London is teeming with incredible art exhibitions that enchant our city for a few months before vanishing forever, so it’s easy to miss the best ones. Why don’t you make the most of your April, and check out this list of the top four amazing London exhibitions ending this month!
If you’re looking for unique things to do in London this April, or you’re an exhibition fan, the exhibitions below are certainly not to be missed. With multicoloured infinity rooms, hands-on sculptures, dancing lanterns, giant projections, a neon rollercoaster, and even a kiss from Kate Moss, there’s something for everyone – and one of the exhibitions is completely free!
Read below for the top four unique London exhibitions ending this month.
‘Latent Spaces’ at Illusionaries
What is the Latent Spaces exhibition?
It’s an immersive journey through four imaginative rooms that aim to blur the lines between reality and simulation: think the Matrix, but on shrooms. Designer Markos Kay and soundscape artist Jesse Clark have sought to explore ‘the relationship between artificial intelligence and humanity’s collective unconsciousness’ through experimentation with generative art. Whatever your opinions on AI art, its creative use here has formed some stunningly bizarre illusions.
This digital art exhibition contains some incredible AI projections: flora, fauna, and otherworldly patterns blending indiscriminately. Here, the use of mirrors blurs your perception of space, and the soundscape alters your perception of time. In one room, step into a fully mirrored cube, and watch the designs spill over every surface. In another, sit on a pebble ‘beach’ as the meditative blend of visuals and sound coax visitors into a liminal space – for those who go in for that sort of thing.
And, of course, the centrepiece: an infinity room of endlessly shifting lights, with mirrors stretching these colours on for miles in all directions. Wander through close-knit hanging strands of light, like forest vines from Avatar, and watch the ripples carry on into eternity. It really does feel like hopping into a virtual world and immersing yourself in brightly coloured code.
A review of the Latent Spaces exhibition
With adult tickets at £24.50 on weekdays, and £25.50 on weekends, it can get expensive if you’re not travelling solo – for full ticket prices and booking, click here. Out of all the exhibitions in this article, this is the one that is most impacted by how busy it is. The best thing about this exhibition is the immersive element, which can be hampered at peak times. And, if you’re after some good Instagram posts, the mirrored rooms will make it difficult with a crowd of people.
It could all be seen in as little as half an hour, or up to an hour if you take your time in every room, so it’s smaller than the other paid exhibitions on this list. However, the visuals are more impressive and unique than other digital exhibitions. To get your money’s worth, make sure you book an early slot, giving yourself the time and space to be fully immersed.
When is the Latent Spaces exhibition ending?
Latent Spaces is ending on 28th April 2024.
‘Delight Media Art Exhibition’ at Borough Yards
What is the Delight Media Art Exhibition?
This exhibition is a large multi-format, multi-sensory immersive art experience that brings the history and beauty of Seoul directly to the heart of London. 12 distinct zones feature a huge variety of digital and physical art, from a room teeming with colour-changing lanterns, to pillars streaming with neon signs, to a giant moon that disappears into a pool of water.
My full post about this delightful exhibition can be found here.
When is the Delight Media Art Exhibition ending?
The Delight Media Art Exhibition is ending on 14 April 2024 – so there’s not long left!
‘The Cult of Beauty’ at the Wellcome Collection
What is The Cult of Beauty exhibition?
This exhibition is a historical and social study of the concept of beauty across time and cultures. With over 200 different objects and artworks on display, it provides a fascinating insight into the ideals and industry of beauty, as well as celebrating the many ways that beauty can be subverted. And the best part? This exhibition is completely free!
The exhibition combines a massive range of media: historical objects, animated films, largescale sculptures, and artwork. Some of its unique features include a ladder made of hair, a ‘sensorium’ where sounds and smells combine with sculptures you can touch, and the lipstick-print of a famous Kate Moss kiss.
There’s even a giant modern art installation, ‘(Almost) all of my dead mother’s beautiful things’ – a hanging sculpture representing the crushing weight of beauty ideals passed from one generation to another. The Cult of Beauty exhibition can be found in Gallery 1 on the ground floor of the Wellcome Collection. To avoid any queues, it’s best to visit during the week, or on weekday mornings.
A review of The Cult of Beauty exhibition
This exhibition is free, a good size, and filled with interesting and unique installations, so I would definitely recommend heading over to the Wellcome Collection by Euston Square underground station and checking this one out. You could easily spend an hour here, or a couple, as there is often an additional exhibition in the gallery on the first floor, which is also free.
When is The Cult of Beauty exhibition ending?
The Cult of Beauty is ending on 28th April 2024.
‘When Forms Come Alive’ at the Haywards Gallery
What is the When Forms Come Alive exhibition?
This exhibition is an incredible spectacle of scale and ingenuity that explores the visualisation of movement through ‘restless sculpture’. Featuring work from 21 acclaimed international artists, spanning 60 years, it sprawls over multiple rooms. Come and watch how even the most static of sculptures appear to come alive!
You’ll immediately be struck by the size and variety of this exhibition. In the first room, you’re greeted by a wall of slowly expanding, impermanent foam, as well as a ceiling peppered with giant cloth flowers that sink towards you then rise back up in a synchronised dance. Other highlights include a massive, room-sized neon rollercoaster, a giant floating ‘idea’, and an explosion of black molecules made of a strange metal that both reflects and absorbs all light.
You’ll find all of this at the Haywards Gallery in the Southbank Centre – tickets are available on their site here. And don’t forget to check out the final room which is separate from the main halls: the door on your left before you leave. You won’t be disappointed!
A review of the When Forms Come Alive exhibition
With standard tickets priced at £18, this exhibition is the cheapest of the paid exhibitions on this list, and it’s worth every penny. You can easily spend well over an hour exploring the many installations. The sheer size of the exhibition is impressive – both the scale of the sculptures and the amount of them. The variety on display is unrivalled too, and I would definitely say this is the best exhibition on the list.
When is the When Forms Come Alive exhibition ending?
The When Forms Come Alive exhibition is ending on 5th May 2024. (Admittedly, I’ve used the term ‘this month’ loosely – so no excuses for missing this one!)
The Gossamer Traveller 