Several major London exhibitions are entering their final weeks, making August an ideal month to visit. The first major retrospective of Hurvin Anderson at Tate Britain is drawing to a close. So is the first British monographic exhibition of Francisco de Zurbarán at the National Gallery. Add to that the 258th edition of the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, the largest Tracey Emin retrospective to date, and the Backyard Biennial, through which Whitechapel Gallery marks 125 years of its existence.
Tate Britain: Hurvin Anderson
The first major survey of the work of British-Jamaican painter Hurvin Anderson brings together more than 80 pieces from across his career. Anderson was born the youngest of eight children. He was the first in his family born in England after his parents emigrated from Jamaica to Birmingham. As a result, his paintings constantly return to themes of home and belonging. The exhibition runs until August 23, 2026. 🔗 Hurvin Anderson at tate.org.uk
National Gallery: Zurbarán
Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664) was one of the darkest voices of the Spanish Baroque. He became known for his dramatically lit monks and saints, earning him the nickname “the Spanish Caravaggio.” The National Gallery now devotes to him the first monographic exhibition ever held in the United Kingdom, with forty paintings and loans from the Louvre. It runs until August 23, 2026, in the Sainsbury Wing. 🔗 Zurbarán at nationalgallery.org.uk
Royal Academy of Arts: Summer Exhibition 2026
The legendary Summer Exhibition has run without interruption since 1769. This year marks its 258th edition. Artist Ryan Gander has taken on the role of curator, choosing the theme Interconnectedness. As a result, the galleries bring together painting, sculpture, architecture, and photography regardless of medium. The exhibition runs until August 23, 2026.
Tate Modern: Tracey Emin, A Second Life
The most extensive Tracey Emin retrospective to date brings together more than 90 works spanning four decades of her practice. Emin has included her iconic installation My Bed in the show, this time deliberately without accompanying wall text. The exhibition runs until August 31, 2026.
A monumental bronze sculpture, I Followed You Until The End, greets visitors right outside the Tate Modern building. 🔗 Tracey Emin at tate.org.uk
Whitechapel Gallery: Backyard Biennial, East
Whitechapel Gallery marks 125 years of its existence with this free summer festival. The event takes place at more than forty partner venues across East London, ranging from exhibitions to workshops to children’s programmes. It runs until September 6, 2026.
The gallery was founded in 1901 to bring great art to the people of the East End, today continuing that very same hundred-and-twenty-five-year tradition.
Whitechapel Gallery: The Ropery
Part of the Backyard Biennial, the participatory exhibition The Ropery invites visitors to try rope braiding and twisting themselves. The installation draws on the history of East London’s rope-making trade. It operated here for more than two hundred years, until the mid-20th century. It runs until August 30, 2026.
Royal Academy of Arts: Young Artists’ Summer Show 2026
Alongside the main Summer Exhibition, the Royal Academy also hosts its smaller, equally engaging sibling show. The free exhibition presents work by young artists aged five to nineteen. The pieces are selected from open submissions across the United Kingdom.
National Gallery: Take One Picture 2026
The National Gallery’s educational project each year selects a single painting from its collection and invites schoolchildren from across the country to respond to it. This year’s starting point was Canaletto’s A Regatta on the Grand Canal. The resulting children’s artworks are on display until August 31, 2026.
Hayward Gallery: Anish Kapoor
The British sculptor returns to Hayward Gallery after nearly thirty years. His last major show here was in 1998. The exhibition fills the entire building, including the terraces, ranging from mirrored sculptural works to deep black “voids” to new monumental installations in his signature red. It runs until October 18, 2026.
In 2016, Kapoor acquired exclusive rights to Vantablack, the darkest known substance in the world. 🔗 Anish Kapoor at southbankcentre.co.uk
Installation view of the work Tsunami by Anish Kapoor at the entrance to Hayward Gallery in London, part of his major 2026 exhibition. Photo/Credit: Dave Morgan, © Anish Kapoor, DACS 2026
V&A South Kensington: Schiaparelli, Fashion Becomes Art
The first British exhibition devoted to the house of Schiaparelli traces Elsa Schiaparelli’s work from the 1920s to the present day under the direction of Daniel Roseberry. More than two hundred exhibits include the legendary Skeleton and Tears dresses. These were created in collaboration with Salvador Dalí. It runs until November 8, 2026. The Skeleton dress on display is the only surviving example of this design in the world. 🔗 Schiaparelli at vam.ac.uk
National Portrait Gallery: Marilyn Monroe, A Portrait
Marking one hundred years since Marilyn Monroe’s birth, the gallery pays tribute with an exhibition of her portraits by Andy Warhol, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, and others. The exhibition traces how Monroe herself actively shaped her own image in front of the camera. It runs until September 6, 2026. The show also includes her final photographs, taken on Santa Monica beach just weeks before her death in 1962. 🔗 Marilyn Monroe at npg.org.uk
