Five must-see London exhibitions in August 2017

August: it’s a quiet month in the art world. The summer blockbuster exhibitions are drawing to a close, and the glitterati have mostly migrated to sunnier climes. However, there are still a few exciting things opening in London this month if you look hard enough. Discover our highlights of here.

Zadie Xa, The Conch, Sea Urchin and Brass Bell at the Pump House Gallery

The Pump House Gallery offers the first UK solo exhibition by Zadie Xa, a Canadian artist whose work uses painting, textile, video and sound to tell her story. The exhibition takes the viewer on a journey through the galleries, exploring Korean folklore (both real and invented) and the concepts of home, cultural identity and storytelling.

Zadie Xa, The Conch, Sea Urchin and Brass Bell is at the Pump House Gallery from 3^rd August until 24^th September 2017. For further information or to book visit here.

Matisse in the Studio at the Royal Academy of Arts

Matisse was a great collector of objects, and his studio was filled to the brim with inspiration. For the first time, the Royal Academy is displaying many of these objects (most of which come from outside the Western art historical canon) and exploring their connection with his legendary artistic practice.

Matisse in the Studio is at the Royal Academy of Arts from 5^th August until 12^th November 2017. For further information or to book visit here.

Read our review of Matisse in the Studio here.

Kenneth Armitage: The Oak Tree Sculptures at Canary Wharf

Set in the lobby of One Canada Square in Canary Wharf (admittedly a dubious setting for an art exhibition), Kenneth Armitage is exhibiting a series of works in bronze. The large-scale sculptures resemble oak trees, inspired by the trees of Richmond Park, which he frequently visits from his West London studio.

Kenneth Armitage: The Oak Tree Sculptures is at Canary Wharf from 7^th August until 8^th September 2017. For further information visit here.

Sarabande at Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation

This group show exhibits work by four artists-in-residence at the Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation. The works on show vary in media and style, including sculptural installation works by Saelia Aparicio, paintings by Mircea Teleaga, and ephemeral works on paper by Thomas Garnon and Freya E Morris. Try to make it to the private view, otherwise the gallery is open by appointment.

Sarabande is at Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation from 8^th until 25^th August 2017. For further information or to book visit here.

 

+/- Human at the Roundhouse

The award-winning director and choreographer Wayne McGregor has been invited to create a new installation in the Chalk Farm music venue, the Roundhouse. McGregor has collaborated with art collective Random International (who famously created the Rain Room) and electronic music label, Warp Records. The result is an immersive experience that explores what it is to be human.

+/- Human is at the Roundhouse from 10^th until 28^th August 2017. For further information or to book visit here.

Anna Souter