Lightroom announces Matisse: Joy for January 2027
Image: Lightroom
Lightroom has confirmed its new major production, which will transport visitors into the vibrant work of the pioneering 20th-century artist Henri Matisse, will open in King’s Cross on 27th January 2027.
From the makers of the critically acclaimed David Hockney: Bigger & Closer, Matisse: Joy will bring the artist’s groundbreaking work to life like never before. Audiences will be immersed in paintings such as Joy of Life and The Dance, with its whirling, ecstatic energy; the playful shapes and joyful colours of The Snail; and the serene, transcendent simplicity of the Blue Nudes. This new show explores Matisse’ joy in making and his determined, relentless search for self-expression over more than 60 years of working practice.
His paper cut-outs are celebrated as the extraordinary reinvention that they are: a radical reapproach to colour, line and movement discovered at the very end of his life. As Matisse put it, ‘I am cutting directly into colour’ and ‘the sensation is equivalent to flying.’
The Sheaf (La Gerbe), 1953 by Henri Matisse (akg-images / Fine Art Images / HIP)
From intimate photography of the man at work to a recreation of the breathtaking Matisse Chapel in Vence, Lightroom’s unique canvas of 11m high, 360° projection creates an unprecedented chance to see the works up close in astonishing detail, vibrancy and scale. For lifelong fans and those discovering Matisse for the very first time alike, Matisse: Joy represents a new opportunity to experience the work of one of the 20th Century’s greatest artists, accompanied by voice-over drawn from Matisse’s own writings: diaries, letters, notebooks and journals.
The show is directed by Tom Wexler of Journey (David Bowie: You’re Not Alone), and has been created with meticulous care in consultation with art historian Ann Dumas MBE, who has curated exhibitions for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Royal Academy of Arts, London.
In a generation-spanning dialogue, Matisse: Joy also presents artwork by British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Yinka Ilori MBE, including a new piece created especially for Lightroom. Known for his bold, colourful visual language, rooted in his dual heritage, Ilori has been hailed as the 'Architect of Joy.' Through his work, he invites audiences to see Matisse anew - an artist who, toward the end of his life, was described as the 'painter of happiness'.
Image: Diamond Rays by Yinka Ilori
Through interviews recorded for the show, Ilori offers points of reflection and a contemporary lens through which to consider shared themes of colour and shape, deceptive simplicity, the hard work of being an artist, and the power of serenity and joy. Ilori’s perspective sheds light on how these ideas, so present in the work and life of Matisse, are held by the creative mind, with such considerations having shaped Ilori’s practice in other recent work including Chairman, his new book published in partnership with ORO Editions, and his first-ever solo exhibition Joy Through Resistance: He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best at Cristea Roberts Gallery (2026).
The visuals of the show are complimented by an energetic soundtrack and sound design by Sound Designer Pippa Murphy (Tracey Emin – A Second Life, Tate Modern), with Yinka Ilori’s sections featuring music selected by composer, sound artist and curator Peter Adjaye (Dialogues - Music for Architecture).
Director Tom Wexler said:
It was important for us to create a show that honours Matisse’s rigour and innovation whilst celebrating how accessible his art is. With Yinka Ilori’s stunning contributions, I feel we’ve created something truly inclusive for all ages; a story about pushing the expressive limits of visual art, and rendering emotions in pure colour.
Lightroom’s Senior Producer, Anna Schmitz, said:
Matisse is an artist whose work has touched the lives of so many, through countless exhibitions around the world. To take his work and offer a new experience, thanks to Lightroom’s unique production capabilities, is so exciting – and even more so to be offering a contemporary lens on the themes and challenges with which he wrestled thanks to the insight of Yinka Ilori. This is a show which celebrates one of our greatest artists and offers brand-new perspective on the creative process in a way which we hope will truly inspire.
Matisse: Joy will run at Lightroom near King's Cross from 27th January 2027. Tickets are priced from £25.00 for adults and £15.00 for students and concessions. For more information and to book tickets, visit lightroom.uk
