The freshest art exhibitions to add to your diary this month

If you’re an art lover, you’ll be spoilt for choice during your trip to London this month. Here is our pick of the freshest exhibitions to add to your diary…

Russia, Royalty & The Romanovs

The Queen’s Gallery, Until 28^th April 2019

The links between Britain and Russian royalty lasted hundreds of years, and included not only a series of wars, alliances and dynastic marriages, but friendships, antipathy and tragedy. This exhibit looks at the role art played in this lengthy royal relationship, with works dating from the 1600s when Peter the Great visited London, through to Tzar Nicholas II’s ill-fated leadership.

There’s a rich mixture of artwork here including documents, miniatures, sculpture, portraits and photographs, some of which were given as gifts between the two royal families, and others of which depict them together.

Many of the pieces in this exhibit are one-of-a-kind, commissioned by great artistic masters from both nations, making this a wonderful opportunity to see everything in one place. We recommend a visit before heading to afternoon tea near Paddington.

Journeys Drawn: Illustrations from the Refugee Crisis

House of Illustration, Until 31^st March 2019

This exhibition is the first in the UK to explore the refugee crisis, featuring illustrations and 40 works of multi-media art created by twelve contemporary artists, two of whom are themselves refugees. Whilst this might seem like intense subject matter to explore before heading to restaurants in Paddington London, the exhibit is a timely one – and includes war-zone reporting from Syria, digital portraiture of refugees in Greece, and a graphic novel which recounts one artist’s experiences as a volunteer in the Calais Jungle.

Seen & Heard: Victorian Children in the Frame

Guildhall Art Gallery, Until 28^th April 2019

This exhibit unveils 50 major works of Victorian art which take a closer look at the role of children in Victorian-era Britain. This was a vital time in history for Britain, and this exhibit proves to be both enlightening and emotional for art fans and culture vultures alike. It’s a perfect choice for visiting before enjoying an afternoon tea near Paddington and discussing everything you’ve learned!

Magic Realism: Art in Weimar Germany 1919-1933

Tate Modern, Until 14^th July 2019

This exhibition at the Tate Modern takes a closer look at the art drawn from the Weimar Republic of Germany, which lasted between1919-1933. There are around seventy paintings on display, each showing the paradoxes of the era where liberalism was mixed with a growing threat from militarism and a deepening economic uncertainty.

Modern Couples: Art, Intimacy and the Avant-Garde

Barbican Centre, Until 27^th January 2019

An exhibition which proves that modern love is no more complicated than partnering up was in the past, the Barbican’s latest arrival shows around fifty years’ of artworks which explore the link between intimacy and artwork to demonstrate how noted artists of the era documented their own intense love affairs. Running until January 2019, it’s the perfect treat for creative couples and dedicated singles alike to laugh at the joy and absurdity of romance through an artistic lens.