Frances WilsonArt & ArchitectureLondon,
The British sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-75) enjoys a pre-eminent position in twentieth-century British sculpture, second only to Henry Moore, and this new exhibition at London’s Tate Britain celebrates her work in the first major retrospective for ...
Mary NguyenArt & ArchitectureLondon,
When we put on a brand new pair of shoes “we have pleasure, but suffer a little bit of pain” says Victoria and Albert Museum (V & A) curator Helen Persson on the opening of her unique exhibition, Pleasure and ...
Mary NguyenMusicLondon,
"Life is but a game" is a famous proverb in Russia, which derives from Tchaikovsky’s penultimate opera. It is a poignant message that subtly runs in the great Russian author Aleksandr Pushkin’s intricate storyline of love and gambling. That's until ...
With the overwhelming format reined in this year, visitors can appreciate a wonderful snapshot of contemporary art.
Frances WilsonArt & ArchitectureLondon,
It’s hard to be dispassionate about the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. Now in its 247th year, the exhibition has been held annually, without interruption, since 1769, the year after King George III founded the Royal Academy Schools in ...
Mary NguyenMusicLondon,
Georges Bizet received hostile reviews of "Carmen" in 1875. Critics saw it as a radical opera that opposed the traditions of Paris and Opéra-Comique, where it was first performed, whilst the general public grew to love Carmen for its evocative ...
Mary NguyenMusicLondon,
Admittedly, Gilbert and Sullivan’s "The Pirates of Penzance" isn’t one of my favourite G & S operas, yet Mike Leigh’s new production manages to sustain the audience’s attention through brightly crisp staging, dynamic acting, dazzling singing and Gilbert's ...
Agony and Ecstasy: Ohlsson's focus on Scriabin at Wigmore Hall
Frances WilsonMusicLondon,
One hundred years to the day since the death of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, American pianist Garrick Ohlsson concluded his two-concert “Skryabin Focus” at London’s Wigmore Hall with a recital of works which spanned the final two decades of Scriabin’s ...
This unique show cleverly questions the notion of luxury today, challenging common interpretations.
Frances WilsonArt & ArchitectureLondon,
A thought-provoking new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum poses the question “What Is Luxury?” and challenges our traditional notions and definitions of luxury. If you are expecting Louis Vuitton handbags, de Beers diamonds or Patek Philippe watches, you ...
Mary NguyenArt & ArchitectureLondon,
In our beloved V&A museum, there’s a glowing neon sign overseeing the balcony of the entrance lobby that spells out the words "All of This Belongs to You." Its artist Ugo Rondinone uses bold, white lights to attract our attention ...
This new show gives monarchy watchers an opportunity to peek at the royals and also learn about how they developed their stately gardens.
Nicholas MarloweArt & ArchitectureLondon,
Among the highlights of Henry VIII's library was a book called "Ruralia Commonia," which is generally considered the world's first "how to" gardening manual. Written in Latin around 1304 by a Bolognese lawyer, Petrus de Crescentiis, it contains practical advice ...
