Tate Britain will present the first London retrospective in 40 years of Edward Burra, one of Britain’s most distinctive and enigmatic 20th century artists, opening this June.
Running from June 12 to October 19, 2025, the exhibition will showcase more than 80 paintings alongside previously unseen archival materials, offering visitors the most comprehensive look at Burra’s work in over a decade.
Burra (1905-1976) is best known for his vivid, sometimes surreal depictions of cafés, clubs and cabarets, often portraying those on society’s margins with a satirical yet sympathetic eye. The exhibition will trace his 50-year career chronologically, from his early works after graduating from the Royal College of Art through to his later, less familiar landscape paintings.
Though Burra spent most of his life in East Sussex, the exhibition explores how his travels significantly shaped his artistic vision. His visits to Paris and the South of France in the 1920s introduced him to cosmopolitan culture and society’s outsiders, while trips to America in the early 1930s immersed him in the vibrant jazz scene of the Harlem Renaissance.
A pivotal section examines how European conflicts transformed Burra’s work. Having fled Spain at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936, he followed events through newspaper cuttings (which will be displayed) and his paintings evolved from humorous scenes to more serious social commentaries featuring violent, devilish figures.
Despite his failing health and the horrors of war, Burra maintained his creative flair through stage and costume designs for ballet, opera and theatre productions at venues including the Royal Opera House and Sadler’s Wells. These theatrical works, which will feature in the exhibition, showcase his eye for dramatic scenes informed by his earlier travels.
The exhibition’s final section focuses on Burra’s post-war landscapes. With travel limited by declining health, he turned to exploring British and Irish countryside, creating otherworldly scenes that reflect his environmental concerns about post-war industrialization.
Thomas Kennedy, Curator of Modern British Art at Tate Britain, has organized the exhibition with Assistant Curator Eliza Spindel. It will run concurrently with an exhibition of works by Ithell Colquhoun, with visitors able to see both influential British artists with a single ticket.
The retrospective is supported by Lockton, the Tate International Council and Tate Members, with EJ Hentenaar, CEO of Lockton Europe, noting that they are “delighted to support this groundbreaking exhibition which explores multiculturalism, performance and sexuality through Burra’s lyrical, yet disruptive accounts of the cultural renaissance of the 20th century.”
A companion publication edited by Thomas Kennedy will be released in June 2025 to coincide with the exhibition.