London Gallery Weekend to Feature John Akomfrah, Nil Yalter
Both artists are having a moment with Akomfrah representing Britain at the Venice Biennale and Yalter winning the event's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
The world's biggest gallery weekend will gather over 130 galleries in London from Friday 31 May to Sunday 2 June.
London Gallery Weekend's co-directors, Jeremy Epstein and Sarah Rustin, said notable unveilings will include works by two artists 'central to this year's Venice Biennale, John Akomfrah and Nil Yalter'.
Akomfrah is creating a new series of works for the Cork Street Galleries Banner Commission titled The Secret Life of Memorable Things (2024). Consisting of 30 individual artworks, the commission builds on his presentation in Venice by exploring memory and the personality of objects.
London Gallery Weekend's Performance Programme will spotlight artists Adelaide Cioni and Nil Yalter, the Paris-based Turkish artist who received the 2024 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement alongside Anna Maria Maiolino.
Yalter's live performance piece, In the land of troubadours (Aşıklar Diyarı), will commemorate Turkish singer and poet Aşık Nesimi. Yalter will also present a solo exhibition at Ab-Anbar Gallery.
Curated Routes—guided tours designed by art world luminaries—will return to London Gallery Weekend. Epstein and Rustin said, 'each year the curated routes attract huge public followings, so we are thrilled to have had routes this year contributed by icons spanning fashion, dance, performing arts, broadcast and of course visual art.'
The designers of this year's routes include artists Lubaina Himid and Flora Yukhnovich, writers Charlie Porter and Ekow Eshun, photographers Nick Knight and Mary McCartney, and fashion designer Roksanda, among others.
Other highlights of the weekend include Gagosian's presentation of Nan Goldin's Sisters, Saints, Sibyls, in an old Welsh chapel, a Michaël Borremans conversation at David Zwirner, and a workshop on the art and ideas of Harmony Korine and Isa Genzken at Hauser & Wirth.
In a new partnership, The Government Art Collection (GAC) will acquire one work displayed by a London gallery during the weekend. The commissioned work will be announced on Friday 31 May.
