Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
London is a cultural hub that never ceases to amaze with its diverse and dynamic art scene. Whether you are looking for cutting-edge contemporary art, historical masterpieces, or something in between, there is something for everyone in the British capital. Here are five art events that you should not miss this February 2024.
Barbara Kruger at the Serpentine Gallery
Barbara Kruger is one of the most influential and recognisable artists of our time. Her bold combination of image and text, often in red, white, and black, challenges the viewer to question the assumptions and ideologies of consumerism, media, and power. In her first major UK exhibition in over 20 years, Kruger transforms the Serpentine Gallery into an immersive environment, where her past works are reconfigured as video and sound installations. The result is a provocative and engaging experience that invites you to think critically about the world around you. Barbara Kruger is at the Serpentine Gallery, Feb 1-Mar 17 2024. Free.
Entangled Pasts at the Royal Academy of Arts
How has art shaped the narratives of empire, enslavement, resistance, abolition, and colonialism over the past 250 years? This is the question that Entangled Pasts, the Royal Academy’s first major exhibition of the year, aims to answer. The show brings together works by artists from the African diaspora and Europe, from the eighteenth century to the present day, to explore the complex and often contradictory histories of these themes. Among the highlights are paintings by Joshua Reynolds and JMW Turner, sculptures by Yinka Shonibare and Kara Walker, and installations by John Akomfrah and Sonia Boyce. Entangled Pasts is at the Royal Academy of Arts, Feb 3-Apr 28 2024. £22.
Aria Dean: Abattoir at the ICA
Aria Dean is a young American artist who uses digital media to examine the relationships between architecture, power, and race. In her debut UK exhibition, she presents a trippy video journey through a 3D animated abattoir, where the viewer encounters various scenes of violence, horror, and absurdity. The abattoir, according to Dean, represents “structuralised death as a cornerstone of modern life”, and the video is a metaphor for the systemic oppression and exploitation of Black people in the West. Aria Dean: Abattoir is at the ICA, Feb 8-May 5 2024. £5.
Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads at the Courtauld Gallery
Frank Auerbach is one of the most important artists of twentieth-century Britain, and a key figure of the “School of London” movement, alongside Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud. Known for his thick and expressive application of paint, Auerbach also experimented with charcoal in the 1950s and 1960s, creating some of his early masterpieces. This exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery, which reopens after a major renovation, showcases a selection of Auerbach’s charcoal portraits, mostly of his friends and family. The works reveal the artist’s intense and intimate observation of his subjects, as well as his remarkable skill and sensitivity. Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads is at the Courtauld Gallery, Feb 9-May 12 2024.
Yoko Ono at Tate Modern
Yoko Ono is a legendary artist, activist, and musician, whose career spans more than six decades. She is widely regarded as a pioneer of conceptual art, performance art, and experimental music, and a champion of peace and social justice. In this retrospective at Tate Modern, you can explore Ono’s diverse and influential oeuvre, from her early works in Japan and New York, to her collaborations with John Lennon, to her recent projects that invite public participation. The exhibition also features some of Ono’s iconic works, such as Cut Piece, Imagine Peace Tower, and Bed-In. Yoko Ono is at Tate Modern, Feb 14-Jun 9 2024.
