The public programme for London Gallery Weekend 2022, the free public event which celebrates art galleries in the UK capital, is now live. Featuring more than 150 participating galleries and a rich programme of events and performances, the second edition of London Gallery Weekend is the biggest gallery weekend event in the world.
Gallery Highlights & Curated Routes
National and international visitors to London Gallery Weekend this year will discover the rich and diverse range of exhibitions that the city’s galleries have to offer, with the opportunity to see contemporary painting, ground-breaking new sculpture, immersive installations, and performance work. Highlights include an exhibition spanning 50 years of work by Nicola L. at Alison Jacques, a presentation by Ethiopian artist Nigatu Tsehay at Addis Fine Art, images of nurses and medical life by legendary war photographer Lee Miller, on show at the historic Fitzrovia Chapel, Caroline Walker’s cinematic paintings of women living in contemporary society at Stephen Friedman, the second solo show of sculptor Dozie Kanu at Project Native Informant, and an exhibition of new paintings by Natalia Gonzalez Martin at Hannah Barry Gallery, amongst many others.
With so much choice on offer, you should head over to the London Gallery Weekend website and use the easy-to-use interactive map to help you plan your weekend. You can also download a series of specially curated routes by leading art world figures and notable Londoners including fashion designer Simone Rocha, artists Jane & Louise Wilson, Barbican curator Eleanor Nairne, the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Director Bengi Ünsal, actor Naomie Harris, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries Justine Simons OBE, and singer Robbie Williams with designer Ed Godrich who have an exhibition of new paintings at Sotheby’s during London Gallery Weekend. Plan your route here.
Performance programme
Josh S. Rose. Courtesy the artist and UTA Artist Space.
London-based artist Mandy El-Sayegh – whose paintings, immersive installations, performances and videos are rooted in an exploration of material and language – has been selected for London Gallery Weekend’s first public art performance, in partnership with UP Projects, for her proposal The Minimum. Created in collaboration with choreographer Alethia Antonia and composer Lily Oakes, this new work centres around an installation and performance that invites people in different public locations across the city to consider how bodies make themselves visible within restrictive or repressive environments. It will take place three times during London Gallery Weekend in locations in each of the focal areas of Central London, South London and East London:
• Friday 13 May, 16:00 – 16:30, St James’s Church, Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL
• Saturday 14 May, 14:00 – 14:30, Peckham Library Square, London SE15 5JT
• Sunday 15 May, 14:00 – 14:30, Allen Gardens, London E1 5AT
Special events
Friday 13th May – Highlights include an artist-led tour of The Red Room at Berntson Bhattacharjee in Cromwell Place and a Rose Wylie book signing of William Shakespeare x Rose Wylie: The Tempest at David Zwirner; while botanical cocktails at Goodman Gallery mark the launch of Ghada Amer’s major new monograph, published by SKIRA.
Saturday 14th May – Highlights include an in-conversation with artist Garrett Pruter at artist-led gallery and project space Trafalgar Avenue; and an all-welcome South London Art Party by Xxijra Hii and Sid Motion Gallery at Amp Studios. Lonnie Holley will perform liv at Stone Nest, as part of his presentation with Edel Assanti and ArtAngel and, at Pilar Corrias, there will be a walking tour of Vivien Zhang’s exhibition undo undo undo.
Sunday 15th May – Highlights include NiCOLETTi Contemporary will host readings by artist Eva Gold and poet Abondance Matanda, and visitors can enjoy an all-day brunch with artist Gabriel Hartley at Seventeen Gallery.
Family-friendly activities will take place throughout the weekend, including a prizewinning ‘Photo Hunt’ for images in the How To Build A Collection exhibition at HackelBury Fine Art; hands-on workshops for kids to engage with the works of celebrated painters Hans Hartung at Waddington Custot; a Family Day at Black Box Projects, with artist Joanne Dugan leading a cyanotype (sun printing) workshop; and a kids’ creative morning at Berntson Bhattacharjee which will offer a playful environment to draw and create, inspired by the artworks.
New initiatives
A special initiative with Selfridges will see the presentation of a programme of artist films at the Cinema at Selfridges, to be screened throughout the weekend. The programme features video works by artists represented by London Gallery Weekend participants, including Hannah Quinlan & Rosie Hastings (Arcadia Missa), Prem Sahib (Southard Reid) and TJ Wilcox (Sadie Coles HQ). Complimentary tickets will be available soon on the Cinema at Selfridges website.
As part of London Gallery Weekend and marking International Day of Families on Sunday 15th May, the iconic Piccadilly Lights will present a special animated short by Dame Julia Peyton Jones and Ellinna Hix. This ten-minute screening at 2pm on Europe’s largest billboard will also feature a selection of artworks chosen by the renowned curator from participating galleries across London. The chosen artists are:
Caroline Walker at Stephen Friedman – Lisa
Ghada Amer at Goodman Gallery – My Body My Choice
Bárbara Alegre at Ione & Mann – Dancing in the Sky, Waiting for the Sunset
Oliver Clegg at Mamoth – Tongue-tied
Seline Burn at Eva Leibe – Mother and Thistle
