Must-See Exhibitions in London: Takashi Murakami, Joan Snyder, and More

This January, London’s art world unveils a dazzling start to 2025 with a series of unmissable exhibitions. Virginia Overton explores materiality and space at White Cube, while Takashi Murakami bridges Japanese art history with his signature Superflat brilliance at Gagosian. A Joan Snyder survey at Thaddaeus Ropac spans six decades of trailblazing abstraction infused with visceral emotion, and Acaye Kerunen’s UK debut at Pace reclaims Ugandan artisanal traditions through transformative artistry. Jake Wood-Evans’s luminous nocturnal visions at Unit and Sojourner Truth Parsons’s poetic explorations of light at Pilar Corrias complete this stunning showcase of creativity.

Virginia Overton: Paintings

White Cube

25–26 Mason’s Yard, London, SW1Y 6BU

Virginia Overton’s “Paintings” opens on January 17 at White Cube Mason’s Yard, offering an exploration of the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Known for her innovative use of salvaged industrial materials, Overton reshapes overlooked objects into striking wall-based compositions that challenge traditional definitions of medium. Her works engage deeply with the textures and histories embedded within these materials, revealing their potential for reinvention. Weathered surfaces and irregular geometries are repurposed into dynamic abstractions that reflect on materiality, transformation, and human interaction with the built environment. By mounting her sculptures on the wall, Overton redefines the conventions of three-dimensional art while maintaining a tactile sense of physical engagement. Each piece becomes a meditation on time, labor, and renewal, inviting viewers to reflect on the possibilities of reuse and reinvention.

Why we love it: Overton’s unique work challenges perceptions of value and materiality, offering a profound meditation on sustainability and the beauty of imperfection.

Virginia Overton at White Cube Mason’s Yard
January 17–February 22, 2025

Takashi Murakami

Gagosian

20 Grosvenor Hill, London, W1K 3QD

Takashi Murakami brings his vibrant Superflat aesthetic to Gagosian Grosvenor Hill with “Japanese Art History à la Takashi Murakami.” The exhibition connects the past and present by reinterpreting classical Japanese masterpieces with bold, Pop-inspired visuals. At the heart of the show is Murakami’s reimagining of Rakuchū-Rakugai-zu Byōbu (Scenes in and around Kyoto), infusing the 17th-century masterpiece with his signature motifs: grinning flowers, mischievous characters like Mr. DOB, and haunting skulls. The result is a commentary on Japan’s cultural evolution, blending reverence with critique. Murakami’s fascination with Kyoto’s mythical Four Symbols further unfolds in vivid reworkings of Rinpa school art, transforming Buddhist deities into playful, anime-inspired figures. Meanwhile, reinterpretations of traditional flower screens explore the transience of nature, linking ancient artistic techniques with modern-day fashion and design.

Why we love it: Murakami electrifies history, bridging Japan’s classical art and modern Pop culture with unmatched vitality, creating a dynamic dialogue between tradition and reinvention.

Takashi Murakami at Gagosian
December 10, 2024–March 8, 2025

Jake Wood-Evans

Unit

3 Hanover Square, London W1S 1HD

Jake Wood-Evans’ upcoming solo exhibition “Nocturne” at Unit, opening on January 22, will immerse viewers in a luminous exploration of light, shadow, and atmosphere. Inspired by James McNeill Whistler’s Nocturne in Black and Gold (1875), the exhibition shifts away from representation, embracing ambiguity and tonal nuance. Each canvas begins with a vivid yellow base, layered with muted tones to create radiant, otherworldly compositions that seem to glow from within. Evoking the spirit of J.M.W. Turner, Wood-Evans captures the elemental power of light, while nods to French masters like Nicolas Poussin to inform nocturnal scenes of Bacchanalian revelry. These works blur the line between earthly indulgence and the fantastical, inviting introspection and discovery.

Why we love it: Wood-Evans blends art historical reverence with contemporary innovation, crafting works that shimmer with mystery and atmosphere. His mastery of light and evocation of a dreamlike nocturnal world make this exhibition an unforgettable experience.

Jake Wood-Evans at Unit
January 22–March 2, 2025

Acaye Kerunen

Pace

5 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1HQ

Marking her UK debut, Acaye Kerunen’s “Neena, aan uthii” at Pace explores cycles of memory, labor, and ecological resilience through Ugandan artisanal traditions. Translating to “See me, I am here” from Alur, the exhibition combines sculpture, sound, and performance to honor Uganda’s cultural heritage. Kerunen collaborates with artisans across Uganda, working with natural materials like raffia, banana fibers, and barkcloth. Her vibrant installations evoke “simultaneous equations,” harmonizing traditional craftsmanship with contemporary concerns. Deeply saturated colors—indigos, fuchsias, and tangerines—derive from natural dyes, celebrating the ecological uniqueness of each piece. The exhibition reflects Kerunen’s commitment to reclaiming Ugandan women’s artistry from colonial narratives, positioning it as both timeless and innovative. Her work creates a visual language that resonates across cultures and generations.

Why we love it: Kerunen’s work masterfully intertwines Ugandan artisanal traditions with contemporary themes. Her evocative installations honor collective memory while reimagining craft as a powerful lens for cultural resilience and ecological storytelling.

Acaye Kerunen at Pace Gallery
January 15 – February 22, 2025

Joan Snyder

Thaddaeus Ropac

Ely House, 37 Dover Street, London, W1S 4NJ

Joan Snyder’s “Body & Soul” is a monumental survey showcasing six decades of her trailblazing abstraction. Snyder’s innovative practice challenges the conventions of Minimalism, Abstract Expressionism, and Color Field painting by intertwining material experimentation with personal narrative. Spanning over 30 works, the exhibition highlights Snyder’s transformation, from her iconic Stroke paintings to recent explorations of gardens and ponds as metaphors for life’s cyclical rhythms. Recurring motifs—flowers, trees, and bodily forms—are layered with materials like straw, dried herbs, and even plastic grapes, evoking themes of love, grief, and transcendence. Snyder’s Field paintings elevate the canvas into a site of alchemical experimentation, where organic matter and painterly gesture converge. Works like Body & Soul (1997–98) exemplify the dualities in her art: figural and abstract, gestural and controlled, personal and universal.

Why we love it: Snyder’s fearless approach has not only redefined abstraction but has also profoundly influenced contemporary art. Body & Soul is a testament to her enduring legacy, blending visceral emotion with a poetic exploration of the human experience.

Joan Snyder at Thaddaeus Ropac
December 10, 2024–February 5, 2025

Sojourner Truth Parsons

Pilar Corrias

2 Savile Row, London, W1S 3PA

Sojourner Truth Parsons’ solo exhibition “Blue goes away” at Pilar Corrias, captures moments of intimacy and emotion with luminous, layered paintings. Drawing inspiration from Louise Glück’s poetry and the cyclical rhythms of her garden, Parsons explores themes of dormancy, growth, and loss. Each work begins in darkness, gradually building intricate compositions through layers of light and color. Familiar motifs—lily pads, beams of light, and silhouettes—flicker in and out of focus, crafting dreamlike scenes that blur the boundaries between interior and exterior worlds. Parsons’s mastery of chromatic nuance mirrors the fleeting beauty of twilight, evoking the ephemeral nature of time and emotion. Her poetic approach invites viewers to linger, contemplating the interplay of light, shadow, and memory.

Why we love it: Parsons’s ability to distill profound emotional resonance into visual form creates a deeply immersive experience.

Sojourner Truth Parsons at Pilar Corrias
17 January – 8 March 2025