A Blockbuster Start: Gagosian’s Pre-Frieze Exhibitions Set the Stage for London’s Art Week

Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.

As London’s art scene buzzes with anticipation for the 21st edition of Frieze London, Gagosian Gallery has set the tone with two spectacular exhibitions that opened on October 7, just days before the global art elite descended on the city. These exhibitions not only highlight Gagosian’s pivotal role in shaping contemporary art in London but also present two strikingly different artistic visions: Anna Weyant at Gagosian’s Davies Street gallery and Jonas Wood at the expansive Grosvenor Hill gallery. Both shows, deeply autobiographical, offer an intriguing juxtaposition of scale and style, yet share an intimacy that draws the viewer into the personal narratives of the artists.

Anna Weyant: “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolves?” at Gagosian Davies Street

Anna Weyant at Gagosian Gallery, Davis Street. Photos: Maris Hutchinson

Anna Weyant’s debut solo exhibition in London is small in size but large in impact. Featuring seven new oil paintings, each measuring 48×36 inches, the show delves into Weyant’s distinct blend of autobiography, symbolic wit, and a surreal narrative style. The works, displayed across two rooms at Gagosian’s intimate Davies Street space, reflect themes of vulnerability, isolation, and the tension between exposure and concealment.

In the front room, six of the paintings are displayed in a narrow arrangement, setting the tone for Weyant’s exploration of unsettling domestic scenes. Among them, Girl in Window stands out. The figure, partially obscured by a fabric blind, offers a fleeting glimpse of the body while being enveloped by a twisting vine. The heart-shaped leaves that curl around the window suggest a fragile sense of privacy, while simultaneously referencing classical art, with a fig-leaf-like concealment. This balance between the classical and the surreal runs throughout the exhibition, creating an atmosphere charged with ambiguity.

At the back, the single painting Geraldine is given its own darker, more intimate room. Spotlighted, it serves as the emotional anchor of the exhibition, drawing viewers into its haunting atmosphere, and reinforcing Weyant’s mastery of creating deeply personal yet universally resonant narratives. Her works, which have already achieved considerable market success—some fetching over $1 million—continue to push boundaries, particularly under the inspiring partnership with Gagosian, which has been key to her rapid rise in the art world.

Gagosian Davies Street: 17–19 Davies Street, London W1K 3DE

Jonas Wood: Large-Scale Paintings at Gagosian Grosvenor Hill

Jonas Wood at Gagosian Grosvenor Hill. Photos: Marten Elder

Contrasting the intimacy of Weyant’s works, Jonas Wood’s exhibition at Gagosian Grosvenor Hill presents a bold and expansive exploration of his personal world. Known for his vibrant use of colour and his playful manipulation of scale and perspective, Wood’s latest works—many of which are large-scale pieces, some reaching 102×86 inches—immerse viewers in a visual world that blends the personal with the universal.

The exhibition opens with Wall of Fame, a large-scale work that features a collection of his children’s art, offering a deeply personal entry point into Wood’s life. Surrounding it are 11 other paintings, each rich with autobiographical detail. From Self Portrait with Home Depot Cart, Joint, and Phone, where the artist appears nearly camouflaged by a surrounding jungle of plants, to Shio, Momo, and Kiki with Leaf Masks, which features his wife (artist Shio Kusaka) and their children in a playful, intimate moment, the show is filled with the motifs of family and home that define much of Wood’s work.

One of the standout pieces is Japanese Garden with Temple, a vivid depiction of a Kyoto garden. The painting hovers between chaos and order, its flora and foliage creating a harmonious yet off-kilter balance, reflective of Wood’s unique approach to capturing the complexity of natural spaces. His method, which involves starting with photographs and transforming them into intricate collages before turning them into paintings, is evident in the careful layering of colour and pattern, creating a sense of depth and movement.

Wood’s ability to transform the mundane into something monumental is perhaps best exemplified in Still Life with Coffee and Minibook, where domestic objects and family-made artworks take centre stage. The painting’s blend of personal significance and artistic composition is typical of Wood’s style, where everyday moments become part of a larger, more reflective narrative.

These two exhibitions, opening just before Frieze London, emphasise Gagosian’s crucial role in both supporting contemporary artists and shaping London’s place in the global art world. Together, these shows create a compelling dialogue on the personal and the universal, offering a must-see experience for anyone in London this art season.

Gagosian Grosvenor Hill: 20 Grosvenor Hill, London W1K 3QD