London Gallery Weekend: when else can you follow fashion designer Sabato de Sarno’s art route through London? Or see an exhibition curated by Jonathan Anderson?
London Gallery Weekend is yet another example of how London’s art scene truly is unmatched. We hear a lot about how the arts are underfunded and function in tight circles. London Gallery Weekend is opening up 125 galleries to Londoners with extended opening hours, guided tours, and over 60 live events.
One of the best parts? It’s all entirely free. Here’s everything to catch at 2025’s London Gallery Weekend.
What Is London Gallery Weekend?
London Gallery Weekend is, unsurprisingly, what it says on the tin: a weekend where London’s galleries exhibit much of their best work to see for free across the capital. The three days (Friday 6 to Sunday 8 June) are hosted at 125 galleries across London (15 are joining this year for the first time, 11 of which only opened within the past two years). Each has curated an exciting array of talks, workshops, exhibitions, and tours – with lots of chances for networking and to meet the curators and artists too.
What To See
Start with a London classic: Victoria Miro in Angel kick starts their 40-year anniversary exhibitions on the first day of London Gallery Weekend by showcasing all the gallery’s artists. Over in St. James at Thomas Dane Gallery, Jonathan Anderson and Kenny Schachter have curated an exhibition (including never seen before works) on American painter and sculptor Paul Thek – also known for his ties to photographer Peter Hujar. Alongside London Gallery Weekend, in Bow’s Roman Road Gallery, Brazilian painter Lize Bartelli will debut her striking examinations of the social expectations placed on women in London with Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me.
London Gallery Weekend is a really good way to get to know the independent galleries in your neighbourhood too. Join one of the live tours curated by borough for a guided route and the chance to meet other people on the way – there’s something quite special about finding new places in your own city. You can also explore routes curated by great names in the fashion and arts – including fashion designer Sabato de Sarno and author/curator Enuma Okoro. Or, check the art map to plan out your own route around the city.
The Talks
Hauser & Wirth are hosting a talk between Michaela Yearwood-Dan and curator Ekow Eshun (who has an excellent exhibition, No Time For Despair, on at the moment); editor-in-chief of Frieze, Andrew Durbin, will host a talk and tour of David Salle’s exhibition at Thaddaeus Ropac; Tarini Malik and Jordan Casteel discuss Casteel’s new exhibition, also at Thaddaeus Ropac; while at Pace Gallery, an excellent panel of four women will discuss Emily Kan Kngwarray’s exhibition. Also worth bookmarking: Cob Gallery is hosting a literary salon titled Rejection is Romantic hosted by writer Emma Firth and which takes place alongside Katelyn Eichwald’s exhibition Like Lovers Do.
Lead image credit: London Gallery Weekend 2024.
Photo by Linda Nylind. 01/06/2024.
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