Britain – London especially – is home to some of the world’s best art galleries, most of which are in buildings that are works of art in their own right. From the classic (Van Gogh) to the contemporary (Yayoi Kusama), there’s plenty to see and do in July.
Masterpiece / Royal Hospital Chelsea
June 30th – July 5th, 2022
One of London’s cornerstone art fairs, Masterpiece is back at the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London from June 30th – July 5th, 2022. Masterpiece London once again becomes a global hub for international art world figures to come together to share ideas, stories and collections across the breadth of art history.
Rana Begum: ‘Dappled Light’ / Pitzhanger Manor
Until 23rd September 2022
At Pitzhanger Manor, artist Rana Begum’s captivating solo show is a theatrical dialogue between the artist’s colour-drenched installations and the iconic architecture of Sir John Soane. Staged both indoors and outdoors, ‘Dappled Light’ is a lesson in how art can toy with light, form and colour. Over on London City Island, Begum has installed ‘Catching Colour’, a vibrant, cloud-like public installation for The Line.
Africa Fashion / V&A
From 2nd July 2022
From groundbreaking designs to historic garments, this exhibition explores the incredible landscape of African fashion over a 70-year period. Rare designs, fashion photography and varied textiles are all on display, plus there’s a spotlight on some of the trailblazing designers contributing to African fashion today.
Grown Up in Britain: 100 Years of Teenage Kicks / Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
From 1st July 2022
Curated by and drawn from the extensive photographic collections of the Museum of Youth Culture, the exhibition is centered around public submissions representing people’s personal experiences of being young from across Britain, collected as part of the museum’s ongoing ‘Grown up in Britain’ campaign. We’ve all been young once, from first loves to first jobs, Saturday hangouts to family holidays. A whirlwind nostalgic romance.
Kusama-rama: Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro
4th June – 31st July 2022
The infinity rooms at Tate Modern may be sold out but here’s a chance to see work by Yayoi Kusama for free (and without having to wait months for your slot). Expect trademark bronze pumpkins, painted soft sculptures and dots aplenty. The queen of polka dots’ work is exhibited alongside the figurative paintings of Chantal Joffe at the same gallery.
Prize photography: Deutsche Borse Prize / The Photographers’ Gallery
25th June – 26th September 2022
Cao Fei is one of the finalists. Photo credit: Cao Fei, Vitamin Creative Space and Sprüth Magers.
Covering themes of conflict, urban housing, technology and identity, this year’s line up for the coveted Deutsche Borse Photography Prize 2021 is as diverse as ever. Among the thought-provoking photographers is Cao Fei — auteur of surreal, darkly humorous dystopian fictions — and Zineb Sedira, who combines the personal with the globally political.
