Five must-see London exhibitions in March 2017

From Japan to America, from 1920s Moscow to 16^th-century Rome, March offers a truly international selection of art and design exhibitions. Discover our monthly highlights.

Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun: Behind the Mask, Another Mask at National Portrait Gallery

This unusual exhibition brings together photographic work by Claude Cahun and Gillian Wearing. Working predominantly in the 1920s, Cahun creates stunning photographic self-portraits in which she plays her own gender and self-representation. Despite working 70 years later, Wearing deals with many of the same issues. Quirky and bold, this exhibition sounds both delightful and thought-provoking.

Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun: Behind the Mask, Another Mask is at National Portrait Gallery from 9^th March until 29^th May 2017, for further information or to book visit here.

Edward Ruscha’s Standard Station

The American Dream: Pop to the Present at the British Museum

All eyes are on America at the moment, as Donald Trump’s presidency continues to court controversy. The British Museum’s timely exhibition examines the American Dream and explores the role of printmaking in American art from recent decades, from Andy Warhol’s iconic images to works by artists such as Ed Ruscha, Kara Walker and Julie Mehretu.

The American Dream: Pop to the Present is at the British Museum from 9^th March until 18^th June 2017, for further information or to book visit here.

Imagine Moscow at the Design Museum

Imagine Moscow at the Design Museum presents an idealistic vision of the Soviet capital that was never realised. One of several exhibitions being held to mark the centenary of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the show collects art, architectural drawings, publications and propaganda from the 1920s and 30s to demonstrate how artists and architects used their ideology to conceive of a perfect Soviet city.

Imagine Moscow is at the Design Museum from 15^th March until 4^th June 2017, for further information or to book visit here.

Michelangelo & Sebastiano: A Meeting of Minds at the National Gallery

This exhibition pairs a great master of the Italian Renaissance with a name that very few people will know. It’s likely that those searching for a blockbuster exhibition packed with original Michelangelo works will be disappointed. Nevertheless, this show sounds intriguing: Sebastiano del Piombo and Michelangelo became friends in Rome and collaborated on several works.

Michelangelo & Sebastiano: A Meeting of Minds is at the National Gallery from 15^th March until 27^th June 2017, for further information or to book visit here.

The Japanese House: Architecture and Life after 1945 at the Barbican

This unusual exhibition at the Barbican focuses on Japanese domestic architecture in the post-War period. It features work by 40 architects and designers, some of whom are known internationally and some of whom have rarely been exhibited outside Japan. The show promises to offer a unique insight into Japanese culture and design.

The Japanese House: Architecture and Life after 1945 is at the Barbican from 23^rd March until 25^th June 2017, for further information or to book visit here.

Anna Souter