Must-See Art Exhibitions in London

With the 2012 London Olympic Summer Games underway the city is bustling with excitement. Olympians, tourists and Londoners alike are enjoying the Olympic games and other cultural events happening around the city. VisitLondon.com has collected the Top 10 Art Exhibitions in London. Here are a selection of events from the list.

Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition

The 244th annual Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission contemporary art exhibition, and displays some of the best contemporary works from both new and distinguished artists. From over 11,000 submissions, just 1,200 pieces were selected which includes paintings, sculpture, photography, prints, film, architectural models and books. The exhibition runs through August 12th.

Photo: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour

Damien Hirst at Tate Modern

With more than 70 works from over two decades, the Damien Hirst exhibition at Tate Modern is the largest British survey of work from the prominent artist. The display includes the iconic display, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, in which Hirst suspended a shark in formaldehyde. The exhibition runs through September 9th.

Damien Hirst, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991. ©Damien Hirst and Hirst Holdings Ltd, DACS 2011. Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates

Yoko Ono at the Serpentine Gallery

Celebrated artist Yoko Ono, in her first London public exhibition in more than a decade, features new and existing installations, films and performances. One notable presentation is #smilesfile, a project that encourages worldwide participation through inviting people to send images of their smiles by hash-tagging #smilesfilm.

Yoko Ono’s TO THE LIGHT runs through September 9th.

Edvard Munch: The Modern Eye

With the record-breaking sale of Edvard Munch’s The Scream at auction in May through Sotheby’s, the Norwegian painter has grabbed headlines around the world. The Tate Modern exhibition showcases the artist’s work from the 20th century, including sixty paintings and rare works in film and photography. The exhibition runs through October 14th.