Wanderlust

A city of culture, London is home to some of the world’s most renowned art galleries which regularly host new, ground-breaking and engaging exhibitions. Whether you’re on the hunt for revolutionary portraits, captivating photography or universally recognised pieces from artists such as Van Gogh and Donatello, the capital’s galleries have it all. Here are the city’s best art exhibitions for 2023.

 

Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, the V&A

One of the masters of the Renaissance, Donatello is often regarded as history’s greatest and most influential sculptor. The V&A will be hosting the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to the artist, examining his life, work and cultural impact. Highlights include his early marble “David”, “An Adoring Angel” and other pieces sculpted from bronze, wood and terracotta on loan from esteemed museums around the world, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Bargello National Museum, Florence.

From 11th February

 

Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle, the Barbican

Alice Neel, an American visual artist from the 20th century, is famed for her vivid portraits. Neel’s works depict a changing political and social landscape and celebrate marginalised groups of her time, from civil rights activists to Puerto Rican children she encountered throughout her life. In the first UK exploration of her work, more than 70 colourful pieces will be brought together, offering a closer look at the political changes that occurred in post-World War Two United States.

16th February to 21st May

 

After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art, The National Gallery

Coming to The National Gallery in spring, this exhibition aims to trace the lasting influence of three great painters from the 1880s to World War One: Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Examining subsequent generations of European artists, such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky, visitors will see vibrant artistic movements unfold in pieces on loan from distinguished galleries and museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

25th March to 13th August

 

Capturing the Moment, Tate Modern

Featuring works from accomplished artists such as Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Louise Lawler and Andy Warhol, this exhibition will realise the century-long relationship between photography and painting, two distinct mediums that these artists have used in tandem to create new and compelling artistic methods.

14th June, 2023 to 28th January, 2024

 

Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers, the Royal Academy of Arts

Discover unique artistic traditions that have been developed by 20th Century by Black artists from the American South, throughout their painful history. The exhibition will bring together sculptures, paintings and quilts from periods of time that witnessed slavery, segregation legislation dubbed the Jim Crow laws and institutionalised racism. It is a collaboration with the Souls Grown Deep foundation in Atlanta, which promotes art by Black artists.

17th March to 18th June

Discover great artists throughout history in London’s best exhibitions while staying at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel.