A new year means another stacked calender for collectors and art fanatics across the world. Throughout 2024 we'll be lucky enough to see some incredible showcases of intergenerational talent over a variety of different exhibitions. With almost too many to mention we've narrowed it down to 5 key events that are essential for anyone looking to add some culture to their year, be it photography, installation work or something more painterly, the following shows are sure to inspire, challenge and surprise even the most seasoned art lover.
Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You:
Where?: Serpentine South Gallery
When?: 1 February - 17 March 2024
What is it?: Seminal American artist Barbara Kruger's first UK institutional show in over 20 years.
Barbara Kruger has been recognised for decades due to her deeply impactful and subversive work that plays on classic advertising imagery and propaganda aesthetics. Her art is timeless, with her unmistakable visual language bleeding into everyday conscious through explorations of power, gender, consumerism and class. This exhibition will feature soundscapes and video installations as well as being the UK premier of her 2020 work 'Untitled (No comment). Simply unmissable.
Price: Free
Jas Knight: Terrain
Where?: Hannah Barry Gallery
When?: 22 February – 30 March
What is it?: An in-depth exhibition of American painter Jas Knight's last 2 years of work.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, this exhibition will be the artist's most comprehensive display of work ever shown. Jas Knight specialises in incredibly detailed portraiture and drawings, having been recognised since childhood (he sold his first painting at age 7 and had his first solo show at 8). This show is an excellent opportunity to see one of the finest emerging painters currently working in a more intimate setting.
Price: Free
Beatriz Milhazes: Maresias
Where?: The Tate (St. Ives, Cornwall)
When?: 25 May – 29 September
What is it?: A retrospective of Brazilian abstract artist Beatriz Milhazes.
Presenting a body of work spanning over four decades the Tate's showcase of Beatriz's work gives the rare opportunity for viewers to witness the intense, large-scale canvases that made her a renowned figure of South-American contemporary art, as well as giving us an unparalleled insight into her artistic evolution. The show's title refers to the salty sea breeze that is part and parcel of living in the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro. Through fluorescent, metallic tones and striking bursts of colour Beatriz Milhazes frequently explores the theme of nature in a way that combines collage techniques and painting sensibilities.
Price: TBC
Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit
Where?: The Tate Modern
When?: 2 October 2024 – 9 March 2025
What is it?: The first major UK exhibition of experimental American artist Mike Kelley.
Having garnered a reputation for creating unique and provocative work over a broad range of mediums artist Mike Kelley presents a challenging and influential body of work. Having famously created the album cover for Sonic Youth's 'Dirty' he remained at the forefront of culture and creativity in everything that he did. Since his tragic passing in 2012 at the age of 57 his work has continued to grow in appreciation, with Tate Modern's upcoming showcase offering an unrivalled opportunity to witness his output first hand.
Price: TBC (Free for members)
Francis Bacon: Portraits
Where?: The National Portrait Gallery
When?: 10 October 2024 - 19 January 2025
What is it?: An exhibition of Francis Bacon's portrait works (from 1950 onwards).
Arguably one of the finest figurative painters of his generation, Francis Bacon's work continues to be as relevant and challenging as ever. Famous for his bleak and visceral depictions of masculinity, death and anguish his portrait works railed against traditional notions of the genre in a way that has seen him become one of the most lauded artists of all time. This comprehensive exhibition featuring works from both public and private collections will feature the artist's self-pportraits alongside some of his most famous subjects, including Lucien Freud, Isabel Rawsthorne and his lovers Peter Lacy and George Dyer.
Price: TBC (Free for members)
