The autumn 2025 art season in the UK offers a rich lineup, from major retrospectives to thought-provoking contemporary works. Highlights include a landmark Picasso exhibition at Tate Modern, the first European retrospective of American painter Kerry James Marshall at the Royal Academy, and a survey of combat photographer Lee Miller at Tate Britain.
At Tate Modern, 'Picasso: The Showman of Modern Art' (17 September to 12 April) brings together most of the gallery's Picassos with major European loans, juxtaposing his masterpieces with photos and films that reveal his performative side. Meanwhile, the Royal Academy presents 'Kerry James Marshall' (20 September to 18 January), a long-overdue European retrospective celebrating the artist's depictions of Black experience and culture, filled with symbolism and visual complexity.
Lee Miller's retrospective at Tate Britain (2 October to 15 February) transports viewers back to her troubled age, showcasing her work as a combat photographer in World War II and her surrealist experiments. The V&A explores the life and image of Marie Antoinette through art and fashion (20 September to 22 March), while the Barbican stages a dialogue between the Palestinian artist and Alberto Giacometti (3 September to 11 January).
Other notable exhibitions include 'Nigerian Modernism' at the Fitzwilliam Museum (3 October to 12 April), tracing 50 years of art from decolonisation to post-independence, and 'Gilbert & George: The London Pictures' at the Hayward Gallery (7 October to 11 January), featuring montages of city life. The Turner Prize returns to Cartwright Hall in Bradford (27 September to 22 February), with nominees including Nnena Kalu and Mohammed Sami.
