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The Best Things To Do In London This Weekend: 8–9 July 2023

1. Celebrate Trans+ Pride

Saturday 8 July 2023 in Trafalgar Square

London Pride may have occurred last weekend, but the celebrations – and protests – aren’t over. This weekend, it’s Trans+ Pride’s turn, a grassroots protest now in its fifth year calling for trans freedom and equality. Learn all about it – plus, how and where to join the march – in our guide.

2. Big Penny Social X BEYOND RETRO

4–9 July 2023 at Big Penny Social (1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL)

 

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Find leading vintage retailer BEYOND RETRO in Walthamstow this weekend, with a line-up of unique events alongside a pop-up shop. There’s a Hawaiian Party on Friday night (7 July), featuring a buzzy DJ set from My Mate Kate, frozen slushy cocktails and glitter face paint from Glitterati Parties. On Saturday (8 July) the DJ baton is passed to Indie Amnesty, while on Sunday afternoon (9 July), visitors can hear outdoor music sets from emerging artists.

3. Watch Wimbledon

Matches everyday until Sunday 16 July

London has been taken over by tennis for another year, all thanks to our world-famous tennis tournament, Wimbledon. To celebrate, big screens have popped up across the capital, perfect for watching with a glass of something cold or snacking on a picnic this weekend. Our favourite? Eccleston Yards in Belgravia, a little suntrap with wine from Amie Wine Studio. Socialise on picnic benches, pull up comfy beanbags, or lounge on a MATCHES marble deck chair – plus, find MATCHES’ designated marble branded kiosk to grab a complimentary fan and get 20% off purchases £300 and over, online or in store. Find more fab screens here.

4. Watch The British Grand Prix

Sunday 9 July 2023

Sports galore this weekend. Lights out and away we go to Silverstone! The British Grand Prix is back for another year. Missed out on tickets? Here’s how to tune into the action.

5. Live Music On Regent Street

Heddon Street summer terrace (London W1B 4BL)

Fully pedestrianised Heddon Street has unveiled its new summer terrace, for the ultimate in al fresco drinking and dining. Soak up live music this weekend from Jesús Cutiño on Saturday evening (from 5.30pm) and Sunday afternoon (from 12.30pm), while tucking into Casa do Frango’s delicious Portuguese chicken. If you work in the area, pop over for mid-week performances to elevate your after work drinks. Find the full schedule at regentstreetonline.com

6. Morph’s Epic Art Adventure

Until 20 August 2023

© Andy Newbold

London’s first step-free art trail has arrived, with 56 six-foot Morph sculptures accompanying 56 London landmarks. Wheelchair charity Whizz-Kidz has teamed up with Morph creator Aardman and celebrities and artists including Tom Fletcher, Ade Adepitan, Georgia Toffolo and Martin Dougan to bring a touch of colourful, family-friendly magic to the city. Download the map here, and get going.

7. Try Hyper-Fresh Ceviche

New Opening: Crudo Cevicheria, Seven Dials (36 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HA)

A brand-new, fourth Crudo venue opened at the end of May on Monmouth Street, bringing hyper-fresh ceviche to Seven Dials. Having gained a cult following for their customisable ceviche bowls, Crudo has recently elevated its offering for the evening with small plates, wine and pisco sours. Start with a hefty bowl of moreish, zesty guacamole with black corn tortilla chips while sipping a classic marg, before entering fish-ville wholeheartedly. There’s the classic ceviche bowls with the likes of sweet potato, avocado, cherry tomatoes and burnt corn (don’t miss the prawn bowl with mexicana leche de tigre and jalapeños for a fresh kick). But there are also more delicate small plates, crunchy ceviche tostadas, and spicy tiraditos. Perfect for elevating a gathering over sharing plates.

If you don’t make it down mid-week, make sure you visit for daily oyster happy hour: get fresh Rock and Native oysters for £1.50, Dressed oysters for £5, or 3 oysters with a pisco sour for £16, from 3–5pm Monday to Friday. eatcrudo.com

8. Club Pétanque

7 June–31 August in King’s Cross

While you’re in the area, swap pints at the pub for pétanque. This summer, Club Pétanque is popping up in Lewis Cubitt Square following the success of Club Golf and Club Curling, with four courts – each hosting up to six players. It’s totally free, too. kingscross.co.uk

9. Seafood & Sangria Brunch

Cavo at Tottenham Court Road (The Now Building, Outernet, Denmark Street, London WC2H 0LA)

Love a rooftop terrace? Sangria? Seafood? Head to Mediterranean restaurant Cavo to enjoy its new Seafood and Sangria brunch from its suntrap terrace; only the sweeping views of London will remind you you’re not in the Med. With a set menu at £65 per person – including a jug of bubbly white sangria each – expect to tuck into spicy mussels in choux pastry, moreish beetroot hummus and refreshing mackerel carpaccio ahead of the main event: a warm seafood platter of langoustine, lobster tail, oysters, razor clams, Mazara prawns and mussels. A summery delight. cavorestaurant.com

10. Kensington + Chelsea Art Trail

All summer across the borough

© Paul Neiman

See art for free across the Kensington and Chelsea borough all summer, extending from Kensington + Chelsea Art Week, with a public art trail featuring world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits. kcaw.co.uk

11. The Wizard Of Oz Afternoon Tea

Until 3 September 2023 at The Soho Hotel

There’s a brand new production of The Wizard of Oz gracing The London Palladium’s stage. Make the most of the magic by sitting down for themed afternoon tea at The Soho Hotel; expect the likes of a strawberry and custard ruby slipper and an over the rainbow lemon swiss roll. It’s £40 per person – or snag some theatre tickets with your tea for £79.50 per person. Book at firmdalehotels.com

12. Dine At A Brand New Restaurant

Now open: mallow Canary Wharf

Borough Market’s 100 percent plant-based restaurant, mallow, has opened a brand new venue in Wood Wharf, in the heart of Canary Wharf. Expect to dine on iconic mallow dishes, plus brand new additions exclusive to Wood Wharf. mallowlondon.com 

13. Or Drink At A New Pub

Open from Friday 30 June: Earl of Derby (87 Dennett’s Road, London SE14 5LW)

© Paul Winch-Furness

A brand new independent pub, the Earl of Derby, opened its doors for the first time last Friday (30 June). Located at the foot of Telegraph Hill, the pub has been restored to its former glory by Parched – a independent group run by four friends, who have previously opened the likes of The White Horse in Peckham, The Roebuck in Borough and Grove House Tavern in Camberwell. Expect local brews and organic wines, plus quality food from Gengelly’s. earlofderby.uk

14. Cool Off With Frozen Margaritas

The Cadogan Arms (298 King’s Road, London SW3 5UG)

Chelsea’s much-loved The Cadogan Arms has teamed up with Casamigos Tequila to develop a brand spanking new summer cocktail menu including, you guessed it, frozen margaritas. Accompany your icy sip with Jersey Rock Oysters and fresh Grilled Tiger Prawns for the perfect summery afternoon. thecadoganarms.london

15. Sip With A View

Now Open: Bloom (Wild At Heart X Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square Summer Terrace)

Sip a floral cocktail with London’s best view of Tower Bridge this weekend at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square’s brand new rooftop terrace. The Crown Residence has been transformed for the the summer and adorned with beautiful flowers courtesy of Wild at Heart. The Honey Bee (gin, lavender, honey) is the perfect summery sip. fourseasons.com

16. A Taste Of Saint-Tropez

Now open: Pantechnicon x Minuty Rosé Courtyard (19 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8LB)

Summer means two things: open-air terraces and free-flowing rosé. Pantechnicon is collaborating with Château Minuty this summer to bring a taste of the south of France to their sun-soaked courtyard in Belgravia. Sit back, relax and clink glasses against a Provence-inspired backdrop. pantechnicon.com

17. Go Swimming

Mondrian Shoreditch

Need to cool off? There are plenty of lovely open air swimming spots in London, from lakes to lidos to private rooftop pools. Find the best here.

18. Or Visit The Beach

Tankerton, Whitstable (c) Getty

Waves lapping against the shore more your speed? Here are the best beaches near London to visit this weekend.

19. Recycle Your Coffee Cup At Bankside

Ongoing at Bankside

The Better Bankside Business Improvement District (BID) has collaborated with renowned artist Timba Smits to spruce up its coffee cup recycling bins, to encourage more recycling and inspire positive action. The eye-catching new designs – which cast coffee cups as superhero style villains – form part of the BID’s #2millionchallenge campaign, boosting recycling in the district.

20. BBQ Cookout In Shoreditch

Every Sunday for the rest of summer at TT Liquor (17B Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA)

Shoreditch hotspot TT Liquor is home to Greek dining residency esti, which is launching a series of rooftop BBQ cookouts this weekend. Visit on Sunday for delicious Greek-inspired roasts – think pork and lamb cooked whole on the spit and chicken thighs slow-cooked over coals, alongside plenty of veggies – alongside some of Shoreditch’s best cocktails on a sunny rooftop. esti.restaurant

21. Visit A Market

Every Sunday, 11am–5pm at Hackney Bridge, Echo Building, Hackney Wick, London E15 2SJ

Image by Charlie Scrimgeour

New market alert: from the team behind Broadway Market, Chatsworth Road, and Ridley Road Markets comes a brand new London market: Hackney Bridge. Overlooking the Hackney Wick canal path and with a focus on sustainability, expect a mix of carefully curated stalls selling vintage clothing, antiques, furniture, art and designs from artisan makers. There will also be a produce market selling fresh bread, jams, cheeses and more. hackneybridge.org

22. Learn To Make Pasta

Ongoing

Try your hand at the Italian art of pasta making at Pasta Evangelists’ Pasta Academy in Farrington. Expect to learn all about the best ingredients and techniques, and eat your creation at the end, too. Read our review of the Beginners’ Class here. (These classes are extremely high-demand, so your weekend activity will inevitably be booking ahead for a future weekend.) pastaevangelists.com

23. Party At Peckham Arches

Every weekend, Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QN

Adding to the bustling social food scene of Peckham, the all new Peckham Arches is the perfect place to go for a fun night this weekend in London. The venue features a covered and heated terrace, an open fire BBQ grill and two large cocktail bars, private events spaces, a gallery with OHSH Projects, and a monthly events calendar of live music, DJ’s and more. peckhamarches.com 

24. Visit An Outdoor Cinema

Ongoing

Summer must really be here: Rooftop Film Club reopens for the season this weekend at their Stratford location. The 2023 programme includes a mix of new releases such as The Menu and Everything Everywhere All At Once, alongside old classics such as Clueless and Notting Hill. rooftopfilmclub.com

Discover more outdoor cinemas here

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The post The Best Things To Do In London This Weekend: 8–9 July 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

Art Exhibitions Across The UK To Check Out In 2023

• 5 August–2 September: The Installation Show At WAC, Somerset
• Until 3 September: Oliver Frank Chanarin: A Perfect Sentence, Derby
• Until 17 September: Liverpool Biennial
• Until 1 October 2023: Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth, Derbyshire
• 30 September–7 Jan 2024: Coastal Communities and Climate Crisis, Penzance
• 6 October 2023–7 Jan 2023: Real Families: Stories of Change, Cambridge
• Until 2 September 2024: Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Somerset: The Installation Show At WAC

Where? Wells Cathedral

When? 5 August–2 September 2023

An interpretation of how Nicola Turner’s work, Uninvited Guest from the Unremembered Past, will look in the Chapter House. © Nicola Turner

Alongside a Gallery Show of around 125 works in the Cathedral cloisters, Wells Art Contemporary will be unveiling a unique show of 30 site-specific installations this summer throughout Wells Cathedral and gardens, completely reinterpreting the space and allowing for new modes of reflection. wellsartcontemporary.co.uk

Derby: A Perfect Sentence

Where? Museum of Making (Silk Mill Lane, Derby DE1 3AF)

When? 16 March–3 September 2023

Oliver Frank Chanarin, with Adam, 10 x 8 inches, c-type print, unique artist proof (#0192888727), 2023. Courtesy and © the artist. Commissioned and produced by Forma, in collaboration with eight UK organisations. Supported by Arts Council England and Art Fund.

Commissioned and produced by Forma, Oliver Frank Chanarin’s A Perfect Sentence will arrive in Derby later this year, exploring the complexity of being seen and the anxiety of being overlooked in photographic encounters across Britain. Part of FORMAT23 – the UK’s  leading international photography biennial – and Chanarin’s first solo UK project, the exhibition will include public acquisitions and an accompanying publication by Loose Joints. derbymuseums.org

Derbyshire: Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth

Where? Chatsworth House

When? 18 March–1 October 2023

Joris Laarman [Dutch, b. 1979], Maker Bench (Hexagon), 2018. Oak, walnut, 17 x 75 x 43.25 inches, 43 x 190 x 110 cm. Edition of 3. Joris Laarman, Maker Bench at Chatsworth, © Chatsworth House Trust.

Penzance: Coastal Communities and Climate Crisis [Working Title]

Where? Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Penzance

When? 30 September 2023–7 January 2024

Through new commissions and recent work, this collaborative exhibition will raise awareness of the threat of rising sea levels and the acute danger facing coastal communities in the climate crisis. Connecting with the local community, Coastal Communities and Climate Crisis will promote direct action to tackle the environmental emergency. newlynartgallery.co.uk

Cambridge: Real Families: Stories of Change

Where? Fitzwilliam Museum

When? 6 October 2023–7 January 2024

Aliza Nisenbaum, Susan, Aarti, Keerthana and Princess, Sunday in Brooklyn, 2018, oil on linen © Aliza Nisenbaum. Photo courtesy the Artist and Anton Kern Gallery, New York

This autumn, Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum will explore the intricacies of modern family relationships through the eyes of artists in Real Families: Stories of Change. Featuring over 120 artworks spanning painting, photography, sculpture, film and installation, this exhibition will reveal how artists including Alice Neel, Chantal Joffe, Sunil Gupta, Donald Rodney, Nan Goldin, Paula Rego and Lucian Freud (curated by Dr Susan Golombok) have represented different facets of family life. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

Wakefield: Damien Hirst

Where? Yorkshire Sculpture Park

When? Open now until 2 September 2024

Four of Damien Hirst’s major sculptures are on display at Yorkshire Sculpture Park until 2024 as part of the Yorkshire Sculpture International partnership with The Hepworth Wakefield, the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, and Leeds Art Gallery. Wander the expansive grounds of Bretton Hall to see Charity (2002-2003), Myth (2010), The Hat Makes the Man (2004-2007) and The Virgin Mother (2005-2006). ysp.org.uk

Featured image by JULIO NERY via Pexels.

The post Art Exhibitions Across The UK To Check Out In 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

The Must-See Fashion Exhibitions of 2023

• Open now–10 September 2023: Ashish: Fall in Love and Be More Tender, William Morris Gallery
• Open now–8 October 2023: Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians, The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
• Open now–7 April 2024: DIVA, V&A
• 16 September 2023–25 February 2024: Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, V&A
• 21 September 2023–17 January 2024: The Morgan Stanley Exhibition: The Missing Thread, Somerset House

Ashish, Spring Summer 2023 © Ashish Shah. Cerise sequin sari

Ashish: Fall in Love and Be More Tender

When? 1 April–10 September 2023

Where? William Morris Gallery

The first major survey of fashion designer Ashish Gupta will provide an unprecedented overview of the designer’s subversive and playful practice. Showcasing over 60 designs – worn by the likes of Beyonce, Debbie Harry, Hunter Schafer, Rihanna, Charli XCX and Taylor Swift – expect glamour, maximalism and painstaking craftsmanship. 

BOOK IT: Free entry (suggested donation £5). wmgallery.org.uk

(Courtesy of the Fashion Museum Bath)

Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians

When? 21 April–8 October 2023

Where? The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Bringing together over 200 words from the Royal Collections – including paintings, prints and drawings by artists such as Gainsborough, Zoffany and Hogarth, alongside rare surviving clothing and accessories – Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians illustrates a picture of what the Georgians wore, from laundry maids to court darlings. Expect major Bridgerton vibes.

BOOK IT: Tickets from £9 per person. rct.uk

Read our full review of Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians here

Whitney Houston performing at Wembley Arena, London, UK 5 May 1988

DIVA

When? Until 7 April 2024

Where? The V&A (South Kensington)

Though not solely a fashion exhibition, expect to see incredible costumes and sketches exploring the fashion of history’s most iconic performers at this V&A exhibition, spanning Victorian opera to modern day pop.

BOOK IT: Tickets are £20 per person. vam.ac.uk

Evening dress. Spring-summer 1930. Silk satin with inserts. Paris, Patrimoinede Chanel (© Julien T. Hamon)

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto

When? 16 September 2023–25 February 2024

Where? The V&A (South Kensington)

The V&A is teaming up with Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, to bring one of the most fêted fashion designers in history to the UK. This will be the first exhibition in the UK dedicated to Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, and will trace the designer’s pioneering career from the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to the showing of her final collection in 1971. The exhibition will feature over 180 looks, as well as perfumery, accessories and jewellery from the world-renowned fashion house.

BOOK IT: Tickets available soon. vam.ac.uk

The Missing Thread. © Eileen Perrier 1 ‘Afro Hair and Beauty’, 1998.

The Missing Thread Sponsored By Morgan Stanley

When? 21 September 2023–17 January 2024

Where? Somerset House

This major new exhibition will explore the story of Black British fashion, chronicling the shifting landscape across 50 years and the contribution Black British culture has made to Britain’s design history. Celebrating the unique impact of a largely unseen generation of Black creatives, The Missing Thread will examine how culture, politics and socio-economics shaped Black style – and, in turn, mainstream fashion.

BOOK IT: Details TBA. somersethouse.org.uk

Featured image: Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians (courtesy of Royal Collection Trust).

The post London’s Must-See Fashion Exhibitions of 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

What’s On at the V&A? All The Exhibitions To Know

What’s On At The V&A Right Now?

There are currently two exhibitions on at the V&A:

• Re:Imagining Musicals (until 27 November 2023; temporarily closed for essential works – reopening August 2023)
• DIVA (until 7 April 2024)

Installation view of Re:Imagining Musicals at the V&A (c) Victoria and Albert Museum London

Re:Imagining Musicals

When: Until 27 November 2023 (temporarily closed for essential works – reopening August 2023)

Musical lovers are in for a treat with this October, with the arrival of a free-to-enter exhibitions dedicated entirely to some of most iconic shows on the West End. Re:Imagining Musicals highlights the creativity and craftsmanship that has gone into our favourite musicals, spanning the evolution of long-running shows and ground-breaking design of new titles. Expect displays celebrating classics like Miss Saigon and My Fair Lady as well as new favourites like SIX the Musical and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. vam.ac.uk

Whitney Houston performing at Wembley Arena, London, UK. 5 May 1988. Photo © David Corio

DIVA

When: Until 7 April 2024

This celebration of creativity will recognise the work of iconic performers, from today’s global megastars all the way back to the biggest names in Victorian opera. DIVA will explore what it means to be a diva, how this title has been both subverted, embraced and redefined and its evolution through time. Featuring fashion, photography, design, costumes, music and live performance drawn from the V&A collection and loans from across the world, DIVA will surely have you on the edge of your metaphorical seat from start to finish. vam.ac.uk

What Exhibitions Are Coming To The V&A?

There is one upcoming exhibition to look forward to:

• Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto (16 September 2023–25 February 2024)

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 16 September 2023 –25 February 2024.

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto

With the support of CHANEL

When: 16 September 2023–25 February 2024

One of the most iconic designers in the history of fashion, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, will have her first dedicated exhibition in the UK next autumn. Charting the evolution of her design style and brand, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will span from 1910 (the year in which she opened her first millinery boutique in Paris) all the way to her final collection in 1971. The exhibition will feature over 180 looks, alongsider jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and perfumes, and map out how Chanel’s vision impacts the way we dress today. A reimagining of the Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition organised by the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, the exhibition will bring together rarely seen pieces from the V&A’s collection as well as looks from Palais Galliera and the Patrimoine de CHANEL. This is definitely a must-see for fashion fans. vam.ac.uk

Read more about it here

EXPLORE

Visit vam.ac.uk for more information

Featured image: Whitney Houston performing at Wembley Arena, London, UK. 5 May 1988. Photo © David Corio

The post Here’s What’s On at The V&A Right Now appeared first on Country and Town House.

Book Review: Breathing Space: Iranian Women Photographers

© Newsha Tavakolian. ‘Imaginary CD Covers’, from the series ‘Listen’, 2010

In 2001, Anahita Ghabaian founded the Silk Road Gallery in Tehran, Iran’s first exhibition space dedicated to contemporary photography. Opening at the height of Khatami’s presidency over 20 years ago – when social controls were relaxed, civil society flourished, and women started to push the boundaries of Iran’s restrictive Sharia law – the Silk Road Gallery has occupied an important place in Tehran’s rich cultural life ever since. The gallery soon took up two sites in Tehran and Anahita is now about to open a new space with a garden in the Iranian capital.

Ghabaian, then, is well-qualified to curate Breathing Space: Iranian Women Photographers, a book of 23 women photographers of different ages spanning three generations, whose work provides a female lens through which to see Iran.

This is not the image that many in the West have of Iran, where recent protests have highlighted the depth of repression and discrimination against women. After Mahsa Jina Amini’s death last September at the hands of the Morality Police, the many demonstrations that swept Iran were led by women. 

© Yalda Moaiery. A female police officer leads two young women into a police station. These women were arresting for not wearing Islamic hijab. Tehran, 2006.

Speaking to Ghabaian in Tehran, I ask her how, given this institutionalised discrimination, it is possible these Iranian women photographers can produce work, exhibit and even find fame both home and abroad.

Ghabaian explains the complexity. ‘In Iran no one accepts all the restrictions,’ she says. ‘There are many difficulties and challenges. And because of this, artists circumvent the restrictions in order to say what they have to say, to push the limits of what is possible.’ Iranian art has traditionally always used metaphor and symbols to circumvent the restrictions of the many dictatorships, invaders and tyrants that have dogged Iran’s long history. And the work of these female photographers is the latest development of this particularly Iranian sensibility. 

The book starts with the black and white images of Hengameh Golestan, whose images of the first ever Women’s Day March in Tehran in 1979 show how actively women resisted mandatory hejab laws when first proposed by Ayatollah Khomeini on taking power after the revolution in 1979. ‘This picture really shows their opposition: everywhere you look, there are just women, protestors,’ says Ghabaian. ‘It also shows you that Iranian women have never accepted their lot, have always protested and resisted. This is an important moment in history. I fought hard to include the three photos by Hengameh; many people photographed these protests but in my opinion, her pictures capture those days the best of all.’

© Shadi Ghadirian. From the series ‘Like Every Day’, 2000-2001.

Other photographers showcased are: Nazli Abbaspour; Hoda Afshar; Atoosa Alebouyeh; Hoda Amin; Mina Boromand; Solmaz Daryani; Gohar Dashti; Maryam Firuzi; Shadi Ghadirian; Ghazaleh Hedayat; Rana Javadi; Mahboube Karamli; Gelareh Kiazand; Yalda Moaiery; Sahar Mokhtari; Tahmineh Monzavi; Pargol E. Naloo; Malekeh Nayiny; Mahshid Noshirvani; Ghazaleh Rezaei; Maryam Takhtkeshian; and Newsha Tavakolian.

‘We have three generations of women photographers, and what’s interesting,’ declares Ghabaian, ‘is that the first generation – Hengameh, Mahshid Noshirvani, Rana Javadi – they talk only of public things: what happened in the street, what happened in the university, what happened in the factory. They don’t talk of themselves. The second generation – such as Shadi Ghadirian, Newsha Tavakolian and Gohar Dashti – speak more of the condition of women but without really talking about themselves. The third generation – such as Atoosa Alebouyeh and Ghazale Hedayat – are only speaking of themselves, and their work speaks to what they have inside them. And this difference in expression and seeing, this development, is really interesting. This is a generational thing.’

‘We have come out of pure reportage and documentary and gone towards a sort of staged self-expression,’ pinpoints Ghabaian. ‘This is an artistic book but it’s also a historical book.’

Breathing Space, £40, published by Thames & Hudson. Available from Hatchards and other book shops from 6 July 2023.

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Review: Dear Earth: Art And Hope In A Time Of Crisis, Hayward Gallery

Stepping out of the baking June sun into the icy cool Hayward Gallery is an apt introduction to Dear Earth: Art And Hope In A Time Of Crisis, the flagship exhibition in the Southbank Centre’s eco-focussed summer season, Planet Summer. With each year, the phrase ‘British summer’ diverges from fickle weather, rain-soaked picnics and washout BBQs and increasingly evokes clammy offices, hot concrete pavements, and a nation woefully underprepared to handle the heat. Our planet is suffering. The headlines reinforce this fact everyday, from sudden and unexpected marine heat increases to record high temperatures to human activity impacting the tilt of the planet’s axis. How to find hope amid this deluge of terrifying information?

Dear Earth: Art And Hope In A Time Of Crisis hinges upon artist Otobong Nkanga’s suggestion that ‘caring is a form of resistance’. ‘When I arrived at the Hayward, I had conversations with artists, activists, writers and poets looking to gather research on how to go forward,’ Rachel Thomas, chief curator at the Hayward, tells me; Dear Earth is Rachel’s first show as chief curator. ‘As those conversations went on, Otobong Nkanga, one of the artists in the show, looked at how we reframe our response to the world and the climate crisis. And she came up with something that is very much part of her work: that to care is a form of resistance.

Installation view of Otobong Nkanga, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. Photo © Mark Blower, courtesy the Hayward Gallery.

‘That really connected to my research,’ says Rachel, whose career tallies 20 years of working with artists in direct connection with the environment and our spiritual connection, as humans, with nature. ‘Looking at how caring, spirituality and connecting to nature really is a way forward. So “to care is a form of resistance” really marked this way to have a renewed sense of connection to the natural world, and invites people to consider unique and evolving ways art plays in today’s climate change. It’s not a “how to do it” show, or trying to fix the world. This exhibition is an international show that grants diverse practices that can spark imagination about our world today, helping to reframe and deepen our psychological and spiritual responses to the climate crisis.’

Moving through the cool space – all concrete beams and white floors – this myriad interpretation of and connection to the planet leaps from the walls and sprouts from the floor (part of Nkanga’s display, ‘The Trifurcation’, is the trunk and roots of naturally-felled sweet chestnut tree stretching toward to the discordant ceiling where there should be sky; the earthy smell permeates the air). It’s mostly contemplative, sometimes brash: Nkanga’s large tapestry, ‘Double Plot’ stretches across the wall, backgrounding her tree, imbues the milky way; around the corner, Andrea Bowers’ neon sign shines purple, reading ‘Climate change is real’, ‘real’ flashing red like a siren.

Installation view of Andrea Bowers, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. Photo © Mark Blower, courtesy the Hayward Gallery.

A passionate ecofeminist, Bowers’ work is firmly rooted in her politics. Using the flashing sign as a guiding light, turn into an open space where a large installation hangs from the ceiling: ‘Memorial to Arcadia Woodlands Clear-Cut (Green, Violet, and Brown)’. It commemorates a Californian forest that Bowers attempted to save by tying herself to an oak tree. How to remain hopeful when this fails, and the pristine grove is destroyed? Return, Bowers says, collect the wood chipping carcasses, and create a shrine.

‘I wanted to encourage the audience to explore how our planet is embedded in political, spiritual environmental actions,’ Rachel says on presenting Dear Earth. ‘And look at the perspective of animals, plants, rivers, oceans worldwide. It’s not based on facts or figures. It’s an artistic exploration, which brings together three generations of artists to offer compelling ways to reflect and reset our relationship to the major environmental issues of our times.’

Installation view of Aluaiy Kaumakan, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. Photo © Mark Blower, courtesy the Hayward Gallery.

Elsewhere in the exhibition, take in interdisciplinary textile sculptor Aluaiy Kaumakan’s ‘The Axis of Life & Vines’ (2018), a large-scale textile installation in hues of red, pink and orange, created using a traditional technique of hooking and weaving, called Lemikalik in Paiwanese (Aluaiy is from the Paiwan Paridrayan tribe of indigenous peoples in Taiwan). Aluaiy’s first presentation in the UK – transported here from Taiwan by sea freight to reduce CO2 emissions – it calls back to the devastating impact of Typhoon Morakot in 2009 which displaced the Paridrayan people, but who remained intertwined by their memories and cultural legacies. It stretches across a wall, curving slightly as it approaches a corner, rising like a red wave or colourful mountain peak. It faces portraits created by British artists Ackroyd & Harvey, a ‘photographic photosynthesis’ newly commissioned for Dear Earth, made from seedling grass. Step back to discern the faces of London activists: Julian Lahai-Taylor (Grow Lewisham), Paul Powlesland (River Roding Trust & Lawyers for Nature), Helene Schulze (London Freedom Seed Bank), Love Ssega (LIVE + BREATHE), Destiny Boka-Batesa (Choked Up). Step close to make out individual blades of grass, from green to yellow, grown here on site. 

In the next room, find a different artistic exploration entirely: Hito Steyerl’s ‘Green Screen’, an LED screen constructed from empty bottles and crates, and backed by a living wall of plants. With each bottle functioning as a pixel, bioelectrical signals from the plants are converted into sounds and images displayed on the LED wall; each LED light, each bubble of sound, is like an effervescent pocket of hope.

Installation view of Hito Steyerl, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. Photo © Mark Blower, courtesy the Hayward Gallery.

‘The artworks are a source of inspiration, hope and resilience,’ says Rachel. ‘The show is not meant to breed despair at all – that’s what I didn’t want to do; I didn’t want to have eco anxiety – but to bring us closer to the subject in ways that can spark active and imaginative responses.’

Rather than anxiety, Dear Earth often instils calm. Despite its inherent harrowing nature, watching Himali Singh Soin’s video installation – ‘we are opposite like that’, which imagines new mythologies for the Antarctic and Arctic poles in this age of catastrophic ice melt – is mesmerising. Two videos sit back to back amid a shallow pool of water, one with an alien figure navigating a polar landscape speckled with coal mines, the other footage of the Arctic spliced with illustrations from 19th-century British journals. The images blur in and out of focus on screen and in the shimmering, lightly rippling water, bending and mirroring as Himali narrates with original poetry. 

Hidden in a room of its own, Cornelia Parker’s ‘THE FUTURE (Sixes and Sevens)’, delights – as children are wont to do. Kids discuss their hopes and fears across two large screens positioned to slightly face each other, creating conversation and connection across the chasm. They’re also in conversation with us – the adults – stripping the planet and society back to simplicity: stop driving cars, stop fighting, start doing things that help. The screens themselves were salvaged from a previous exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Installation view of Cornelia Parker, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis. Photo © Mark Blower, courtesy the Hayward Gallery.

It certainly feels hopeful – and is underpinned by measurable efforts by the Hayward to transform hope into action: the catalogue is printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks, the onsite cafe is vegetarian and vegan, installation materials are reused or will be, and any fresh paint on the walls was provided by B Corp certified company COAT, the first climate-positive paint in the world (among many other efforts). Plus, though Paul Pulford and Grounded Ecotherapy’s garden, ‘Precious Stones’, was commissioned for Dear Earth, it will adorn the Queen Elizabeth Hall’s roof long after 3 September, when the show concludes – when Agnes Denes’s plants are reused elsewhere, when Jenny Kendler’s ‘Birds Watching III’ finds a new permanent home at the Zoological Society of London, and when SUGi’s Pocket Forest of 390 trees with continue to take root. (Truly playing the long game, the latter is estimated to give an average carbon sequestration rate of three kilos per square metre per annum, at a total of 405 kilos per annum over the first 20 years of growth.)

‘Precious Stones’ repurposes stones, tiles, bricks and surplus building materials from around the Southbank Centre to create a mosaic of salvaged materials across a wildflower meadow, bedded using rock mulching (an ancestral water-retention technique of Native American people in southwestern USA) to create a natural drip irrigation system, and to naturally cool the environment amid the baking heat. Dear Earth is not just art and hope, then, but action – little pockets of action embracing heritage, community, and activism. 

VISIT

Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis runs at the Hayward Gallery from 21 June to 3 September 2023. Tickets are £15 Monday to Friday, and £16 at the weekend. Members can visit for free. southbankcentre.co.uk

The post A Pocket Of Hope: <i>Dear Earth: Art And Hope In A Time Of Crisis</i>, Hayward Gallery – Review appeared first on Country and Town House.

Everything You Need To Know About Planet Summer At London’s Southbank Centre

Opening tomorrow: a landmark multi-artform season of events – from performances to exhibitions to new artistic commissions – at the Southbank Centre in the context of the climate crisis, one of the most urgent issues of our times.

While rather existential, Planet Summer is not all doom and gloom: ‘It centres on the ideas of care, hope and action,’ says Mark Ball, artistic director of the Southbank Centre. ‘How we can build an empathetic relationship with nature that sees us as an intrinsic part of the natural world, and not separate from it; how can that instil hope and a belief that we can all make a difference, that all of our daily actions working together can push us in the right direction, because the world begins to change when individuals decide it can.

‘Our Planet Summer season, which launches ahead of London Climate Action Week, brings together an astonishing range of artists and activists with an invitation for us all to make change together,’ Mark adds. ‘It’s a call to action for the Southbank Centre, too, as we head towards our own net-zero targets, permanently transforming our site and operations and building new relationships with ecologists, activists, artists and communities.’

Since committing to Net Zero by 2035, the Southbank Centre has reduced carbon emissions from its buildings by 42 percent, on track to reach its interim target of a 50 percent reduction by 2025.

Andrea Bowers, Step It Up Activist, Sand Key Reef, Key West, Florida, Part of North America’s Only Remaining Coral Barrier Reef, 2009. (Credit: Thomas Mueller)

When Is Planet Summer Coming To The Southbank?

Planet Summer will take over the Southbank from 21 June–3 September 2023, taking over the entire summer season of events.

What Will It Involve?

A mixture of artistic expression and talks platforming key voices inspiring hope and change, visitors can expect the following headline events:

• Live talks with Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Tori Tsui, Vanessa Nakate, Daphne Frias, Mya-Rose Craig, Mark Carney and Ati Viviam Villafaña
• A new exhibition at the Hayward Gallery exploring the climate crisis, Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis 
• The return of the Poetry International Festival for the first time since 2019, featuring major ecopoets CAConrad, John Kinsella, Jorie Graham, Olive Senior and Yang Lian
• The unveiling of a new permanent feature, the pocket forest, created with urban rewilding organisation SUGi 
• The SpongeBob Musical, telling the story of saving the undersea world (26 July–27 August 2023)
• The London premiere of new climate-focussed show, Are we not drawn onward to new erA, from theatrical pioneers Ontroerend Goed
• An interpretive dance Bird Rave
• The showcase of REFRAME, which you can read more about here
• Free events including DJ and spoken word party Plot 17: A hip-hop garden block party, the interpretive Bird Rave, recycled water fountain Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms, and a pop-up town square installation called The Forum, filled with inspiration words from young people across the UK displayed on rotation.

Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms. (Image by India Rope Evans)

BOOK IT: Tickets are on sale from 29 March 2023, and full event listings can be found at southbank.com

Featured image: An illustration of SUGi’s pocket forest at the Hayward Gallery. All images courtesy of the Southbank Centre.

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Queer Art & LGBTQ Exhibitions To Check Out Now

Taboo (they/them) at Osterley Park in Middlesex © National Trust/Isha Shah

Space To Have A Ball

Free, 15–30 June 2023 at Outernet London

Tottenham Court Road’s free, high-tech immersive exhibition space, Outernet, is collaborating with the National Trust for Pride month, creating a free immersive experience that brings to life parties of the past in beautiful historic places. Influenced by the queer history of four National Trust properties, Space To Have A Ball combines the history of ballroom culture with modern and contemporary dance. outernetglobal.com

PROUD WEST END

28 June–16 July 2023 along Old Quebec Street, London

A ground-breaking audio-visual ‘living portraits’ art exhibition is coming to London in celebration of Pride 2023. Launched by Oxford Street, the free exhibition will share true spoken stories from fifteen LGBTQIA+ individuals from across the West End, including iconic drag queen Divina de Campo from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Large-scale portraits will be installed in the street for this free LGBTQ exhibition, and accompanied by candid, spoken stories accessed via QR codes. oxfordstreet.co.uk

Queer Joy Exhibition

Free, 1 June–31 August 2023, Pancras Square and Granary Square

King’s Cross’ Outside Art Project is having a Pride month makeover, displaying 50 striking portraits of queer people captured by ten emerging LGBTQIA+ photographers from the UK and abroad. kingscross.co.uk

REBEL: 30 Years Of London Fashion

16 September 2023–11 February 2024 at the Design Museum, London

Launching in conjunction with London Fashion Week 2023 and sponsored by Alexander McQueen, REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion is the first survey of the radical creativity of young fashion designers in Britain, celebrating the influence of British design on the global fashion stage. It will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme, which has alumni including Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Kim Jones, Charles Jeffrey, Mary Katrantzou and Christopher Raeburn.

LGBTQ+ Audio Trail At Museum Of Liverpool

Ongoing

A new audio trail, by the dynamic duo behind the Bottoming podcast, brings to life Liverpool’s rich LGBTQ+ history. Touring you through the Wondrous Place exhibit (a curation of objects from the arts, entertainment and sports where the Scouse have made history), it draws you to reexamine certain objects through a queer lense. Be drawn in by the Killing Eve costume and stay to admire the works of local campaigners who have improved the lives of LGBTQ+ Liverpudlians. 

VISIT: Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1DG. liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

A previous installation at QUEERCIRCLE

QUEERCIRCLE

North Greenwich; next round of exhibitions TBD

In 2022, LGBTQIA+ charity, QUEERCIRCLE, launched its new, permanent space in North Greenwich. A space for the queer community, expect artist residencies, LGBTQ exhibitions, panel discussions and a dedicated library of essential texts in a tucked-away reading nook.

VISIT: Building 4, Design District, 3 Barton Yard, Soames Walk, London SE10 0BN. queercircle.org

Museum Of Transology

‘Collectively, we will halt the erasure of transcestry’: the Museum of Transology is the UK’s largest collection of object representing trans, non-binary and intersex people’s lives, consisting of 213 files, 280 artefacts, 155 brown paper tags and 435 jpgs. The collection can be viewed online, though pop-up events and talks are frequent (stay up to date on Instagram); for example, on 10 June 2023, the Museum of Transology is collaborating with Tate Britain on ‘The Intersex Collection’, where visitors are encouraged to bring their your own objects to add to the collection to ensure their legacy is also written into intersex history.

VISIT: Discover more at museumoftransology.com

I Love Or Hate Every Day

Ongoing

Kat Egan is turning social media on its head to explore how body issues and transness intersect in a vulnerable and honest performance. A piece of duration art (a performance focusing on the passage of time), Kat takes a daily photo for Instagram of their body to reflect on self-esteem in relation to queerness and gender. Kat is an emerging artist and one to watch for how she explores transness through the visual arts.

VISIT: On Instagram @iloveorhateeveryday

Queer Britain

Permanent space near King’s Cross

The UK’s first museum of British LGBTQ history and culture opened in King’s Cross in 2022, quickly attracting acclaim and awards. Visit to tour the gallery, or keep an eye on their what’s on listings for events, exhibitions and panels. Plus, Queer Britain will be taking over King’s Cross’s Summer Sounds season on 15 August, showcasing some of the best local LGBTQ+ talent. Free, from 6.30pm, kingscross.co.uk

VISIT: 2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH. queerbritain.org.uk

Desire, Love And Identity At The British Museum

Ongoing

This 60-75 minute object trail and 30 minute trail spotlight same-sex love, desire and gender-diversity, enriched with an audio guide. From sculptures to Maori treasure, a Maya ruler to a Mesopotamian deity, this trail illuminates the world’s long-stretching queer history.

VISIT: Ongoing at the British Museum (Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG) or explore the trail online. britishmuseum.org

Queerate Tate

Ongoing online

This digital queer exhibition sits on the Tate website after drawing together contributions from across the globe during the pandemic – an apt representation of the digital curation the pandemic necessitated but also enabled. E-J Scott, the curator of Queerate Tate and also the Museum of Transology, says: ‘By the LGBTQIA+ community, about the LGBTQIA+ community, Queerate Tate is filled with messages of hope, love and survival that offer strength to us all in these most extraordinary times.’

VISIT: View the exhibition at tate.org.uk

Featured image: ‘Peter, Venus as a Boy’ by Kevin Anaafi-Brown, from the ARTIQ x Link’s Queer Frontiers exhibition 2022.

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The Best Immersive Exhibitions In London To Book Now

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Main image: Installation of David Hockney’s Gregory Swimming Los Angeles March 31st 1982, Composite polaroid © David Hockney

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Exciting Immersive Experiences in London To Book Now

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Featured image: British Pullman

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