What better way to explore Venice than being on the hunt for thought provoking, enlightening world class art and exhibitions? I recently made the pilgrimage to see the work of Khadija Saye, an artist who sadly died in the Grenfell Tower disaster, an unexpected and poignant moment during my visit. While this trip was my first time visiting Venice, I had to remain focused and not be distracted by the sheer beauty of the city, to ensure I had ample time to take everything in during my weekend jaunt. For those who wish to see all that the Biennale has on offer, I’d recommend a five or six-day visit, however, a weekend visit will give you a good flavour of what’s on show. Now is the perfect time to visit – the throng of summer tourists have packed up and left and the Biennale buffs have been and gone – leaving a wonderful space to wander round the exhibitions bathed in the dazzling Autumn glow. In addition to experiencing the artworks themselves, you can attend ‘Open Table’ sessions with the artists and check out the music festival. This year’s curator is Parisian Christine Macel, best known for her curatorial role at the Pompidou Centre. Macel’s working title for this year’s Biennale ‘Viva Arte Viva’, translates to ‘a celebration of the artist and of art for its own sake’, a move away from one central theme most Biennales have, while removing it from a political agenda where many Biennales have sat in the past.
Throughout the Biennale there are 120 invited artists from 51 countries; 103 of whom are participating for the first time. While most of the artwork is concentrated in the two main sites, The Biennale spreads throughout the city with more than 20 collateral events and exhibitions taking place. The main exhibition sites are the Giardini and the Arsenale; two immense permanent buildings that sit within a 10-minute walk of each other and lie along one of the main waterways of Venice. The participating artists are grouped together into nine ‘chapters’ including The Pavilion of Joys and Fears, which explores the relationship between the individual and his own existence, and The Dionysian Pavilion, which celebrates the female body and its sexuality. These groupings help the viewer navigate their way around an eclectic mix of art forms, scale and meaning. So, if you haven't had the chance to attend, now's the time to go! To wrap up the celebrations in style, the grand finale on 26 November promises an exciting programme of events and closing parties, ensuring an electric atmosphere for all to enjoy. Elinor Seath
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London Design Festival celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world. Now in its 15th year, the Festival will be returning to venues and institutions across the city from now until the 24 September 2017. A major feature of the Festival is an ambitious programme of over 450 projects and events, offering Londoners and visitors to the city an opportunity to experience world-class, innovative, and challenging design across the capital.
Key exhibitions to see at The London Design Festival... Set in Stone The Design Museum, which opened the doors to its new home in Kensington in November 2016, presents an exciting project during this year’s London Design Festival. Set in Stone presents a selection of works by eight designers invited to explore the potential of marble and limestone. These works, displayed in various locations both inside and outside the museum, include objects intended for public use, such as seating by Eduardo Souto de Moura; a slide by Elemental; graphic pieces by Sagmeister & Walsh; and a series of domestic objects by Michael Anastassiades and Jasper Morrison. The project is an investigation of the qualities of stone, and the technical means through which it is cut and shaped. The natural formation of stone over millions of years produces patterns and textures that are unique and unrepeatable. The designers’ responses represent small moments of monumentality that reflect the solidity and permanence of an elemental material. Drop in the Ocean Designer, Brodie Neill, presents ‘Drop in the Ocean’ at ME London, a mesmerising site specific nature-driven installation, located in The Atrium of the iconic Foster + Partners designed hotel, the Official Hotel Partner for the Festival. ME London, is the flagship property for the ME by Melia brand, located in the cultural heart of Covent Garden. Neill’s presentation premieres his work Flotsam, produced using his self-created material Ocean Terrazzo which Neill developed for the Australian Pavilion for the 2016 London Design Biennale, and confronts the problem of the world’s plastic waste within our oceans. Cast completely as singular pieces, the Flotsam collection is created from a combination of all-white Ocean Terrazzo to reflect water and multicoloured ocean plastic fragments to reference the floating nature of the plastic waste which travels across oceans and break down into small fragments from the force of the currents, meanwhile the single drop seen in the melodic installation symbolises the smallest essence of nature resulting in momentous consequences. Enjoy a wealth of fabulous craft events across London
2016 is set to be an exciting time for London’s vibrant art scene. Theo Dubroy, Head Concierge at The Arch London, is officially recognised as one of the finest Concierges in the UK, having been awarded the prestigious Golden Keys. For those who know their Matisse from their Monet, Theo shares his expertise with an itinerary for art enthusiasts visiting London in 2016.
For an aesthetic retreat in the capital, The Arch London features its own unique instalments whilst sitting just a stone’s throw from numerous acclaimed London galleries. A black and white ‘Alphatecture’ series of prints spans the length of the gallery-inspired hall, while a moving art installation illuminates the reception desk. Theo Dubroy says: “The Arch London is perfectly located close to London’s most prestigious art venues. The owners of hotel are also hugely passionate about art and we are fortunate to have specially curated artworks by British talents displayed in all the guestrooms and public areas. Vincent Poole’s “New Shoes” collage welcomes guests at the entrance to the hotel and is a visual homage to the designer boutiques surrounding the hotel; while above the concierge desk there is a moving art installation. The corridors have also been permeated with character, and Peter Defty’s black and white ‘Alphatecture’ series of prints span the length of the gallery-inspired hall leading towards the Martini Library.” 2016 London Art Events Calendar January Current - 28 Feb: Liberty in Fashion will be taking place at the Fashion and Textile Museum and will explore Liberty’s impact on the British fashion industry. 20 - 24 January: London’s Art Fair will take place at Islington’s Business Design Centre, where industry experts will speak while galleries exhibit. 30 January – 20 April: The exhibition, Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, Royal Academy of Arts, will examine the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s. February 11 February – 22 May: Vogue 100: A Century of Style will take place at the National Portrait Gallery, and will showcase the remarkable range of photography that has been commissioned by British Vogue since it was founded in 1916. March 18 March – 9 October: Scottish Artists 1750-1900: From Caledonia to the Continent, held at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, will highlight the importance of artists whose work was shaped by the ideas of the Scottish Enlightenment. April 16 April – 12 March 2017: Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear at the V&A Museum will display around 140 garments together with fashion plates, photographs and film and advertisements to introduce changing concepts of the ideal body. 5 April – 4 September: The Rolling Stones first major exhibition will be at the Saatchi Gallery. EXHIBITIONISM will display over 500 Rolling Stones artefacts from the band's personal archives. May 11 May – 25 September: Tate Britain will be holding the exhibition, ‘From the Pre-Raffelites to the Modern Age’, which will bring together photographs and paintings including Pre-Raphaelite, Aesthetic and British Impressionist works. 19 – 22 May: Somerset House will hold Photo London, an international photography event featuring over 80 exhibitors from vintage to contemporary. June 5 – 12 June: ArDe is a brand new contemporary architecture and design exhibition which will launch at Somerset House and will feature innovative and groundbreaking design solutions for living. July 6 July – 30 October: The American modernist artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, will be at Tate Modern a century after her New York debut. The exhibition is the first important solo institutional exhibition of the artist’s work in the UK for a generation. September 7 – 27 September: London Design Biennale will be held at Somerset House and will bring design installations and exhibitions from up to 40 of the world’s nations to the heart of the capital. 14 September – 8 January: In his first museum exhibition in London since 1952, the Tate Modern will showcase the works of Wilfredo Lam at The EY Exhibition: Wilfredo Lam. October 5 – 8 October: Frieze Art Fair: One of the world’s leading contemporary art fairs will be returning to London and will feature leading figures, philosophers, and critical theorists. Tickets will be released July 2016. 26 October - 5 March 2017: Paul Nash, one of the most distinctive and important British artists of the twentieth century, will have his work displayed at Tate Modern. December 1 December – 2 April 2017: Tate Modern will host the first UK exhibition of painter Robert Rauschenberg’s work for 35 years. Source: The Arch London |
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