The best art exhibitions on now in London: March and April 2025

Coming after a strong season of winter art exhibitions, a fresh new wave of shows are set to open in London during March and April 2025. Some of the city’s most exciting exhibitions for the year are opening soon. This post is a guide through the highlights of free exhibitions in London, as well as current art exhibitions at museums like the National Gallery, V&A and Tate. Read on to find the must-see art exhibitions as well as hidden gems.

Free art exhibitions in London: Spring 2025

There are dozens of galleries in London that offer museum-quality free exhibitions, but with so much going on it can be hard to figure out what to see.

I like to use ArtRabbit, a platform that tracks exhibitions in London as well as events and fairs. You can search for current and upcoming exhibitions here and it’s a good way to see what’s coming up. Not everything is listed here, or sometimes not until right before, so I also recommend following London’s commercial galleries on social media to keep abreast of the upcoming exhibitions.

I will update the listing for free exhibitions over the coming weeks to keep you in the loop.

South London Gallery, 31 January – 11 May 2025

Christina Kimeze’s debut solo exhibition in London examines solitude, identity, and emotional tension. Her paintings depict female figures in natural or abstract settings, using isolated architectural elements to convey disconnection. Inspired by her memories in Uganda and writings of 20th-century Black feminist authors, Kimeze explores memory and belonging, providing an intimate glimpse into the interplay of past and present emotions.

Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land

The Curve, Barbican Centre, 30 January – 20 April 2025

Indonesian artist Citra Sasmita’s first UK solo exhibition will transform The Curve into a dynamic exploration of ancestral memory, migration, and ritual. Renowned for her multidisciplinary practice, including painting, sculpture, and embroidery, Sasmita employs the Kamasan technique to challenge gender norms and address colonial history in Balinese culture. This immersive installation invites viewers to explore complex cultural narratives, examining personal and collective histories.

Arpita Singh

Serpentine North, 13 March – 27 July 2025

Arpita Singh’s first solo exhibition outside India spans over 60 years of her career, showcasing vibrant watercolours, intricate ink drawings, and bold oil paintings. Blending figuration and surrealism, Singh’s work explores themes of memory, gender, and identity, offering a deeply personal reflection on life in contemporary India.

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Spring art exhibitions in London: March and April 2025

Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300–1350

The National Gallery, 8 March – 22 June 2025

Celebrating The National Gallery’s 200th anniversary, this exhibition highlights the bold creativity of 14th-century Sienese art. Over 100 objects, from gilded glass to luminous panel paintings, reveal how Siena’s artists shaped early Western art with their innovative storytelling and symbolism.

A standout moment is the partial reunion of Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Maestà, a masterpiece originally created for Siena Cathedral. Dismantled in the 18th century, fragments from The National Gallery, Madrid, and Washington DC will be shown together, offering a rare glimpse of this extraordinary double-sided altarpiece.

Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism

Royal Academy of Arts, January 28 – April 21, 2025

This exhibition traces the rise of Brazilian modernism from the 1910s to the 1970s, showcasing how artists blended international influences with Brazil’s vibrant cultural traditions. Themes of Indigenous heritage, Afro-Brazilian identity, and everyday life take center stage in works by Tarsila do Amaral, Anita Malfatti, and Rubem Valentim, among others. Self-taught talents like Alfredo Volpi and Djanira, as well as avant-garde performer Flávio de Carvalho, further illustrate this bold artistic evolution.

Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur

The Wallace Collection, 28 March – 26 October 2025

The Wallace Collection’s largest contemporary exhibition to date sees Sir Grayson Perry respond to the museum’s historic treasures with his signature wit and sharp social commentary. Opening on Perry’s birthday, the show explores themes of craftsmanship, collecting, and the gendered nature of decoration through ceramics, tapestries, furniture, and collage.

Highlights include works by outsider artists Madge Gill and Aloïse Corbaz, offering a rich dialogue between Perry’s creations and the Collection’s timeless opulence.

Leigh Bowery

Tate Modern, February 27 – August 31, 2025

This landmark exhibition celebrates the life and work of Leigh Bowery, one of the most flamboyant and influential figures in fashion, performance, and contemporary art. Known for his provocative performances and boundary-pushing designs, Bowery captivated audiences and redefined notions of identity and self-expression.

The show features an extensive collection of his costumes, photographs, and videos, alongside archival material that captures his vibrant creativity and cultural impact. From his bold club looks to his role as a muse for Lucian Freud, this exhibition illuminates Bowery's multifaceted contributions to art and performance.

Edvard Munch: Portraits

National Portrait Gallery, 13 March – 15 June 2025

This landmark exhibition offers a fresh look at Edvard Munch, focusing on his portraits—many of which have never been displayed in the UK before. Known for The Scream, Munch’s work often explores raw human emotion, and his portraits are no exception.

Spanning paintings of family, close friends, and patrons, the exhibition reveals Munch not just as an introspective artist but as a deeply social figure. His portraits go beyond likeness, capturing the psychological intensity of his sitters and reflecting his own inner world.

A highlight is the series of works he called his ‘Guardians’, a group of Norwegian friends whose images he treasured and kept close throughout his life. This exhibition sheds light on Munch’s relationships and his unique approach to portraiture, offering an intimate glimpse into his world.

Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road

The British Museum, 1 May – 7 September 2025

This exhibition celebrates the work of Utagawa Hiroshige, one of Japan’s most renowned and prolific ukiyo-e artists. Known for his stunning depictions of landscapes, Hiroshige's prints offer a glimpse into life during the Edo period (1603–1868).

The show features iconic works, including his famous Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō, showcasing both tranquil rural scenes and vibrant cityscapes. In addition to his landscapes, the exhibition also explores his portrayals of fashionable figures and the social life of the time, offering a well-rounded view of Hiroshige's diverse body of work.

Noah Davis

Barbican Art Gallery, 6 February – May 11, 2025

This compelling exhibition shines a spotlight on Noah Davis, the influential American painter and curator whose work bridges the intimate and the surreal. Known for his dreamlike figurative paintings, Davis captured the complexities of Black life with emotional depth and poetic nuance. His evocative compositions draw viewers into quietly powerful scenes that resonate on both personal and cultural levels.

The exhibition also highlights Davis’s pioneering role in founding the Underground Museum in Los Angeles, an innovative space dedicated to showcasing art in underserved communities. Featuring over 40 key works, this show is a celebration of Davis's artistic vision and enduring legacy.

Textiles: The Art of Mankind

The Fashion and Textile Museum, 28 March – 7 September 2025

This exhibition explores the profound role of textiles in shaping human history, from everyday items to ceremonial and artistic creations. Featuring rare pieces never seen before in the UK, highlights include a Panamanian textile of a mermaid symbolizing fertility, a Sardinian wall hanging, and a ceremonial bag shaped like a hand. The show also includes Connecting Threads, a collaboration by Lynn Setterington that commemorates people and communities through stitch.

Flowers: Flora in Contemporary Art and Culture

Saatchi Gallery, February 12 – May 5, 2025

Flowers have long been symbols of beauty, but in the hands of artists, they transform into so much more. Flowers: Flora in Contemporary Art and Culture explores the evolution of flowers in art, from their symbolic roles in Renaissance works and Dutch still lifes to the innovative installations of contemporary artists like Rebecca Louise Law, who uses dried flowers to create immersive environments. The exhibition also touches on fashion, jewellery, and the fascinating medicinal and poisonous properties of flowers. With over 500 pieces on display, this show truly makes flowers bloom in new and unexpected ways.

Ed Atkins

Tate Modern, 2 April – 25 August 2025

This is the first major UK exhibition of contemporary artist Ed Atkins, known for his thought-provoking videos and animations. For over a decade, Atkins has explored the shrinking divide between digital representation and lived experience. Using his own body and personal stories, his work critiques how technology has shaped our sense of self and images.

The exhibition brings together a range of Atkins’ works, from paintings and writings to embroideries and drawings, all alongside his iconic video installations. His creations, often darkly humorous and tinged with melancholy, contrast the weightless world of digital life with the tactile, physical one. The show focuses on themes of loss, intimacy, and love, offering a powerful reflection on the human experience.

Mickalene Thomas: All About Love

Hayward Gallery, February 10 – May 5, 2025

Mickalene Thomas’s All About Love exhibition will make its UK debut at the Hayward Gallery, following a tour of major US venues, including The Broad in Los Angeles and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.

Thomas, celebrated for her reimagining of beauty, sexuality, and identity, draws on 19th-century art, pop culture, and Black feminist thought to challenge traditional portraiture. This exhibition explores Black and female identity in art history, while celebrating love, empowerment, and joy through a dynamic collection of works.

The Griffin Catalyst Exhibition: Goya to Impressionism

The Courtauld, February 14 – May 26, 2025

For the first time, masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection in Switzerland will be showcased in the UK at The Courtauld. This exceptional exhibition brings together works from renowned artists such as Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Goya. Highlights include Van Gogh’s depiction of patients at the Arles hospital, Toulouse-Lautrec’s portrait of the female clown Cha-U-Kao, and Goya’s striking still life of three salmon steaks.

These works, which span the transition from Classical to Modern art, join The Courtauld’s own collection of Impressionist masterpieces, offering a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of Western art during the 19th century.

The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh: Walk the House

Tate Modern, May 1 – October 19, 2025

Explore the world of Korean-born, London-based artist Do Ho Suh in this major survey exhibition. Through large-scale installations, sculptures, videos, and drawings, Suh invites visitors to reflect on the concept of "home"—whether it is a place, a feeling, or an idea.

The exhibition delves into themes of identity, belonging, and the movement between spaces. Suh’s iconic fabric architecture allows you to wander through life-sized replicas of homes from Seoul, New York, and London, while his delicate works on paper and thought-provoking videos further explore the intersection of architecture, memory, and the body.

Discover new and site-specific works alongside pieces from his extensive three-decade career, all questioning our relationship to space, collectivity, and individuality.

Cartier

V&A South Kensington, Opens April 12, 2025

This major exhibition at the V&A takes you through Cartier’s legacy of art, design, and craftsmanship, showcasing over 350 objects, including exquisite jewels, rare gemstones, and iconic timepieces. From the brand’s earliest creations to its present-day masterpieces, the exhibition highlights Cartier’s evolution in shaping luxury and innovation in jewellery and watchmaking since the early 20th century.

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