Archives: Exhibitions

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 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

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.

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). 

About

Join us for a weekend of performances, guided workshops, seasonal refreshments and creative activations, all celebrating the summer solstice alongside access to our major exhibition The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial. 

Your ticket includes:

• Performances, workshops and creative activations
• Themed drinks and refreshments on offer. Explore the world of G Spot – Gillian Anderson’s sparkling functional soda brand – through a botanical tasting experience designed to delight the senses. 
• Entry to The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial

What’s on Offer: 

Friday 19 June (6.30pm – 9pm)

• Solstice Straw Workshop: led by the Saatchi Gallery Learning team and artist Lucy Hook-Child, drawing inspiration from the traditional folkloric craft of sun wheel patterning. Lucy has a BA (Hons) in 3D Design Crafts and is a member of Straw Craftsmen. She has been researching and working with straw since 2023 after discovering that Corn Dolly Making and Straw Work are on the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts. 
• Performance by artist Bryony Ella: Stand of the Sun – a solstice ritual for the melting metropolis – is a unique storytelling experience emerging out of My Body is a Sundial, the artist’s sculptural work on display as part of The Sun and The Moon. Written and directed by Bryony Ella, the event features a live performance by Alleyne Dance, lighting by Rachel Sampley and a musical score composed by Bumi Thomas. 

Saturday 20 June

• 8.30am – 9.30am: Morning yoga – gentle invigoration with sun salutations and an energising flow. Arranged in collaboration with Varley, who are generously providing participants with yoga mats for grip, cushioning, and comfort throughout the session plus a gift bag to take home!
• 9.30am – 11am: Coffee break to refuel and recharge with Redemption Roasters
• From 11.30am: Enjoy an energetic Morris dancing performance by the Belles of London City, an antiracist, LGBTQIA+ inclusive group, who champion an expansive and inclusive view of English culture for all. Traditional folk rhythms, high jumping, audience participation and general horseplay mix to deliver a toe-tappingly infectious dance spectacle. 
• 6.15pm – 7pm: Sound bath with Aesop – Alis Rocca of Arise Wellbeing will host a sound bath session with higher-frequency crystal tones to celebrate peak light. The experience will feature aromatic Aesop formulations to enhance luminosity, replenish the skin and uplift the senses

Sunday 21 June

• 8.30am – 9.30am: Morning yoga, gentle invigoration with sun salutations and an energising flow. Arranged in collaboration with Varley, who are generously providing participants with yoga mats for grip, cushioning, and comfort throughout the session plus a gift bag to take home
• 9.30am – 11am: Coffee break to refuel and recharge with Redemption Roasters
• 2.30pm (Sun Rising gallery – Room 2): Solstice ritual – A special performance to celebrate the summer solstice. You are invited to bring a stone or token offering to co-create a spontaneous altar. The ceremony is led by the poet-playwright-ritualist John Constable (aka Crow) who evolved his magical practice at London’s Crossbones Graveyard, and has conducted rituals at festivals and sacred sites worldwide. Suitable for all; children must be accompanied. 
• 6.15pm – 7pm: Sound bath with Aesop – Alis Rocca of Arise Wellbeing will host a sound bath session with grounding, earth-toned Gongs and Himalayan bowls to honour the solstice. The experience will feature aromatic Aesop formulations to enhance luminosity, replenish the skin and uplift the senses.

Activities and offerings are subject to change. More updates coming soon. Book your ticket now to avoid disappointment! 

About

Spectral Interference is a solo exhibition by London-based painter Anna Liber Lewis, presented with Hannah Payne Art. Bringing together a new body of work, it marks a rupture from her earlier grid-based paintings, embracing abstraction as a site of risk, embodiment, and perceptual instability.

Across paintings of varying scale, Liber Lewis leaves behind the grid and earlier line work. Structure remains, not as a fixed system, but as a generative structure that can be disrupted, softened, or pushed to breaking point. The surfaces evolve through cycles of editing and return: worked into, scraped back, reactivated, and at times deliberately destabilised. Old works are revisited and altered, reflecting a willingness to give up control in pursuit of something more alive.

Central to this body of work is an interest in high-stakes painting and the tension between abstraction and figuration, structure and the body, control and risk. Influenced by artists including Helen Frankenthaler and Carroll Dunham, Liber Lewis approaches abstraction as a physical, confronting act, where the mark carries memory, effort, and jeopardy. Gesture operates as a record of decision-making, endurance, and doubt.

The exhibition brings together significant new and recent works, including Embodied Other, My GRB Afterglow, and Very Rare Picture of Earth II, alongside large-scale canvases shown publicly for the first time. It represents her most ambitious institutional presentation to date, following her inclusion in Unreal City: Abstract Painting at Saatchi Gallery in 2024. 

Images courtesy of the Artist and Hannah Payne Art. Photography by Benjamin Deakin. 

About Hannah Payne Art
Hannah Payne Art is a nomadic gallery platform working between Oxford and London, supporting emerging and mid-career artists through ambitious exhibitions, institutional collaborations and dialogue-led programming. The gallery champions artists at pivotal moments in their careers, fostering the development and presentation of new work through thoughtfully curated exhibitions and partnerships.

About

Curated by BSMT Gallery, States of Transition, a new body of work by Perspicere, continues his meticulous exploration of the human condition through thread. Each piece is built by wrapping thread around nails, layer upon layer, colour upon colour, until a photo-realistic portrait emerges from thousands of intersecting lines.

Perspicere, Latin for “to see clearly” or “to see through”, subjects that very idea to scrutiny. Veil-like forms and shifting surfaces complicate the act of seeing, while the work itself changes depending on distance, reflecting the way perception is fluid and unreliable.

This new series turns toward the uncertain space between one state of being and another, between presence and absence, visibility and concealment. Meaning is not immediately given but gradually uncovered, inviting an active process of looking, questioning, and reconstructing what is seen.