Aindrea Emelife
It’s time to run ahead full force into the year. On March 3rd, my first book, A Brief History of Protest Art, will be published by Tate. The book is timely and eerily shows just how long these conversations and struggles for rights have been going on, but it is doused in an optimism and hope that art delivers so well. Ed Clark at Hauser & Wirth Savile Row has just opened – boundary pushing abstraction spanning three decades, from the Seventies to the Nineties – and is an absolute must see. When you’re done, you do two things: you walk to Antonia Showering’s exhibition at Timothy Taylor Gallery, an exciting young painter with a masterful hand of abstraction and allegory and then you walk to the Royal Academy of Arts for the Francis Bacon exhibition which will put you in front of the beast himself. When I’m not knee deep in various critical art theory and research material, or writing my second book, Art Can Change The World (Frances Lincoln, 2022), I’m choking on my coffee reading Michael Peppiatt’s Francis Bacon memoir “In Your Blood”. I love going to the bookshop/library, Reference Point, at 180 The Strand where I recently bought a rare book of poetry by Maud Sulter, a Black British photographer who I adore and who features in my upcoming exhibition, Black Venus at Fotografiska New York – it is a survey exhibition exploring Black women in visual culture, I am creating an exhibition that explores a legacy seldom told.
Aindrea Emelife- Curator, Art Historian, Writer
Exhibition: Bob Marley One Love Experience
The Bob Marley One Love Experience makes its global debut this month at London’s famed Saatchi Gallery for a ten-week exhibition before embarking on a multi-city tour. Showcasing unseen Marley photographs and memorabilia whilst immersing its audiences on a journey through his lifestyle, passions, influences, and enduring legacy this is the ULTIMATE Marley experience for any fans of his music, and frankly, even those who aren’t. Bob Marley is a much-loved icon and on your visit you are led through five different zones, each celebrating one of the world’s most beloved and unifying musical figures. The Music Room is adorned with lyrics, awards, accolades, and one of the world’s largest vinyl records commemorating Legend, the highest selling reggae album of all time. The One Love Forest takes you into Jamaica and the visual backdrop of the Marley songbook. You can enjoy a swing in the forest or just the take in the scents and sounds. At the Concrete Jungle Street Art Expo you can venture through the backstage corridor of a Marley concert before entering the Concrete Jungle street and fan art expo where you will have the chance to submit your Marley and One Love inspired art to be included in the exhibit. Next up is the Beautiful Life Zone which celebrates all of Bob's passions from soccer to family in a game room setting and lastly is the Next Gen Zone which celebrates the legacy of Bob Marley by highlighting the indelible and undeniable work of his wife Rita, his children, and now his grandchildren that have spread the message of One Love and Bob’s music and philanthropy to the globe over the past 4 decades. Open until April, this is not one to miss so get tickets and head down before it leaves London for its global tour.
Book: To Paradise, Hanya Yanagihara
How many of you, like us, devoured and sobbed through the pages of A Little Life, the critically acclaimed 2015 novel from Hanya Yanagihara? We were all so invested in the story of Willem, Jude, Malcolm and JB. Well fans rejoice because Yanagihara is back with her new novel, To Paradise. This just released novel spans three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia. The stories feature three characters living in the same Manhattan house, a wealthy banking heir from the late 19th century, 100 years later a man and his older lover suffering through the Aids epidemic and lastly a young lab technician in a world filled with plague in 2093. Different lives but united by the qualities that make us human: Fear. Love. Shame. Need. Loneliness. It’s undoubtedly going to pull us in and thrust us through every emotion with each page turn as we identify and fall in love with each character, just like A Little Life did, and we can’t wait to get our hands on a copy.
Exhibition: Beatrix Potter, Drawn to Nature
Two of the world’s largest Beatrix Potter collections have come together to tell her life story in this brand new V&A exhibition which opens to the public on the 12th February 2022. Featuring rarely seen objects, including personal letters written throughout Potter’s life, on display alongside family photographs, early sketchbooks, manuscripts and scientific drawings, this is a comprehensive collection of all the magic that Potter created and which secured her position as one of the most successful and popular children’s authors of the twentieth century. Artworks from some of her most famous storybooks, including The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck will feature alongside sketches of the real-life animals, places, art and literature that inspired them. Her passion for animals and the natural world, including her study of fungi and the legacy of her conservation work in the Lake District is apparent for all to see and this family-friendly exhibition will transport visitors of all ages into the world of Beatrix Potter’s books and the Lake District through interactives, trails and immersive experiences. This will be such a treat for anyone who grew up in the magical world of Peter Rabbit, both young and old alike, and it’s open in time for half term too!
Children: Imagine Children’s Festival
The Southbank Centre’s Imagine Children’s Festival turns twenty in 2022 but has no intention of growing up any time soon! Imagine returns 9 – 20 February for school’s half term to provide the very best in children's theatre, comedy, family parties, hands-on activities, music, literature, dance, immersive experiences, relaxed mindfulness sessions and full-on fun for children and their grownups. With over 160 events jam-packed into twelve days and over fifty percent of the festival completely free, Imagine is the biggest festival of its kind in London. From an orchestral Peppa Pig to talks and poetry recitals from several fan favourites, Imagine’s twentieth year sees a focus on celebrating all that makes every child unique. Some of our highlights include Butterflies (17th/18th) - an uplifting tale about friendship and courage in the face of anxiety. The show toured to great acclaim in 2018 and now features an updated storyline celebrating the resilience of children throughout the Covid-19 pandemic; Drum & bass band Rudimental’s Leon Rolle and writer Derek Owusu discuss their new book About This Boy and their own life stories in Growing Up, Making Mistakes and Becoming YOU! (12th) – a celebration of finding the confidence to be yourself and pursue your dreams; and Wellbeing Wind Down - wind down with daily mindfulness and yoga in the Royal Festival Hall’s Clore Ballroom, run by mindfulness experts from the Tangled Feet theatre company’s Mindfulness Project. Using yoga, concentration and mindfulness exercises, these free focused relaxation sessions (12th - 20th Feb) are an ideal way for families to de-stress while stimulating young imagination and creativity. These are just a few select options available but check out the website for full programming and all the wonderful things to entertain the kids during their much needed school break.
Venue: One Hundred Shoreditch
The old Ace Hotel in Shoreditch closed permanently during the pandemic and out of its ashes comes One Hundred Shoreditch, a new hotel, dining and events venue which opens this month. The venue houses six restaurants and bars including Goddard & Gibbs which is a restaurant with wine bar and take-out hatch specialising in seafood. In the basement you'll find Seed Library, a cocktail bar by renowned bartender Mr Lyan while the rooftop bar and terrace offers panoramic views across East London. A coffee shop and lobby bar with its own pizza oven will also serve to satisfy those hunger pangs. The bedrooms and suites of the hotel are ‘designed to be your retreat from the vibrancy and energy of the hotel’s restaurants and bars, providing headspace and calm in the heart of Shoreditch allowing you to disconnect from the outside world.’ and several event spaces makes it a new go to destination for work meetings, birthday parties or even weddings! Lastly, they have a full events calendar of their own including live music and panel events as well as the fact its location is central to some major London events including fashion week, the London Coffee Festival and London Craft Week. Will One Hundred Shoreditch outlive its trendy predecessor? Only time will tell but we think it’s going to be a very popular hub of activity.
Valentine’s: Squid Game
Everyone has a story about the song that changed their lives. And One Track Minds at Wilton’s Music Hall mashes up an entertaining cross between Desert Island Discs, The Moth Radio Hour & TED Talks into a live storytelling event which explores the transformative power of music. They are bringing together a vibrant selection of writers, thinkers and musicians each presenting a thought-provoking story about how music inspires the way we live our lives. The 2022 guest line up is still a secret but previous guests include Jessie Buckley, Jane Horrocks, Jay Rayner, Mark Dolan, Tim McInnerny, Sir David Suchet, Deborah Frances-White and Katie Melua. Where better to discuss the power of music than the oldest Grand Music Hall in the world. Wilton’s is a Grade II* listed building and home to over 300 performances and over 80 productions each year. It’s an iconic building and a must visit, located a stone’s throw from the Tower of London. One Track Minds kicks off in 2022 on the 21st January and tickets start from a mere £7.
Music: Best of Broadway
Musicals and The Royal Albert Hall- what a heady and exciting combination. On the 2nd March (yes yes this is the February hotlist but we don’t want you to miss out on tickets so thank us later) we will be heading to this iconic London venue to enjoy show-stopping hits from all the best musicals so if you’re a musicals fan then this is an evening you won’t want to miss! The Best of Broadway is back on stage with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a spectacular line-up of West End stars, for a dazzling evening of glitz and glamour and more singalongs than you could imagine. New for 2022 is a special celebration of the master of musicals himself, Andrew Lloyd Webber, with all-time favourites from The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats and more. Vocalists from London productions of Wicked, Dreamgirls, Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Misérables will be performing and tickets are available from £20.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Charity of the Month: Shout
Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Since launching in May 2019 they’ve had more than 900,000 conversations with people who are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed and who need immediate support. Shout are on the lookout for more volunteers for their invaluable service. Are you an empathetic person who could calm and support children, young people and adults when they need immediate help? Shout Volunteers are at the heart of their service - they're often the first person the texters have ever spoken to about how they are feeling. As a volunteer, you work to take someone in distress to a calmer place. In return, you receive 25 hours of free, in-depth mental health communication training and ongoing dedicated coaching to help others while developing skills for life. 95% of Shout Volunteers say the role gives them a sense of accomplishment and 91% of Shout Volunteers say the experience gives them skills that enrich their everyday lives. Find out more and apply here.
App of the month: Delli
Launching this month from the man behind Depop, is a new online marketplace and community for food obsessives. DELLI believes that good food is for everyone. So, they’re on a mission to make it accessible and enjoyed by all by uniting interesting food and people; from the inventive cook dropping a fresh batch of bagels, to that surprising bottle of pet-nat. It’s a fun new platform, where you can both buy and sell. As a buyer, you can enjoy exciting drops and support passionate, independent producers. As a maker, you can share your food or drink with a new community eager to try new things. The aim is to put sustainability first (and food waste last) by focusing on local communities and releasing food in ‘drops’: an approach already popular with big-on-Insta makers. Several of London’s big food names are signed up and more will come flooding in post launch for sure. Those already involved include My Neighbours the Dumplings, 40ft Brewery, Mama Chen, Tacos Padre, Lil Wong Bakes, Kefir Magic and Rapscallion Soda.