Exhibition

Red

26 Feb-24 Apr 2026

Ordovas

London W1S 2ER

Overview

Red, an exhibition exploring one of the most symbolic colours in the history of art, and how it has been used in the work of significant artists from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The exhibition features works by a diverse and international group of artists including modern masters such as Joan Miró, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Motherwell and Lygia Pape, alongside contemporary artists including Bridget Riley, Cecily Brown, Eric Fischl and Sam Moyer who has created a new work specifically for the show. Red is the latest in a series of exhibitions held over recent years exploring the use of a single colour; previous editions were dedicated to white in 2017, blue in 2020 and gold in 2024.

Red is amongst the most powerful and vibrant colours in the history of art, representing a range of emotions from love and romance to power, danger and dominance. Its importance transcends time and cultural boundaries: one of the earliest pigments used by humans, red ochre from the earth is found in prehistoric cave paintings, linking the colour to humanity’s earliest efforts at visual expression. In ancient cultures, red carried both sacred and social weight: Egyptians used it to represent life and victory, while in China it became a symbol of luck, prosperity, and celebration. In Renaissance art, red drew attention to the most important figures in a painting, while modern and contemporary art movements have employed the colour for its expressive power and ability to convey raw emotion and intensity.