2020 is packed with fascinating and jaw-dropping art exhibitions. Although there are hundreds of notable exhibitions this year, it would be almost impossible to attend them all. I have read about many and compiled a list of what I believe to be the most significant exhibitions dominating the next six months. My choices were based on a number of factors: The artist, the venue and the location, and not just because they are my personal favourites. They explore and highlight significant advancements and achievements in art, crucial debates of the modern day and celebrate the talent housed in our creative institutions.
Picasso and Paper – Royal Academy of Arts – 25 January to 1 April 2020
Kick starting 2020 is the art-world celebrity, Picasso. If you haven’t heard of Picasso, you have been living under a rock and I politely instruct you to make it your 2020 resolution to see his work (whether you like it or hate it – it is the art world, everything is subjective). This exhibition exemplifies Picasso’s use of 2D items such as paper or fabric to create complex collages. The show highlights Picasso as the ‘King of Cubism and Surrealism’ and his ingenious ability to turn mundane objects into established and famed masterpieces. To me, this exhibition will generate an element of nostalgia, with its cut and stick approach like that of arts and crafts as a child. It is perfect for people of all ages.
Leonardo da Vinci – Louvre, Paris – 24 October 2019 to 24 February 2020
If you haven’t already seen this exhibition, all is not lost as you still have time! This exhibition closes at the end of February, so if you are surprising your partner for Valentine’s day or simply fancy a trip to Paris, please do see this wonderful Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. This show celebrates the legendary Master’s 500th birthday and with such an extraordinary birthday comes this very apt exhibition. The exhibit will showcase his most famous works and explore his artistic journey…Don’t miss it!
Andy Warhol – Tate Modern – 12 March to 6 September 2020
This exhibition showcases the work of the renowned Andy Warhol, the ‘father of Pop Art’. This is a must-see in 2020 and is the first new Warhol exhibition at the Tate for 20 years (how fitting)! The Gallery are welcoming the artist back with over 100 pieces of his work, including his iconic celebrity prints. Amongst the showstoppers and heavily publicised pieces, the Tate will be displaying some of his less well-known drawings. You won’t want to miss this exhibition; it is sure to be ‘soup-er’ (get it?)!
Van Eyck: An Optical Revolution – Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent – 3 February to 30 April
The MSK in Belgium will honouring the Flemish Master with what has been deemed as “the greatest Van Eyck exhibition ever”. If you fancy a trip to Belgium for some chocolate treats this Easter, I highly recommend stopping by this exhibition. Optical Revolution will showcase and explore Van Eyck’s highly celebrated use of perspective and realism in his freshly restored artworks. This is the first time that so many of Van Eyck’s works will be in the same room, so don’t miss out in case it’s the last!
Kusama: Cosmic Nature – New York Botanical Garden – 9 May to 1 November 2020
If you are looking for something wacky but wonderful, this is the exhibition for you. The Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is one of the most famous and inspirational artists across the globe! At the age of ninety, her presence in the contemporary art industry is unquestionable. One of her biggest exhibitions in 2020 will take place in New York Botanical Garden and will feature her unusual and iconic installations, which focus on her inspirations from nature. Famed for her bold colours and polka-dots, her work displays elements of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, pop art, and abstract expressionism. This is an exhibition for all art lovers and nature lovers alike!
If you are an art enthusiast like me, these exhibitions are not to be missed! I hope that there is at least one exhibition for everyone on this list that tickles your fancy, be it due to it featuring your favourite artist, or an artist you don’t know about, or because it is being held locally to you. If you are not (yet) an art lover, I would highly encourage you making it one of your 2020 resolutions to incorporate art into your life, either through these influential exhibitions or any others of your choice (there are plenty to choose from!).
Written by Olivia Drage – Associate Consultant – Fine Art & Gallery Services at Alchemy Global Talent Solutions.