Top Exhibitions to Visit in Summer 2024

oncontemporary
Jun 17, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jul 1, 2024

Discover our selection for the best exhibitions of summer 2024, showcasing cutting-edge art and culture from around the globe.

Whether escaping the heat or seeking shelter from an unexpected rainy day, incorporating culture into your travels is essential. If you find yourself on vacation in New York, London, or Barcelona this summer, be sure to visit these top exhibitions that are well worth your time.

1. ZANELE MUHOLI, Tate Modern, London

Zanele Muholi is a celebrated visual activist and photographer whose work documents and celebrates South Africa’s Black LGBTQIA+ communities. This exhibition features over 260 photographs, including key series such as "Only Half the Picture," "Faces and Phases," "Brave Beauties," "Being," and "Somnyama Ngonyama," showcasing love, identity, and resilience.

Until January 26, 2025.

2. OLAFUR ELIASSON: YOUR UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul

"Olafur Eliasson: Your Unexpected Encounter" explores three decades of Eliasson's work, emphasizing viewer engagement as essential. The exhibition's interactive nature ensures each visitor's experience is unique, highlighting Eliasson's focus on dynamic discovery and varied phenomena across different contexts and scales.

Until February 9, 2025.

3. PAUL MCCARTNEY PHOTOGRAPHS 1963–64: EYES OF THE STORM, Brooklyn Museum, NY

"Eyes of the Storm" showcases over 250 of Paul McCartney's photos from The Beatles' 1963-64 U.S. tour, capturing the frenzy of Beatlemania. Displayed with video clips and archival material, the images offer an intimate look at the band's meteoric rise and McCartney's unique perspective during this historic period.

Until August 18, 2024.

4. SLEEPING BEAUTIES: REAWAKENING FASHION, The MET, NY

The Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," revitalizes masterworks from the Museum’s collection through cutting-edge technologies like AI, CGI, x-rays, and soundscapes. It reanimates garments as dynamic artifacts, inviting viewers to experience their original vibrancy. Spanning four centuries and featuring 220 pieces, the exhibition explores themes of nature and fashion’s transient beauty, offering sensory engagements from aromatic histories to tactile interactions and historical illusions like the "hobble skirt."

Until September 2, 2024.

5. SUBURBIA: BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM, CCCB, Barcelona

"Suburbia: Building the American Dream" explores the cultural allure of the American suburban ideal, perpetuated through media and examined for its urban planning implications. Tracing its origins from the 19th century to the 1950s boom and its global influence today, the exhibition delves into its societal impact, economic context, and environmental sustainability issues. Through historical artifacts and multimedia, it challenges perceptions of the suburban lifestyle and its implications on contemporary urban development.

Until September 8, 2024.

6. DAVID LACHAPELLE: AMOR, Palacio de Minería, Mexico City

David LaChapelle: AMOR, a large-scale retrospective of one of the world's most influential artists, is on display at the Palacio de Minería.

LOVE spans four decades of LaChapelle's career, offering a comprehensive view of his artistic evolution and impact on contemporary culture. Featuring over 90 works across various mediums, the exhibition showcases both iconic highlights and unpublished pieces from the artist's career.

Highlights include "Vía Crucis" (2023), a new series revitalizing ancient spiritual traditions, and "Spree" (2019-2020), inspired by Shackleton's Transantarctic Expedition, depicting a colossal mega-cruise frozen in time. Also featured are new works based on Hawaiian paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe and a special gallery dedicated to LaChapelle's early archives.

Until July 31, 2024.