Summer ’26 is in full effect, and if you have been following me for a while, you will know that August is usually a quieter time, with galleries closing for summer or extending their current shows while preparing for their autumn and winter programmes. I personally use this time to engage in institutional exhibitions and collections, really taking time to engage in the work of artists whose practices have shaped art and culture to understand the impact they had and how they created space to define themselves. This same theme runs through this month’s selection, each exhibition explores how artists and designers have claimed the freedom to represent themselves on their own terms!
With that being said, grab a cold drink, get fly, take advantage of the AC in these galleries and spend time enjoying what is on show!
As I have gotten deeper into art, I have grown fascinated by its role in helping us understand the political and cultural movements that have shaped our world, which is why I am excited to see ‘Project a Black Planet‘. Bringing together more than 250 works created across Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and North America, this exhibition explores the influence of Pan-Africanism on visual art and the important role artists have played in imagining its possibilities. Through paintings, installations, posters and films, the themes of resistance and collective freedom can be found across generations and geographies. I can’t wait to see works by artists like Ben Enwonwu, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, and Chris Ofili, and to experience a show that promises to be both visually expansive and historically rich, while offering a deeper understanding of how artists have helped shape Pan-African thinking and culture over the past century.
Showing from the 11th June till 06th September 2026
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
I love works that create a space for quiet and intimate reflection because they remind me of the importance of slowing down and engaging more intentionally. This is what draws me to ‘The Sovereignty of Quiet’, part of the Tate Modern’s Performer and Participant display in the Blavatnik Building on Level 3; it focuses on works by US artists depicting Black figures in moments of rest and contemplation. Taking inspiration from Keniv Quashie’s ‘The Sovereignty of Quiet: Beyond Resistance in Black Culture’, the works place their subjects within domestic, private and imagined spaces of safety, moving beyond the familiar narratives of struggle and resistance to the richness of our inner lives - from desires and ambitions to fears and vulnerabilities. I can’t wait to spend time with works that offer a more tender and expansive understanding of Black identity and experience while serving as a reminder that quietness, reflection and rest are a powerful form of expression in their own right.
Showing till 14th March 2027
Bankside, London SE1 9TG
As a photographer who predominantly hides from being in front of the camera, I have a deep appreciation for photographers who explore identity through self-portraiture. Samuel Fosso is such a photographer, and his work is also in the Tate Modern’s Performer and Participant display. Throughout his practice, he has used photography to engage with his own biography and continually reinvent himself. His ‘African Spirits‘ series is part of this collection, which sees him recreate iconic images of influential African, African American and Caribbean cultural and political leaders while exploring how a singular photo can represent an entire movement or moment in history. I am looking forward to spending time with works that blur the boundaries between self-expression and performance, inviting us to consider how the people and images we encounter shape the way we dress, think, and understand ourselves.
Showing till 20th December 2026
Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Multidisciplinary creatives are truly fascinating with their ability to move between different forms of expression, which is what first drew me to Simone Brewster’s work. I was introduced to her practice through a show last year that predominantly featured her paintings, so I am excited to experience the full breadth in her first museum exhibition. Working across furniture, jewellery, painting, sculpture and sound, she creates designs that feel both architectural and deeply personal, intertwining rich material histories with references ranging from ancient fertility figures to African diasporic traditions. This exhibition feels like a wonderful opportunity to experience the full breadth of a practice that refuses to be easily categorised, and I can’t wait to see how she moves between these different disciplines and transforms familiar objects and materials into works that carry stories of identity, culture and memory.
Showing till January 2027
224 – 238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG
Similar to last month, some featured shows from previous months are still being shown. If you have seen them already, why not go again?
Ends on the 23rd August 2026
Showing at Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
Extended till 29th August 2026
Showing at Gallery 1957, 1 Hyde Park Gate, London SW7 5EW
Ends on the 30th August 2026
Showing at Camden Art Centre, Arkwright Road, London NW3 6DG
If you are enjoying the newsletter, buy me a coffee to keep going (I need it!!!)
I hope you get a chance to check them out.
Peace and love 🙏🏾🖤
FJ
*All images were sourced from the respective galleries’ websites.
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