Art exhibitions to look forward to in 2025

2024 was a remarkable year for art exhibitions. The Biennale of Venice was in full swing, and museums and art institutions curated exceptional shows, showcasing works by some of history's greatest artists. As we head into the new year, let's take a look at what shows have been planned for 2025 in some of the main art capitals.

In London, the first major exhibition of Mike Kelley is currently on view at the Tate Modern until March 9. Kelley is known for his continuous challenging approach towards art and its conventions, his varied, experimental, provocative and multimedia body of work is known to combine his personal and collective memory explored through art history and pop culture. 

Credits: Tate 

Also at the Tate Modern, an exhibition celebrating the career of boundary-pushing artist Leigh Bowery will open on February 27. The performative and transformative artist who took the London scene by storm in the 80s moulding himself into an independent, underground character whose iconic images still resonate today in fashion and music. 

Credits: Tate 

At the Design Museum in London a thought-provoking, and first major exhibition dedicated to the growing movement of 'more-than-human' featuring art, design and architecture, explores the practices which embrace the idea that human activities can only flourish alongside other species and systems interrogating why design traditionally only focused on the needs of humans, while we coexist alongside billions of animals, plants and other beings. This exhibition is geared towards a wider audience and prompts art, science, and radical thinking to reflect on how design can help our planet thrive by going beyond human needs.

Lastly, not to be missed in London, at Tate Britain in October will be Lee Miller’s exhibition, the biggest museum retrospective for the surrealist photographer who spanned from fashion to war photography. She is being recognised as one of the 20th century's most relevant artistic voices and a leading figure in avant-garde scenes in New York, London and Cairo. 

Credits: Tate,

Lee Miller, Model with lightbulb, Vogue Studio, London, England c.1943

© Lee Miller Archives, England 2024. All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk

In Venice, Punta della Dogana presents the first Italian exhibition of Thomas Schütte, a German artist who, with a variety of techniques and genres, examines the human condition with a disturbing and ironic approach. From the 6th of April, multi-media works will present the artist's unique universe that has earned him a major role in contemporary art and portray his paradoxical language of theatricality, seriousness and humour.

Credits: Pinault Collection

Thomas Schütte, "Innocenti", 1994. Pinault Collection. © 2012 Christie’s Images Limited © Thomas Schütte, by SIAE 2024

A Thomas Schütte exhibition is currently open at the MOMA until the 18th of January. This year both institutions have given an opportunity to revive and rediscover Schütte’s work, known for challenging the established artistic norms by revitalizing genres of known past traditions and making them relevant in the present and future.

Paris reaffirms its status as a vibrant hub for art and culture with several unique exhibitions planned for 2025. 

From the 5th of March, Burse de Commerce presents "Corps et âmes", an exhibition exploring the representation of the body in contemporary art. On view are works by 40 artists who researched the connections between body and soul amongst them: Auguste Rodin, Duane Hanson, Georg Baselitz, Ana Mendieta, David Hammons, Marlene Dumas, and Arthur Jafa. 

Credits: Pinault Collection. 

Michael Armitage, Cave, 2021, Oil on Lubugo bark cloth 200 x 150 cm © Michael Armitage

March is  Women’s History Month and museums and institutions will pay homage to some of the greatest female artists. 

On the 19th of March, The Musee Jaquemart André holds an exhibition dedicated to Artemisia Gentileschi “Heroine dans l’Art”. Gentileschi is one of the most fascinating female artists, known not only for her personal story but also for her Caravaggesque style and the rarity of her practice. Her masterpieces, as well as some newly attributed works, will be exhibited to the public to highlight the contribution of this resilient and wit artist to ancient and modern art.

Credits: Musee Jaquemart André

In Florence, Palazzo Strozzi will continue to present contemporary female artists who have shaped the contemporary art landscape, after Helene Frankentalen (still open until the 26th of January)  this year it will be Tracy Emin opening on the 16th of March. 

Tracy Emin is one of the most influential contemporary artists and a member of the YBAs (young British Artists) he draws from her personal life experience exploring human connections, personal states, and auto representations. Emin resorts to her own body and life to explore how desire, and love, are often linked to sacrifice and sufferance. Her works are expressive, provocative and truly honest and her practice belongs to the feminist tradition. 

Credits: The New York Times 

The Guggenheim Museum in New York on the 7th of March opens an exhibition dedicated to the Brazilian abstract artist Beatriz Milhazes: “Rigor and Beauty”. The artist creates mural-like paintings that she makes using her unique technique called monotransfer, which consists of drawing on a clear sheet of paper which is then transferred onto the canvas revealing the shapes in reverse. Her body of work references artists such as Mondrian and Hilma af Klint, with themes like regional folklore, pop culture, decorative art, nature, and spirituality.

Credits: Guggenheim Museum

Fondation Beleyer in Basel is curating two shows that are set to be must-see ones. 

Following the Surrealist show held at the Pompidou and the rediscovered fascination for Surrealist exhibitions, on the 16th of February the Foundation will open: “The Key to Dreams. Surrealist masterpieces from the Hersaint collection”, showing around 50 key works by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Dorothea Tanning and many more never- seen before masterpieces from the homonymous collection. Claude Hersaint, purchased his first painting by Max Ernst at the age of only 17 and he now owns one of the most significant collections of Surrealist art. 

Credits: Foundation Beleyer

Max Ernst, The Fireside Angel, Hersaint collection

In October, the Foundation will host a retrospective of Yayoi Kusama, the celebrated artist known for her repetitive patterns and mirrored works. Her art challenges boundaries and creates immersive, limitless realities for viewers.

The exhibition highlights the most iconic artworks that she created in the 70 years of her career, including early works never seen in Europe before and her most recent ones including Infinity Mirror Rooms. 

Credits : David Zwirner 

Yayoi Kusama, 2021. Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki 

These are just some exciting exhibitions planned for 2025 in London, New York, Venice, Paris, Florence, and Basel. Alongside these to look forward to will be all the art Fairs and all the shows curated by private art Galleries which will be open to the public and free to visit, and are always a great opportunity to discover new artists and to find out what is inspiring artists today.