Every year we share with you our picks of exhibitions to visit over the summer for creative inspiration. Here's our top picks for summer 2025.
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Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy
until 17 August 2025
The Summer Exhibition is an an annual treat, particularly so when we know artists who've been selected to exhibit! This year's no exception with our friend, Stoke Newington based photographer, Jannine Newman having her In The Greater Scheme of Things photograph included and it has since sold several times over. It's a beautiful piece, well worthy of inclusion.
And closer to home, regular at our Makers Fairs, Muswell Hill based Sonja Bucherer of Sobu Handmade was selected to exhibit her Too Many Feelings hand-stitched piece. This was sold even before the exhibition's official opening! Congratulations to them both. Do look out for both pieces if you visit.
until 17 August 2025
The Summer Exhibition is an an annual treat, particularly so when we know artists who've been selected to exhibit! This year's no exception with our friend, Stoke Newington based photographer, Jannine Newman having her In The Greater Scheme of Things photograph included and it has since sold several times over. It's a beautiful piece, well worthy of inclusion.
And closer to home, regular at our Makers Fairs, Muswell Hill based Sonja Bucherer of Sobu Handmade was selected to exhibit her Too Many Feelings hand-stitched piece. This was sold even before the exhibition's official opening! Congratulations to them both. Do look out for both pieces if you visit.
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Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road at the British Museum
until 7 September 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
Hiroshige is one of the great Japanese woodblock artists (and hiker) and this exhibition is an insight into his woodblock prints, the elaborate process of making this art during the Edo period in Japan. He made art for the people and his love of travelling around this fascinating country is documented through his prints. I especially loved his Japanese fans in Prussian blue.
Read more here
until 7 September 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
Hiroshige is one of the great Japanese woodblock artists (and hiker) and this exhibition is an insight into his woodblock prints, the elaborate process of making this art during the Edo period in Japan. He made art for the people and his love of travelling around this fascinating country is documented through his prints. I especially loved his Japanese fans in Prussian blue.
Read more here
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Edward Burra at the Tate Britain
until 19 October 2025
Recommended by Ros Freeborn, Papershades
"As a child I loved an art book which showed one of Edward Burra’s Harlem, New York paintings. The elongated, stylised figures fascinated me and it was an image of a place I had no concept of. What a joy it was to see this painting for real at the fabulous Edward Burra show at Tate Britain. It was a treat to see so many of his exquisitely drawn narrative watercolour paintings. He had an astonishing eye for detail, visual jokes and relationships between his subjects. Stricken with rheumatoid arthritis as a child, he was in constant pain and preferred to make his art on paper, flat on a table and use watercolour in a very original way. He loved clubs, pubs, seedy gin joints, theatre, ballet, sailors, glamorous costumes and flamenco dancers. He loved London in the 1920s, flappers, Paris bars, New York’s Harlem, the rough areas in Toulon and Marseille and Spain before the civil war. He hated war and violence. Towards the end of his life his work became more concerned with nature and landscape. What an artist! What a show! What a treat!"
until 19 October 2025
Recommended by Ros Freeborn, Papershades
"As a child I loved an art book which showed one of Edward Burra’s Harlem, New York paintings. The elongated, stylised figures fascinated me and it was an image of a place I had no concept of. What a joy it was to see this painting for real at the fabulous Edward Burra show at Tate Britain. It was a treat to see so many of his exquisitely drawn narrative watercolour paintings. He had an astonishing eye for detail, visual jokes and relationships between his subjects. Stricken with rheumatoid arthritis as a child, he was in constant pain and preferred to make his art on paper, flat on a table and use watercolour in a very original way. He loved clubs, pubs, seedy gin joints, theatre, ballet, sailors, glamorous costumes and flamenco dancers. He loved London in the 1920s, flappers, Paris bars, New York’s Harlem, the rough areas in Toulon and Marseille and Spain before the civil war. He hated war and violence. Towards the end of his life his work became more concerned with nature and landscape. What an artist! What a show! What a treat!"
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The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh: Walk the House at the Tate Modern
until 19 October 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
I visited Walk the House by Korean born, London based artist Do Ho Suh. This is a great one to do with kids as it’s immersive with lots of textural details that make the art come to life. The exhibition questions what home means to each of us. I really enjoyed it.
until 19 October 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
I visited Walk the House by Korean born, London based artist Do Ho Suh. This is a great one to do with kids as it’s immersive with lots of textural details that make the art come to life. The exhibition questions what home means to each of us. I really enjoyed it.
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Cecil Beaton's Garden at the Garden Museum
until 21 September 2025
Recommended by Kate Sealey Rahman
"A small but beautifully curated celebration of creativity; incorporating painting, garden design, and set and costume design as well as photography."
Read more here
until 21 September 2025
Recommended by Kate Sealey Rahman
"A small but beautifully curated celebration of creativity; incorporating painting, garden design, and set and costume design as well as photography."
Read more here
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The Power of Trees at Kew Gardens
until 14 September 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
From Kew's website: The Power of Trees invites visitors to explore the enduring beauty of trees across art and culture. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of works, from intricate botanical illustrations to a groundbreaking video installation, which look at how trees have shaped human creativity.
Vanessa says "There are some really beautiful things to see and do spread across Kew. A tip to avoid the full entrance fee, from 4pm it's only £10 and as the gardens close at 7pm in the summer this gives 3 hours to see something. It’s a decent saving considering it’s over £20 for an adult to enter. "
until 14 September 2025
Recommended by Vanessa Hernandez, VH Prints
From Kew's website: The Power of Trees invites visitors to explore the enduring beauty of trees across art and culture. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of works, from intricate botanical illustrations to a groundbreaking video installation, which look at how trees have shaped human creativity.
Vanessa says "There are some really beautiful things to see and do spread across Kew. A tip to avoid the full entrance fee, from 4pm it's only £10 and as the gardens close at 7pm in the summer this gives 3 hours to see something. It’s a decent saving considering it’s over £20 for an adult to enter. "
Kiefer/Van Gogh at the Royal Academy until 26 October 2025
Recommended by our contemporary jeweller, Michele Wyckoff Smith
From the RA: Vincent van Gogh has had an enduring influence on Anselm Kiefer and this exhibition shows their work side by side. In 1890 Vincent van Gogh painted his final works. Seventy-two years later an eighteen-year-old Anselm Kiefer received a travel grant to follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh, starting in the Netherlands, through to Belgium, Paris and Arles in the south of France. Kiefer has been inspired by Van Gogh’s work throughout his nearly 60-year career. The pioneer of Post-Impressionism has informed the subjects and techniques of Kiefer’s monumental paintings and sculptures which draw on history, mythology, literature, philosophy and science.
Recommended by our contemporary jeweller, Michele Wyckoff Smith
From the RA: Vincent van Gogh has had an enduring influence on Anselm Kiefer and this exhibition shows their work side by side. In 1890 Vincent van Gogh painted his final works. Seventy-two years later an eighteen-year-old Anselm Kiefer received a travel grant to follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh, starting in the Netherlands, through to Belgium, Paris and Arles in the south of France. Kiefer has been inspired by Van Gogh’s work throughout his nearly 60-year career. The pioneer of Post-Impressionism has informed the subjects and techniques of Kiefer’s monumental paintings and sculptures which draw on history, mythology, literature, philosophy and science.
Also recommended, by Michele:
- Heiress: Sargent's American Portraits at Kenwood House until 5 October 2025
- Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur at the Wallace Collection until 26 October 2025
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