Must-see exhibitions in London for 2014

New Year, new you? Make culture a big part of your New Year’s resolution by checking out some of London’s finest upcoming art exhibitions. To help you choose, here is a selection of must-see exhibitions for 2014, freshly picked by The Upcoming’s culture desk.

Colour – National Gallery

The National Gallery kicks off 2014 with an array of exhibitions that will surely leave art lovers feeling enlightened. Colour takes its visitors on an insightful journey through the history of our understanding of colour by exploring the materials artists have used to create masterpieces over the centuries. From Renaissance experimentation with pigments to Impressionist play with light and shade, the exhibition will incorporate up-to-date research on colour by the National Gallery’s very own scientific department.

Each room will be dedicated to an understanding of a particular colour, including a room exclusively devoted to the study of gold and silver. With works of art on loan from several major national cultural institutions, Colour is set to be both an educational experience for art historians and those who are just a little bit curious as to what went into the magical works of art we label masterpieces today.

Colour runs until 7^th September, for further information visit here.

Vikings: Life and Legend – British Museum

Undoubtedly one the most important periods in the history of man, the Viking Age brought about major change across Europe between the 8^th and 11^th centuries. Creating an international network of culture, the Vikings expanded from their Scandinavian homeland across four continents, bringing with them innovations in politics and culture.

Visit the British Museum this year and discover how the Vikings made history through warfare, cultural exchange and the transmission of ideas. Included in the exhibition are never-before-seen artifacts and newly discovered archaeological objects, including important Viking pieces that belong to the British Museum collection. This is an educational experience for the whole family.

Vikings: Life and Legend runs until 22^nd June, to book tickets in advance visit here.

Building the Picture: Architecture in Renaissance Painting – National Gallery

As if we couldn’t get enough of the National Gallery, opening in 2014 is yet another spectacular exhibition, this time focusing on the history of depictions of architecture in Renaissance painting. From real life historical monuments to purely fictional paintings of biblical sites, architecture played a major role in the shaping of Renaissance art. Representations of architectural structures in Renaissance paintings have given art historians insight into the architecture of one of the most important periods in the history of art.

Visitors will learn about the fascinating ways in which Renaissance artists incorporated architectural structures into their paintings in order to frame their compositions, and how descriptions of biblical and mythological architecture were interpreted at the time. Expect to see works by great masters including Duccio and Botticelli.

Building the Picture: Architecture in Renaissance Painting runs until 21^st September, for further information visit here.

Digital Revolution – Barbican

Step back into the future with the Barbican’s first ever exhibition focusing on the development of art, design, film, music and videogames in the digital age. Follow creative types as they push the boundaries in their fields using digital media. Creative coding, 3D printing and artificial intelligence, this exhibition will cover all aspects in the development of these technologies and look into possibilities for their uses in the near future.

Featured in the exhibition includes new commissions and projects from musician will.i.am and Google. Expect to be impressed.

Digital Revolution runs until 14^th September, for further information visit here.

Matisse: Cut Outs – Tate Modern

Matisse: Cut Outs brings together a culmination of the final works by the colourist who played a prominent role in shaping modern art. From Impressionism to Fauvism and Modernism, Matisse is one of few artists to have explored a range of artistic techniques throughout this long-lived career as a painter, printmaker and sculptor.

The exhibition explores the final chapter in Matisse’s career with a select range of pieces by the artist during his “cut-outs” period. Visitors will be exposed to Matisse’s creativity during his final years as he painted with scissors, creating complex and colourful geometric compositions that burst into life, appearing to dance before the viewer’s eyes. A brilliant collection of the modern master’s final days and a must-see exhibition for modernist art lovers. 

Matisse: Cut Outs runs until 7^th September, for further information visit here.

Nastassja Smart