Finding an excuse to travel is never exactly necessary, but sometimes a specific event can inspire a whole trip or make the decision between two destinations that much easier. A landmark art exhibition or a unique chance to see the work of someone you admire up close is a great starting point for visiting a new place, or perhaps revisiting somewhere you love spending time in.
This autumn and winter we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to art happenings, and we’ve made things a little easier by narrowing down a few enticing exhibitions around the world worth packing your bags (and sketchbooks) for.
1. Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers at The National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is pulling out all the stops for their 200th birthday with a once-in-a-century show of Van Gogh’s work, some rarely seen in public before. Focusing on the last two years of his life when he lived in the south of France, the exhibit demonstrates his colourful style at its most distinct. Expect to see some of his most recognised paintings up close including Starry Night over the Rhône and The Yellow House as well as his lesser-known drawings.
Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers at The National Gallery runs 14 September 2024 — 19 January 2025
Where to stay: Flemings Mayfair, a chic boutique hotel housed in a handsome Georgian townhouse that is just 20 minutes’ walk from The National Gallery.
2. Surrealism: The Centenary Exhibition at Center Pompidou, Paris
100 years since the birth of the Surrealist movement, Paris’ foremost modern art gallery is celebrating the art and artists of the time in a blockbuster exhibition. This group of creators saw the world through a different, often dreamlike or distorted lens, and the show features a number of its leaders including Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Max Ernst. There’s also a focus on spotlighting the women of the movement who don’t always make the art history books like Leonora Carrington and Dora Maar.
Surrealism: The Centenary Exhibition at Center Pompidou runs 4 September 2024 — 6 January 2025
Where to stay: A 20-minute stroll from the Pompidou, right next to the Palais Royal and its beautiful gardens, Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal offers understated luxury at its finest.
3. The Venice Biennale
Held annually since 1895, the Olympics of the art world comes to Venice every two years, alternating with its architecture counterpart. This year’s main exhibition is being curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the artistic director of the Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand in Brazil, and the first Latin American to do so. His show is called ‘Stranieri Ovunque — Foreigners Everywhere’ and sees vast and diverse artist interpretations of what it means to be ‘foreign.’
The Venice Biennale runs until 24 November 2024
Where to stay: Located at the entrance to the Arsenale district where the Biennale is held, Ca’ di Dio is a hidden Venetian palace with some quintessentially Italian design details (not to mention some pretty-as-a-painting views of San Giorgio and the lagoon from the Altana Suite’s private terrace). Alternatively, Ca’ Sagredo’s ceilings and murals are works of art in themselves.
4. Mexican Prints at the Vanguard, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Mexico’s rich history of printmaking is in the spotlight at this new Met museum exhibit. The vibrant collection of over 130 works from the 18th to mid-20th century includes woodcuts, lithographs and screen prints. The curated collection tells the story of Mexican history during this period and the important role printmaking had in addressing social and political concerns.
Mexican Prints at the Vanguard runs 12 September 2024 — 5 January 2025
Where to stay: WestHouse Hotel offers a great Midtown address (and a half-hour-walk through Central Park to the Met) with a glamorous 1920s feel.
Pictured: Carlos Mérida (Guatemalan, 1891–1984), Abstract composition, from the portfolio Motivos, 1936. Published by Ediciones Arte Mexicano, Mexico City. Woodcut, 8 15/16 × 6 5/16 in. (22.7 × 16 cm). Gift of Jean Charlot, 1938 (38.72.7). Carlos Merida © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico City.
5. Soledad Sevilla at Reina Sofia, Madrid
Known for her abstract work that celebrates geometry and light, this upcoming retrospective of the Spanish artist Soledad Sevilla’s work is her biggest to date. A chronological exploration of over 100 of the artist’s pieces from the start of her career to the present day, it features paintings and installations — one created especially for this exhibit.
Soledad Sevilla runs 25 September 2024 — 10 March 2025
Where to stay: On the corner of Gran Via and a quick twenty minute walk from the museum triangle, The Principal is a chic and discreet stay and boasts one of the city’s best roof terraces.
6. Against All Odds — Historical Women and New Algorithms at SMK, Copenhagen
SMK’s major winter exhibition is rewriting the history books by telling the story of a group of Nordic female artists who achieved great success at the turn of the century. Showcasing the work of 24 artists from this period who have been largely forgotten ever since, the pieces are accompanied by AI-powered digital installations that help elaborate their back stories.
Against All Odds — Historical Women and New Algorithms runs 31 August — 8 December 2024
Where to stay: Located in the iconic Tivoli Gardens, Nimb Hotel is a Moorish-style palace turned boutique hotel while Park Lane Hotel, opening this autumn, is an elegant minimalist take on a 1920s cinema building.
7. Magritte at Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
Surrealism is also making headlines in the Southern hemisphere with the recently revamped Art Gallery of NSW dedicating an exhibition to the celebrated Belgian Surrealist René Magritte. Known for depicting ordinary objects and everyday settings in unusual ways (think clouds, apples and hats), the in-depth exhibit features more than 100 works, most of which have never been seen before in Australia.
Magritte runs 26 October 2024 – 9 February 2025
Where to stay: Ovolo Woolloomooloo’s waterside location is a stone’s throw from the CBD (and the Art Gallery of NSW) and offers calm and spacious rooms with excellent views over the city skyline.
Pictured: René Magritte, The Invisible World (1954), The Menil Collection, Houston © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024. Photograph by James Craven.
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