The best galleries to visit just outside London
Jump on a train for a cultural day out
Last week I hopped on a train to preview the newly redeveloped Modern Art Oxford, a gallery which most of my friends who went to university there (of which I’m not one), and stayed, have never visited, except occasionally to go to the cafe, because you could get a buggy in there.
None of them have, as far as I can ascertain, seen an actual exhibition there, partly because the building was, after years of white-box renovations and over-painting, a bit depressing.
Not anymore. £2m and less than a year of closure later, this rather gorgeous former Victorian brewery has been lightened and brightened, the exhibitions spaces reconfigured to take back wasted space, and reconsidered to showcase not just the work of world-class international artists that the gallery has always been showing, but also that of Oxford’s students and other communities, with whom MAO increasingly works.
And yes, there is still a cafe, now downstairs, designed by the brilliant artist Emma Hart in vibrant colours that will delight kids and adults alike, and evokes the communal joy of the 90s rave scene (the chairs are shaped like hands, thrown into the air). Also the food is VG.
It looks great, and I was thoroughly taken too with the main exhibition, by an important 20th century Cuban artist, Belkis Ayón, whose work I didn’t know. She bases her vast prints (not a form that is usually attempted at this scale; her technical skill is extraordinary) on the Cuban myth of the Abakuá, a male-only secret society, and their sacrifice of a seemingly entirely blameless female figure, Sikán, because she had the misfortune to find a fish. It’s better if you go and see the show, they’ll explain it, and the work is mesmerising.
Oxford is also only about 50 mins from Paddington (and MAO only about 15 minutes walk from the station), and you can throw in a visit to the Ashmolean Museum at the same time - I like the sound of their current exhibition Money Talks: Art, Society and Power, which runs to January 5.
It occurred to me that though there is SO much to do here, actually sometimes you want a little adventure, and there are loads of brilliant galleries in lovely cities that would easily make a decent focus for a nice day out. So here are my picks (sort of off the top of my head) and what’s on right now that you can go and see.
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester
A permanent collection of Modern British art housed in an extended townhouse (and a very good cafe), plus temporary exhibitions - next week the new autumn shows open, Dora Carrington: Beyond Bloomsbury, and Pattern: Rhythm and Repetition, which draws on the gallery’s collection to explore how artists have used pattern, repetition, and rhythm to communicate ideas. pallant.org.uk
Train from Victoria to Chichester, 90 mins
Watts Gallery and Artists’ Village
Based in the former home and studio of the Victorian artist GF Watts, and his wife, designer Mary Watts, founder of the Potter’s Arts Guild at Compton, this was the first gallery in the UK devoted to a single artist. The building is stunning, the studio fascinating and the cemetery chapel beautiful. Constantly changing exhibitions include, right now, a show on Cicely Mary Barker, the creator of the Flower Fairies, an outdoor show of sculptures designed to provide homes to flora and fauna, and an exhibition of work by the ceramicist Jonathan Chiswell. wattsgallery.org.uk
Train from Waterloo to Guildford, Godalming or Farnham, 40-60 mins (plus short bus ride at the end)
Hastings Contemporary, Hastings
Formerly the Jerwood Gallery (some kind of fuss happened there, not sure what but I think it’s better now) this very smart contemporary building sits nicely among the unique tall huts that tower over Hastings’ beach. Its current show, Immortal Apples, Eternal Eggs, is a quirky look at contemporary still life through works from the Ingram Collection and the David and Indrė Roberts Collection by artists including Phyllida Barlow, Louise Bourgeois, Sir Anthony Caro, Patrick Caulfield, Michael Craig-Martin, Sarah Lucas and Henry Moore. hastingscontemporary.org
Train from Charing Cross or Victoria, 105-125 mins
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Spanning from antiquity to the present day, the Fitzwilliam - the leading museum of those that house Cambridge University’s world-renowned collection - is custodian of over half a million works of art, masterpiece paintings and historical artefacts. Like a mini British Museum, I suppose. The latest exhibition in its changing programme of temporary shows is a landmark showcase of the work of the American artist Glenn Ligon, bringing together works by the artist alongside his unique interventions in the galleries. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
Train from Kings Cross or St Pancras International, 50-80 mins
Turner Contemporary, Margate
David Chipperfield’s building rises high above the beach, with stunning views out to sea and a lovely set of galleries inside. Though questions over its impact on the rapid gentrification of parts of the town linger, it’s a fantastic gallery (great cafe too) with really excellent changing exhibitions - it's currently showing the Scottish artist Anya Gallaccio. You can also venture into the town and visit some of the smaller galleries that have since sprung up, like Carl Freedman, an established London gallery that has made the move, and Quench, just up the road. turnercontemporary.org
Train from St Pancras International or Victoria, 90-120 mins
Firstsite, Colchester
Probably the least visited from London of the galleries on this list, I’m not entirely sure why, though I concede that Colchester is less picturesque than, say, Cambridge (BUT there is St Botolph’s Priory, which is really worth a visit and within walking distance). It’s a shame because the gallery is brilliant, with an ever-changing programme of really interesting shows. Right now it’s presenting an exhibition devoted to the British-Mexican Surrealist and all-round dynamite dame Leonora Carrington: Avatars and Alliances, alongside a show by the local artist Jane Ostler, inspired by Jane’s own life, reflecting on her roles as a caregiver, the impact of patriarchal expectations, and the everyday moments of kindness. firstsite.uk
Train from Liverpool Street, 45-60 mins
Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Bruton
Bruton is an extremely pretty little town, with chichi little shops and nice places to eat (though how many of them were there before the international art world behemoth that is Hauser & Wirth arrived I’m honestly not sure). It has become a real destination (I’d suggest booking the restaurant if you want to have lunch there - it’s very good, but also very expensive) and since H&W is one of the biggest blue chip commercial art galleries in the world, the exhibitions are always absolutely top notch. Currently it and its beautiful gardens are housing a fantastic show by the late Phyllida Barlow. While you’re there, pop into the town and visit Bo Lee & Workman Gallery, which usually has something new to see. hauserwirth.com
Train from Paddington, 120 mins
What other galleries/museums two hours or less from London would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!
Humber Street Gallery in Hull is definitely worth a visit. Carefully curated socially engaged programme in a beautiful area of Hull, nestled between a river, an estuary and a marina and only 2.5 hours / 150 mins from Lot😊🙌