The best exhibitions this week in London, from Martin Parr to The Moonwalkers (Dec 7 to 14)
With access to hundreds of museums and galleries a tube ride away, we Londoners are spoilt for choice when it comes to a fun day out. But sometimes the capital’s embarrassment of riches means it’s tricky to pick where to go.
Do you disappear into the National Gallery for an afternoon, pop by some of the independent galleries in Marylebone, explore East London’s exciting offerings, or wander around the Tate?
Look no further every week: here’s our pick of six extraordinary exhibitions to see in London right now.
Sheer Verve: The Women’s International Art Club
The mission of The Women’s International Art Club, which was founded in Paris in 1898 and ran until 1978, was to provide its members with a space for exhibiting their work and an opportunity to network at a time when these things were not a given. Ben Uri now brings together some of the works of its old members, including Sonia Delaunay, Dora Gordine, Clara Klinghoffer, Laura Knight, Orovida Pissarro and Ottilie Tolansky, which have all been chosen to showcase the club’s “sheer verve”.
Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, to December 15; benuri.org
Alice Instone: A Visit To The Oracle
British artist Alice Instone presents a series of “interactive artworks”, created to tap into the regenerative power of art. Fun and zany, and drawing on themes of illusion, ritual, mystery and magic, guests are invited to “literally voyage into the dark forest”, “sit in a monstrous cat’s jaws”, “visit the spellbinding golden cobweb room” and leave their “troubles in a giant bird-woman’s mouth”. There will also be screenings of Instone’s Cannes-winning short film, Oracle.
Dirty Lane (Unit 210), to December 17; aliceinstone.com
LEDA and the SWAN: a myth of creation and destruction
It’s one of Greek mythology’s most famous tales: Zeus turns into a swan to rape Spartan queen Leda; Leda gives birth to her rapist’s two children. Now, in this exhibition curated by Minna Moore Ede, 16 artists including Annie Morris, Barbara Walker, Audrey Niffenegger and Robin Friend respond to the myth, and in doing so reveal much about contemporary life.
Victoria Miro, to January 13; victoria-miro.com
Russell Young: Dreamland
Mick Jagger, Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, John and Yoko – dream dinner party, right? They're just some of the famous faces that feature in Dreamland, a new exhibition by the British painter Russell Young, just opened at the new Maddox Gallery space on Berkeley Street gallery in Mayfair. The new show showcases a new body of work, featuring large-scale silkscreen paintings using images taken by the photographers Terry O’Neill and Gered Mankowitz.
Maddox Gallery, Berkley Street, to February 7, 2024, maddoxgallery.com
Martin Parr: sports & spectatorship
Over the course of Martin Parr’s five-decade career, he has become known for producing quirky, humorous and sharply perceptive depictions of everyday life. In sports & spectatorship, his works are focused on various sports and their respective fans. The photographs, which have been selected from across his stellar career, cover everything from football, golf, horse racing, tennis and rugby.
Rocket Gallery, to February 29, 2024; rocketgallery.com
The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks
This immersive film, which has been co-written and narrated by Tom Hanks, explores NASA’s world-changing Apollo Missions – the most famous of which, 1969’s Apollo 11, saw man land on the moon for the first time. Combining original NASA footage, images from the bestselling photography book Apollo Remastered, and accompanied by an orchestral score, the show was described by the Standard as “glorious” a “thrill ride” and an “excellent, wonderful, densely packed film”.
Lightroom, to April 21; lightroom.co.uk
