Things to do

The best art exhibitions, autumn 2017

By CW Contributor on 13/9/2017

The art world may have been hibernating over the summer months, but it's back with a vengeance this autumn. With so much on, here's our shortlist of the best London exhibitions to book now

A gold plaque depicting a Scythian rider with a spear in his right hand; Gold; Second half of the fourth century BC; Kul’ Oba. © The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 2017

Scythians, Warriors of ancient Siberia, British Museum

In this long overdue retrospective, the monumental power of the Scythian warriors will reign once more

WHEN

14 Sep 2017 – 14 Jan 2018, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

WHERE

British Museum
Great Russell St, London, WC1B 3DG

Jasper Johns, 0 through 9 (1961) (Tate, London 2016. © Jasper Johns / VAGA, New York / DACS, London 2016)

Jasper Johns, Royal Academy

20th century American heavyweight Jasper Johns is one of the most famous living creators. Come and drink in his remarkable works at this very rare UK exhibition

WHEN

23 Sep 2017 – 10 Dec 2017, Mon - Sun 10am - 6pm, Friday 10am - 10pm

WHERE

Royal Academy
Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Pablo Picasso), 1984, Private collection, Italy. © The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

Basquiat: Boom for Real, Barbican Centre

Truly one of the greats: at long last the late New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat gets the recognition he deserves, with this massive Barbican retrospective

WHEN

21 Sep 2017 – 28 Jan 2018, Sunday to Wednesday, 10am – 6pm Thursday to Saturday, 10am – 10pm (last entry 9.30pm)

WHERE

Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Nadja Michael as Salome Royal Opera House, London, 2008 ROH © Robbie Jack - Corbis. Corbis Entertainmen. Getty Images

Opera: Passion, Power and Politics at the V&A

400 years, 7 operas, and a display spanning geography, history and art: the V&A and Royal Opera House collaborate to stage the first blockbuster exhibition on operatic history

WHEN

30 Sep 2017 – 25 Feb 2018, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM

WHERE

V&A
South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL

Frieze and Frieze Masters, Regent's Park

Discover the world’s most exciting artists as Frieze London rolls into town

WHEN

05 Oct 2017 – 08 Oct 2017, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM

WHERE

Frieze
Regent's Park, London, NW1 4NR

Dalí/Duchamp, Royal Academy

This October London's Royal Academy of Arts will be home to an exhibition exploring the friendship and links between Marcel Duchamp and Salavador Dalí

WHEN

07 Oct 2017 – 07 Jan 2018, Fridays until 10pm

WHERE

Royal Academy
Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD

Boy in a Red Waistcoat, 1888-90by Paul Cézanne. National Gallery of Art, Washington.Collection of Mr. and Mrs.

Cézanne Portraits, National Portrait Gallery

Blockbuster portraits by Paul Cézanne, the founding forefather of 20th century modernism, come to the National Gallery this autumn

WHEN

26 Oct 2017 – 11 Feb 2018, 10am–6pm Friday 10am–9pm

WHERE

National Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE

Claude Monet, Houses of Parliament, Sunlight Effect, 1903

The EY Exhibition: Impressionists in London, French Artists in Exile (1870-1904)

Tate Britain is set to explore an overlooked chapter of the Impressionist story in an upcoming exhibition on the Impressionists in London

WHEN

02 Nov 2017 – 07 May 2018, Friday 1 December 2017 until 22.00

WHERE

Tate Britain
Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG

Detail: Modigliani, Portrait of a Girl, c.1917 © Tate Modern, Tate Modigliani Show 2017 Modigliani London

Modigliani: Tate Modern Exhibition

The first UK exhibition of Amadeo Modigliani's portraits, sculptures and nudes comes to Tate Modern this November. It's bound to be a blockbuster, so book well ahead.

WHEN

22 Nov 2017 – 02 Apr 2018, 10.00–18.00, Sunday – Thursday, 10.00–22.00, Friday – Saturday

WHERE

Tate Modern
Bankside, London, SE1 9TG