ExhibitionLondon · On now this October
Five London exhibitions to catch this October
From Es Devlin’s first retrospective to Ryoji Ikeda’s immersive light and sound, London’s autumn programme shifts into festival season.
London’s October art calendar shifts out of summer blockbuster season and into something denser, with Frieze Week and PAD London adding extra momentum across the city. The Spaces picks out five shows worth making time for, and the mix leans towards exhibitions that ask for more than a quick circuit: film, installation, painting and design with room to linger.
At the Design Museum, Es Devlin’s first retrospective runs from 2 October 2026 to 4 April 2027. Devlin says she is moving almost her entire 30-year archive into the museum as she relocates her studio, so the show brings together artworks, sculpture, installations and her personal store. From 14 October to 20 December, Ryoji Ikeda returns to 180 Studios with data-verse [n°1], where visitors lie beneath a vast LED screen while electronic sound and light reshape the room.
Elsewhere, Amar Kanwar’s major solo exhibition at Serpentine North Gallery gathers three decades of films and installations, including video projected onto 62 handmade papers. The Courtauld presents Salman Toor’s first solo exhibition there, placing his paintings of friendship, intimacy and belonging in dialogue with the permanent collection. At Whitechapel Gallery, Cecilia Vicuña’s survey spans six decades, including paintings made in London after her exile from Chile and an installation made from raw wool.
Useful if you’re in London this month and want a compact exhibition list with range, from full-body immersion to quieter shows that reward a slower look.
Our summary of a story from The Spaces, published 1 October 2026. Read the original
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From The Spaces