10 Exhibitions in Europe to See this Summer
Featuring Women Artists
1. Britta Marakatt-Labba
1. Britta Marakatt-Labba
Britta Marakatt-Labba (b. 1951), an artist of Sámi heritage, weaves the stories of her people – who live across the far north of Scandinavia and Russia’s Kola Peninsula – into thread and cloth. At the heart of this exhibition is Historjá, a 24-metre-long embroidery that captures the rhythms of Sámi life and legend. Unfolding not in a straight line but in a circle, it begins and ends in the forest – like a story passed from one generation to the next.
On view from 14 June until 9 November 2025.
2. Wangechi Mutu
This summer, Kenyan-American artist Wangechi Mutu (b. 1972) takes over the entirety of Galleria Borghese’s 17th century architecture and gardens. She will be the first living woman artist to present a solo exhibition at the historic gallery. For this show, Mutu created new site-specific works, including Poem, an installation made from coffee powder, and Head, composed of pepper powder and glue, which will be on view alongside some of her most iconic works.
On view from 10 June until 10 September 2025.
3. Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely
3. Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely
Rebels and partners in life and art, Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) and Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) ‘couldn’t sit down together without creating something new, conjuring up dreams,’ as Saint Phalle once said. This exhibition shows their iconic works on paper, shooting paintings, decor pieces, monumental open-air sculptures, and kinetic machines.
On view from 17 May until 1 February 2026.
4. Huguette Caland
‘Nothing looks more like a body than a landscape.’ Nowhere is this more evident than in the work of Huguette Caland (1931-2019). From growing up as the daughter of the first president of the Lebanese Republic to breaking away to pursue art and live a bohemian life, her story is as bold as her work. Museo Reina Sofía now presents her first European retrospective A Life in a Few Lines.
On view from 19 February until 25 August 2025.
5. Cecilia Vicuña
5. Cecilia Vicuña
Through her works, Cecilia Vicuña (b. 1948) awakens the silenced voices and techniques of her ancestors, yearning for humanity’s lost connection to Earth. Her interdisciplinary installations create a ritualistic exhibition experience amplified by her holistic approach to art and activism. With her bold poetry, filmography, installations and paintings, she encourages joint action against destruction and domination.
On view from 5 June until 2 August 2025.
6. Artemisia Gentileschi
In Paris, an extensive exhibition celebrates the rebellious and resilient work of Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653), the trailblazing 17th-century Italian painter, influenced by the Caravaggesque style. Featuring forty works – from iconic masterpieces to rarely seen gems – the show highlights her dramatic, expressive technique and powerful portrayals of women and heroines.
On view from 19 March until 3 August 2025.
7. Mainie Jelles & Evie Hone
7. Mainie Jelles & Evie Hone
Mainie Jellett (1897-1944) and Evie Hone (1894-1955) were scandalous figures in conservative 20th-century Ireland. Their Cubist paintings were harshly received – dismissed as ‘freak pictures’ in the press. Shamed for their innovative approach, both artists grappled with their identities; Hone even considered becoming a nun. This exhibition traces their artistic evolution, shaped by a deep, synergetic friendship.
On view from 10 April until 10 August 2025.
8. Magdalena Abakanowicz
‘For me, the rope is like a solidified organism, like a muscle without activity,’ said Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017), who was one of the first to place the traditional tapestry in space as a three-dimensional object and elevate it to a monumental work of art. As part of the Abakanowicz triptych in Noord-Brabant, the TextielMuseum tells the story of the artist as a pioneer of textile art.
On view from 18 April until 24 August 2025.
9. Julie Mehretu
9. Julie Mehretu
At the age of six, Julie Mehretu (b. 1970) fled Ethiopia with her family and resettled in the US – a formative experience that deeply informs her work. Her monumental, disorienting paintings are composed of many layers of materials and meaning, and chart a world in constant flux. In Düsseldorf, visitors can explore these works alongside archival material that reveals the source of her visual language.
On view from 9 May until 12 October 2025.
Jenny Saville
‘The subject of the human body, it’s more than enough for a lifetime,’ British artist Jenny Saville (b. 1970) once said. Her confronting painings reflect ‘the sensuality of flesh’, and challenge conventional beauty standards – so much so that her work has even been censored in some countries. The National Portrait Gallery presents a chronological overview of her monumental nudes and charcoal drawings while exploring her deep connection to art history.
On view from 20 June until 7 September 2025.
Discover more exhibitions starring women artists in our summer issue: See All This #38.
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