Archives: Exhibitions

About

Chelsea Arts Festival returns to Saatchi Gallery in September 2026 for its second edition, celebrating modern storytelling in the heart of London. Showcasing Chelsea’s rich literary heritage and its ongoing role in the capital’s cultural life, the festival brings together artists and creative practitioners working across page, stage and screen. The programme spans music, theatre, dance and film, alongside podcasting, literature and the visual arts, featuring both leading names and emerging talent from across the creative world.

Partnering with Cadogan, the festival’s main programme unfolds across Chelsea’s landmark cultural institutions: Saatchi Gallery, Cadogan Hall and Royal Court Theatre. Beyond the gallery walls, Chelsea’s streets come alive with free outdoor performances across King’s Road, Duke of York Square, Sloane Street and Sloane Square.

Further information and the full Festival schedule can be found on their website here.

Please note, all events are ticketed and must be pre-booked to attend. Events take place at the Gallery on Friday and Saturday only. 

Friday 18 September

Emma Gannon and Professor Daisy Fancourt In Conversation (10.30-11.30AM)

Join Emma Gannon and Professor Daisy Fancourt as they explore the transformative power of creativity and the arts, and how we can all bring more of them into our everyday lives. In ‘A Creative Compass: Finding Your Way to a Creative Life’, Emma Gannon offers an empowering guide for artists, writers, makers and anyone seeking to live with greater creativity, confidence, calm and joy.  

World-leading expert and award-winning scientist Professor Daisy Fancourt draws on groundbreaking evidence in her new book ‘Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Transform Our Health’ to reveal how engaging with the arts can improve our health, boost happiness and even help us live longer. 

Together, they will discuss why creativity matters, and how it can enrich and transform our lives. 

In Conversation with John Pawson CBE (12.30-1.30PM)

John Pawson CBE has spent over forty years making rigorously simple architecture that speaks of the fundamentals but is also modest in character. His body of work spans a broad range of scales and typologies, from private houses, sacred commissions, galleries, museums, hotels, ballet sets, yacht interiors and a bridge across a lake. 

A Night of T/Reason: Celebrating 50 Years of Punk (6-9.30PM)

Fifty years after punk exploded onto the King’s Road, we launch A Night of T/Reason – a Friday Late at Saatchi Gallery celebrating the music, fashion and cultural rebellion that changed Britain forever. The evening’s programme is curated in association with Jane Ashley and Caroline Gration. 

Named after one of the earliest legendary punk concerts, A Night of T/Reason brings together key voices from the original scene for a raw, entertaining and thought-provoking exploration of punk’s origins, the collision of fashion and music, and its enduring influence today. 

Pioneering fashion designer Lloyd Johnson and Fashion School founder Caroline Gration will examine the early emergence of punk fashion on the King’s Road and its evolution. Award-winning filmmaker and writer Celeste Bell, custodian of her mother Poly Styrene’s archive, joins Lauren Jones, who co-founded the Rock ’n’ Roll Public Library with her father Mick Jones, along with DJ, designer and Vivienne Westwood collaborator Edie Ashley to examine punk’s enduring legacy and continued influence. 

Throughout the evening, talks and discussion will be interwoven with music from the era, while intimate photographs by Jane Ashley, who documented figures including the Sex Pistols and The Clash from inside the scene itself, will be exhibited. Expect first-hand insight into the people, energy and ideas that defined the era, with more speakers to be announced soon. 

Jane Ashley’s photographs will remain on display at Saatchi Gallery throughout the festival.

Saturday 19 September

The Secret Life of London with Johno Verity & Jonnie Fielding aka Bowl of Chalk (10.30-11.30AM) 

Every corner of London has a story. Modern-day explorers Johno Verity and Jonnie Fielding uncover the city’s forgotten people, hidden places and remarkable histories. In conversation, they’ll share favourite discoveries and discuss their fascination with London. Copies of Jonnie’s Why is Downing Street Painted Black? will be available to buy. 

London Theatre Review Live  (12.15-13.15PM)

Award-nominated podcast London Theatre Review returns to Chelsea Arts Festival for a special live recording. Hosts Nancy Durrant, Nick Curtis and Nick Clark bring reviews, news and quizzes, plus an exclusive interview with National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham, offering rare insight into British theatre and what to see in Theatreland now. 

BookBar Introduces (3.45-4.45PM)

Discover some of the most exciting publications by debut authors, curated and hosted by BookBar’s founder Chrissy Ryan. BookBar is one of London’s most beloved independent bookshops, located on Chelsea Manor Street and at the original Islington location. Details of featured authors and books will be announced soon. 

* Please note: Artists listed are correct at time of going to publication; in the unlikely event that an artist needs to cancel we reserve the right to amend the line up without notice and no refunds will be due. 

About

Materiality explores the expressive power of materials beyond the traditional language of paint on canvas. This exhibition considers what happens when the physical substance of an artwork becomes as significant as the image, object or idea it carries.

Glass, metal, plastic, textiles, thread and paper appear alongside found, salvaged and industrial materials. Each possesses its own character: weight, fragility, tension, transparency, softness, resistance or decay. Rather than acting simply as a surface or support, these materials become active participants in the work, shaping both its creation and the way it is experienced.

In this exhibition, texture, weight, surface and process take centre stage. Evidence of cutting, stitching, burning, breaking, layering, weaving, assembling and transforming remains visible, revealing the physical labour behind each piece. In some works, materials are pushed to their limits; in others, their familiar functions are disrupted or entirely reimagined. The exhibition celebrates this process of transformation, tracing the journey from raw substance to finished artwork.

In an increasingly digital and immaterial world, Materiality returns attention to the tactile, imperfect and resolutely physical. The exhibition celebrates artists for whom material is not simply a means to an end, but an essential part of their visual language.

Participating artists: Arlo Sinclair, Carrie Reichardt, Crystal Wagner, Dan Rawlings, Florist, Handiedan, Helch, Joe Everyman, Joe Sangre, Jonesy, Laura Ortiz Vega, LPVDA, Mário Belém, Matthew Small, Perishable Rush, Perspicere, Rocco and his Brothers, Sally Hewett, Simon Berger, Simon Hennessey and Soda.

This exhibition is curated by BSMT Gallery.

About

Life Before, During and After the Middle Ages

This exhibition brings together eleven contemporary artists who channel medieval traditions and aesthetics to explore how centuries-old themes of spiritual uncertainty and political upheaval echo in our present-day societal struggles.

There is an undeniable resurgence of the medieval in contemporary art and culture, with the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum this September and the popularity of medieval re-enactments and ‘medieval core’ fashion. In this way, this period of history is not a mere relic of the past, but a useful tool for examining identity, mythology, folklore and mortality today.

The works in this exhibition expose a cultural shift away from the digital and a return to the physical world of the handmade: media and processes used range from leatherwork, metalwork, and woodwork to painting, ceramics, and even baking.

Through their work, these artists prove that the human impulse to find meaning and community during times of personal and global upheaval remains, casting new light on our relationship with the so-called ‘Dark Ages’.

Featured artists: Emmanuel Awuni, Anna Brass, Simon Callery, Caitlin Hazell, James Lang, Timothy Hon Hung Lee, Harry Jones London, Jessica Luostarinen, Elle Perkins, Jakob Rowlinson, Eva Sajovic.

Curated by Harry Jones London (@harryjoneslondon).

About

The Royal Photographic Society presents the 167th edition of the International Photography Exhibition (IPE), the world’s longest-running photography exhibition, renowned for showcasing the diversity of contemporary photography from around the world. This year’s submissions focus on themes that include environmental issues; identity; conflict, memory, community; family; and culture, as well as the use of alternative photographic processes, showing how contemporary photographers engage with and capture aspects of the world that are as visually compelling as they are socially and culturally significant.

The two award recipients for the 167th edition of the IPE are Marcy Palmer and Léa Chen. Marcy Palmer receives the IPE Award for her series Seeds of Strength and Resilience, which explores the history and future of reproductive rights, examining how recent restrictions have affected women’s autonomy and what the future may hold. The Under 30s Award is presented to Léa Chen for The Stars That Don’t Look Back, which documents the intimate memories shared by three generations of women living in Taiwan.

Selected from more than 5,200 photographers, the exhibition features 113 prints by 48 photographers from around the world, reflecting the breadth of contemporary photographic practice and perspectives today.

The complete list of IPE167 exhibitors, images and further information about the exhibition is available at the RPS International Photography Exhibition 167.

The International Photography Exhibition is supported by theprintspace. 

About

The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial is a major exhibition exploring how the two most powerful phenomena in the sky have inspired creativity, curiosity, and belief throughout human history and across different cultures. Occupying two floors of the Gallery and spanning nine major exhibition spaces, the show presents artworks, installations, and objects that reveal how artists have responded to the Sun and the Moon. The exhibition features the works by established artists, by emerging talent and archival material throughout.

The exhibition unfolds as a journey through a complete 24-hour cycle, moving from dawn through daylight, into the depths of the night. The exhibition includes two major installation works: Helios, a monumental sculpture of the Sun created by artist Luke Jerram, and Massless Suns and Dark Suns by teamLab, an immersive installation that will envelop visitors with spheres of light.

The first four chapters of the exhibition focus upon the Sun. The journey begins with Dawn which reveals how the Sun and the Moon were integral to early belief systems and mythologies. A second chapter, The Sun Rising, reflects on time, seasons, and rituals. The exhibition continues with Zenith where we look at how artists respond to the sun at its highest and its relationship to our bodies. Setting Sun follows, with a focus on transformation, including a section about tarot and a presentation of Nancy Holt’s film Sun Tunnels.

At the halfway point of the exhibition, we present Helios by Luke Jerram. This enormous reproduction of the sun as a globe in a double-height gallery features a collage of over 400,000 photographs of the surface of the sun.

The second half of the exhibition focuses upon the Moon. Evening considers the Moon’s enduring fascination for artists and introduces us to some of its qualities and influence. The room features Saad Qureshi’s large-scale split moon is presented, suspended in the space. Walking on the Moon focuses on the cultural impact of the Apollo missions and the lesser-known stories behind space exploration, including the contributions of craftswomen and designers who helped make the missions possible. At its centre is Moon Landing, a collaborative work by Margo Selby and composer Helen Caddick.

The penultimate chapter, Midnight, delves into the Moon’s long association with folklore, magic, dreams and the ‘witching hour’. The exhibition concludes with the Darkest Hours, featuring Massless Suns and Dark Suns and Massless Sun and Surface of the Sky by the internationally renowned teamLab. This immersive installation will invite viewers to reflect upon the majesty of the universe in which we live.

About

Join us for art after dark!

On selected Fridays, Saatchi Gallery Lates will offer workshops, guided classes and creative activations along with access to major exhibition The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial.

Lates tickets include:

• Entry to The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial
• Entry to all current Ground Floor Shows 
• Bar open to 8:30 pm
• Classes, workshops and creative activations, with basic materials and guidance from the Learning Team provided, plus special guests

Friday 21 August

Learning Workshop: Make-Your-Own Carnival Headdress

Join us for a vibrant, hands-on workshop where you’ll design and create your own carnival headdress fit for Notting Hill Carnival, guided by artist Blossom Concepts. Known for their bold designs, Blossom Concepts fuse rich colours, intricate craftsmanship, and botanical elements to create show-stopping costumes that embody creativity, cultural pride, and pure joy. 

My Body is a Sundial with Bryony Ella

Join artist Bryony Ella and the Melting Metropolis research and community team for an evening of talks and creative activities. Explore themes of heat, climate change and urban living through conversations with Bryony and historian Dr Kara Murphy Schlichting, discovering how historical research shaped the installation. Visitors can take part in ‘Carnival Dreams’ with Melting Metropolis storyteller Adam Njenga, to create your own colourful vision of carnival through story and art. 

About

Join us for our brand new series of tutored life drawing classes! The Saatchi Gallery Learning team will guide you in discovering your own drawing style, introducing a range of approaches from traditional to more experimental techniques. 

Each session we will be attended by a different model to draw from, so that you can be inspired by a diverse range of bodies. We will explore artist research, and provide guided prompts to get into the flow. Book a £25 ticket now to attend your session. 

MEMBERS GET MORE: Tickets for Saatchi Gallery members are discounted at £17 with donation, £15 without. Not a member? Find out more about what’s on offer here. 

These classes are open to all levels, and will run 6.30PM – 8.30PM. All materials will be provided. There will be a 10-minute break in the middle of the session; participants can bring water bottles and light refreshments (however, please note that no alcohol is permitted during the session). 

Due to the presence of nude models, this class is 18+ without parental consent. If you are 16 or 17 and would like to attend, you must have written permission from a parent or guardian. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

About

Boredom-busting art and activities inspired by our current major exhibition, The Sun and The Moon! Explore the exhibition, and then let your creative juices flow with this series of accompanying workshops. Suitable for children of all ages and led by Saatchi Gallery’s Learning team. 

You do not need a ticket to The Sun and The Moon to attend, however you can visit the exhibition on the same day by booking a ticket in advance here.

18 July – Arcana in Ink: Tarot Printmaking

In this session, we will explore the history of tarot cards dating back to the oldest surviving tarot deck: the Visconti-Sforza tarot printed in the mid-15^th century. We will explore how magic has informed culture over the centuries, and the role that celestial bodies play in governing our fate. Participants can use printmaking to create their own tarot card artworks. 

31 July – Painting Like Miró

Miró’s creative process began with a stroke of inspiration, which he drew from a wide range of sources, including nature, dreams, and his Catalan heritage. This session takes inspiration from the art of Miró. We will be working collaboratively and embracing mistakes and incidental marks using ink and paint.

3 August – Mirror Moon Making

This workshop is inspired by Luke Jerram’s Mirror Moon and Katie Paterson’s Totality. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own mirrored moon. You can take inspiration from Katie Paterson and make a Disco Ball moon or use the silver tape to create a realistic version of the moon.

10 August – Sigils & Geometry

Picture this: you are sitting in Maths class, absently drawing symbols in your notebook. Congratulations! You’re accidentally participating in a practice that’s about as old as human civilization itself. This session will combine meditation drawing and 3D-making to explore this age-old habit. 

17 August – Tapestry Making

This workshop takes inspiration from Yinka Ilori’s relationship with pattern and colours in his practice. The focus is on how Ilori reflects patterns drawn from his Nigerian heritage. Taking inspiration from various fabrics, participants will be encouraged to create work which may be abstract (made by shapes) or figurative, and to play with colour and texture.

24 August – Weaving Workshop

In this experimental weaving workshop, participants will be using different techniques and materials including beads and natural media to create their own weaving. We will take inspiration from artists in The Sun and The Moon such as Margo Selby and Darcey Fleming.

Admission to our Family Days workshop series is free with a suggested donation of £5. Pre-register your session(s) to avoid disappointment. Should you wish to attend The Sun and The Moon alongside your Family Days slot, you can book your ticket in advance here.

About

About

Botanical art and photography from around the world will be presented at Saatchi Gallery this summer as the annual RHS exhibition returns for a sixth year. Staged across three galleries, the best in contemporary botanical art and photography is presented by exhibitors from across the world. This year sees former medal winners returning alongside first-time exhibitors.

Showcasing an incredible diversity of botanical subjects from the vibrant wild plants that emerge after wildfires in northwest England, to the colourful mushrooms that grow in Japan – fungi seen growing on woodland walks in Cornwall, to the abundant wildflowers of protected nature reserves of Jeju Island off the coast of Korea and the endangered endemic limestone fynbos found only in South Africa’s Grootbos, to the knotty roots of well-loved garden-grown varieties at home – there is an abundance of illustration and photography to intrigue and delight.

This year’s photography exhibition presents a series of portfolio works exploring plants, gardens and natural landscapes, with photographers using close observation and technical skill to reveal the character, detail and diversity of the plant world. Subjects range from intimate studies of succulents and sunflowers to wider views of gardens and natural habitats from across the UK and beyond.

All of the artworks submitted have undergone a meticulous reviewing process by an expert judging panel and assessed on aesthetic appeal, scientific accuracy and technical skill. Once on display, the artists compete for an RHS medal – Gold, Silver-Gilt, and Bronze, as well as a ‘best in show’ award, namely Best Botanical Artwork, Best Botanical Art Exhibit, Best Portfolio Photography Exhibit, Best Single Image and Judges Special Award.  The public will once again have the opportunity to vote in the People’s Choice award via the RHS website.

The Show contributes to a long legacy of botanical art collecting and display by the RHS, and complements the work of the RHS Lindley Collections, which holds more than 30,000 botanical paintings and heritage photographs.

Free entry for RHS and Saatchi Gallery members, on production of a valid membership card (pre-booking not required). Ticket holders for The Sun and The Moon also get free entry (valid on the same day only).