Top 10 Exhibitions to See in London This Autumn

gallery, Entertainment

This city is bustling with fantastic art galleries and museums. Interested in viewing a valuable Picasso? A Pollock masterpiece? A display of a haunting future in the metaverse? A video piece discussing the drawbacks of consumerism? You can discover it all right here in this cityscape. The museums of London's are fully operational once more, and the local art businesses are thriving.

In addition to their awe-inspiring collections, it's worth noting that most galleries and museums are almost all free of charge, making them not only culturally enriching but also incredibly accessible for everyone to enjoy. Let's embark on an exploration of the top ten must-see exhibitions this autumn, where art and culture enthusiasts can immerse themselves in a world of creativity and inspiration.

1. Christina Quarles, Tripping Over My Joy at Pilar Corrias Conduit Street

Quarles' collection delves into identity and representation through painting, fusing traditional techniques with digital influences. Her artwork captures L.A.'s light, color, and familiar elements like swimming pools and sunsets in intricate compositions. These densely painted canvases invite contemplation of complex forms and the nuances of identity, particularly from the perspective of a queer, multiracial woman in evolving social contexts. Some pieces, such as "Too Hot to Hoot" and "Burden Of Yer Own Making," tilt perspective and explore canvas qualities. Painted containers play with fragility, shedding light on Quarles' approach to pattern, figuration, abstraction, and societal critique.

Pilar Corrias

Mayfair

51 Conduit Street

Until 16 Dec 2023

2. The UK's First Philip Guston Retrospective in Two Decades

Philip Guston's Tate Modern exhibit takes you on a captivating journey through over 50 years of his art, depicting the anxious and turbulent world he observed. In his early works, Guston tackled racism in America and global conflicts with powerful, thought-provoking pieces. This commitment to addressing social injustices within his art laid the foundation for his evolving style and themes. During the tumultuous 1960s, Guston experienced a significant artistic transformation. He grew critical of abstraction for becoming disconnected from the world's turbulent realities. This turning point led him away from abstraction and towards creating large-scale paintings featuring enigmatic, comic-like figures.

Tate Modern

Bankside

Until Feb 24 2024

3. Sara Lucas, Happy Gas at Tate Britain

Sarah Lucas, COOL CHICK BABY, 2020. Photo: Tate Britain, Collection of Alexander V. Petalas. Courtesy the artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London © Sarah Lucas

An audacious and compassionate journey into human nature by a prominent British artist. Sarah Lucas enjoys international acclaim for her audacious and thought-provoking manipulation of materials and imagery. For four decades, she's been reshaping our perceptions of sex, class, and gender through her unconventional use of everyday objects. This exhibition showcases her diverse body of work in sculpture, installations, and photography, allowing her narrative to transcend the confines of the 1990s Young British Art scene. With humor and audacity, Lucas fearlessly pushes boundaries, revealing the full spectrum of the human experience.

£17 / Free for Members

28 September 2023 – 14 January 2024

Tate Britain

Millbank

10.00–17.00 daily

4. El Anatsui: BEHIND THE RED MOON at Tate Modern

Celebrated artist El Anatsui presents "Behind the Red Moon" at Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, a monumental masterpiece. This intricate tapestry comprises thousands of metal bottle tops and fragments, meticulously crumpled, crushed, and skillfully stitched into breathtaking abstract compositions. Beyond its visual splendor, this commission delves into Anatsui's exploration of historical encounters and intercontinental trade, notably during the transatlantic slave trade.

Until 14-Apr-2024

Tate Modern

Bankside

5. Marina Abramovic at Royal Academy of Arts

Marina Abramović, an art visionary and pioneer in performance art, has mesmerized audiences for five decades by blurring the lines between her physical and mental boundaries. As an Honorary Royal Academician, she's gained global acclaim for pushing the limits of her endurance, often subjecting herself to exhaustion, pain, and near-death experiences. In her early masterpiece, Rhythm 0, she allowed the audience to interact with her in any way, including a moment when a loaded gun was placed against her temple.

Royal Academy

Main Galleries | Burlington House

23 Sep 2023 -

1 Jan 2024

6. Daisy Collingridge, Splanchnic at TJ Boulting

Collingridge explores the human form through sculpture, photography, and performance, emphasizing exaggerated flesh and limbs. Her new wall-based sculptures draw inspiration from Greek and Roman vases, Matisse's La Danse, and Pina Bausch's choreography, maintaining the theme of the human body. The term "Splanchnic" refers to abdominal organs, connecting the unfamiliar with what's within her own body. Collingridge's work brings hidden internal elements into the tangible external world, showcasing the fascination with the unknown aspects of our inner composition.

6 October - 11 November 2023

59 Riding House St,

Fitzrovia,

W1W 7EG

7. Lavar Munroe, Kurova Kuva at Jack Bell gallery

During a recent visit to Zimbabwe, Munroe experienced a Bira ceremony, a traditional practice among the Shona People. Through music, dance, and offerings, the ceremony aims to reconnect with the spirit of a deceased woman. Munroe's work delves into the ritual-myth of Kurova Guva, exploring themes of spirituality, ancestry, and communion. His immersive paintings combine various materials to convey these cultural connections, delving into themes of death, religion, and the celebration of life.

LAVAR MUNROE

KUROVA GUVA

10 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2023

13 Masons Yard, St. James's,

London SW1Y 6BU

8. Julie Mehretu, They departed for their own country another way (a 9x9x9 hauntology) at White Cube Bermondsey

Shifting her focus towards persistent conflicts, mass displacement, and the imbalances of power, Julie Mehretu draws inspiration from images found in contemporary news media. She particularly delves into the ongoing Ukrainian war and the tumultuous events of the US Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. In her solo exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey, titled 'They Embarked on a Different Path to Their Homeland (a 9x9x9 Hauntology),' Mehretu introduces three fresh series of paintings, each comprised of nine distinct pieces. These artworks are thoughtfully juxtaposed with a captivating sculpture by visual artist Nairy Baghramian within the 9x9x9 gallery, symbolizing an ongoing and engaging conversation between the two creative minds.

15 September – 5 November 2023

White Cube Bermondsey

144 – 152 Bermondsey Street

London SE1 3TQ

9. Will St John at Saatchi Yates

Evoking the opulent spirit of the French Rococo tradition, the artworks by St. John resonate with the genre's signature characteristics: a playful exploration of sensuous themes, the meticulous application of rich and intricate brushwork, and the infusion of a delicate pastel palette. St. John's canvas becomes a stage where Drag Queens and Trans models take center stage, elegantly coexisting with antique porcelain figurines, trinkets, and ethereal apparitions, all within a vibrant and eclectic realm deeply rooted in the world of classical painting. In a unique twist, some of St. John's portraits transcend the confines of mere paint and canvas; they are masterfully transformed into porcelain statues, snuff boxes, and lockets, effectively preserving their beauty in a timeless state.

13 September – 22 October 2023
Saatchi Yates
14 Bury Street SW1Y 6AL

10. Cui Jie, Thermal Landscapes at Pilar Corrias Savile Row

In her intricate compositions, Cui skillfully captures the interplay between man-made structures and organic forms. In two captivating paintings, mature and young giraffes share a nurturing moment, juxtaposed against architectural facades. The giraffes' skin patterns have evolved as a response to environmental heat, acting as thermal windows, directing blood flow efficiently. This showcases nature's intelligence, rivaling the technology in the background buildings.

Mayfair

Pilar Corrias

2 Savile Row

Until 4 November 2023

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