With access to hundreds of museums and galleries a tube ride away, we Londoners are spoilt for choice when it comes to a fun day out. But sometimes the capital’s embarrassment of riches means it’s tricky to pick where to go.
Do you disappear into the National Gallery for an afternoon, pop by some of the independent galleries in Marylebone, explore East London’s exciting offerings, or wander around the Tate?
Look no further every week: here’s our pick of five extraordinary exhibitions to see in London right now.
Embodied Forms: Painting Now
Promising to be a visual treat, seven international artists including Carolina Aguirre, Dean Fox, Olga Grotova and Michael Ho, use paint to explore the body’s many forms and its relationship with its environment.
Thaddaeus Ropac, to September 28; ropac.net
Vital Force
Featuring artists including El Anatsui, Kenji Yoshida, LR Vandy, Romuald Hazoumè, Golnaz Fathi, Jukhee Kwon and William S Burroughs, Vital Force is a selection of artworks that tell stories of drama, power and life forces in bright colours, thought-provoking sculptures and collages made of gold, blues and iridescent whites.
October Gallery, to September 28; octobergallery.co.uk
Donna Huddleston: Company
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An exhibition of new works by London-based artist Donna Huddleston, Company is a series of paintings and works on paper that play with ideas around performance, impermanence and memory. Belfast-born Huddleston previously worked in theatrical set and costume design.
White Cube Mason’s Yard, to September 28; whitecube.com
Simnikiwe Buhlungu: hygrosummons (iter.01), 2024
In installation, sculpture, and sound works, South African, Amsterdam-based artist Simnikiwe Buhlungu explores knowledge, history, and ecology using materials such as pine, clay, paper and bamboo. Buhlungu is interested in the way water is absorbed and released – hygrosummons is an investigation of its movement through various materials.
Chisenhale Gallery, to November 3; chisenhale.org.uk
Flora Yukhnovich and François Boucher: The Language of the Rococo
This lovely exhibition of new works by British artist Flora Yukhnovich comprises two large-scale, semi-abstract oil paintings, which respond to two paintings by François Boucher (1703-1770), a French Rococo painter. Perfect for this end of summer season, the exquisite flower paintings will lift the spirits.
