Art In London: October 2014

By Silvia Baretta Last edited 113 months ago
Art In London: October 2014

We look ahead at the best London art openings in October, organised by category and opening date. We hope you find it handy for planning ahead. Useful? Missing something? Please let us know and we'll tweak the format in future instalments.

Sigmar Polke, Untitled (Quetta, Pakistan) 1974–1978. Glenstone (Potomac, USA) © The Estate of Sigmar Polke / DACS, London / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn

Must See

October is set to be a roaring month for blockbuster exhibitions. Most of our top 10 Autumn exhibitions in London are happening this month. Expect Turner, Constable and... LEGO.

2 October: Sigmar Polke at Tate Modern — Part of our top 10 Autumn exhibitions in London. £14.50/£12.50, until 15 February

3 October:  Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imaginationm at British Library — Over 200 objects are on display, showcasing our fascination with the macabre over the past 250 years. £10, until 20 January

14 October: War, Art and Surgery at Hunterian Museum — Explore the relationship between war and surgery, past and present. With unprecedented access to military facilities, artist Julia Midgley has created over 150 pieces of reportage artwork depicting military surgeons in training and recently-wounded soldiers on their road to recovery. Free, until 14 February

14 October: Richard Tuttle at Whitechapel Gallery — The North American artist mixes sculpture, painting and poetry. In particular, this exhibition focuses on his use of textile in the artistic process. Free, until 14 December

15 October: Rembrandt: The Late Works at National Gallery — Part of our top 10 Autumn exhibitions in London. £18/£16, until 18 January

16 October: Anarchy & Beauty: William Morris at National Portrait Gallery — This exhibition explores the life and artistic career of the great Victorian artist, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement. £14/£13, until 11 January

23 October: Egon Schiele at Courtauld Gallery — Part of our top 10 Autumn exhibitions in London. £8.50/£7.50, until  18 January

Architecture & Design

10 October: A Good Design? at Chelsea Space — This exhibition traces the development of the Experiment in Design Appreciation scheme, showcasing examples of ‘good design’ that were circulating in secondary London schools between 1951 and 1977. Free, until 31 October

29 October: Women Fashion Power at Design Museum — From Elizabeth I to Lady Gaga, the clothes women wear have always been a powerful form of self-expression. Find out more with this exhibition. £12.40/£9.30, until 26 April 2015

Drawing

16 October: William Blake: Rare Books and Prints at Henry Sotheran — Visit one of  the oldest antiquarian book and print dealers in the world and see its new exhibition about writer and artist William Blake. Free, until 12 November

Contemporary African Art Fair takes place at Somerset House. Details below

Fairs

15 October: PAD London in Berkeley Square — Browse contemporary artworks including photography, design, decorative and tribal arts in the heart of Mayfair. Exhibitors are mainly from Europe, North America and Asia. £20/£10, until 18 October

15 October: Frieze Art Fair in Regent's Park — Frieze is one of the world's leading contemporary art fairs. Beside the massive list of international exhibitors, there are plenty of related events to choose from — including talks, music and even family activities. £10/£8, until 18 October

15 October: The Independent Artist Fair at The Rag Factory — Featuring a group of intentional artists, this fair aims to be less commercial and more authentic. If you're not planning to buy anything, just browse, it's free of charge. Free, just today 6.30pm onwards

16 October: 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House — The art fair welcomes over 100 artists and exhibitors from all 54 countries that compose Africa. And it's accompanied by a rich programme of talks and discussions. £27-£5, until 19 October

16 October: Moniker Art Fair at The Old Truman Brewery — Now in its fifth year, this art fair takes place in the heart of Brick Lane, presented in conjunction with The Other Art Fair. £8/£4, until 19 October

17 October: Multiplied at Christie's — This fair is dedicated exclusively to contemporary art in 'editions': this means print, digital art and multiples, artist’s books and photographs. Alongside the fair, there will be talks and workshops. Free, until 20 October

18 October: Wimbledon Art & Design Fair in St Mark's Place — This one day fair brings together over 30 UK and international artists, sculptors, photographers, ceramicists, jewellery-makers and giftware designers. There will also be stalls selling cupcakes, savoury food and hot drinks. Free, just today 10am-5pm

23 October: Battersea Affordable Art Fair — The periodical appointment with Affordable Art Fair is renovated under the roof of Battersea Evolution. There will be more than 100 exhibitors and plenty of artworks to choose from — prices start from under £500. £10/£8, until 26 October

London-y

10-12 October & 17-18 October: Kensington and Fulham Open Art Studios — During these two weekends, 55 artists and creatives open their homes, studios and alternative spaces to the public. This is an occasion to mingle with the artists and buy some unique works — or just have a walk around the area. Find the artist by area, using the dedicated map on the website.

14 October: Mirrorcity at Hayward Gallery — A group of London-based artists explore the impact of last century's digital revolution on our lives. £10.90, prebook, until 4 January 2015

18 October: The Great Londoners at Hoxton Hotel in Holborn — Photographer Nicholas Goodden captures photos of Londoners during their everyday lives. Free, until 31 January 2015

16 October: Infinite London at The Vaults in Leake Street — This exhibition sees a collective of emerging artists, who were inspired by London as a living, breathing, laughing, screaming entity in its own right. Free, until 19 October

The Journey of the Underdog is on display at Knight Webb Contemporary Gallery. Details below

Painting

4 October: Contemplative Nature at Anise Gallery — Artists couple Setsuko and Shigetomo Suzuki present their first London exhibition. Expect a quiet series of painting that explores the relationship between humans and nature. Free, until 2 November

9 October: Our Friend Larionov by Billy Childish at Pushkin House — Explore Larionov's artistic contribution to the Russian avant-garde movement during the first half of the 20th century. Free, until 21 October

7 October: Andrew Salgado: Storytelling at Beers Contemporary Art — Need a reason to see this exhibition? Salgado has been recognised by Saatchi Online and been nominated as one of the '100 Painters of Tomorrow'. Expect colourful artworks focusing on London-based subjects. Free, until 22 November

9 October: The Journey of the Underdog at Knight Webb Gallery — Works by Cameroon-born artist Adjani Okpu-Egbe. On display are ten major paintings, in which the artist expresses feelings through colour in sometimes faux-naive forms. Free, until 22 November

10 October: Face to Face at Sir John Soane's Museum — See a selection of portraits from the Clifford Chance Art Collection exploring the development of portraiture by British printmakers in the 20th and the first decade of the 21st Century. Free, until 24 January 2015

10 October: Glenn Ligon at Camden Arts Centre — This is the first exhibition of the American artist in a public UK gallery. His is a typographic art which mixes writing with painting. Free, until 11 January 2015

16 October: Lost in Paradise: Nick Archer at Long & Ryle — The artist's soulful paintings have reminiscences of North European landscape painters like Caspar David Friedrich and Pieter Brueghel. Free, until 14 November

16 October: The Naked and the Nude at 20th Century Theatre — See artworks by emerging figurative painter Rodolfo Villaplana. The Venezuelan artist creates deep and soulful paintings that explore human inner space. Free, until 19 October

17 October: Oleg Tselkov: Alter Ego at Alon Zakaim — One of the most influential and highly regarded artists of his generation, Tselkov's work has challenged audiences for five decades. Expelled from the USSR in 1977 due to his provocative paintings, his works are now included in many of the world's most important private and state collections. Free, until 28 November

25 October: Giovanni Battista Moroni at Royal Academy — This artist was one of the most important Italian portraitists of the 16th century. His portraits feature psychological depth and immediacy and are still impressive 400 years later. £12, until 25 January

30 October: Society of Wildlife Artists at Mall Galleries — Four artists spent two weeks in Senegal with BTO scientists looking at the wintering grounds while other members visited summer breeding grounds in the UK. Their journey is told in this exhibition. £3/£2.50, until 9 November

See Sebastiao Salgado at Beetes+Huxley. Details below

Photography

2 October: David Levene: Eyewitness at The Gallery at Foyles — David Levene has been taking photographs for the Guardian's pioneering Eyewitness series since it began in 2005. On display, ten of his best works. Free, until 26 October

3 October: Erica Scourti at Photographers' Gallery — The artist explores the contemporary visual culture, dominated by the sharing and streamlining of personal snapshots via social media channels. Free, until 3 December

7 October: The Colours of Myanmar at The Ritzy in Brixton — Explore the colourful landscapes and see the people who live in Myanmar. Photos by artist Maxine Bulloch. Free, until 3 November

8 October: Sebastiao Salgado at Beetles & Huxley — Salgado's photography is known and acclaimed all over the world. This exhibition includes works from his famous series Workers, Terra, Migrations and Sahel. Free, until 8 November

15 October: Modern War Gardens: Paradise Lost at Garden Museum — Follow photojournalist Lalage Snow on a journey through parts of the Middle East and Europe hit by conflict. £15/£10, until 5 January 2015

31 October: Cairo to Constantinople at The Queen's Gallery — This exhibition follows the journey taken by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1862, as he undertook a four month tour around the Middle East. £9.50/£8.75, until 22 February

Sculpture

1 October: Sophie Dickens at Sladmore Contemporary — This artist mixes ancient Greek tradition with the depiction of muscular movement. See her reaction to the formality of ‘nice traditional animal sculptures on pedestals'. Free, until 24 October

3 October: Plot at Holborn Library — The Brazilian artist creates installations that mix sculpture with drawing and collage. His work will be all over the library, aiming to disorientate the spectator. Free, until 23 November

10 October: L'Age Mur at Rosenfeld Porcini — See Nicola Samorì’s marble and wax sculptures as well as his latest series of paintings on canvas, copper, linen and wood. The artist explores the resurgence of painting in contemporary art. Free, until 17 November

15 October: William Tucker RA at Pangolin London — Explore the later development of Tucker’s robust approach to the figurative form: see a selection of maquettes, monumental bronzes and watercolours from the last four decades. Free, until 29 November

Revisiting Romania is on display at the Horniman Museum. Details below

Video, Performance & Mixed Media

2 October: Ffound at Woolff Gallery — An exhibition focusing on artwork made using found objects and recycled materials, featuring new artworks by Zac Freeman, Jud Turner, Finn Stone and many more. Free, until 1 November

3 October: Another Object at Stour Space — What is the relationship between image and object? Find out in this exhibition, which features both new commissions and unpublished photography and installations by different artists. Free, until 3 November

4 October: Revisiting Romania at Horniman Museum — Learn more about the popular culture and folklore of Romanian Society. The exhibition displays textiles and images which depict the country's traditions. Free, until 6 September 2015

4 October: - My Journey at Shoreditch Town Hall — Explore the stories of London's immigrants from the inside in this interactive free exhibition. Free, until 10 October

7 October: Noise Festival Exhibition at More London — Take a stroll along the Queen's Walk and enjoy this free outdoor exhibition. On display, works by 55 up-and-coming creatives selected by the festival's curators. Free, until 7 November

8 October: On the Origin of Art at Lubomirov-Easton — Getting inspiration from Darwin’s The Origins of Species, the artist gives his personal interpretation of the origin of art, mixing different artistic influences. Free, until 31 October

8 October: Beyond Zero at Calvert 22 Gallery — This exhibition pays homage to two significant moments of 20th century Russia: the emergence of non-objective art and the founding of the Soviet Union’s space programme. Free, until 30 November

10 October: Hew Locke at Hales Gallery — Expect a mixture of sculpture and painting, in which the artist connects his present to his past childhood in Guyana. Free, until 22 November

10 October: Outsider at Subway Gallery — Robert Gordon McHarg is an artist who moved to London in the early 80’s and taught himself. McHarg’s first solo show was 25 years ago and he returns with a fresh new exhibition at the Subway Gallery now. Free, until 25 October

13 Oct0ber: Jorge Mendez Blake at Faggionato — This Mexican artist presents a new body of work, including a series of intricate drawings, a large-scale tapestry and site-specific sculptures. Free, until 21 November

14 October: Steve McQueen at Thomas Dane — The director of 12 Years a Slave returns to art, presenting two site-specific video and sound installations. Free, until 15 November

15 October: Schizophrenogenesis at Paul Stolper — Damien Hirst explores the minimalistic aesthetic of pills and medicines, presenting a new series of prints and sculptures. Free, until 9 November

17 October: FUEL at Camilla Grimaldi — See a selection of photographs of Russian prisoners' tattoos collected by Arkady Bronnikov between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s. Free, until 14 November

19 October: Contemporary Ukranian Artists at Saatchi Gallery — The gallery brings together the works of 25 of Ukraine's most influential artists including Oleksandr Roitburd, Oleh Tistol and Pavlo Makov. Free, until 24 October

Find more about what's on in London, visit Londonist's Museum & Galleries & Art & Photography pages.

Last Updated 01 October 2014