In 2025, Tate Modern promises an extraordinary lineup of exhibitions that celebrate the diversity and innovation of global art. From groundbreaking retrospectives to immersive installations, here’s what to expect from the year ahead.
National Gallery of Australia. © Estate of Emily Kam Kngwarray / DACS 2024, All rights reserved
Spring: Leigh Bowery and Hagay Dreaming Premiere
- Leigh Bowery Retrospective
Kicking off the year, Tate Modern will delve into the transformative career of Leigh Bowery, a boundary-breaking artist and performer. Emerging from London’s vibrant 1980s club scene, Bowery used his body as a tool for radical expression in galleries, theaters, and even the streets. His work has left an indelible mark on contemporary culture, influencing icons like Alexander McQueen and Lady Gaga. - Hagay Dreaming in The Tanks
Later in the season, Tate Modern’s dedicated performance and installation space, The Tanks, will host the UK premiere of Hagay Dreaming. Created by new media artist Shu Lea Cheang and practicing shaman Dondon Hounwn, this performance merges dance, ritual, laser projections, and motion-capture technology to create a hypnotic, boundary-defying experience.
© Fergus Greer
Summer: Do Ho Suh and Emily Kam Kngwarray
- The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh
This summer, visitors will step into the immersive world of Do Ho Suh, a Korean-born, London-based artist known for his fabric installations and life-size replicas of past homes. Suh’s art explores belonging, memory, and the relationship between architecture and the human body, inviting introspection and connection. - Emily Kam Kngwarray’s European Debut
Tate Modern will host the first European exhibition of works by Emily Kam Kngwarray, one of Australia’s most celebrated artists. A senior Anmatyerr woman from the Utopia region, Kngwarray’s monumental canvases are a powerful testament to her deep spiritual and ecological ties to her homeland. Many of these shimmering works, created in her 70s and 80s, will be shown outside Australia for the first time.
Installation view at Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, Australia. Photography by Jessica Maurer. © Do Ho Suh
Autumn: Nigerian Modernism and Picasso’s Dance Legacy
- Nigerian Modernism
This landmark group exhibition will spotlight the artists who redefined modern art in Nigeria before and after independence in 1960. Showcasing multidisciplinary forms—painting, sculpture, textiles, literature, and poetry—the exhibition celebrates the synthesis of African and European traditions in this revolutionary movement. - Picasso’s The Three Dancers
Marking the 100th anniversary of Picasso’s The Three Dancers, Tate Modern will present an in-depth exploration of the painting’s themes: dance, sex, and death. The exhibition places this pivotal modern artwork in its historical context while engaging contemporary dance as a lens for interpretation.
Winter: Global Pictorialism and Annual Commissions
- Global Pictorialism: The Birth of Artistic Photography
Tate Modern’s year concludes with an expansive photography exhibition on Global Pictorialism. This international movement transformed photography into an artistic medium from the 1880s to the 1960s. Featuring works from Shanghai, Sydney, New York, Cape Town, Brazil, and Singapore, the exhibition highlights the innovative techniques that defined the era. - Annual Commissions
Each season will also feature one of Tate Modern’s high-profile commissions:- Spring: Infinities Commission – A new visionary work will be unveiled in The Tanks.
- Summer: UNIQLO Tate Play – Interactive art experiences for all ages during the school holidays.
- Autumn: Hyundai Commission – A large-scale installation by a world-renowned artist will transform the Turbine Hall.
With this dynamic program, Tate Modern reaffirms its position as a leader in the global art scene, offering visitors a year of transformative and thought-provoking artistic encounters.