Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic, picks his Top 5 Museum Exhibitions to see in London this Autumn. Check out the previous top 5 if you’re after more shows to visit.
The Government Art Collection has commissioned artworks to mark the coronation of our current King Charles, and they’ve picked some excellent artists to give different perspectives on the occasion. Hew Locke has transformed the state carriage into a carnival ship, and Cornelia Parker has worked with prisoners to hand-stitch the dictionary definitions of King and Queen. Dale Lewis and Joy Gerrard have both depicted the crowds at the coronation. While Dale Lewis painted an array of colourful characters at the coronation, Joy Gerrard chose to represent them as a large amorphous mass. It’s a great chance to visit the National Archives, a place I hadn’t visited before. Until 1st November, free.
Samuel Ojo’s Irin Ajo at The Cartoon Museum
The fantastic, and under-rated, Cartoon Museum is hosting a small collection of excellent political satirical cartoons by Samuel Ojo. It covers his experience of British and Nigerian politics, his journey as a migrant moving to Birmingham, the hidden taxes he faces and the poor treatment of immigrants by both major political parties in the UK. It’s a powerful display and a perspective we rarely see in the media. Until 29th November, ticketed.
Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs at Japan House London
I never thought to equate pictograms to cave paintings or hieroglyphs, but Japan House takes us back to tell the story of these symbols we see on signs everywhere. Humans have been communicating through symbols for millennia, and this exhibition reminds us that these are simply the latest incarnation of them. It’s a fun show that celebrates diversity by blowing up characters to scale, creating them in 3D, and showcasing new ones invented for London in collaboration with young designers. Until 9th November.
Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict at IWM London
This is not an easy subject, but an important one for the museum to cover, given how it happens in almost all conflicts, including those ongoing. It shows us how the most vulnerable are exploited, such as German women after the end of the Second World War by both Russian and Allied troops, and ISIS’s horrific treatment of Yazidi women. It highlights how a blind eye is often turned, and leaders justify it through twisted dogma. The exhibition looks at how men are also affected, think of the horrific scenes from Abu Ghraib prison. It concludes by highlighting the critical charities operating in this space, which work with those affected. Until 2nd November, free.
Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits at Kenwood House
’ll be the first to confess that I’m not usually a fan of society portraits, but this exhibition has a great story to tell about them and some excellent paintings. It focuses on the so-called ‘Dollar Princesses’, rich American women who crossed the Atlantic to marry British men with titles. It shows how much flak they got from both sides of the pond and that they often had less agency than was implied. Until 5th October, ticketed.
Happy and Glorious image copyright Hew Locke and Government Art Collection. Samuel Ojo image courtesy the artist and The Cartoon Museum. Pictograms photo: Jérémie Souteyrat. Image courtesy Japan House London. Unsilenced image copyright IWM. Heiress image courtesy of English Heritage.
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Art Critic for both FAD and Londonist. See as many exhibitions as possible and write reviews, opinion pieces and a weekly top 5 for FAD.