Art Gallery Archive
Browse our Exhibitions Archive
Since Barbican Art Gallery opened in March 1982, our visual arts programme has embraced art, architecture, design, fashion, photography and film.
The Archive allows you to look back through the decades to discover past exhibitions and events in the Art Gallery, in The Curve, in locations around the Barbican and off-site.
The Curve commission series has been running since 2006, and we also present smaller commissions and exhibitions in the Barbican Foyers.
Recent exhibitions
Art Gallery Exhibitions
2010s
Pioneers of the Downtown Scene: New York 1970s
3 Mar–22 May 2011
Watch Me Move: The Animation Show
15 Jun–11 Sep 2011
OMA/Progress
6 Oct 2011–19 Feb 2012
Bauhaus: Art is Life
3 May–12 Aug 2012
Everything was Moving: Photography from the 60s & 70s
13 Sep 2012–13 Jan 2013
The Bride and the Bachelors: Duchamp with Cage, Cunningham, Rauschenberg and Johns
14 Feb–9 Jun 2013
Pop Art Design
22 Oct 2013–9 Feb 2014
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk
9 Apr–17 Aug 2014
Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age
25 Sep 2014–11 Jan 2015
Magnificent Obsessions: The Artist as Collector
12 Feb–25 May 2015
Station to Station: a 30 Day Happening
26 Jun–26 Jul 2015
The World of Charles & Ray Eames
21 Oct 2015–13 Feb 2016
Strange & Familiar: Britain as Revealed by International Photographers
16 Mar–19 Jun 2016
Ragnar Kjartansson
14 Jul–4 Sep 2016
The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined
13 Oct 2016–5 Feb 2017
The Japanese House: Architecture and Life after 1945
22 Mar–25 Jun 2017
Trajal Harrell: Hoochie Koochie
20 Jul–13 Aug 2017
Basquiat: Boom For Real
21 Sep 2017–28 Jan 2018
Another Kind of Life: Photography on the Margins
28 Feb–27 May 2018
2000s
Magnum - Our Turning World
2 Dec 1999–12 Mar 2000
The Art of Starwars
13 Mar–3 Sep 2000
Rockstyle by Tommy Hilfiger / The Wilde Years: Oscar Wilde and the Art of His Time
5 Oct 2000–14 Jan 2001
Bacon's Eye / Day
8 Feb–16 Apr 2001
Jam 2 : Tokyo- London/Newton
10 May–8 Jul 2001
Fay Godwin. Landmarks / John Pilger
25 Jul–30 Sep 2001
The Americans: New Art
25 Oct–23 Dec 2001
Martin Parr: the Last Resort/Transition: The London Art Scene in the Fifties
31 Jan–14 Apr 2002
Game On: The History and Culture of Video Games
16 May–15 Sep 2002
David La Chapelle: Photographs / Rapture
22 Oct–23 Dec 2002
Salgado
13 Feb–1 Jun 2003
Tina Modotti & Edward Weston. The Mexico Years / Helen Chadwick
29 Apr–1 Aug 2004
Communicate: Independent British Graphic Design since the Sixties / Daniel Libeskind: Space of Encounter
16 Sep 2004–23 Jan 2005
Christian Marclay / Tina Barney
17 Feb–2 May 2005
Colour After Klein: Re-thinking Color in Modern and Contemporary Art
26 May–11 Sep 2005
Noboyoshi Araki: Self. Life. Death
6 Oct 2005–22 Jan 2006
Tropicalia. A Revolution in Brazilian Culture
16 Feb–21 May 2006
Future City: Experiment and Utopia in Architecture 1956- 2006
15 Jun–17 Sep 2006
In the Face of History: European Photographers in the 20th Century
13 Oct 2006–28 Jan 2007
Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban
22 Feb–13 May 2007
Panic Attack: Art in the Punk Years
5 Jun–9 Sep 2007
Seduced: Art and Sex from Antiquity to Now
12 Oct 2007–27 Jan 2008
Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art
6 Mar–18 May 2008
The House of Victor & Rolf
18 Jun–21 Sep 2008
This is War! Robert Capa: At Work / Gerda Taro / On the Subject of War
17 Oct 2008–25 Jan 2009
Le Courbusier: the Art of Architecture
19 Feb–24 May 2009
Radical Nature: Art and Architecture for a Changing Planet 1969- 2009
19 Jun–18 Oct 2009
Ron Arad: Restless
18 Feb–16 May 2010
The Surreal House: Architecture of Desire
10 Jun–12 Sep 2010
Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion
15 Oct 2010–6 Mar 2011
1990s
Scottish Art Since 1900
8 Feb–16 Apr 1990
Pursuit of the Real: British Figurative Painting from Sickert to Bacon / Malczewski: A Vision of Poland
10 May–8 Jul 1990
Chagall to Kitaj: Jewish Experience in 20th Century Art
10 Oct 1990–6 Jan 1991
Stanley Spencer: The Apotheosis of Love / Man Ray in Fashion
24 Jan–1 Apr 1991
True North: Canadian Landscape Painting 1896 - 1939 / Un-Natural Traces: Contemporary Art from Canada
19 Apr–16 Jun 1991
Beyond Japan: A Photo Theatre
11 Jul–22 Sep 1991
Japan and Britain: An Aesthetic Dialogue 1850-1930
17 Oct 1991–12 Jan 1992
Van Gogh in England: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man / William Eggleston: Ancient and Modern
27 Feb–4 May 1992
The Celebrated City
28 May–19 Jul 1992
John Heartfield / The Cutting Edge
13 Aug–11 Oct 1992
Eric Grill: Sculpture / Border Crossings: Fourteen Scandinavian Artists
11 Nov 1992–7 Feb 1993
The Sixties: Art Scene in London
11 Mar–13 Jun 1993
Alan Davie: The Quests from the Miraculous / The Raw & the Cooked: New York in Clay in Britain
8 Jul–5 Sep 1993
Alphonse Mucha / Bill Brandt: Photographs 1928-1983
30 Sep–12 Dec 1993
All Human Life: Bruce Bernard
13 Jan–2 May 1994
Who's Looking at the Family?
26 May–4 Sep 1994
A Bitter Truth. Avant-Garde and the Great War
29 Sep–11 Dec 1994
Impressionism in Britain
19 Jan–7 May 1995
Humanity and Inhumanity: The Photographic Journey of George Rodger / Immendorf: the Rake's Progress
1 Jun–28 Aug 1995
The Art of Dora Carrington / African Textiles: Technology, Tradition and Lurex
21 Sep–10 Dec 1995
Diaghilev Creator of the Ballets Russes
24 Jan–14 Apr 1996
Derek Jarman: a Portrait / Eve Arnold: in Retrospect
9 May–18 Aug 1996
Blumenfeld: a Fetish for Beauty / Jam : Style + Music + Media
11 Sep–15 Dec 1996
Modern Art in Britain 1910-1914 / Lucie Rie & Hans Cooper - Potters in Parallels
20 Feb–26 May 1997
Serious Games / Marc Riboud: in China
19 Jun–17 Aug 1997
Don McCullin: Sleeping with Ghosts / James Ensor. 1860-1949. Theatre of Masks
11 Sep–14 Dec 1997
The Art of Harley / Shaker: The Art of Craftmanship
22 Jan–24 Apr 1998
The Warhol Look
28 May–16 Aug 1998
Native Nation: Journeys in American Photography
10 Sep 1998–10 Jan 1999
Picasso and Photography: The Dark Mirror / African Photography
20 Jan–28 Mar 1999
David Bailey. Archive One / New Art for a New Era: Malevich's Vision of the Russian Avant-Garde from the Collection of the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
15 Apr–27 Jun 1999
1980s
Aftermath: France, 1945-54 / New Images of Man
4 Mar–20 Jun 1982
Aditi
7 Jul–22 Aug 1982
Cadbury's Childrens Art
9 Sep–23 Oct 1982
The City's Pictures
24 Nov 1982–23 Jan 1983
Asger Jorn/Rodin
14 Feb–10 Apr 1983
Hundertwasser / Carpet Magic: John Thompson
25 Apr–19 Jun 1983
That's shell that is / Peter Phillips: Retrovision
4 Jul–4 Sep 1983
Tolly Cobbold 4th Nat: Exhibition/Matthew Smith
15 Sep–30 Oct 1983
Young Blood / Design Into Industry
24 Nov 1983–15 Jan 1984
American Folk Art: Expression of a New Spirit
9 Feb–1 Apr 1984
The City's Pictures
1 Apr–28 Oct 1984
Capital Paintings
19 Apr–10 Jun 1984
Portraits of a Country: Brazilian Modern Art from the Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection
27 Jun–19 Aug 1984
Getting London in Perspective
6 Sep–28 Oct 1984
James Tissot
15 Nov 1984–20 Jan 1985
Munch and the Workers / Tradition and Renewal: Contemporary Art in the German Democratic Republic
14 Feb–8 Apr 1985
American Images: Photography 1945-1980
10 May–30 Jun 1985
Painting in Newlyn. 1880-1930 / Patrick Heron
11 Jul–1 Sep 1985
Gwen John / Roderic O'Conor
12 Sep–10 Nov 1985
Nihonga / Karakuri Ningyo
28 Nov 1985–26 Jan 1986
Art and Time
20 Feb–27 Apr 1986
Cecil Beaton
15 May–20 Jul 1986
Eugene Smith / Rabindranath Tagore
28 Aug–19 Oct 1986
David Roberts / Lion Rugs
6 Nov 1986–4 Jan 1987
Russian Style 1700-1920: Court and Country Dress from the Hermitage
29 Jan–26 Apr 1987
Ansel Adams: Classic Images / A Paradise Lost
21 May–19 Jul 1987
The Image of London: Views by Travellers and Emigrés 1550-1920
6 Aug–18 Oct 1987
The Edwardian Era
12 Nov 1987–7 Feb 1988
Henry Peach Robinson : Master of Photographic Art 1830 - 1901 / Karsh
25 Feb–24 Apr 1988
Art or Nature: 20th Century French Photography
12 May–17 Jul 1988
Lowry / The Harold Samuel Collection / The International Art Show for the End of World Hunger
4 Aug–2 Oct 1988
Panoramania!
3 Nov 1988–15 Jan 1989
The Last Romantics
9 Feb–9 Apr 1989
100 Years of Russian Art 1889 - 1989: From Private Collections in the USSR
27 Apr–9 Jul 1989
Through the Looking Glass: Photographic Art in Britain 1945-1989
27 Jul–1 Oct 1989
A Golden Age: Art and Society in Hungary 1896-1914
26 Oct 1989–14 Jan 1990
The Curve Commissions
The Curve
Tomas Saraceno
11 May–16 Jul 2006
Richard Wilson
29 Sep 2006–14 Jan 2007
Jeppe Hein
19 Feb–29 Apr 2007
Marjetica Potrč: Forest Rising
24 May–2 Sep 2007
Shirana Shahbazi
4 Oct 2007–20 Jan 2008
Hans Schabus: Next Time I’m Here, I’ll Be There
1 Mar–1 Jun 2008
Huang Yong Ping: Frolic
25 Jun–21 Sep 2008
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Frequency and Volume
9 Oct 2008–18 Jan 2009
Peter Coffin
11 Feb–11 May 2009
Clemens von Wedemeyer: The Fourth Wall
29 May–30 Aug 2009
Robert Kusmirowski: Bunker
30 Sep 2009–10 Jan 2010
Céleste Boursier-Mougenot
27 Feb–23 May 2010
John Bock: Curve-Vehicle incl. π- Man-(.)
10 Jun–12 Sep 2010
Damian Ortega: The Independent
15 Oct 2010–16 Jan 2011
Cory Arcangel: Beat the Champ
10 Feb–22 May 2011
Junya Ishigami: Architecture as Air
28 Jun–16 Oct 2011
Song Dong: Waste Not
14 Feb–12 Jun 2012
Random International: Rain Room
4 Oct 2012–3 Mar 2013
Geoffrey Farmer: The Surgeon and the Photographer
26 Mar–28 Jul 2013
Ayşe Erkmen: Intervals
24 Sep 2013–5 Jan 2014
Roman Signer: Slow Movement
4 Mar–31 May 2015
Eddie Peake: The Forever Loop
9 Oct 2015–10 Jan 2016
Imran Qureshi: Where the Shadows are so Deep
18 Feb–10 Jul 2016
Bedwyr Williams: The Gulch
29 Sep 2016–8 Jan 2017
Richard Mosse: Incoming
15 Feb–23 Apr 2017
John Akomfrah: Purple
6 Oct 2017–7 Jan 2018
Yto Barrada: Agadir
7 Feb–20 May 2018
Francis Upritchard: Wetwang Slack
27 Sep 2018–6 Jan 2019
Other Exhibitions in The Curve
Joseph Beuys: Multiples
21 Oct–12 Dec 1999
French Collection: Photographs from the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, 80-00
8 Jun–6 Aug 2000
Andy Goldsworthy - Time
31 Aug–29 Oct 2000
Brian Griffiths and Kenji Yanobe
16 Nov–14 Jan 2000
Pyramids of Mars
8 Feb–25 Mar 2001
Iranian Contemporary Art
12 Apr–3 Jun 2001
Andres Serrano
4 Oct–9 Dec 2001
Barbican: This Was Tomorrow
14 Feb–14 Apr 2002
Xavier Veilhan
2 May–23 Jun 2002
Electric Dreams
11 Jul–28 Aug 2002
Grayson Perry: Guerilla Tactics
21 Sep–3 Nov 2002
Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2003
21 Nov 2002–12 Jan 2003
WITNESS: Contemporary Artists Document our Time
13 Feb–27 Apr 2003
The Poetics Project 1977 – 1997
15 May–20 Jul 2003
Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
9 Sep–24 Oct 2004
Bloomberg New Contempories 2004
16 Nov 2003–15 Jan 2005
Toby Paterson: After the Rain
9 Feb–17 Apr 2005
Folk Archive: Contemporary Popular Art from the UK
12 May–24 Jul 2005
Lucy Orta
15 Sep–30 Oct 2005
Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2005
16 Nov 2005–8 Jan 2006
The Impossible Theatre
2 Feb–17 Apr 2006
