It may still be cold outside, but we can already feel the buzz of energy building for another incredible year of creative experiences at Somerset House, encompassing visual art, digital culture, outdoor installations, fashion, music and photography. Whether you’re here in person at the heart of London or joining us online, you’ll have the chance to encounter today’s most stimulating artists from around the world alongside the incredible talent based here at Somerset House, the home of cultural innovators.
As ever, the artists and creators based here at Somerset House are at the heart of our programme and we kick off the year with the return of Hyper Functional, Ultra Healthy, a dynamic series of events from Somerset House Studios that considers individual and collective health and wellbeing through a programme of newly commissioned artworks, films, workshops, and conversations. 2022 also saw the launch of Channel, our new online curated space for art, ideas and the artistic process, and this year will see the new commissions from artist collective Keiken, residents at Somerset House Studios, alongside pioneering American artist Rashaad Newsome.
The iconic Edmond J Safra Fountain Court has been the backdrop for our most unforgettable installations, and in February will play host to the latest courtyard commission from Jitish Kallat. Whorled (Here After Here After Here) is the first major UK commission for the Mumbai-based artist and will invite audiences to explore two intersecting spirals that echo the signage of UK roads, connecting our unique central London courtyard to locations across the planet and distant universe. Like much of Kallat’s work, it interlaces the immediate and the cosmic, the past and present. We can’t wait to see how he transforms the ever versatile space. We’ll also present the first of three Morgan Stanley Lates events alongside Jittish’s installation, with food, drink, and courtyard activities to enhance your visit.
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March will see the return of the London Original Print Fair, celebrating printmaking in all its myriad forms, as well as Collect, the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design. The Crafts Council produced fair offers a unique opportunity to discover pioneering and thought-provoking artworks from over 400 international artists. In April, we can’t wait to welcome back Now Play This, the leading festival of experimental games, with an extended nine-day exhibition of engaging interaction and play centred around the theme of love. As ever, Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition and Photo London will also be back to share the best of contemporary photography from around the world.
Throughout June, the fourth edition of the London Design Biennale takes over our whole site, bringing international, immersive and thought-provoking installations to Somerset House, all responding to the theme of Remapping Collaborations. This year’s Artistic Director is Het Nieuwe Instituut, the Dutch national museum and institute for architecture, design and digital culture, led by Aric Chen.
