The New Sackler Gallery in Kensington Gardens

The Serpentine Gallery in Kensington has recently expanded its presence with the new Sackler Gallery built as an extension of the former gunpowder store the Magazine by the world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid.

The first thing that will strike you about the new Sackler Gallery is the undulating white tent-like roof that has been attached to the side of the Magazine, hosting a futuristic restaurant and social place. The interior of the new structure is a delight for the eyes, an ultra-modern, undulating space supported by softly lit smooth stalks. The skylights and internal illumination create wonderful layers of brightness that will make a lasting impression on you. But you won’t find any art in this social space, apart from the building itself.

To see the art you need to head to the old Magazine building, built more than two hundred years ago but now enriched with a diaphanous glass door that courteously welcomes you in. The white facade is at some distance from the gunpowder stores where artworks are exhibited so that the gallery looks a bit like a box within a cube. Inside you’ll find, among other things, two superb vaulted brick galleries and an almost life-size stone elephant supporting (with great difficulty, it is true) a heavy cornice.

The elephant is one of the massive sculptures of the young Argentinian Adrián Villar Rojas, whose large-scale sculptural works are one of the biggest attractions of the gallery. You’ll also find sculptures by the Italian Marisa Merz, who has recently been awarded the Venice Biennale Lifetime Achievement Award. There’s a lot of other great art in the Magazine waiting for you to discover it.

The new Sackler Gallery will feature a new exhibition every season. The exhibitions will be different from those of the neighbouring Serpentine gallery, which also features a new show every season. So there’s a lot of great art in Kensington Gardens. Check it out.