Tab's Top Art Moments of 2020

When we look back on 2020 it’s always going to be a year dominated by the pandemic and art will recall all the exhibitions that were delayed, postponed and cancelled because of it. However, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some great moments throughout the year. I’ve listed them below in no particular order

Blockbuster exhibitions

The most hyped exhibition of the year was Artemisia at The National Gallery and when it opened, after a six month delay, it was definitely worth the wait. Her story is one of true bravery and her artworks are just as sensational with her confident self-portrait as Saint Catherine and the gory scene of the beheading of Holofernes as two stand out pieces.

My show of the year was Tantra at The British Museum. I’m of Indian heritage and knew next to nothing about this spiritual school, how it influenced popular culture and how it was demonised by the British.

Other notable blockbuster shows included the impressive Andy Warhol and Bruce Nauman shows at Tate Modern, and the Refugees triple header at Imperial War Museum - a museum that puts on tremendous and often under-rated exhibitions.

Inside the Ames Room in the Alice in Hackneyland exhibition

Immersive and emerging

The assumption often seems to be that only big institutions with big budgets can put on immersive exhibitions. Well, this was the year that was flipped on its head as I witnessed several mid-career and emerging artists pull off some great shows.

One of my favourites was Alice in Hackneyland at Orleans House Gallery with an installation that’s relevant to the location’s history, inventive and accessible to everyone.

Earlier in the year the Oxo Bargehouse was given a sci-fi makeover with the ambitious Mars & Beyond taking over four floors, spearheaded by artist Oskar Krajewski. Plus Proposition Studios put on a brilliant immersive maze of different worlds looking at climate change and ecosystems, curated by Gabriella Sonnabend.

At one of Rod Kitson’s exhibitions at Surrey Quays shopping centre.

Art in Shopping Centres

Art has a great way of finding ways to showcase artworks and artists and this year it was time for shopping centres to shine. It’s a natural fit as the decline of shopping centres means they often have retail units sitting empty and museums and galleries will bring footfall to them.

One of my favourite museums, The Migration Museum, found itself a new home inside Lewisham shopping centre after ahem migrating from Vauxhall. I’m glad to see it’s got a new home and hopefully will be there for a few years so we can see more of its excellent exhibitions.

Over at Surrey Quays shopping centre artist Rod Kitson took over a retail space and has been using it to show as many artists as possible, covering the walls with art. He’s welcoming to all artists from established ones to children just starting out. It’s great to see members of the local community creating art at his workshops too, here’s to hoping he gets to hold on to that space.

A snap from the Waddington Custot Art Basel Miami Beach display in its London gallery.

Fewer art fairs

This one’s a cheeky one as I know art fairs are important for galleries and artists to sell works and they can be great places to meet others. But I don’t really enjoy them as places to see art, with the bustling crowds and booth layouts they are terrible venues for appreciating art.

I often feel like I have to visit and walk out often having seen nothing new and suffering from fair fatigue. The lack of art fairs meant a lot of galleries instead displayed what they would have shown in their booth in a gallery setting instead. With room to breathe the works looked much better - a favourite of mine was the Waddington Custot Gallery Art Basel Miami Beach booth being displayed in their London gallery space.

What’s in store for 2021?

Normally I would have put together a preview of 2021 for Londonist but with so much up in the air with a new strain of Covid and Tier 4 restrictions in London it’s unclear when and how things will open again. Even still I know art will find a way and I’ll still manage to see lots of art, whether it’s online or offline, in 2021.

I’ve already written a piece on how things will change post (first) lockdown for FAD and we’re seeing some of those come true already so let’s see if it carries forward to 2021.