10 Great New Exhibitions To See In London This Month

The 80s: Photographing Britain

Tate Britain

This exhibition traces the work of a diverse community of photographers, collectives and publications, creating radical responses to the turbulent Thatcher years.

At the time, photography was used as a tool for social change, political activism, and artistic and photographic experiments. See powerful images that gave voice and visibility to underrepresented groups in society set against the backdrop of race uprisings, the miner strikes, section 28, the AIDS pandemic and gentrification.

when: 21st November until 5th May
website: www.tate.org

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Natural History Museum

Always a highlight, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcases nature in all its most glorious, wondrous and fun. Alongside the stunning photography, you’ll discover through soundscapes, films and expert insights, the diversity and beauty of life on Earth and what we can do together to protect it.

when: 11th October until 29th June
website: www.nhm.ac.uk

Picasso Printmaker

British Museum

One of the most influential painters of the 20th century, some of his lesser-known work was in prints, of which he made over 2,400 during his career.

Picasso’s focus on lithography and then linocut printing following the Second World War is explored, as is his move to the South of France. Thematic threads include the circus, the bullfight, love and sex, and Picasso’s interactions on paper with artists from the past. 

when: November 7th – March 30th
website: www.britishmuseum.org

Lost Gardens of London

The Garden Museum

This exhibition explores the secret history of some of London’s most beguiling forgotten gardens, from Britain’s first ecological park at Tower Bridge to a botanical garden near Waterloo Station.

Guest curated by landscape architect and historian Dr Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, Lost Gardens of London will explore this legacy and reveal tantalising glimpses of some of the rich and varied gardens that once embellished the metropolis.

When: 23rd October to 2nd March
website: www.gardenmuseum.co.uk

The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence

V&A

This major exhibition will celebrate the creative output and internationalist culture of the Golden Age of the Mughal Court, ranging from about 1560 to 1660 during the reigns of its most famous emperors: Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. 

Hindu and Muslim artists and craftsmen from the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent worked with Iranian masters in the masculine environment of the royal workshops. Their very different traditions were combined to produce a radically new, and rapidly evolving style of art for the court. 

when: From 9th November
website: www.vam.ac.uk

Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael

Royal Acadamy

The three most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance were often in competition with one another, and yet only crossed paths briefly while competing for the attention of the most powerful patrons in Republican Florence.

This exhibition tells the story of the rivalry between Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, and their impact on the younger Raphael, featuring some of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance drawing, and the studies by Leonardo and Michelangelo for their murals commissioned by the Florentine government for the newly constructed council hall in the Palazzo Vecchio.

when: 9th November – 16th February
website: www.royalacadamy.co.uk

Mike Kelley

Tate Modern

Mike Kelley might be the most influential modern artist you’ve never heard of. From the late 1970s to 2012, Kelley made a diverse body of work using drawing, collage, performance, found objects, and video.

Spanning Kelley’s entire career, the exhibition features his breakthrough sculptures made from textile and plush toys through to his multi-media installations such as Day Is Done.

Drawing on references from popular and underground culture, literature, and philosophy, Kelley explores how the roles we play in society are entangled with historical facts and imaginary characters from the films and images we consume.

when: 3rd October until 9th March
website: www.tate.org.uk

The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998

Barbican

This landmark group exhibition seen at the Barbican was made in response to India’s changing cultural-political landscape during pivotal years.

Featuring artwork by over 30 Indian artists, this major exhibition is bookended by two transformative events in India’s history: Indira Gandhi’s declaration of a state of emergency in 1975 and the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998. The fraught period between these years was marked by social upheaval, economic collapse, and rapid urbanisation.

where: 5th October until 5th January
website: www.barbican.org

Anastasia Samoylova: Adaptation

Saatchi Gallery

This is the first major survey of works by contemporary American photographer Anastasia Samoylova, curated by Taous R. Dahmani. It presents works from five of Samoylova’s most significant series, as well as compelling video work previously unseen in the UK.

She directs a frank and curious gaze at evidence of the environment adapting to human intervention and, correspondingly, at our social and political reluctance to respond to a rapidly changing plane.

When: November 5th until 20th January
website: www.saatchigallery.com