5 of the best exhibitions to go to this December

written by

A roundup of the best exhibitions to go to in December 2018 across the UK.

Jonathan Griffith Retrospective

Image courtesy of Jonathan Griffith: Everton Heights, looking North 1968 in black felt pen, acrylic & oil pastel, on smooth unprimed hardboard.

A beautiful exhibition at Unity Theatre in Liverpool by Jonathan Griffith, an 81 year old self-taught artist. He developed his painting skills in his spare time, over many years, and this retrospective charts his work over time as his style has evolved and he has gradually lost movement.

Audio description is available at the Unity Theatre.

1 Nov – 8 Dec, Unity Theatre, Liverpool, L1 9BG

Space Shifters

Space Shifters at Hayward Gallery

A beautiful mixed-media collection, Space Shifters is a major group exhibition that brings together sculptures and installations that explore perception and space. It features 20 artists and spans roughly 50 years, a triumphant conclusion to the gallery’s 50th anniversary year.

Hayward Gallery advise you book tickets in advance due to the popularity of the exhibit.

On now until 6 Jan, Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

Spellbound

SPELLBOUND at the Ashmolean Museum

With some brilliant reviews to back it up (The Times called it “mesmerising” while The Telegraph went with “irresistibly creepy”), SPELLBOUND dives deep into the history of magic over eight centuries in an immersive and thought-provoking exhibition.

The exhibition asks us to examine our own beliefs and rituals, and aims to show how, even in this skeptical age, we still use magical thinking and why we might need a bit of magic in our lives.

On now until 6 Jan, Ashmolean Museum, OX1 2PH

First Amongst Equals

Detail of Thomas Rowlandson Vauxhall 1785 © Gerald Coke Handel Collection 1

Remarkable women who have shaped contemporary British society choose objects that speak to them from the Museum’s displays.

With 300 years of social history to choose from, the selections are a brilliant way to see objects new and old from a completely different perspective. Reflect on women’s ongoing struggle for equality whilst reveling in the achievements of the brilliant women starting the discussions.

On now until 13 Jan, The Foundling Museum, London. WC1N 1AZ

Impressionism: The Art of Life

Detail from Alfred Sisley (1839–1899) 14 July at Marly, France, 1875 Oil on canvas © The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford

Showcased is a rare combination of French Impressionist paintings and sculptures, spanning from the early 1860s to the beginning of the First World War. The exhibition will display works by world-renowned artists such as Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, all of whom exhibited artwork in the very first Impressionist group exhibition in France.

Paintings and sculptures will span four key themes related to everyday occurrences: maternity, leisure, work and the home.

On now until 13 Jan, The Lightbox, Surrey, GU21 4AA

Charlotte Lynch

Marketing Manager

More Insights

`