The Best Virtual Art Exhibitions 2021

Sensing the Unseen: At Home

The National Gallery

Following the success of its immersive exhibition, Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s Adoration, the National Gallery has created an experimental, interactive mobile experience which can be accessed from anywhere in the world (as long as you have Wi-Fi). This exhibition gives virtual visitors the chance to step into the world of Jan Gossaert’s ‘Adoration of the Kings’; explore and zoom into six scenes from the painting, examine intricate details and immerse yourself in the accompanying interactive sound. Six short poems have been created in the voice of Balthasar, one of the Three Kings, bringing to life the painting’s themes of ‘rupture, transformation and renewal’. nationalgallery.org.uk

Image: Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart) The Adoration of the Kings, 1510-15 © The National Gallery, London 

Mary Ellen Mark: Girlhood

National Museum of Women in the Arts

This exhibitions from the National Museum of Women in the Arts takes a look at the work of American photographer Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015). Mark was praised for capturing the lives of individuals in empathetic candour, from street children in Seattle to performers in India. In Mary Ellen Mark: Girlhood, the museum brings together some of the artist’s most famous photographs depicting girls and young women on the precipice of adult life. nmwa.org

Image: Mary Ellen Mark, Tashara and Tanesha Reese, Twins Days Festival, Twinsburg, Ohio, 1998 (printed later); Gelatin silver print, 20 x 24 in.; NMWA, Gift of Robert and Kathi Steinke; Photo by Lee Stalsworth; © Mary Ellen Mark/The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation. Photographer: Lee Stalsworth

The Garden of Privatised Delights

V21 Artspace

Gutted you missed the Venice Biennale’s 17th edition of its International Architecture Exhibition? Don’t worry, you can catch up with the exhibition through V21 Artspace, which has expertly reconstructed the 2021 British pavilion for digital audiences. Step inside The Garden of Privatised Delights, as it explores the privatisation of public space in the UK today and the ways design can be used to create a more inclusive future. v21artspace.com

Image: The Garden of Privatised Delights, British Pavilion for the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. View from 3D Virtual Exhibition Tour by V21 Artspace. Commissioned by the British Council. Curated by Madeleine Kessler and Manijeh Verghese: Unscene Architecture

Thomas J Price. Thoughts Unseen

Hauser & Wirth

Somerset gallery Hauser & Wirth is currently showing the work of British sculptor Thomas J Price in a presentation of two decades of conceptual enquiry. Spanning across multiple media and themes, Price’s work ‘confronts preconceived public attitudes towards representation and identity’. Presenting challenges to power structures, learnt behaviours and the unconscious thought, this exhibition of Price’s work will surely make you rethink some things as well. vip-hauserwirth.com

Image: Thomas J Price. Thoughts Unseen, Hauser & Wirth Somerset. View from Virtual Exhibition Tour © Thomas J Price. Courtesy of Hauser & Wirth

LOBSTEROPOLIS CITY

Decentraland

As the next step in Philip Colbert’s ongoing exploration of the digital possibilities of art, the artist is launching his first ever fully digital exhibition. It will be opening within its own virtual reality world, Decentraland, where viewers are invited to explore LOBSTEROPOLIS CITY through a unique avatar, or even create their own piece of the universe. The project has been underway for three years, with some elements having appeared in international shows including his 2020 Saatchi Gallery exhibition. play.decentraland.org

Hardeep Sahota: Bhangra Lexicon

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

The Bhangra artform – an energetic form of dance and music that originated in the Panjab – is captured through light painting in a new exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, compiled by dancer Hardeep Sahota in collaboration with photographer Tim Smith. ysp.org.uk

Image: Tim Smith

The Stillness of Life

Hauser & Wirth

Acclaimed photojournalist Sir Don McCullin is presenting an online exhibition of platinum prints to tie in with the reopening of ‘The Stillness of Life’ at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. The digital curation features a collection of landscape imagery – from flooding meadows in Somerset to the Northern Arctic in Svalbard Archipelago. hauserwirth.com

Image: Somerset Levels, Glastonbury 1990s, printed in 2016. © Don McCullin. Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth.

Anno’s Journey: The World of Anno Mitsumasa

Japan House

Whilst a visit to London’s Japan House might be off the cards, a (virtual) visit to their latest exhibition is not. Explore the life and visionary works of celebrated Japanese illustrator Anno Mitsumasa in the culture hub’s first online showcase (using 3D technology), comprising 89 vivid Japanese paintings, watercolours, papercuts and more. japanhouselondon.uk

Image: The Pilgrimage to Chikubu Island from ‘The Tale of Heike Picture Book’ (Courtesy of Anno Art Museum, Tsuwano)

TRATE: Technicolour Malaise

15 Bateman Street

Canadian artist TRATE (who works under an alias) is showcasing his third London exhibition at Soho gallery 15 Bateman Street, an evocative and vibrant collection of his signature large-scale figurative paintings. In light of the current situation, the exhibition is currently available to view via virtual studio tours. aliastrate.com

Read our interview with TRATE here

Image: TRATE, Tender Disfiguration

Andy Warhol

Tate Modern

Delve into the fantastical world of Andy Warhol at the Tate Modern’s highly anticipated 2020 retrospective. From his iconic pop images dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, to the Ladies and Gentlemen series (exhibited for the first time in 30 years) and an array of unseen pieces, this is an eclectic must-see showcase for Warhol enthusiasts world-wide. Fortunately, the Tate Modern has released an online tour of the exhibition. tate.org.uk

Image: Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych.

Celebrating Raphael

Musement

Online arts platform Musement has launched a virtual exhibition dedicated to world-renowned Italian artist Raffaello Sanzio (also knows as Raphael). The innovative gallery will showcase some of the Renaissance artist’s most significant works, marking the 500th anniversary of his death. musement.com