A selection of ten free exhibitions to visit in London while the shops are busy putting up their Christmas/Halloween/BonfireNight decorations.
Bowie and Beyond
Kingston Museum, Kingston upon Thames
(Open Thur-Sat only)
Note: exhibition ends 16th Sept.
When David Bowie took to the stage at the Toby Jug pub in February 1972, the 60 or so people in the room had little idea that they were witnessing history. 50 years on, Kingston Museum’s Bowie And Beyond exhibition looks at the remarkable moment that Ziggy Stardust was launched in Tolworth and the wider music and pop culture scene in the borough.
Maria Prymachenko
Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea
Note: exhibition ends 20th Sept.
The exhibition showcases paintings by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko, shown for the first time in the UK having been preserved by the artist’s family for more than fifty years.
Brian Clarke : A Great Light
Newport Street Gallery, Lambeth
An exhibition of works by Brian Clarke, who is widely regarded to be the most important artist working in stained glass today.
This spectacular new installation of the artist’s glass shows how flexible and wide-ranging the medium can truly be. His latest work is Ardath, a 42m2 wall of mouth-blown glass, bathing the gallery in light and colour, as flowering meadow motifs build up a rich and dense tapestry in etched glass.
Evelyn De Morgan: The Gold Drawings
Leighton House Museum, Kensington
The exhibition explores De Morgan’s unique practice of making gold drawings, showcasing 13 artworks loaned by the Trustees of the De Morgan Foundation and Victoria Dolorosa from the Leighton House collection. In addition, preparatory drawings for the figure of St. Francis made in pastel on paper are included to showcase De Morgan’s working method and skill as a draftswoman.
Wren at Work – Wren300 Exhibition
Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London
Visit this re-creation of Wren’s St Paul’s working ‘office’ and experience the intensity of a significant moment in the Capital’s history, the rebuilding of London and the new St Paul’s cathedral after the 1666 fire.
Re:Imagining Musicals
V&A Museum, South Kensington
This display celebrates the glittering world of musical theatre, exploring the evolution and craftmanship of iconic musicals, from Miss Saigon and My Fair Lady to modern classics SIX the Musical, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine
Science Museum, South Kensington
This exhibition explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed. See how scientists and researchers adapted to the various challenges of this massive programme.
The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea
Queen’s House, Greenwich
This exhibition celebrates these forgotten masters and their practice, marking 350 years since they arrived in England. It also reveals how the family’s legacy as renowned émigré artists transformed British visual culture and inspired future generations of artists including J.M.W. Turner.
Philip Cunningham’s ‘Lost East End’
Oxford House, Bethal Green
Lost East End is a new exhibition of photographs taken by Philip Cunningham in the 1970s. Philip was born and raised in the East End of London and in the 1970s became a youth worker at Oxford House while studying at Ravensbourne College.
Foe to Friend: The British Army in Germany since 1945
National Army Museum, Chelsea
More than a million British soldiers have lived and served in Germany over the past 75 years. Immerse yourself in their stories and follow their evolution from conquerors and occupiers to allies and friends.
British army museum is well worth a afternoon at, though beware the pricey cafe!
🤔 interesting. Thanks a lot).
This is a great list! Thanks.