Swiss Painter Renée Levi Transforms London’s Hayward Gallery with Vibrant New Façade

Swiss artist Renée Levi has created a two-panel painting titled 'September' for the façade of London’s Hayward Gallery. This work was co-commissioned by Audemars Piguet Contemporary and the Southbank Centre’s Hayward Gallery, and will be on view from September 23 to November 15, 2026. The project is the result of nearly two years of work, during which Levi explored new industrial materials and adapted her practice to suit the demands of an exterior architectural surface.

For this commission, Levi worked with a synthetic mesh, a type of netting commonly used for large-scale advertising banners. This choice was made because traditional linen would not withstand the wind and outdoor conditions of the Hayward Gallery’s façade. The adaptation to this new material marked a significant shift in Levi’s approach, as she had to consider the technical and environmental challenges of painting for an outdoor, public setting.

Levi selected the location for her work after considering several possible sites. She was particularly drawn to the structure of the Hayward Gallery, especially a long horizontal window that she found to be 'very painterly.' This architectural feature became the center of her composition, influencing the overall design and placement of the artwork on the building’s façade.

Rather than concealing the building’s Brutalist architecture, Levi aimed to use the structure to present her work in an unexpected context. She wanted the painting to engage directly with the building, allowing the artwork and the architecture to coexist and interact visually.

A key aspect of Levi’s approach was to maintain a relationship with the human body, in contrast to the monumentality of the building. She created the painting using the span of her arms, and the installation allows viewers to come very close to the work, almost to the point of touching it. This physical proximity is intended to foster a more intimate connection between the viewer and the artwork.

The composition features sprayed lines, which Levi notes might resonate with younger audiences because of their association with graffiti, a visual language familiar to many. She also hopes that the colors of the painting will be noticeable and engaging for passersby, though she acknowledges that some people may not notice the work at all.

Levi considers the work to be truly finished only when it is taken down, emphasizing the temporary nature of the installation. She is represented by Galerie Bernard Jordan in Paris, Philippzollinger in Zurich, and Galerie Knoell in Basel.