The best exhibitions to see in London in 2024, from CUTE at Somerset House to Francis Bacon at the NPG
There's no city better than London for art, and this is a hill we are prepared to die on. This year is looking particularly rich, especially for women artists, with a bumper crop of solo and duo exhibitions across public institutions, for both contemporary and historical figures, raising their profile higher than it's ever been.
Along with an exploration of our obsession with all things adorable, an in-depth look at the life of a Roman legionary, a major show paying homage to one of Britain's most celebrated supermodels and a show revealing how Black painters are rethinking landscape, it's going to be an amazing year of exhibitions in the capital.
CUTE
Squeeeeeee! From Hello Kitty to big-eyes emojis, this landmark exhibition will explore the irresistible rise of cuteness, and the way, they say, "it seeks to enhance, disrupt and re-imagine the world we live in today", which surely sounds more sinister than it's meant to?
Somerset House, January 25 to April 14; somersethouse.org.uk
Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You.
The first institutional solo presentation for the pioneering American artist in more than 20 years brings together her provocative, striking and often wryly amusing photo/text collages. They're memes before memes were even invented.
Serpentine South, February 1 to March 17; serpentinegalleries.org
Legion: Life in the Roman Army
This look at life as part of the world's then-pre-eminent fighting force asks all the questions you've got – what was it like having a family on the fort? What drew disadvantaged young men to join up? How did the occupiers deal with the occupied? Sounds like it might resonate more than we think.
British Museum, February 1 to June 21; britishmuseum.org
Entangled Pasts, 1768 - now: Art, Colonialism and Change
This unique exhibition promises energy and impact by the bringing together of over 100 historical and contemporary artworks, in dialogue with each other – from J.M.W. Turner and Ellen Gallagher to Joshua
