Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look
The National Gallery, 8 August – 27 October
If, like us, you favour a small exhibition rather than a blockbuster, this bijoux slice of brilliance at The National Gallery is not to be missed. Comprising just three paintings, it brings together two of Hockney’s paintings – one showing his mother and father and the other depicting his friend, curator Henry Geldzahler – alongside the thread that binds them together: Piero della Francesca’s ‘The Baptism of Christ’. The idea is to slow down, to immerse yourself and really consider these three paintings and how they speak to one another. Free.
Image: David Hockney (born 1937), My Parents, 1977, Oil on canvas, 182.9 × 182.9 cm, Tate, purchased 1981, © David Hockney. Photo: Tate, London
Barbie: The Exhibition
The Design Museum, until 23 February 2023
As Barbie®, the world’s most famous doll turns 65, the Design Museum looks back at 250 objects that tell her story, from the rare inaugural 1959 doll to the iconic 1985 Day to Night Barbie to Mattel’s best-selling doll of all time (the 1992 Totally Hair Barbie). It traces the icon’s trajectory as she has reflected back our changing society, embracing both multiculturalism with the introduction of Black and Hispanic Barbies, as well as inclusivity, with the introduction of a Barbie with Down syndrome, a wheelchair-using Barbie, and a doll with a curvy body shape. Adult tickets from £14.38, children from £7.19. Free for members.
Image: 1984 Peaches ‘N Cream Barbie. © Mattel, Inc (1)
Grayson Perry: The Vanity Of Small Differences
Pitzhanger, until 8 December
Our absolute must-see this summer is Grayson Perry’s The Vanity Of Small Differences, which sees the artist bring six large tapestries to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, the country home of Sir John Soane (in fact in Ealing). The work is inspired by Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress, which Soane bought specifically for Pitzhangar, a series that famously depicts the decline and fall of Tom Rakewell, a young man who inherits a fortune and squanders it on luxurious living, gambling, and prostitution, eventually ending up in the madhouse. Almost 300 years later, Perry’s reinterpretation features the character Tim Rakewell, whose journey work mirrors the moral and social commentary of Hogarth’s original series now, of course, reflecting contemporary British society. The tapestries which chart the 'class journey' made by Rakewell include many of the characters and incidences that the artist encountered on his journeys and experiences throughout Sunderland, Tunbridge Wells and The Cotswolds for the television series 'All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry'. Unusual, insightful, brilliant and threaded through with humour. Access with general admission, which is £13.20.
Naomi In Fashion
V&A, until 6 April 2025
Naomi Campbell’s majestic and magnificent career, alongside her influence on the wider cultural landscape, is on show in all its resplendent glory at the V&A’s summer blockbuster. The Edward Enninful-curated Naomi In Fashion charts her rise to prominence and delves deep into the four decades of her career, over which there have been many highlights, from the iconic photographs of Campbell Addy, Nick Knight, and Peter Lindbergh to the Vivienne Westwood platforms that toppled her – a moment that might have defeated some but which she simply turned it into yet another iconic triumph. £18.
Image: Naomi In Fashion at the V&A, Supported by BOSS (Photo by Dave BenettGetty Images for Victoria & Albert Museum
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection
V&A, until 5 January 2025
Featuring evocative and era-defining rare prints from the personal 7,000-strong photographic collection amassed by Sir Elton John and David Furnish, this compilation showcases the nuanced beauty of the world through the lens of various esteemed photographers, from Robert Mapplethorpe to Cindy Sherman, William Eggleston to Diane Arbus. The exhibition shines a light on the couple's passion for photography and their keen eye for capturing moments that speak of the transience and fragility of life and the beauty inherent in impermanence. As such, it documents key moments from the past century, from those that capture the Civils Rights movement through to AIDS activism two decades later. £20
Image: David LaChapelle, Elton John, Egg On His Face, New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle
The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co. in Context
William Morris Society, until 11 August
This exhibition highlights the artistic significance of William Morris’ wallpaper designs, showcasing them within the framework of the significant shifts in taste during the Victorian era. Founded by the influential 19th-century designer, Morris & Co. revolutionised the decorative arts with its now-iconic intricate and nature-inspired patterns. The exhibition showcases pieces on loan from the Sanderson Design Group archive, exploring the creative processes behind their creation and the broader cultural and historical contexts in which they were developed.
Image: The William Morris Society
Now You See Us: Women Artists in Britain 1520 – 1920
Tate Britain, until 13 October
This remarkable scope of this expansive group exhibition spans four centuries, tracing the trajectory and work of women as they fought to be recognized as professional artists, often challenging societal norms along the way. The collection includes over 200 works from renowned figures such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Angelica Kauffman, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Gwen John, alongside pieces by female artists who are only now gaining recognition. The exhibition starts in the Tudor court, guiding visitors through the 17th- and 18th-centuries into the Victorian era, a time of significant growth in public exhibition spaces, and concludes in the early 20th-century with the women's suffrage movement and the First World War. £20 (free to members).
Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and The Blue Rider
Tate Modern, until 20 October
This show explores the work of the collective known as The Blue Rider, who came together in the early 20th-century to form ‘a union of various countries to serve one purpose.’ Their mission? To revolutionise modern art. The group, amongst whose leading lights were Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter, were boldly experimental with colour, sound, light, and performance. This exhibition features pieces on loan from the exceptional collection at the Lenbachhaus in Munich, along with other rare loans, showcasing works by Kandinsky, Münter, Franz Marc, Paul Klee, Wladimir Burliuk, and Maria Franck-Marc. This gathering of artworks marks the first time in over 60 years that these pieces, which highlight a pivotal moment in early modernist art, have been displayed together in the UK. £22 (free to members).
