{"id":1162133,"date":"2026-08-22T00:31:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T00:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1162133\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T00:31:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T00:31:41","slug":"the-top-5-exhibitions-in-central-london-to-see-in-late-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1162133\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 5 Exhibitions in Central London to see in late Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic<\/a>, picks his top museum exhibitions to see across London in August. If you are looking for more exhibitions, check out his previous top 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is a fantastic and diverse collection of photographers, including some you may not have come across before. I\u2019ve always been a fan of Mari Katayama\u2019s often elaborately staged self-portraits that prominently feature her prosthetic limbs, and Rinko Kawauchi\u2019s experiments with light. I also enjoyed discovering Miwa Yanagi\u2019s eye-catching take on the role of women in Japanese society, and the brightly coloured assemblage of Mika Nawagawa. Until 27th September, ticketed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What a great concept: to place your work among those of artists who have inspired you. We travel through art history from ancient Egyptian artefacts through to modern and contemporary artists, including Lucio Fontana, Jacob Epstein, and Marisa Merz. All alongside Houseago\u2019s own works in a cabinet-of-curiosities-style arrangement in what must be any contemporary artist\u2019s dream. Until 19th September.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This exhibition about the movement of women and bodies across water reflects the artist\u2019s own background as a Kurdish-Iraqi refugee who once again had to flee her home in the wake of the recent LA wildfires. Her signature white eyes fly in the face of how we\u2019re all being surveilled, and iris recognition controls access to new places. It reflects the world around us and the waterline along the walls makes us think about how the climate crisis is also adding to the mass migration of people. Until 29th August.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to fathom that it\u2019s been over four years since the late Queen\u2019s lying-in-state, and this exhibition inside Parliament pulls together artists who were commissioned to make works in response to it. Dryden Goodwin<\/a> sketched the faces of those in the queue, Tina Crawford sewed images based on her sketches of the event, and Eleanor Crook <\/a>created an angelic sculpture loaded with Royal symbolism. These are just three of the six commissioned artists. Until 2nd October, booking is required.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The exhibition is split across two rooms in the building that used to house the national archives, with an audio piece in an old storage space, complete with empty shelves and darkened passages between them. The work concerns the invasion of Quebec (now part of Canada) by US forces. Covering multiple perspectives, including the Indigenous populations, who had little say in what was essentially a war between two British colonies at the time. It\u2019s a fascinating slice of history I knew little about and another Artangel<\/a> project in a fantastic location. Until 18th October.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All images are copyrighted and courtesy of the respective artists and galleries. Lying-in-state image copyright of the House of Commons. Artangel photo: Thierry Bal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

CategoriesTagsAuthor \"\"<\/p>\n

Tabish Khan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n