Groundbreaking Tate Exhibitions Set to Shape 2025

Tate Exhibitions 2025 brings exciting new art events across Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and Tate St. Ives. Learn about the must-see exhibitions and upcoming shows.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

There are great expectations and excitement about this year’s Tate exhibitions. The dynamic and diverse exhibition lineup for 2025 showcases a rich spectrum of art across Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate St. Ives, and Tate Liverpool. The program promises to be a landmark year. There are exhibitions spanning multiple mediums. They include paintings, sculptures, digital installations, and live performances. Featuring UK premieres and the first major museum shows of several iconic artists, Tate’s 2025 exhibitions are bound to captivate audiences with their bold themes and cultural significance.

Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, emphasized the ambitious scope of the upcoming exhibitions. She states, “These exhibitions reflect Tate at its most distinctive, offering truly international perspectives while celebrating the power of individual communities. Our visitors will experience an expansive and diverse artistic canon, creating unforgettable experiences throughout 2025.”

Tate Modern: A Year of Innovation and Iconic Art

Tate Modern’s 2025 program kicks off with a major exhibition dedicated to Leigh Bowery. Bowery is a multi-disciplinary artist, performer, designer, and muse. He is famous for his provocative work in London’s 1980s club scene for his exploration of the body as a tool for transformation and rebellion. Bowery influenced designers like Alexander McQueen and performers like Lady Gaga. The exhibition will chart his groundbreaking performances, from his vibrant club acts to his art in galleries and on the streets.

Later in the spring, Tate Modern’s The Tanks will host the UK premiere of Hagay Dreaming. This immersive performance combines dance, ritual, and cutting-edge technology. Created by experimental media artist Shu Lea Cheang and shaman Dondon Hounwn, the performance blends motion-capture technology with ritualistic elements.

In the summer, Tate Modern will introduce Do Ho Suh’s Genesis Exhibition. This highly anticipated show invites visitors to experience the world of the Korean-born artist known for his life-size fabric replicas of past homes. Through his immersive installations and delicate works on paper, Suh explores themes of belonging and identity. Additionally, he uses these works to make a connection between architecture and the human body.

Nigerian Modernism: Revolutionizing Modern Art in Nigeria

One of the most significant exhibitions will be the Emily Kam Kngwarray retrospective. This show will mark the first major European exhibition of the late Australian artist Anmatyerr. She created monumental canvases inspired by her deep spiritual and ecological relationship with her homelands. Tate Modern’s display features works many have never seen outside of Australia.

In the autumn, Tate Modern will host a Nigerian Modernism group exhibition. This exhibition will spotlight artists who revolutionized modern art in Nigeria, merging African traditions with European influences in multidisciplinary forms. Visitors will also experience a major photography exhibition celebrating Global Pictorialism. This movement redefined photography as an artistic medium through experimental techniques from across the globe.

Tate Modern’s annual commissions will add further excitement to this year’s program. Highlights include the Infinities Commission in spring, a new work for The Tanks; UNIQLO Tate Play in the summer, a participatory art initiative; and the Hyundai Commission in the autumn, which will see a world-renowned artist transform the iconic Turbine Hall.

Tate Exhibitions 2025: What to Expect

Tate Britain: A Celebration of British Art and Innovation

Tate Britain’s 2025 program will explore the work of British and international artists through a variety of engaging solo exhibitions. The year will begin with a significant exhibition on Ed Atkins, one of the most influential British artists of his generation. Atkins, known for his videos and animations, explores the blurring lines between representation and embodied experience. This exhibition features works in multiple media, including painting, writing, and moving images.

In spring, Tate Britain will present solo exhibitions of Edward Burra and Ithell Colquhoun, two key figures in British surrealism. Burra’s lively urban scenes evolved into brooding wartime landscapes, while Colquhoun’s art explored themes of mythology, sexuality, and the occult. Both artists took surrealism in radically different directions, making this a fascinating exploration of their diverse oeuvres.

The autumn program will focus on two titans of British art: J.M.W. Turner and John Constable. To mark their 250th anniversaries, this exhibition explores the rivalry between these two landscape painters. It highlights how their contrasting approaches transformed British art. Complementing this, Lee Miller will receive the UK’s most extensive retrospective of her surrealist photography. The art exhibition will showcase her pioneering work as a fashion and war photographer.

Tate Britain will also celebrate emerging talent with its Art Now series. This will mark 30 years of supporting new voices in the art world. Notable exhibitions will include the works of Hylozoic/Desires (Himali Singh Soin and David Soin Tappeser) and Onyeka Igwe. Additionally, a major display of Jacob Epstein’s monumental sculptures will be in Tate Britain’s Duveen galleries. The show highlights the power of his expressive busts and public works.

Tate St Ives: Pushing Boundaries with Feminist, Ecological Art

Tate St. Ives will continue its commitment to showcasing groundbreaking artists in 2025. The first exhibition of the year will celebrate the work of Ithell Colquhoun, a key figure in British Surrealism. Known for exploring themes of divine feminine power and ecological magic, Colquhoun’s work will be on display alongside archival materials. This will include a room dedicated to her Taro deck.

Liliane Lijn, a pioneer of kinetic art, will have a career-spanning exhibition this summer. Her sculptures, which use light and energy to explore new visual possibilities, will be on display in a unique way that emphasizes her unique blend of feminist, scientific, and linguistic thought.

In the autumn, Emilija Škarnulytė will showcase her riveting films. They will explore Cold War-era military bases, decommissioned power plants, and deep-sea ecosystems. Her work reflects on the power structures and environmental legacies left by human activities.

Tate Liverpool: A Transformative Year of Art and Engagement

Although Tate Liverpool will be under major renovations in 2025. Set to reopen in 2026, the venue will emerge with a new art hall and expanded exhibition spaces. The renovation will showcase Tate’s world-class collection and celebrate Liverpool’s cultural heritage. In the meantime, the gallery will continue its programming at RIBA North. In the summer, Tate Liverpool will participate in the 13th edition of the Liverpool Biennial. This is the UK’s largest free festival of contemporary visual art.

Tate Exhibitions: A Year to Remember at Tate

With its vast and varied 2025 program, Tate is set to offer an exciting and enriching year of exhibitions. These shows will challenge, inspire, and engage art lovers across the UK. From boundary-pushing performances to groundbreaking retrospectives, Tate’s exhibitions will provide unique opportunities to explore the evolution of art, culture, and identity. Visitors to Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate St. Ives, or Tate Liverpool in 2025 will have unforgettable experiences.

What do you think about this year’s Tate exhibitions and programs? Share your thoughts. Leave a comment.

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