As the final days of May unfold, London becomes a vibrant canvas with a spectacular array of art exhibitions that are not to be missed. From poetic floral installations and powerful cultural narratives to celestial visions and striking explorations of color, the city’s galleries are overflowing with creativity. Whether you’re passionate about contemporary art, literature-inspired displays, or symbolic storytelling, these curated art exhibitions offer unforgettable experiences to close out the month on a high note. Here’s your ultimate guide to seven standout shows lighting up London right now!
Marc Guiragossian: Lessons From Mori
Dates: May 9 – May 29, 2025
Location: Kearsey & Gold, London, United Kingdom
Lebanese artist Marc Guiragossian makes a powerful London debut with “Lessons From Mori,” a deeply personal and emotive body of work shaped during a two-month residency. Drawing influence from classical and modern art movements, Guiragossian’s paintings are layered with texture and introspection. His expressive brushwork and muted palettes invite viewers into an internal world of reflection, memory, and mortality.
This series was developed in solitude, influenced by the experience of being in a new place while carrying personal loss. It’s a quiet yet profound commentary on human vulnerability and the impermanence of life.
For more, visit here
The Shape of Colour
Dates: April 22 – May 29, 2025
Location: Waddington Custot, London, United Kingdom
“The Shape of Colour” is a vibrant group exhibition exploring the dynamic relationship between geometry and chromatic intensity. Featuring works by influential modern and contemporary artists, the show demonstrates how form and color communicate emotion, structure, and rhythm.
Artists such as Josef Albers, Etel Adnan, and Peter Halley highlight how minimal forms can carry deep emotional and theoretical weight through the mastery of color. The exhibition is a visually rich journey through decades of artistic innovation in color theory and abstraction.
For more, visit here
Sketch in Bloom: Celebrating 250 Years of Jane Austen
Dates: May 1 – June 1, 2025
Location: Sketch, London, United Kingdom
In a dreamy fusion of literature and design, Sketch pays homage to Jane Austen on her 250th birthday with a spectacular floral takeover. Renowned florists reimagine Austen’s timeless elegance through lush botanical displays spread across the venue’s iconic spaces.
This annual celebration transforms Sketch into a living novel, complete with installations by award-winning floral designers such as Ricky Paul and Carly Rogers. Visitors can indulge in themed afternoon teas and be immersed in scenes inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Emma, celebrating Austen’s enduring cultural legacy.
For more, visit here
Thanasis Totsikas: With Minerals and Track Threads
Dates: April 11 – May 31, 2025
Location: Sylvia Kouvali, London, United Kingdom
Description:
Thanasis Totsikas presents an enigmatic and textural exhibition that blends industrial remnants with earthy minerals. His sculptures and assemblages explore decay, transformation, and the delicate balance between human-made and natural environments.
Totsikas, a key figure in Greek contemporary art since the 1980s, brings a raw and philosophical edge to his materials. From rail tracks to clay and copper, each object is a fragment of history and an open-ended narrative of resilience and ruin.
For more, visit here
Marc Padeu: Le Mariage de Roxane
Dates: April 25 – May 30, 2025
Location: Larkin Durey, London, United Kingdom
Description:
Cameroonian artist Marc Padeu crafts a vivid narrative around the joyous yet intricate ceremonies of marriage in “Le Mariage de Roxane.” Through large-scale, colorful paintings, Padeu celebrates familial bonds and community rituals while weaving in social commentary and personal introspection.
The series is rooted in Padeu’s own cultural heritage, capturing the grandeur and emotional weight of traditional Cameroonian marriage ceremonies. His compositions pulse with life, layered symbolism, and expressive brushwork that invites both celebration and contemplation.
For more, visit here
Chris Rivers: The Zodiac Universe (Pre-Release)
Dates: May 8 – May 31, 2025
Location: Pontone Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Chris Rivers’ “The Zodiac Universe” invites viewers on a celestial voyage through an imaginative reimagining of astrological signs. Merging fantastical landscapes with symbolic elements, Rivers crafts intricate, dreamlike paintings that resonate with cosmic wonder.
This preview unveils a new collection from the self-taught artist known for his surreal storytelling style, where stars, constellations, and planetary forms orbit richly detailed dreamscapes. The work is as introspective as it is otherworldly, blending personal mythology with universal fascination.
For more, visit here
Levi De Jong: Making America
Dates: Until May 31, 2025
Location: General Assembly, London, United Kingdom
Dutch artist Levi De Jong tackles the loaded imagery of national identity in “Making America.” Through deconstructed flags, religious iconography, and pop cultural motifs, De Jong questions what defines a country — and who gets to decide.
This is the artist’s first solo show in London, and it delivers an audacious commentary on myth-making and power structures. Each artwork is both a deconstruction and a mirror, holding up contemporary symbols to reveal the contradictions behind nationalism and cultural authority.
For more, visit here
To see the best art exhibitions around the world in 2025, visit here.
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