Press Release

‘You have to see the real thing... seeing a real painting is the only way to do it.’

Robert Ryman believed that the best way to experience a painting is in person. His paintings, which mostly use white paint and a square format, reward close looking. He wanted you to notice everything: the texture of the paint, the brushstrokes, the material being painted on, how it’s displayed on the wall. The magic is in the feelings that arise as you attune yourself to the paintings’ similarities and differences, how they relate to each other and interact with the surrounding light and space.

Presenting over 60 works made from the mid-1950s to the early 2010s, this major new retrospective of the extraordinary American artist invites you to take a closer look. You may notice aspects of painting you haven’t seen before – and perhaps you’ll leave wondering what else in the world might become clearer if you simply slow down and tune in.

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Installation Views

Exhibition view: Robert Ryman, Robert Ryman: The Real Thing, Barbican (10/9/2026–28 February 2027). Courtesy Barbican.
Exhibition view: Robert Ryman, Robert Ryman: The Real Thing, Barbican (10/9/2026–28 February 2027). Courtesy Barbican.
About the Artist

Robert Ryman was a pioneering American artist whose lifelong commitment to exploring the material and perceptual possibilities of painting made him a central figure in contemporary art.

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Also Exhibiting at Barbican

About the Gallery

The Barbican is a world-renowned arts and learning hub in the City of London, celebrated for its striking Brutalist architecture and multidisciplinary programming. Opened in 1982 as part of the larger Barbican Estate, it has become a cultural landmark, bringing together visual arts, music, theatre, dance, film, and education under one roof.

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Address
Silk Street
London
United Kingdom
Opening Hours
Monday – Sunday, 9.30am – 11pm
Bank Holidays, 12 – 11pm
(1)
London Barbican Centre, Silk Street
Barbican
Silk Street, London, United Kingdom

Opening hours
Monday – Sunday, 9.30am – 11pm
Bank Holidays, 12 – 11pm
The art world in focus