The best new art exhibitions in St James’s: autumn 2021
With a host of exciting art exhibitions opening in London this autumn, we hone in on six shows in St James’s, all within walking distance of one another
The best new art exhibitions in St James’s: autumn 2021
Sponsored
With the arrival of autumn's shorter, darker days, it’s time to switch lazy afternoons lounging in the park for a spot of indoor culture. After the long 18 months of closures, London’s art scene is unleashing a backlog of riveting exhibitions this season, celebrating the works of aged masters and discerning contemporary artists alike.
Few neighbourhoods offer quite as varied a range of exhibitions as St James’s. Here, a delicious smörgåsbord spread over a close-knit network of streets allows visitors to gaze upon famous works by centuries-old titans then dip into intimate pop-up exhibitions where the works will challenge everything you thought you knew about art.
Add to this the area’s central postcode, easy access on public transport and unrivaled offering of experiential shopping and destination dining, and a trip to Regent Street and St James’s is glistening with appeal.
Here are the exhibitions worth catching on your next visit.
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts
First things first, the biggie: this year's Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, postponed to autumn, promises to be a multimedia spectacular. Co-ordinated by Royal Academician Yinka Shonibare, the theme is Reclaiming Magic. In addition to selected public submissions, Shonibare has invited a host of influential black artists to exhibit, including Michael Armitage, Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Faith Ringgold. John Akomfrah RA will have a dedicated gallery showing his video work Peripeteia, 2012 and there will be a sound programme available for download, which will include soundscapes and poetry by six artists.
Read more
WHEN: 22 September - 2 January 2022
WHERE: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD
Theaster Gates, White Cube Mason’s Yard
Leading contemporary gallery White Cube is known for its cutting edge exhibitions. Up next, at the gallery’s Mason’s Yard outpost, is a new exhibition by sculptor Theaster Gates. Part of a multi-venue presentation across London dedicated to Gates’ practice working with clay, the exhibition features new works and an accompanying film documenting the history of clay in the UK, US and Japan. If you’re yet to familiarise yourself with Gates’ work, now is the time: the sculptor has been selected to take on the prestigious task of designing the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion.
Read more
WHEN: 17 September - 30 October
WHERE: 25-26 Masons Yard, St. James's, London SW1Y 6BU
War Inna Babylon: The Community’s Struggle
War Inna Babylon: The Community’s Struggle, Institute of Contemporary Arts
Founded in 1946, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) was created to promote an understanding of radical art and culture – an ambition it’s stayed true to today. Currently on show is War Inna Babylon: The Community’s Struggle, an exhibition examining the grassroots activism leading the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK. Visitors to the gallery can also catch an eclectic mix of films, including Bert Stern’s classic concert film Jazz on a Summer’s Day (until 16 Sep) and the 11th edition of Open City Documentary Festival (9 – 14 Sep).
Read more
WHEN: Until 26 September
WHERE: The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH
Aaron Kasmin. Julie. Coloured pencil drawing, 2020. 30 x 21 cm, Aaron Kasmin. The Bel Air. Coloured pencil drawing, 2020. 30 x 21 cm
Aaron Kasmin: Always a Show, Sims Reed Gallery
Leading international print gallery Sims Reed has exhibited the work of world leaders including David Hockney, Bridget Riley, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Pablo Picasso in the past – and the standard of art you’re likely to see here remains high for up-and-coming names. This autumn, British artist Aaron Kasmin returns to the gallery with his fourth exhibition, Always a Show, a collection of new pencil drawings created during the lockdowns, depicting vibrant scenes from the post-prohibition era.
Read more
WHEN: 16 September - 28 October
WHERE: 43 Duke Street St James's, St. James's, London SW1Y 6DD
William Tillyer. Small Green Field with Landscape
William Tillyer: Mulgrave Tensile Wire Works and Mulgrave Wire Scrolls, Bernard Jacobson Gallery
At the Bernard Jacobson Gallery on Duke Street, British artist William Tillyer presents his most radical exhibition to date. In the Mulgrave Tensile Wire Works, study Tillyer's artworks created by weaving metal mesh through paint to reflect the colours of the North Yorkshire landscape – his home for many years. In the Mulgrave Wire Scrolls, metal mesh plays a central role again, mounted horizontally here on a muted-toned backboard painted in a ratio derived from that of Chinese scroll paintings. While in terms of medium, the works are breaking ground for Tillyer, the ethos stays true to his foundation philosophy that all things are connected.
Read more
WHEN: 16 September - 30 October
WHERE: 28 Duke Street St James's, St. James's, London SW1Y 6AG
Courtesy Julian Opie and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
Julian Opie, Cristea Roberts Gallery
Artist-led Cristea Roberts Gallery presents a major exhibition of works by visual artist of the New British Sculpture movement Julian Opie. Sweeping from a French village to the busy streets of Tokyo, the exhibition is made up of new prints, sculptures, 3D models and a striking series of large-scale lenticular panels depicting individuals framed against brightly-coloured backdrops.
Read more
WHEN: 21 September - 23 October
WHERE: 43 Pall Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5JG
TRY CULTURE WHISPER
Receive free tickets & insider tips to unlock the best of London — direct to your inbox