Narrowing down your London art exhibitions must-see list is rarely easy, even in the quieter months on the art calendar. As summer enters full swing, stay up-to-date with our guide to the best London art shows in the city and around the UK in summer 2023.
The best London art exhibitions to see in summer 2023
'Between Worlds'
The Photographers' Gallery
Until 24 September
Still from Habitat game
Virtual worlds, briefly digital epicentres of user communities and all-consuming lifestyles lived online, tend to burn brightly before disappearing, hosting one last ‘end of the world’ party before the servers are permanently switched off.
The journey since the earliest online games – from Maze, the first 3D first-person game to be created, to PlayStation Home, WorldsChat and Myst Online – is now traced by a new London exhibition. ‘Between Worlds’, which opened this summer to mark the 20th anniversary of Second Life, a rare example of a still-active virtual world, explores these online communities.
Writer: Hannah Silver
thephotographersgallery.org.uk
Isaac Julien: ‘What Freedom Is to Me’
Tate Britain
Until 20 August 2023
Installation view, Isaac Julien, Once Again…(Statues Never Die), Tate Britain, 2023
Artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien’s Tate Britain retrospective ‘What Freedom Is to Me’ questions histories, and explores activism, but is also full of joy and beauty. The retrospective covers 40 years of work specialising in film, photography and installation explores activism, selfhood, how we make histories, knowledge and Black and queer identity, with exhibition design by Adjaye Associates.
Writer: Harriet Lloyd-Smith
Antony Caro: ‘The Inspiration of Architecture’
Pitzhanger Manor
Until 10 September 2023
Anthony Caro: 'The Inspiration of Architecture' at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Antony Caro was, undoubtedly, a revolutionary in sculpture, subverting existing conventions in material, surface and form. He was also a master of the intersection, proving how art and architecture are not mutually exclusive entities. Caro’s relationship with architecture is now being explored at Pitzhanger Manor, London through 16 key works created between 1983–2013. The sculptures engage in a choreography of sorts with Sir John Soane’s building, notably in Caro’s inclusion of coloured Perspex, which echoes Soane’s epic use of stained glass.
Writer: Harriet Lloyd-Smith
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Lumina brings made-in-Italy magic to lightingElegant and functional, Lumina lighting subtly transforms any interior
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Step into Andrew Cranston’s magical take on mundanity at The Hepworth Wakefield
As ‘Andrew Cranston: What made you stop here?’ opens at The Hepworth Wakefield, the artist tells us about seeing the extraordinary in the everyday
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Byredo introduces its first fine jewellery collection
Byredo fine jewellery launches with the ‘Virasaat’ collection, meaning ‘inheritance’, influenced by founder Ben Gorham’s Indian heritage
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Sarabande opens one-stop London store in time for the festive season
The Sarabande Foundation has opened a new permanent art, interiors and fashion store in London
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Now Gallery presents the vibrant culture of ‘A Young South Africa’ captured through the lens
Now Gallery’s ‘A Young South Africa, Human Stories’ showcases six inspiring photographers for the 2023
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‘Women in Revolt!’ at Tate Britain is a deliciously angry tour de force of feminist art
‘Women in Revolt!’ puts feminist art from 1970 – 1990 under the spotlight at Tate Britain
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From Nabokov to Miffy: Liu Ye on his cultural references
Artist Liu Ye tells us what inspires him, as his exhibition ‘Naive and Sentimental Painting’ is on show in London
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Christina Quarles on contorting your body to fit into the frame
Christina Quarles presents ‘Tripping Over My Joy’ at Pilar Corrias’ new flagship Mayfair space
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V&A East announces ‘The Music Is Black: A British Story’, its first major exhibition
London’s V&A East to examine the cultural impact of Black British music with its inaugural exhibition in 2025
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Hiroshi Sugimoto reflects on time and truth ahead of his London retrospective
As ‘Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine’ opens at Hayward Gallery, the artist tells us of his guiding force, and why his Seascapes always end up in the bedroom
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MJ Harper’s performance piece at London’s Koko will close Frieze Week in style
Artist MJ Harper will premiere ‘Arias for a New World’ at Koko in London this Sunday, 15 October 2023
