Top 2025 Exhibitions Picked by Curators and Museum Directors
As art continues to evolve, exhibitions showcasing innovative works are marking 2025 as a significant year in the contemporary art world. Leaders in curation highlight an array of exhibitions, offering intriguing insights into the artists’ philosophies and methodologies. Below is a curated list of notable exhibitions as highlighted by curators and directors in various prestigious institutions.
Top 2025 Exhibitions Picked by Curators and Museum Directors
Wolfgang Tillmans: Nothing Could Have Prepared Us
Location: Centre Pompidou, Paris
This expansive exhibition showcases Wolfgang Tillmans’s photographs and films, engaging with public life and our shared spaces. Curator Mark Godfrey emphasizes the generosity of the presentation, allowing visitors to explore Tillmans’s archive, art collection, and even create photocopies of his images.
Encounters: Giacometti x Mona Hatoum
Location: Barbican Art Gallery, London (until January 11, 2026)
This exhibition features a dialogue between the works of Alberto Giacometti and Mona Hatoum. Gilane Tawadros notes the insightful discourse created around the themes of violence and cruelty in their artwork.
Ithell Colquhoun: Between Worlds
Location: Tate St Ives
Highlighting the nuanced works of Ithell Colquhoun, this exhibition presents a significant reclamation of her contributions to Surrealism. The show is both meticulously curated and visually striking, displaying a wide range of her artistic endeavors.
Noah Davis
Location: Barbican Art Gallery, London
Noah Davis’s exhibition showcases poignant paintings that reflect his deep connections to the Los Angeles community. Curator Lars Nittve describes the works as both beautiful and impactful.
Linder: Danger Came Smiling
Location: Hayward Gallery, London
Renowned for her critical approach to visual narratives, Linder’s exhibition dissects ideology through art, as described by Sarah Munro. It offers an important feminist critique, recontextualizing traditional roles in art.
Hamad Butt: Apprehensions
Location: Whitechapel Gallery, London
This retrospective explores the intersections of minimalism and conceptual art, inviting viewers to reconsider established legacies with potent and provocative works.
Caroline Walker: Mothering
Location: Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire
Caroline Walker’s piece presents intimate depictions of motherhood, characterized by large canvases and detailed sketches. Director Andrew Nairne commends its exceptional curation.
Steve McQueen: Bass
Location: Dia Beacon, Beacon, NY
McQueen’s ambient installation invites viewers into an immersive exploration of light and sound, creating a uniquely evolving experience in a minimalist space.
Marlene Dumas: Cycladic Blues
Location: Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens
This exhibition connects ancient Greek art with modern interpretations, provoking discussions around childhood, love, and mortality, as noted by curator Luke Syson.
Meriem Bennani: Sole Crushing
Location: Lafayette Anticipations, Paris (until February 8, 2026)
The show features 201 animated flip-flops, embodying a lively expression of cultural rhythm, celebrated by director Clarrie Wallis as an impressive demonstration of artistic innovation.
When We See Us
Location: Bozar, Brussels
This exhibition showcases contemporary African figurative painting, highlighting diverse Black narratives and celebrating communal joy, as described by curator Amira Gad.
Vija Celmins
Location: Fondation Beyeler, Basel
Celmins’s understated and poetic work invites appreciation for overlooked details in everyday life, making her exhibitions feel deeply impactful, according to director Simon Martin.
Picasso for Asia: A Conversation
Location: M+, Hong Kong
This exhibition challenges and discusses Picasso’s influence on Asian art, reshaping perspectives on the interconnectedness of art movements, as observed by Tone Hansen.
Conclusion
As we delve into 2025, these curated exhibitions are set to enrich our understanding of contemporary art. Focusing on diverse themes ranging from personal narratives to global conversations, these showings are critical in shaping the cultural landscape.
