October is one of London’s busiest art months. The city combines the final weeks of the Royal Academy’s Richard Dadd exhibition with the opening of Tate Britain’s The 90s, a major Renoir exhibition at the National Gallery, and Frieze London and Frieze Masters in Regent’s Park.galeriemagazine+2
Here’s what to see across London this October.
Richard Dadd at the Royal Academy
Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam runs at the Royal Academy of Arts until October 25. It is the first major exhibition devoted to the Victorian artist in more than 50 years.theupcoming.co
Dadd is best known for his intensely detailed paintings and drawings, including The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see his work in depth, exploring both his artistic achievement and the complex circumstances of his life.
For visitors interested in Victorian art, symbolism, and the boundaries between imagination and mental illness, this is one of October’s most distinctive museum shows. It closes at the end of the month, so it is a priority for anyone visiting before November.
The 1990s at Tate Britain
The 90s: Art and Fashion opens at Tate Britain on October 8 and runs until February 14, 2027. The exhibition examines the visual culture of the 1990s through the relationship between art, fashion, photography, music and identity.hauserwirth+1
The show is particularly relevant for anyone interested in how cultural movements cross between creative fields. Rather than treating fashion and art as separate categories, it places them in a shared visual and social context.culturalee
This is a strong exhibition for readers interested in contemporary visual culture, editorial photography, and the aesthetics that continue to influence design and fashion today.
Renoir at the National Gallery
Renoir and Love opens at the National Gallery on October 3 and runs until January 31, 2027. The exhibition brings together around 40 paintings from international collections.londonartfair.co+1
It focuses on Renoir’s work from the 1860s to the 1880s, a period in which he developed his approach to Impressionism while exploring friendship, family life, romance and everyday social scenes. A major highlight is Bal au Moulin de la Galette, shown in the UK for the first time.londonartfair.co
For visitors who want a classic museum experience, this exhibition offers a direct encounter with Impressionist painting and the social world of late nineteenth-century Paris.
Frieze London and Frieze Masters
Frieze London and Frieze Masters run in Regent’s Park from October 14 to 18. Together, they bring together almost 300 galleries from 48 countries and regions.elitetraveler
Frieze London focuses primarily on contemporary art, with more than 170 galleries presenting new work, emerging artists and ambitious installations. Frieze Masters offers a different perspective, bringing together historical art, modernism and works from earlier periods.galeriemagazine+1
New programming this year includes The Code Universe at Frieze London, curated by Carol Yinghua Lu, and Queering Modernism at Frieze Masters, led by Anke Kempkes.londonartfair.co
Art beyond the fair
Frieze Week extends well beyond the fair tents. Frieze Sculpture is on view in Regent’s Park until November 1, transforming the park’s English Gardens into an open-air exhibition of contemporary sculpture.culturalee
Other notable exhibitions include:
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Tarek Atoui: Hold at Tate Modern, opening October 13 and running until April 11, 2027. The installation transforms the Turbine Hall into a large-scale sonic environment using custom-built instruments, sculpture and electronics.londonartfair.co+1
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Robert Ryman: The Real Thing at the Barbican, on view from October 8 to February 28, 2027.londonartfair.co
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Tim Walker: Queer Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, through January 10, 2027.hypebeast
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Cecilia Vicuña at Whitechapel Gallery, through January 11, 2027.culturalee
How to plan your visit
For a focused day, visit the Royal Academy for Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam, then continue to the National Gallery for Renoir and Love. Both are close to central London and offer contrasting perspectives on nineteenth-century painting.theupcoming.co+1
If you are visiting during Frieze Week, combine the fair with Tate Britain’s The 90s and Frieze Sculpture. This gives you a full picture of London’s October art scene: historical painting, contemporary art, fashion, performance and public sculpture.
