Christie’s and the Arts Council Collection have announced Close Encounters: Figuration, Painting and Landscape in the Arts Council Collection, a major exhibition celebrating the 80th anniversary of one of Britain’s most significant collections of modern and contemporary art.
“For 80 years, the Arts Council has been collecting the work of emerging artists, often long before they were recognised. This far-sighted support for artists has created a great national collection that is shown in galleries and museums, large and small, across the country, reaching audiences that would otherwise rarely see the art of our time. We are delighted to collaborate with Christie’s in a celebration that will honour British art and demonstrate the value of public funding of the arts.”
Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England:
Opening at Christie’s London from 3rd–21st June 2026, the exhibition will trace the evolving story of British art through works by artists spanning multiple generations, bringing historical figures into dialogue with more recent acquisitions.
Presented in partnership with the Arts Council Collection, the exhibition features works by David Hockney, Sonia Boyce, Peter Doig, Michael Armitage, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Claudette Johnson alongside newer acquisitions by Christina Kimeze and Vanessa Raw.
Coinciding with London Gallery Weekend, the exhibition will also extend its public opening hours from 5th–7th June.
Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Arts Council Collection was conceived as a “museum without walls”, designed to support living artists and bring contemporary British art to audiences across the country. Eight decades later, it now comprises more than 8,500 works by over 2,400 artists and remains one of the UK’s most influential artistic resources.
The exhibition explores several interconnected themes running through the Collection’s history and recent acquisitions. Works by David Hockney, Vanessa Raw and Christina Kimeze examine changing representations of intimacy, desire and bodily experience, challenging traditional perspectives around gender and sexuality.
Elsewhere, works by Michael Armitage, Peter Doig and Suleman Aqeel Khilji consider landscape as a place of memory, displacement and imagination rather than fixed geography.
A further section highlights the impact of Black British women artists, including Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Claudette Johnson and Sonia Boyce, whose practices have transformed approaches to representation and identity while opening new spaces for resistance, introspection and play.
Together, the exhibition reflects the Arts Council Collection’s long-standing role not simply as an archive of British art, but as an active force in shaping artistic careers and cultural conversations.
Throughout its history, the Collection has supported artists at critical moments in their development, often acquiring works before broader institutional or market recognition followed. Artists such as Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth, Frank Bowling, Steve McQueen, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas and Hew Locke have all benefitted from that approach.
“Close Encounters reflects Christie’s ongoing commitment to championing the power of art as a vital force within society. In partnering with the Arts Council Collection on its 80th anniversary, we are proud to help amplify a legacy rooted in access, experimentation and support for living artists. By opening our galleries to this dialogue between historic and contemporary practice, we are excited to showcase one of the most significant and forward-thinking public collections of modern and contemporary British art.”
Tessa Lord, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s London
As part of its anniversary celebrations, the Arts Council Collection has also announced the launch of the Arts Council Collection x London Gallery Weekend Under 40 Acquisition Fund. The initiative will support the acquisition of works from participating London Gallery Weekend galleries, reinforcing the Collection’s ongoing commitment to emerging artists and new contemporary practices.
Close Encounters: Figuration, Painting and Landscape in the Arts Council Collection forms part of Christie’s programme of auctions, exhibitions, and activities comprising the London Summer Season, in celebration of the dynamism and creativity London inspires. Entry is free and open to the public.
All info can be found here.
