Located in a large concrete, brutalist structure built in 1968, just yards away from the River Thames, the Hayward Gallery is home to some of Britain’s most exciting, modern and diverse art.

Entering through a small concrete atrium, the entrance gives way to a large exhibition hall, spanning across multiple levels, accommodating vibrant, large, and small exhibits from a variety of UK based artists. The eye is first met with a piece that spans almost an entire wall; Lisa Brice’s Smoke and Mirrors, depicting a scene of nude female figures in a backstage location. This piece sets the tone for the remainder of the exhibition, establishing an unusual, yet progressive and modern atmosphere to the gallery.

Strolling through the gallery, certain pieces catch the eye of the visitor; Kudzanai-Violet Hwami’s vibrant depictions of everyday life, combining personal images and online photographs to form her works, or the works of Louise Giovanelli, who utilises film stills portraying actors in states of heightened emotion on which to base her work.

The more abstract section of the exhibition belongs to the second floor. Travelling up several flights of stairs, the visitors view is filled with the works of Rachel Jones, an artist that delves deep into the topic of abstraction, with much of her work, in her own words, “using colour to describe black bodies”. Her piece “lick your teeth, they so clutch” becomes immediately noticeable. Upon closer inspection, it appears that the piece utilises colour and various mediums to mask an image of a set of teeth.

The exhibition provides a platform for artists lesser known in the public eye, reflecting the progressive and modernised mixture of current UK art.