As blossoms unfold around us inviting us to discover the beauty of Spring, galleries around the world have stepped up this year tempting us to step into a diverse range of new and exciting exhibitions. Here’s our pick of the best 10 exhibitions this Spring in 2022, which ones will make it onto your list?
Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child
Where: Hayward Gallery, Southbank, London
When: Until 15 May
Why: The Hayward Gallery in the Southbank Centre is playing host to Louise Bourgeois, who in the last two decades of her career, began to incorporate clothes from all stages of her life into her art. This developed into a varied body of work – from monumental installations, to figurative sculptures and abstract collages – incorporating textiles such as bed linen, handkerchiefs, tapestry, and needlepoint.
Find out more and book here.
WEIRD SENSATION FEELS GOOD: The World of ASMR
Where: The Design Museum, London
When: Opens 13th May 2022
Why: This is the first exhibition of its kind to lift the world of ASMR out from your screen and into physical space. Step into an acoustically tuned environment and understand how people are using new and existing tools and materials to navigate our complex world.
Find out more and book here.
Amy: Beyond the Stage
Where: Design Museum, London
When: Until 10 April 2022
Why: See never seen before photographs, personal belongings and the early story of the iconic Amy Winehouse. Her unmistakable voice, confessional lyrics and iconic look, made her one of the music world's most beloved artists. Discover the story of Amy’s early career through her recordings and teenage notebooks to unravel the creative process behind her music, and pay tribute to her rich range of influences, from Dinah Washington to Mark Ronson, Camden to '60s pop, Motown to jazz.
Find out more and book here.
Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear
Where: V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum), London
When: 19 March – 6 November 2022
Why: Perhaps better known for their crowd drawing women’s fashion exhibitions, this is the V&A’s first major exhibition exploring the power, artistry and diversity of men’s fashion, this showcase places around 100 outfits alongside 100 artworks.
Find out more and book here.
The World of Stonehenge
Where: The British Museum, London
When: 17 Feb 2022 - 17 Jul 2022
Why: In this special exhibition, the British Museum will reveal the secrets of Stonehenge, shining a light on its purpose, cultural power and the people that created it. Shrouded in layers of speculation and folklore, this iconic British monument has spurred myths and legends that persist today.
Find out more and book here.
Hyperreal. The Art of Trompe l’Oeil
Where: Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Madrid
When: 16 March to 22 May 2022
Why: Painting images that are impossible to distinguish from reality has been a challenge for artists of all periods. The ability to deceive the viewer by making the painted seem real through the laws of optics and perspective is a visual game of which the earliest examples are known from descriptions in Greek literary texts. Since then, trompe l’oeil has been extensively present in the arts, particularly flourishing in periods such as the Renaissance and Baroque, after which it declined following Romanticism but never entirely disappeared from the artistic repertoire.
Find out more and book here.
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits
Where: The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, London
When: 3 Feb - 8 May 2022
Why: With only Rembrandt creating more self portraits, this is the first time that the full span of Van Gogh’s self-portraiture has been explored in an exhibition. Several works in the exhibition were last together in Van Gogh’s studio and have never been reunited, until now.
Find out more and book here.
Yves Saint Laurent aux Musées
Where: Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Orsay, Musée National Picasso Paris, Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, Musée du Louvre
When: January 29-May 15
Why: Conceived and made possible by the Fondation Pierre Bergé — Yves Saint Laurent, YVES SAINT LAURENT AUX MUSÉES will foster a dialogue between a selection of garments, including some of the couturier’s most iconic designs, and the permanent collections of six prominent Parisian museums. The exhibition celebrates both Saint Laurent’s mastery and art in general. The tentacular scale of the project makes it possible to link the world of Yves Saint Laurent with other artistic realms.
Find out more and book here.
TOMÁS SARACENO: PARTICULAR MATTER(S)
Where: The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, New York
When: 11th February - 17th April 2022
Why: If the ASMR exhibition piqued your interest then ‘PARTICULAR MATTER(S)’ should also be on your list. This large-scale exhibition and sensory experience features spiderwebs, air, and the cosmic web.
Find out more and book here.
Guo Pei: Couture Fantasy to transform the Legion of Honor
Where: Legion of Honor museum, San Francisco
When: 16th April – 5th September 2022
Why: Showcasing many designs that have never before been shown to the public, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco exclusively presents the first comprehensive exhibition of Guo Pei’s groundbreaking creations. Through exquisite craftsmanship, lavish embroidery, and unconventional dressmaking techniques, designer Guo Pei creates a couture fantasy that fuses the influences of China’s imperial past with export art, the grandeur of European court life, architecture, and the botanical world.
Find out more and book here.