Anish Kapoor Creates an Unforgettable Experience at the Hayward Gallery
Anish Kapoor’s latest exhibition at the Hayward Gallery is a bold and immersive experience that demonstrates the extraordinary ability of sculpture to transform the way we see and understand a space.
Bringing together a series of major new installations, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through Kapoor’s fascination with scale, colour, darkness, light and perception. The works are striking in their physical presence, but their impact comes from the way they encourage audiences to stop, look and experience their surroundings differently.
Throughout the gallery, Kapoor plays with our expectations. Forms appear to shift depending on where you stand, surfaces absorb or reflect light, and enormous structures create an impressive sense of scale. There is a constant feeling that something familiar has been made unfamiliar, encouraging visitors to look twice and question what they are seeing.
The Hayward’s distinctive architecture adds another dimension to the experience. Kapoor’s installations interact beautifully with the gallery’s concrete spaces, making the building feel like an extension of the artwork itself. Rather than simply viewing the sculptures, audiences become part of the environment created around them.
There is also a wonderful sense of theatre to the exhibition. Some works immediately command attention, while others reveal their impact more gradually. Moving between the installations feels like discovering a series of different worlds, each with its own atmosphere and visual language.
Kapoor’s work has always been capable of creating a strong emotional response, and this exhibition is no exception. There are moments of awe and intrigue alongside quieter, more contemplative experiences. The contrast between monumental scale and moments of apparent emptiness gives the exhibition a particularly memorable quality.
Ultimately, the exhibition succeeds because it makes contemporary art feel experiential. Whether you arrive with a deep knowledge of Kapoor’s practice or simply want to encounter something visually spectacular, there is plenty here to explore.
Ambitious, atmospheric and visually captivating, Anish Kapoor’s latest Hayward Gallery exhibition is an impressive celebration of sculpture, space and perception — and a memorable experience from beginning to end.
Currently open until 18th October 2026. Get your tickets here.
WRITTEN BY: Nura Arooj