As summer hots up (or not…) there is a whole host of exciting exhibitions taking place across the country to keep you out and about over the next few months. Here are our top picks:
1. Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 14 June – 22 August
Image credit: Royal Academy
In its impressive 242nd year – and no, that’s not a typo although I have been guilty of them before – the RA’s summer exhibition is not to be missed. Showcasing work by both emerging and well-known artists in all media, this year’s exhibition will revolve around the theme “raw”. This year has seen a whopping 11,000 entries, and the lucky ones to be selected will – for the most part – be on sale, so if something grabs your fancy you had better snap it up. Fast.
2. Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera, Tate Modern, now – 3 October
In the modern Big Brother age, taking a sneaky snap of anyone, anywhere, has never been easier. 250 of these, from the late 19th century to the present day – in all its paparazzi and reality TV glory – will be on display at Tate Modern throughout the summer, giving spectators a sneak peek at 1930s Parisian glamour, Weegee’s iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe, Paris Hilton on her way to prison and the assassination of JFK… and that’s just the beginning. It sounds too good to miss.
3. The Deep, Natural History Museum, now – 5 September
Image credit: Natural History Museum
Plunging a massive 11,000 metres into the ocean, The Deep explores the weird and wonderful depths of marine life as you have never seen it before, centering around a real sperm whale skeleton which has never before been on public display. As you would expect from the Natural History Museum, the exhibition is brimming with interactive treats including a cinema showing videos of life in the depths, an exhibit of myths and monsters, and an interactive sea map kiosk to explore the British sea bed and learn about conservation.
4. Impressionist Gardens, Scottish National Gallery, July 17 – October 31
Can’t bring yourself to whip your garden into shape this summer? Panic not – instead, take a trip to the National Gallery of Scotland and lose yourself in some 90 horticultural wonders by the likes of Monet, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir, Sisley and Manet. The show is divided into three sections: the first explores the Impressionists’ portrayal of the garden, the second examines the ongoing significance of the Impressionist garden to the artists working immediately after the Impressionists, and the third will look at the spread of the Impressionist garden in the late 19th and early 20th century. This is the UK’s only showing of the exhibition so you’d better get your skates on.
5. Edinburgh Art Festival, 29 July – 5 September
In its sixth year, the Edinburgh Art Festival has now extended its dates to give you one more week to appreciate the best of emerging Scottish artists – so you can fit in the Impressionists at the National as well. The show includes three major commissions, supported by the Scottish Goverment’s Expo fund, which have been awarded to Scottish artists Richard Wright, Martin Creed and Kim Coleman and Jenny Hogarth.
6. High Kicks and Low Life: Toulouse-Lautrec Prints, Walker Gallery, Liverpool, now – 8 August
Image credit: Walker Gallery
Looking at a good Lautrec print is, in my opinion, one of life’s finest pleasures. Now, you can indulge for hours on end at the Walker’s new exhibition which comprises over 50 of the great artist’s depictions of fin-de-siecle Parisian decadence. The show explores the dualities of his artistic work in two sections – Public Passions and Private Passions – with all the prints on loan from the British Museum’s extensive Lautrec collection.
7. Maison Martin Margiela ’20′ The Exhibition, Somerset House, 3 June – 5 September
Calling all fashion addicts: Somerset house’ summer exhibition celebrates twenty years of one of Britain’s most influential and offbeat designers – Martin Margiela. Comprising garments, installations, photography and film, the show is brought to Somerset House by the Fashion Museum Province of Antwerp and Maison Martin Margiela and is a must for any fan of the label.
8. Free Range, Old truman Brewery, 4 June – 26 July
Image credit: Free Range
Set up by Tamsin O’Hanlon, Free Range has supported British graduate talent for the last ten years. Graduate work from over 100 UK universities will be on display, with shows rotating weekly over the two month period according to discipline, so you can go again and again and again… and never get bored.
9. Whitstable Biennale, 19 June – 4 July
This June, Whiststable is where it’s at. In its fifth year, the show has become a hotspot for the best emerging Young British Artists, with a series of commissions and a special 2-year project by artists Uddin and Elsey, to be kicked off with a series of discussions at this year’s show, and showcased at the 2012 Biennale. There are also various screenings, talks and events throughout the show.
10. Grace Kelly: Style Icon, V&A, now – 26 September
If you haven’t already seen it, make sure you do. Responsible for a nationwide revival of old-school glamour and nostalgic chic, the V&A’s Grace Kelly retrospective is one of the summer’s highlights. Where else will you ever be able to see the contents of the star’s oh-so coveted wardrobe? Showcasing dresses worn in many of her films as well as the gown she wore when accepting her Oscar in 1955, the show examines Grace Kelly’s enduring iconic appeal, from award-winning actress to Princess Grace of Monaco. Anyone who has ever worn a dress will love love love it.
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