Exhibitions to visit in 2025

Giuseppe Penone

April 3rd—September, 2025

Serpentine South,  Kensington Gardens, London

Opening in April 2025, Serpentine South will host a solo exhibition by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone, offering the most comprehensive survey of his work in London to date. Spanning from 1977 to the present, the exhibition will feature a diverse selection of sculptures and works on paper. A key figure in the Arte Povera movement, Penone is known for his exploration of materials such as wood, iron, wax, and bronze, emphasizing their natural properties. The exhibition will reflect his ongoing interest in the intricate connection between humans and the natural world. Set against the backdrop of Kensington Gardens, it will invite visitors to engage with the artist’s thought-provoking dialogue between nature and materiality.

Helmut Lang: What remains behind

February 19th—May 4th, 2025

MAK Center at the Schindler House, West Hollywood, CA

The MAK Center for Art and Architecture is set to present What Remains Behind, Helmut Lang’s first solo institutional exhibition in Los Angeles, hosted at the iconic Schindler House. In this groundbreaking exhibition, Lang examines the relationship between the human body and architecture through a series of sculptures that engage with the house’s minimalist design. Working with polyurethane foam, Lang crafts freestanding, fist-like forms that combine ancient and modern aesthetics, blending abstraction with figuration. 

The exhibition invites viewers to contemplate the tension between softness and hardness, the visible and the unseen, as Lang’s work subtly reveals the body’s imprint on the built environment. The sculptures serve as a sonogram, uncovering hidden conversations between materials, memory, and space. Lang’s material choices, imbued with historical and emotional significance, transform the Schindler House into a space where collective histories and unknown futures collide. This exhibition offers a profound exploration of time, presence, and the body within architecture. 

The exhibition is presented with the support of Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley 

Opening September 2025

Serpentine North,  Kensington Gardens, London

In Autumn 2025, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, a Berlin and London-based artist, will unveil a major new project at Serpentine North, combining a collaborative video game, exhibition, and R&D initiative. Known for her work in animation, sound, performance, and game development, Brathwaite-Shirley’s practice centers on archiving and empowering Black Trans stories through the intersection of lived experience and fiction. The project invites visitors to actively participate as player-players, allowing them to shape narratives and histories through their choices. Commissioned and produced by Serpentine Arts Technologies, the exhibition will involve collaboration with artists, technologists, and interaction designers to push the boundaries of video game technologies. Through this innovative exploration, Brathwaite-Shirley will examine the creative and civic potential of video games in a dynamic and participatory way.

In our interview, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley discusses how she blends personal stories with fictional elements and explores how the interactive nature of her games challenges the audience’s perceptions.

Anselm Kiefer: Sag mir wo die Blumen sind (Tell Me Where the Flowers Are)

March 7th —June 9th, 2025

The Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

The Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam are teaming up for the first time to present Anselm Kiefer: Sag mir wo die Blumen sind (Tell Me Where the Flowers Are), a landmark exhibition running from March 7th to June 9th, 2025. This unprecedented collaboration with the renowned German artist will feature a dynamic blend of Kiefer’s past works and new creations, offering an in-depth look at his artistic evolution.

At the Stedelijk Museum, the centerpiece will be a striking new 24-meter-long installation, specially designed to transform the space surrounding the museum’s historic staircase. This piece will be displayed alongside iconic works from Kiefer in the museum’s collection, such as Innenraum (1981) and Märkischer Sand (1982), creating a dialogue between his early and current practice.

Meanwhile, the Van Gogh Museum will examine Vincent van Gogh’s enduring influence on Kiefer. Highlighting a shared fascination with sunflowers, this section will pair Van Gogh’s masterpieces, including La Berceuse (1889), with Kiefer’s Tournesols (1996) and other new paintings, underscoring their thematic and symbolic connections.

Curated by Leontine Coelewij at the Stedelijk and Edwin Becker at the Van Gogh Museum, the exhibition offers a seamless experience with a single ticket granting entry to both venues. Together, these institutions invite visitors to explore Kiefer’s profound artistic dialogue with Van Gogh and his ongoing exploration of memory, nature, and history.

Tarek Atoui. Al Tāriq. A Journey into the Rural Music Traditions of North Africa and the Arab World 

February 18th—May 18th, 2025

Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

Tarek Atoui’s exhibition At-Tāriq: The Tamazgha Chapter will be on view at MNTB, exploring themes of hospitality and cultural exchange through music and art. Running from February 18th, the project draws inspiration from the Majlis, a traditional space of gathering and welcome in Arab and North African cultures, and reimagines it as a site of “poetic hospitality.” This first chapter of Atoui’s long-term research focuses on the ancestral traditions of the Amazigh people, blending their rich musical and artisanal heritage with contemporary forms.

Highlights include sonic installations developed in collaboration with musicians and artisans from Morocco’s Atlas region, emphasizing the intersection of tradition and innovation. Another featured work uses layered sounds and materials to create an immersive experience that evokes the nomadic spirit of trade routes and cultural affinities. Through its multi-sensory approach, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how music and art can transcend borders and foster new connections.

Polaroids

March 6th—August 17th, 2025

Helmut Newton Foundation, Berlin

The highly anticipated exhibition Polaroids will open on March 6th, 2025, as part of the official European Month of Photography Berlin 2025 program. This exciting new group show will showcase the work of iconic photographer Helmut Newton alongside an impressive roster of artists, including Sheila Metzner, Pola Sieverding, Charles Johnstone, Thorsten Brinkmann, Maurizio Galimberti, and Marike Schuurman. The exhibition draws from the vast archive of the Helmut Newton Foundation, featuring a curated selection of original Polaroids, some of which were transferred from Newton’s Monte Carlo residence after the passing of his wife, June Newton. Complementing these intimate works are enlargements first shown in a 2012 exhibition curated by June Newton herself. In collaboration with Vienna’s WestLicht/OstLicht, which lent its extensive Polaroid collection, the show delves into the diverse processes and formats of this unique photographic medium. Visitors can expect to see experimental treatments of Polaroid prints, offering a fresh perspective on these iconic snapshots.

Do Ho Suh: Walk the House

March 15th—October 27th, 2025

Tate Modern, London

Opening in March 2025, Tate Modern will present a major exhibition of Korean-born, London-based artist Do Ho Suh, showcasing the most extensive survey of his work in the UK to date. Spanning over three decades of his career, the exhibition will include large-scale installations, sculptures, videos, and works on paper.

Renowned for his exploration of themes such as home, identity, and belonging, Suh reflects on the spaces we inhabit and the memories they hold. Highlights will include his fabric architectures—immersive recreations of passages and thresholds—alongside early installations, drawings, and videos mapping his personal journey across Seoul, New York, and London.

Five Friends: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly

April 10th—August 17th, 2025

Museum Brandhorst, Munich

The exhibition Five Friends celebrates the transformative collaboration between John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly, five artists who redefined post-war art through dance, music, painting, sculpture, and drawing. Their intimate exchange fostered a unique interplay of artistic genres and media, showcased here through more than 150 works, including paintings, stage props, scores, costumes, photographs, and archival materials.

Highlights include key works by Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg from Museum Ludwig’s renowned Pop Art collection and Cy Twombly’s pieces from Museum Brandhorst’s extensive holdings. The exhibition also features site-specific programs that spotlight John Cage’s experimental compositions and Merce Cunningham’s innovative choreography. Jointly presented by Museum Brandhorst and Museum Ludwig, the exhibition reflects the depth of these artists’ collaboration and its lasting impact. After its Munich debut, the show will travel to Museum Ludwig in Cologne from October 2025 to January 2026.

William Kentridge. Listen to the Echo

September 4th, 2025—January 18th, 2026

Museum Folkwang, Essen

Museum Folkwang presents William Kentridge. Listen to the Echo, a retrospective celebrating the 70th birthday of the acclaimed South African artist. Known for his poetic exploration of social and political themes, Kentridge’s works resonate universally while reflecting his home country’s complexities. The exhibition spans over four decades, featuring animated films, multimedia installations, drawings, prints, sculptures, and tapestries.

Highlights include his animated charcoal-based films, which weave together personal and political histories, and works exploring the rise and fall of the coal and steel industries, drawing parallels with the Ruhr region’s heritage. Another key focus is his examination of colonialism, offering a reflective dialogue on global and local histories. Organized in collaboration with Kentridge and the Dresden State Art Collections, this multifaceted exhibition underscores the artist’s enduring relevance and creative depth.

Projet Pont Neuf

September 2025

Pont Neuf, Paris

In September 2025, Paris will commemorate the 40th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s landmark The Pont Neuf Wrapped installation with a new large-scale project by contemporary artist JR. The 1985 installation enveloped the Pont Neuf bridge in 41,800 square meters of fabric, captivating three million visitors in just two weeks. To honor this iconic work, JR will collaborate with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation to create Projet Pont Neuf, a reinterpretation of the bridge in his signature style.

JR’s installation will transform the historic bridge into a stone-like cave, inspired by Paris’ quarries that supplied the city’s iconic stones. By contrasting the city’s elegant architecture with raw, natural textures, the project will spark a dialogue between nature and the built environment. The two-week installation will encourage the public to reflect on Paris’ ever-changing relationship with its urban landscape.

Wes Anderson: The Exhibition

November 21st, 2025—May 4th, 2026

The Design Museum, London

Opening in November 2025, Wes Anderson: The Exhibition will offer the first comprehensive retrospective of the filmmaker’s career. From early experiments in the 1990s to his Oscar-winning masterpieces, the exhibition provides an in-depth exploration of Anderson’s distinctive cinematic style.

Visitors can immerse themselves in Anderson’s crafted worlds through original props, costumes, and personal artifacts, many on display for the first time. The exhibition examines his inspirations, homages, and the detailed artistry behind his instantly recognizable sets and visuals.

Highlights include iconic moments from The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, and more, showcasing Anderson’s profound influence on contemporary cinema. Produced in collaboration with La Cinémathèque Française, this exhibition is a must-see for film enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

Pirouette: Turning Points in Design

January 26th—October 18th, 2025

MoMA

The exhibition highlighting design as an agent of change will include a wide range of objects, drawn largely from MoMA’s collection, that have had a deep impact, whether on the design field or on the world at large—including furniture, electronics, symbols, information design, and more—spanning from the 1930s to today. Some of these objects are universally recognizable, while others might be known only to a smaller audience of fans and experts. Some have transformed behaviors, provoked departures from previous typologies and stereotypes, or embodied innovation in materials, form, or function. They have offered unconventional solutions to conventional problems, or designed brand new, constructive problems that lead to new and more evolved studies and solutions. Seen together, the objects in the exhibition highlight how design helps people bring about change, or adapt to it.

Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930

November 8th, 2024—March 9th, 2025

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum presents Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930, the first in-depth examination of Orphism, which emerged in Paris among a cosmopolitan group of artists in the early 1910s—when changes brought on by modernity were radically altering notions of time and space. Open from November 8th, 2024, to March 9th, 2025, the presentation features over 80 artworks comprising painting, sculpture, works on paper, and ephemera, installed across five levels of the museum’s spiral rotunda.

The poet Guillaume Apollinaire coined the term Orphism in 1912 to describe artists who were moving away from Cubism, toward an abstract, multisensory mode of expression. Apollinaire’s concept referenced the Greek mythological poet and lyre player Orpheus¾who swayed nature and challenged death with his song—equating the ephemeral abstraction of music with Orphism’s transcendent character.

Associated artists such as Robert Delaunay, Sonia Delaunay, František Kupka, and Francis Picabia created kaleidoscopic compositions that captured the simultaneity of modern life. Some investigated chromatic consonances and contrasts in their prismatic works, while others engaged with the rhythms and syncopations of popular music and dance. They drew inspiration from Neo-Impressionism’s color theory and the Blue Rider group’s philosophies. When pushed to its limits, Orphism meant total abstraction.

Alongside the formal harmony and dissonance related to color and sound that underpins Orphist compositions, the exhibition reveals sociocultural corollaries sparked by transnationalism, or the connections that greater mobility fostered between artists from myriad countries who converged in Paris as well as the tensions that geographic and cultural dislocations could engender.

Cartier

Opening April 12th, 2025

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The V&A is set to unveil a landmark Cartier exhibition on April 12th, 2025, showcasing over 350 exceptional objects, including jewels, historic gemstones, and iconic watches and clocks. This highly anticipated event marks the first comprehensive Cartier retrospective in the UK in nearly 30 years, celebrating the maison’s unparalleled legacy of art, design, and craftsmanship since its founding in 1847.

Organized around three themes—design, craftsmanship, and materials—the exhibition will feature standout pieces like the Williamson Diamond brooch, commissioned for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and adorned with a rare 23.6-carat pink diamond. Visitors will also marvel at the Scroll Tiara, worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation and reimagined by Rihanna for a 2016 magazine cover.

Curated by Helen Molesworth and Rachel Garrahan, the showcase delves into the Cartier family’s transformative contributions to jewelry design and their global influence. From royal commissions to Hollywood icons, the exhibition explores how Cartier became a symbol of enduring luxury and innovation. Presented in the dramatic setting of the V&A’s Sainsbury Gallery, the display offers an extraordinary glimpse into the maison’s storied history and artistic excellence.