An Artlyst guide highlights several major art exhibitions opening in London in May 2026. Key shows include 'Zurbarán' at the National Gallery (the UK's first major monographic exhibition of the Spanish master in over 30 years), 'Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific' at the V&A (a collaboration with QAGOMA featuring 40 artists), a James McNeill Whistler retrospective at Tate Britain (the first major European show in 30 years), and 'Winston Churchill: The Painter' at the Wallace Collection. Photo London is also moving to Olympia this year.
This article matters because it signals a robust and diverse London exhibition season, blending historical surveys of canonical European artists (Zurbarán, Whistler) with a major institutional focus on contemporary art from the Asia Pacific region. The inclusion of Churchill's paintings also highlights a growing interest in the artistic output of historical political figures. The guide serves as a practical resource for art audiences planning their visits, while underscoring London's continued status as a global hub for both blockbuster retrospectives and culturally expansive group shows.