What’s on at V&A South Kensington this summer 2024
This summer, the V&A Museum in London has an exciting lineup of exhibitions. Highlights include a tribute to fashion icon Naomi Campbell, an exploration of pop star Taylor Swift's fashion journey, and a showcase of Sir Elton John and David Furnish's photography collection. Here's your guide to the art exhibitions at the V&A Museum in South Kensington for Summer 2024.
Taylor Swift: Songbook Trail
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Image still from willow music video, 2020. Courtesy of TAS Rights Management, LLC.
#FLODown: An exhibition dedicated to pop star Taylor Swift will be on display at V&A South Kensington in July. Featuring 16 iconic looks from her personal collection, the free exhibition vividly traces Swift's fashion evolution from her early days in country music to her global pop sensation status.Curated displays showcase the interplay between Swift's costumes and the V&A's rich collections, offering a compelling exploration of her creative journey and cultural influence. Click here for more.
Date: 27 July 2024 - 8 September 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: Free. vam.ac.uk.
Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence
Unity Hall, KNUST, Kumasi by John Owuso Addo and Miro Marasović - film still from Tropical Modernism_ Architecture and Independence, © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.jpegUnity Hall, KNUST, Kumasi by John Owuso Addo and Miro Marasović.
#FLODown: Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence examines the style pioneered by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew in post-World War II West Africa and India. Stemming from British colonial influence, this minimalist architectural approach, tailored for tropical climates, became a symbol of progress and cultural independence for newly liberated nations.
Date: 2 March – 22 September 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: from £14. Book now.
Naomi: In Fashion
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NAOMI is at the V&A, 22 June 2024 – 6 April 2025. Photographer Marco Bahler.
#FLODown: NAOMI: In Fashion celebrates Naomi Campbell's extraordinary 40-year career with over 100 iconic outfits. Highlights include her look from Sarah Burton's Alexander McQueen show, the pink Valentino ensemble worn at the 2019 Met Gala, and the infamous Vivienne Westwood platform shoes from her memorable 1993 catwalk mishap. The exhibition features designs by Versace, Anna Sui, Azzedine Alaïa, Burberry, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Yves Saint Laurent, offering insights into Campbell's early career, activism, and support for emerging creatives, alongside striking fashion photography.
Click here for a visual preview.
Date: 22 June 2024 - 6 April 2025. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Click here for more fashion exhibitions to see in London right now.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection
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David LaChapelle, Elton John, Egg On His Face, New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle.
#FLODown: Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection features over 300 rare prints from modern and contemporary photography. Spanning from the 1950s onwards, the exhibition showcases works by Nan Goldin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, and others. It explores themes such as fashion, celebrity, and significant historical moments like the Civil Rights movement and AIDS activism. The collection includes intimate portraits of icons like Marilyn Monroe and Aretha Franklin, celebrating both poignant and uplifting moments in time, alongside images of gay joy and resilience.
Click here for a visual preview.
Date: 18 May 2024 - 5 January 2025. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: From £20. Concessions available. Under 12s Free. Book now.
Collect Art Fair · The Market at Elephant Park announces ‘Latino Weekends: Flavours and Finds’ · Flavour&Some X Control Room A · Highsnobiety’s Not In London · Paavo Järvi Conducts Stravinsky’s The Firebird · Young Barbican Takeover Festival 2025 · Winter Sculpture Park · Leigh Bowery! · Claudia Pagès Rabal · Ella Kruglyanskaya · Dada Khanyisa · The Arts Society…
The timing of this exhibition could not be better. At the end of a long winter, and egging on London’s reluctant spring, the Saatchi Gallery brings us FLOWERS in full bloom…
Little Simz, one of the UK’s most innovative and celebrated artists, has been announced as the curator for the 30th edition of the Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival, set to take place in June 2025…
David Ottone is a Founding Member of Award-winning Spanish theatre company Yllana and has been the Artistic Director of the company since 1991. David has created and directed many theatrical productions which have been seen by more than two million spectators across 44 countries…
Darren Appiagyei is a London-based woodturner whose practice embraces the intrinsic beauty of wood, including its knots, cracks, bark, and grain. Highly inspired by Ghanaian wood carving, Darren explores raw textures and new woods in his work…
Huimin Zhang is an artist specialising in 22K gold, known for her innovative craftsmanship. She combines various cultural techniques, including filigree, engraving, and European gold and silver thread embroidery, to create unique works…
Photo London returns to Somerset House from 15-18 May 2025 to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a special edition that honours both London and its long-standing photographic traditions…
babirye bukilwa’s debut play is an unflinching expose of psychosis and manic depression, and the impact it can have on our relationships, love and identity…
Late at Tate: 80s Valentine’s Special · Valentine’s Day at the Natural History Museum · A Royal Valentine at the Queen’s House · St Valentine’s Day at the National Gallery · Twilight Tour at Sir John Soane’s Museum · Saatchi Lates: FLOWERS – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture
Art of London’s Art After Dark is set to light up London’s West End from 6th to 8th March 2025, bringing a free, immersive cosmic art experience by award-winning eco-feminist artist and experience designer, Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian.
Akinola Davies Jr. is a BAFTA-nominated British-Nigerian filmmaker, artist, and storyteller whose work explores identity, community, and cultural heritage. Straddling both West Africa and the UK, his films examine the impact of colonial history while championing indigenous narratives. As part of the global diaspora, he seeks to highlight the often overlooked stories of Black life across these two worlds.
Hannah Drakeford is a London-based interior designer known for her bold and colourful interiors. She transitioned from a 21-year retail design career to interior design, and has gained popularity on social media where she now shares creative upcycling tutorials and encourages individuality in home decor…
Tate has expanded its collection with the acquisition of Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo’s striking painting Blank Stare (2021) at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakec…
Body & Soul - Joan Snyder • Hew Locke: What Have We Here? • Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 • Turner Prize 2024 • Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 • Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily • Silk Roads • Matthias Groebel: Skull Fuck • Later Works - Jack Jubb • Greg Carideo: groundwork & 00:00:01
Serpentine Galleries has announced that Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum and her firm, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), have been selected to design the Serpentine Pavilion 2025. Titled A Capsule in Time, the Pavilion will be unveiled on 6 June 2025 at Serpentine South…
In 2025, Somerset House celebrates its 25th anniversary as a leading cultural and creative hub in London. This guide highlights the exhibitions and art fairs to look out for during this landmark year-long celebration.…
Shula Carter is an East London-based creative with a background in contemporary, ballet, and modern dance. She trained at the Vestry School of Dance and later at LMA London, where she developed skills in commercial, hip hop, and tap dance, alongside stage and screen performance…
Sadler’s Wells East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will feature innovative dance performances, education programmes, and community spaces as part of the East Bank cultural hub…
Gigi Surel is the founder of Teaspoon Projects, a groundbreaking cultural initiative launching in London with its first exhibition and programme. Dedicated to exploring contemporary storytelling, Teaspoon Projects blends visual arts and literature while encouraging audience participation through carefully curated events.
Dian Joy is a British-Nigerian interdisciplinary artist whose work delves into the intersections of identity, digital culture, and the fluid boundaries between truth and fiction. Her practice is rooted in examining how narratives evolve and shape perceptions, particularly in the digital age.
W London brings emerging local and international artists to Soho with exclusive performances at The Perception Bar.
What happens when we create our own version of the story? Looking for Giants is a play about the inner workings of our mind. Writer Cesca Echlin lifts the lid on what goes on inside our heads…
The V&A’s Fashion in Motion event celebrates the collaboration between designer Loweth and artist Hambling, with a tribute to Derek Jarman this January.
Casse-Croûte · Berenjak Borough · Lolo · Sollip · OMA · Camille · Aqua Shard · Rambutan ·Borough Market · White Cube · Fashion and Textile Museum · Science Gallery London · Cahoots · Labombe Wine Bar · Nine Lives · Oblix at The Shard
Barbican Conservatory · Sky Garden · Crossrail Place Roof Garden · Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens · Palm House at Kew Gardens · Temperate House at Kew Gardens
The Hayward Gallery has an exciting programme lined up for 2025, featuring bold and thought-provoking exhibitions. From pioneering feminist artists to acclaimed Japanese contemporary masters. Here’s what’s coming up…
The National Gallery will open overnight on January 17, 2025, for the final weekend of its sell-out exhibition, Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers.
Escapes brings free cinema experiences back for 2025, offering tickets to a special 4K screening of Point Break at over 150 UK cinemas, with more monthly screenings planned throughout the year.
Dian Joy is a British-Nigerian interdisciplinary artist whose work delves into the intersections of identity, digital culture, and the fluid boundaries between truth and fiction. Her practice is rooted in examining how narratives evolve and shape perceptions, particularly in the digital age.
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