Best London 2023 exhibitions: our top 10

10. Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hayward Gallery

‘The greatest gift of art is to expand our mental landscape and open windows to the darkroom of our consciousness’.

The Hayward Gallery’s exhibition of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s photographs was of minimalist beauty, profoundly serene, and a perfect tonic for our restless mind.

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9. Alice Neel: Hot Off The Griddle, Barbican

It is impossible to come face to face with an Alice Neel portrait and move on. Her subjects summon the viewer. Depicted is much more than their outer appearance: the artist probes their inner selves.

For the importance of her political work, what follows you once you leave the Barbican Gallery is the urge to solve the riddles and answer the questions posed by her portraits.

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8. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, V&A

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto at the V&A is a grand affair.

The beginning of the show is simply stunning. One wants to linger for hours before her 1920s creations, from the ethereal floral printed numbers to the knitted jumper and tweed skirt or the coat with matching chiffon dress.

On the way out, Gabrielle Chanel’s everyday black outfit stays with you: humble and practical, it tells of the toiling and unglamorous hard work behind the legacy of one of the most influential women of the 20th century who changed fashion forever.

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7. David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not further & smaller away), Lightroom

Opened this year, Lightroom, London's new immersive space, has proved to be a great success.

Its first exhibition, made in collaboration with David Hockney himself, is the strongest of these types of experiences we’ve seen to date.

In Hockney’s own words: ‘I have to paint, I’ve always wanted to make pictures .. I’m still enjoying it enormously’. All that’s changed is he’s found a new way for us to experience his art.

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6. Carpenters Workshop Gallery's new London space

The Carpenters Workshop Gallery's new cultural space in Ladbroke Hall – Notting Hill – promises to engage with art in all its forms, and it is stunning.

The brainchild of two childhood friends, Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail, the gallery currently showcases design pieces from David Adjaye, Jose Zadine Caldas and Maarten Baas as well as jewellery from Cindy Sherman.

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5. Rebel: 30 Years of London Fashion, Design Museum

This exhibition tells the story of young London fashion designers, some lucky to have become sustainable labels, most already forgotten. It is also an ode to London life.

In a fashion world where being a TikTok influencer has become more valuable than graduating from the London College of Fashion, this exhibition is an ode to sheer creativity and artistic endeavour.

It is a must-see for any aspiring fashion designer.

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4. Marguerite Humeau: Three solo show, Whitecube Bermondsey

Marguerite Humeau’s Meys, a forest of sculptures made of bee waxes and wasps' venom, brought a transfixing extraterrestrial vibe to the gallery’s immense rooms. You could even lie on some hammock-shaped creations – a strangely soothing experience.

3. Mike Nelson at Hayward Gallery

Entering the Mike Nelson exhibition at Hayward Gallery, we knew we were in for something unique. A dim red light, the kind you find in a photography darkroom, drew us into an extensive series of shelves filled with bits of lumber, boxes, and furniture.

This exhibition felt like a labour of love. It purposefully fired our imaginations – a great example of how contemporary conceptual art can be immersive, thought-provoking and memorable.

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2. Marina Abramovic, Royal Academy of Arts

Marina Abramović's retrospective at the Royal Academy is incredibly powerful and brought us to tears. Terrifying yet strangely comforting. To be experienced once in a lifetime.

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1. El Anatsui, Tate Modern

The Ghana-born, Nigeria-based artist El Anatsui took over Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall for six months.

His gigantic, gorgeous tapestries, made of flattened bottle tops dazzled the Hall, reminding couture gowns. It was a timely and powerful elegy to art and creation in the face of any form of exploitation.

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