Exploring an art exhibit is a way to stimulate the mind as it encourages viewers to reflect on their own lives, forge connections, and encounter fresh perspectives, as noted by Forbes. This experience allows art enthusiasts to connect more with themselves and the broader world.
Additionally, these exhibits serve as an outlet to discover new artists and their works, offering fresh ideas through innovative styles and techniques, said Maya Gallery. This enables exhibition designers to explore creative approaches in curating displays that highlight the work of these emerging artists.
London is a long-standing centre for artistic innovation and cultural expression that embodies these experiences. According to the official website of the Mayor of London, the city is home to over 192 museums, including three of the world’s ten most-visited institutions –making it an ideal destination for art enthusiasts seeking inspiration and cultural insight.
In this setting, whether one is captivated by immersive installations, iconic masterpieces, or emerging voices in the art world, this article will highlight ten must-see exhibits in London.
What is an Art Exhibition?
According to the independent contemporary art gallery Byard Art, art exhibitions are platforms that allow artists to showcase their work to a wider audience. These exhibitions can occur in various locations, including traditional galleries and large open spaces across the globe.
The exhibition may feature works by individual artists, artworks centered around a specific topic or theme, pieces from a particular era, creations in a defined medium, works from a specific geographic region, or a combination of these elements, as noted by a learning resource, KU Libraries.
The art exhibit features a variety of items, including:
- Sculptures
- Artefacts and antiques
- Paintings
- Illustrations
- Modern art prints
- Interactive art
- Live performances
In essence, an art exhibit serves as a valuable learning experience for art aficionados, allowing them to discover and explore a variety of styles and techniques across different mediums.
Upcoming Art Exhibitions in London
As London continues to be a vibrant hub for creativity, 2025 promises an exciting array of art exhibitions that showcase diverse artistic expressions. Listed below are the upcoming art exhibitions happening in the city in 2025.
Solo Art Exhibitions
Naturalist Gallery defines a solo art exhibition as an exhibit that allows an artist to showcase their work individually. This type of exhibit either displays a distinct collection of works, or emphasises a significant phase of an artist’s development.
1. Mickalene Thomas: All About Love
All About Love features over twenty years of artwork by an international artist and pioneering portraitist, Mickalene Thomas.
She is known for her large-scale acrylic paintings depicting Black women in moments of luxuriating and repose, highlighted by London’s biggest art centre, Southbank Centre.
The Broad, a contemporary art museum, notes that the art exhibit takes its name and many of its themes from the influential work by feminist writer Bell Hooks, where love is viewed as a dynamic process grounded in healing, paving a path away from domination and toward shared liberation.
This is highlighted in Thomas’s expertise and innovation in mixed-media painting, collage, installation, and photography.
The following details of Mickalene Thomas: All About Love are as follows:
- Address: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road
- Date: 11 February – 5 May 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
2. Christina Kimeze
A London-based painter, Christina Kimeze is launching her first solo exhibition at the South London Gallery in January 2025.
Kimeze is known for her innovative use of unconventional surface materials, exploring interiority, oneness, and belonging through texture and luminosity, as highlighted by a contemporary and modern art gallery, Hauser & Wirth.
Her paintings mostly feature female figures immersed in natural settings or placed within abstracted interiors, emphasising architectural elements or patterns, as referenced by Art Daily.
The artist draws inspiration from friends, family, and herself to create central figures that embody the exploration of existing between two emotional spaces, capturing the feelings of "otherness" that arise from this experience.
See details of Christina Kimeze’s solo exhibit to discover more:
- Address: South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH
- Date: 31 January– 11 May 2025
- Ticket Price: Free
Collective Exhibitions
Collective or group exhibitions focus on presenting works by multiple artists, both contemporary and historical. These artists share a common theme, artistic movement, or specific historical and cultural context.
3. Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism
This collective exhibition highlights Brazilian artists who have been underrepresented in the United Kingdom, according to the Royal Academy Art Institution in London.
Among the featured artists are Tarsila do Amaral and Anita Malfatti, along with self-taught creators Alfredo Volpi and Djanira. The exhibition also includes Afro-Brazilian artist Ruben Valentim and performance artist Flávio de Carvalho, showcasing a rich tapestry of artistic expression from Brazil.
Moreover, Brazilian artists merged contemporary trends, global influences, and traditional practices to create a new modern art form. Brazilian everyday life became the focus of this new modern art exhibition, with artists drawing inspiration from Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian culture.
This group exhibition is set to show 130 works in Burlington House, featuring paintings, photographs, films and audio-stations.
The specifics of Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism exhibit is listed below:
- Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly
- Date: 28 January – 21 April 2025
- Ticket Price: £23.50-£25.50
4. Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300‒1350
In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery, a reunion of 14th-century Italian paintings is set to take place in Spring 2025.
Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300‒1350 highlights the contributions of Sienese artists to the European art scene, featuring key figures such as Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, and brothers Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
According to Met Museum, the collection ranges from monumental works designed for public display to more intimate pieces created for personal devotion. Although none of these artists lived beyond the plague of circa 1350, their contributions left a profound and lasting influence on painters and theorists in the centuries to come.
The exhibition will present over 100 works, including paintings, sculptures, metalwork, and textiles.
Listed below are the details of the Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300‒1350 art exhibit:
- Address: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
- Date: 8 March ‒ 22 June 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
Retrospective Art Exhibitions
A retrospective art exhibit features an artist’s entire career, allowing audiences to understand the artist’s evolution over time, as defined by The Marshall Gallery.
5. Noah Davis
A retrospective exhibition of Noah Davis’s work showcases a selection of his figurative paintings traversing from his first exhibition in 2007 to his death in 2015. Davis is renowned for his work that explores various aspects of Black life –exposing his desire to represent the people in his community.
The collective pieces of Davis offer a glimpse into the diverse interests and influences that shaped both Davis’s paintings and curatorial practice.
A contemporary art gallery, David Zwirner, states that the exhibit will feature several collages based on the Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris, along with abstract drawings and collages that reflect the artist's playful approach to referentiality.
Find the details regarding Noah Davis’s exhibit below:
- Address: Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
- Date: 6 February – 11 May 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
6. Linder: Danger Came Smiling
In celebration of Linder's 50-year career, The Hayward Gallery presents her first-ever retrospective in London.
According to a news organisation, Art Daily, Linder's unique style is marked by playful irreverence as she explores the sexual commodification of women's bodies in magazine culture. Her work examines changing views on lifestyles, sex, food, and fashion.
The Linder: Danger Came Smiling spans the artist’s entire artistic journey, from her early photomontages created during Manchester's 1970s punk scene to her latest digital montages debuting for the first time.
It showcases the full scope of her work, encompassing montage, photography, performance, and sculpture, as noted by a renowned arts centre, Southbank Centre.
The exhibit details for Linder: Danger Came Smiling are as listed:
- Address: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX
- Date: 11 Feb – 5 May 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
Immersive Art Exhibitions
As stated by an online marketplace, Avant Arte, immersive art is a form of creative expression that provides viewers with a thoughtfully designed, multi-sensory environment. It engages viewers on a sensory level, frequently incorporating technology.
7. The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh
London-based artist Do Ho Suh is set to showcase his immersive artworks, featuring thought-provoking pieces that explore the concepts of home, personal identity, and how people navigate and experience the spaces they inhabit, as emphasised by Ocula.
He explores the complex relationship between architecture, space, the human body, and the memories that shape a person’s identity, examining how these elements influence and define who individuals become.
The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh will take art enthusiasts on a journey from Seoul to New York, passing through London, featuring life-sized replicas of Suh’s homes from his past and present homes in each city.
This exhibition spans various mediums, including large-scale installations, sculptures, videos, and drawings, as mentioned by a global and media entertainment platform, Time Out.
Find the details of The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh below:
- Address: Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
- Date: 1 May – 26 October 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
8. Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land
Citra Sasmita is an Indonesian artist who explores the traditional Kamasan painting technique –a method originating in the fifteenth century and has historically been practised solely by men, according to a leading contemporary art platform, Ocula.
By reclaiming this traditionally male-dominated art form, Sasmita’s immersive art exhibition reflects her commitment to deconstructing myths about Balinese culture and addressing its violent colonial history, said Barbican, a performing arts centre.
She also challenges gender hierarchies and reimagines mythologies, featuring female figures who inhabit a post-patriarchal world.
The exhibition unfolds across multiple mediums—painting, sculptural installations, embroidery, and scent—leading visitors on an immersive journey through the 90-metre-long gallery, highlighted by a contemporary art gallery, Yeo Workshop. It delves into ancestral memory, ritual, and migration themes, offering a rich, multi-sensory experience.
Listed below are details of Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land:
- Address: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
- Date: 30 January – 20 April 2025
- Ticket Price: Free
Duo-Art Exhibitions
A duo exhibition, also referred to as a two-person show, is an art exhibit featuring the work of two artists. This type of exhibition creates an artistic conversation between the two artists, making them the central focus of a single event.
9. Kiefer / Van Gogh
Next summer, the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London will host the first-ever exhibition uniting the works of Vincent van Gogh and Anselm Kiefer. This exhibit marks a rare opportunity to experience the creations of both artists side by side, as emphasised by an art gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac.
To provide some background on the connection between the two artists, Van Gogh has deeply influenced Kiefer, especially after receiving a travel grant to follow in the footsteps of the Post-Impressionist icon.
Van Gogh’s work has significantly shaped the themes and techniques in Kiefer’s monumental paintings and sculptures, pulling inspiration from history, mythology, literature, philosophy, and science.
In 2025, Kiefer / Van Gogh will be the first exhibition to explore the influence of Van Gogh on Kiefer, featuring works by both artists, including previously unseen pieces by Kiefer.
The details of the Kiefer / Van Gogh can be found below:
- Address: The Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD
- Date: 28 June – 26 October 2025
- Ticket Price: TBC
Juried Art Exhibition
A juried art show is an event where artists demonstrate their work to a panel of judges, known as jurors. These judges are typically other artists or art experts, including museum curators and gallery owners.
10. London Art Biennale: VII Edition
A prime example of a juried art exhibit is the London Art Biennale: VII Edition, bringing together various contemporary art forms from artists across the globe.
The Biennale offers a platform for artists to gain recognition and for audiences to engage with thought-provoking works, all while celebrating creativity and promoting the power of art.
The exhibition is held once every two years on the historic King’s Road in Chelsea, providing a museum-quality award show featuring pieces from 400 contemporary artists, as highlighted by The London Art Biennale.
Find the details of the juried London Art Biennale: VII Edition art exhibit below:
- Address: King’s Road, Chelsea
- Date: 16th – 20th July 2025
- Ticket Price: Free
Exploring the Must-See Art Exhibits in London
London is a vibrant hub for art enthusiasts in 2025, promising an exhilarating year filled with contemporary and historical works. Whether drawn to innovative installations, celebrated masters, or emerging talents, the ten art exhibits mentioned above offer something for everyone.
It is important to view art exhibitions as valuable learning experiences that deepen one’s understanding of artistic expression, cultural narratives, and the historical contexts that shape the art world. By immersing oneself in this dynamic art scene, one can gain insights into the factors that influence contemporary art.
Art Exhibit: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the best exhibitions in London?
According to Time Out, the best exhibitions in London currently include "Monet and London. Views of the Thames," "Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers," and a new piece by Tracey Emin titled "I Followed You To The End."
2. What Makes an Art Exhibition Stand Out?
One effective way to make an art exhibition stand out is by establishing a focal point—whether by placing a large piece of art in the middle of the room or arranging smaller pieces that tell a story, as noted by Conex, a provider of walling systems for exhibitions and galleries.
3. Where is the best art in London?
Some of London's best art can be found at renowned galleries such as Tate Modern, the National Gallery, and the Saatchi Gallery.
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