this exploration of hidden complexities through light, sound, and experimental media.
Date: until 4 June 2023. Location: The Beams, Factory Rd, E16 2HB. Price: from £20. Concessions available. Book now.
Private and Public: Finding the Modern British Garden
Image: Gilbert Spencer (1892-1979), Trees at Garsington, c. 1925. Image courtesy of Liss Llewellyn
#FLODown: Are you a fan of beautiful gardens? If so, you won't want to miss this spectacular exhibition showcasing stunning paintings of British gardens. From enchanting hidden gems to expansive public spaces, these works, created between the First and Second World War, feature renowned artists like Eric Ravilious, famous for his breathtaking portrayals of the Sussex landscape, and pioneering artist Evelyn Dunbar, who captured the hard work of the Women’s Land Army during World War II.
Date: 22 March - 4 Jun 2023. Location: Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB. Price: from £11. Concessions available. Book now.
Morgan Otagburuagu: In Bloom
Image: Blush, Morgan Otagburuagu. Image courtesy of Doyle Wham and the artist
#FLODown: Doyle Wham is showcasing the first global exhibition of Nigerian self-taught photographer, Morgan Otagburuagu, featuring his latest series In Bloom, which explores the cyclical nature of life and death through the symbolism of flowers. The series represents a move towards rebirth and re-emergence after the artist's personal tragedy of losing both parents in 2021. In Bloom also has a powerful message about the beauty of dark Black skin, reflecting the artist's commitment to combating colourism in his work.
Date: until 10 June 2023. Location: 91a Rivington Street,EC2A 3AY. Price: Free.
David Adjaye: Yaawa
Image: David Adjaye: Yaawa, May 2023. © MTotoe
#FLODown: Carpenters Workshop Gallery has opened its new London location in Ladbroke Hall, and to celebrate, they are showcasing the latest collection by the renowned architect David Adjaye in a solo exhibition. The exhibition will feature eight limited-edition works cast in bronze, including a chair, dining table, and coffee table. The collection, named Yaawa, pays tribute to bronze's rich history in African craft and weaponry, with each piece expanding on this tradition through its form and function in space. Adjaye aims to honour this lineage while also offering a fresh perspective on the material, reflecting his recent experimentation with his ongoing Monoform series while delving into the materiality of bronze.
Date: until 10 June 2023. Location: Ladbroke Hall, 70 Barlby Road, W10 6AZ. Price: Free.
Darryl Daley: What You See Here / What You Hear Here
Image: Darryl Daley: What You See Here / What You Hear Here, NOW Gallery.
#FLODown: Daley is a filmmaker known for interweaving moving image, photography, and sound to create a diasporic narrative. His work, on show at NOW Gallery consists of 4 filmic works that survey his visual practice to date, as well as newly commissioned works. The exhibition is titled What You See Here / What You Hear Here and explores the concept of home, identity, and memory through the perspective of a second-generation individual.
Date: until 11 June 2023. Location: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ. Price: Free.
Campbell Addy: I ❤ Campbell
Image: Campbell Addy: I ❤ Campbell. @180.studios
#FLODown: 180 Studios is hosting the first solo exhibition of fashion photographer Campbell Addy, who has gained international acclaim over the past eight years. The exhibition showcases a new series of iconic images and a short film, shot in Ghana, which reflects on the artist's roots and inspirations. Addy, who founded Nii Journal and Nii Agency after graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016, is known for his alternative perspective on beauty and style in the fashion industry. He has photographed influential figures such as Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, and Meghan Markle for publications like Vogue, Harpers, Wall Street Journal, Dazed and i-D.
Date: 11 May - 4 June 2023. Location: 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA. Price: £10. Concessions available. Book now.
Your Presence Does Not Escape Me
Image: Your Presence Does Not Escape Me, @tiwanicontemporary
#FLODown: Last chance to catch this group exhibition at Tiwani Contemporary featuring three female artists: Charmaine Watkiss from the UK, Delita Martin from the US, and Tessa Mars from Haiti. Drawing is a central element of each artist's practice, which then extends into other forms such as painting, printmaking, and caste sculpture. The artists' bodies of work explore the representation of black women as real or fictional protagonists, whose presence prompts reflection on a short or recurring pictorial narrative.
Date: 10 May 2023 – 3 June 2023. Location: Tiwani Contemporary,Gallery 6, 4 Cromwell Pl, South Kensington, London SW7 2JE. Price: Free. Book now.
Soojin Kang: To be you, whoever you are
Image: Soojin Kang, To Be You, Whoever You Are, 2023 (Installation View). Photograph © Grey Hutton. Courtesy the artist and Gathering
#FLODown: To be you, whoever you are features new textile sculptures by Korean artist Soojin Kang that explore the sculptural possibilities of textiles through weaving, knotting, winding, and unwinding. The sculptures, made from hand-dyed linen, jute, and silk, resemble totems and busts on the first floor and larger-than-life-sized bodies on the ground floor. Kang's use of textiles blurs the boundaries between the natural and synthetic, human and organic, and interior and exterior. She challenges the assumption that weaving is a subordinate art form associated with femininity, instead creating unruly forms that erupt into sculpture. The sculptures embody emotions and vulnerability, demanding the viewer's recognition.
Click here to read our interview with Soojin Kang.
Date: 11 May –17 June 2023. Location: Gathering Gallery, 5 Warwick Street, London, W1B 5LU . Price: Free.
Nalini Malani: My Reality is Different
Image: Nalini Malani. My Reality is Different, 2022. Video projection. © Nalini Malani
#FLODown: Enter a mesmerising world of artistry and imagination with Nalini Malani's exhibition, My Reality is Different. The exhibition space is engulfed in deep black, serving as a striking backdrop to the monumental artwork that spans over 40m of wall. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a collection of 25 new animations, expertly crafted to create a panorama of nine large video projections that play in a continuous loop. Drawing from a unique selection of famous paintings at the National Gallery and the Holburne Museum in Bath, Malani's animations are nothing short of stunning. The exhibition's title, Nalini Malani: My Reality is Different, is inspired by a phrase often associated with Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, where the Cheshire Cat famously states, 'I'm not crazy, my reality is different from yours.’
Location: Sunley Room,The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London,WC2N 5DN. Date: 2 March – 11 June 2023. Price: Free.
