10 must-see exhibitions in London this autumn

David Hockney is not only a great artist but also a keen observer. This is clearly demonstrated in two of his most personal works: a portrait of his parents and one of his friend and curator Henry Geldzahler. The link between them in the exhibition is Piero della Francesca's Baptism of Christ. An unprecedented dialogue between past and present, this exhibition highlights how just a few—albeit incredible—masterpieces can create a powerful experience with faces.

What does it mean to make a portrait? This exhibition attempts to answer the question with over 55 works by Francis Bacon, created from the 1950s onward. The paintings explore the boundaries between representation and psychological inquiry, revealing palpable emotional tension. The best way to understand the work of the master who translated the complexities of the human soul into imagery.

Tracey Emin has returned with works that address deep, intimate, and universal themes, born from her recent transformative experience. Her new body of paintings tells a story of love, conflict, loss, acceptance, and rebirth, with a renewed intensity that hits you in the gut. A visceral immersion into human fragility, once again proving Emin’s extraordinary ability to turn the personal into the universal.

George Rouy's work—his first solo show with Hauser & Wirth—explores the human figure with a raw, physical style. His subjects, trapped in dense compositions, seem to struggle to free themselves from a tangle of limbs and flesh, creating an emotional representation that well encapsulates the conflict between desire, alienation, and personal identity crisis.

If you've passed through Brixton’s underground station, you couldn't have missed the monumental mural representing one of his works. This autumn, Jem Perucchini returns to London with a solo show offering an opportunity to delve deeper into his research: graceful characters of African descent, with clear references to the styles and compositions of Italian Renaissance art, pose illuminated by a warm, enveloping light that emerges from behind them. His works, filled with peace and sanctity, invite the viewer to pause and engage in slow, reflective observation.

Anna Weyant builds suspended worlds, inhabited by fragile female figures, almost as if they were made of porcelain, living in surreal scenes. Her paintings, characterized by dreamlike and unsettling atmospheres, suggest that something dramatic is about to unfold. "Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?" asks the artist, preparing us for a journey into the female subconscious, where silence is laden with tension.

Jonas Wood returns with his iconic compositions of landscapes and interiors. Through a collage and photographic manipulation process, Wood transforms everyday subjects into vibrant works, rich in color where the repetition of schematic forms becomes patterns.

This year’s Hyundai Commission for the Turbine Hall is entrusted to Mire Lee, a young Korean artist who transforms the space with suspended sculptures and mechanical installations. Her work evokes the idea of a living factory, an organic machine in constant flux, turning the space into a place of tension and movement while paying homage to Tate Modern’s industrial history.

While waiting for the announcement of the winner on December 3, the exhibition dedicated to the four artists competing for the Turner Prize 2024 is open to the public. Featuring Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur, and Delaine Le Bas, this is a must-see opportunity to discover some of the most interesting emerging talents and make predictions about the next winner.

Tim Burton arrives in London with an exhibition exploring his imaginative universe. Drawings, paintings, photographs, and costumes from the artist's personal archive allow visitors to explore the creative process behind some of his most iconic characters and worlds. A must-see for fans of this visionary filmmaker.