Discover our pick of events in London this week: 18 – 24 March 2024.

Sounds of Blossom

Experience the beauty of spring at Kew Gardens with the launch of the Sounds of Blossom festival this week. Collaborating with the Royal College of Music, the festival presents six original compositions inspired by Kew's spring landscape. Visitors can immerse themselves in the beautiful melodies emanating from various locations in the Gardens. Live performances by Royal College of Music artists, blossom-inspired dishes, and free talks on pollination and tree conservation complement the festival, offering a delightful celebration of spring in London.

Date: 23 March - 14 April 2024. Location: Princes of Wales Conservatory, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. Price: Entry to the festival is free with a ticket to Kew Gardens. From adult £20, child: £4.50. Book now.

London Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Harding: A New Lease of Life – Mahler’s Fifth Symphony

Under Daniel Harding's direction, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) explores Jörg Widmann's celestial maze and Mahler's evocative Fifth Symphony. Mahler's work shifts from solemnity to a poignant tribute to love, while Widmann's piece challenges the trumpeter amidst orchestral turmoil. Harding's interpretation, with Håkan Hardenberger's premiere performance, reveals the symphony's rich complexity.

Date: 24 March 2024. Time: 7pm. Location: Barbican Centre ,Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 – 70 + BF. Book now.

The World Happiness Summit® (WOHASU®)

Get ready for the happiness event of the year! The World Happiness Summit® (WOHASU®) is a two-day immersive experience uniting experts in happiness with a global audience on this week, at London's Southbank Centre. WOHASU Purpose 2024 coincides with the UN International Day of Happiness, offering attendees practical tools to increase wellbeing and promote positive change in all areas of life. Join the Global Happiness Movement and discover how to lead a happier, healthier life.

Date: 19 - 20 March 2024. Location: Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: from £107.96. Book now.

KAREN at The Other Palace

Sarah Cameron-West, known for her roles in Anansi Boys and Walk Home, brings the uproarious one-woman Fringe show KAREN to The Other Palace this week. The show follows the protagonist as she navigates broken relationships, office politics, and the struggle to maintain sanity. Fueled by repressed rage and unchecked silence, she reaches boiling point when her newly established ex starts dating her office nemesis – also named Karen.

Date:19 March - 24 March 2024. Location: The Other Palace, 12 Palace St, London SW1E 5JA. Price: from £19. Book now.

Tchaikovsky & Mozart with the Jussen Brothers

Join the Philharmonia Orchestra for a brilliant performance featuring the Jussen brothers playing Mozart's Concerto for Two Pianos, showcasing their remarkable musical chemistry. Conductor Eun Sun Kim presents Texu Kim's Spin-Flip, followed by Tchaikovsky's emotive Fifth Symphony.

Date: 21 March 2024. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Royal Festival HallClassical music. Price: £15 ⁠–⁠ £70. Book now.

North London Book Festival

The North London Book Festival 2024 kicks off this week at Alexandra Palace, showcasing debut and renowned authors. Enjoy readings, panel discussions, workshops, and book signings. Featuring headliners like Natalie Haynes, Peter Hain, Lemony Snicket, and more. Separate ticketing for adult events on Thursday & Friday and family events over the weekend. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet your favourite authors and explore a range of books at the festival bookstore by Waterstones.

Date: 21- 24 March 2024. Location: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY. Click here for the full programme of events.

Grace Blakeley: Vulture Capitalism

Acclaimed political commentator and economic thinker Grace Blakeley will engage in a compelling discussion on the flaws of capitalism, moderated by Mikaela Loach. In ‘Vulture Capitalism,’ Blakeley challenges the notion of free markets and exposes how corporate interests have distorted democracy. She argues that our modern crises are not accidental but inherent to the system. Blakeley urges for systemic change, presenting her book as a guide to understanding and addressing the issues. Blakeley offers insights into the complexities of capitalism and proposes solutions for a fairer future.

Date: 24 March 2024. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Queen Elizabeth Hall. Price: £15. Book now.

Don’t Make Tea

Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, Scotland’s leading disability-led theatre group, celebrates its 30th anniversary with a UK tour of Don’t Make Tea, a dark comedy thriller. Set in 2030, the play satirises the welfare system through Chris's journey to claim benefits. With biting dialogue and innovative staging, it sheds light on the struggles of disabled individuals in an unjust system.

Date: 26 March – 6 April 2024. Location: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, London W1D 3NE. Price: from £12. Book now. 

Cinema

High & Low: John Galliano

Kevin Macdonald's documentary chronicles the rise and fall of British fashion designer John Galliano, known for his innovative work that challenged the industry. Despite his creative brilliance, Galliano's career was marred by struggles with alcoholism and substance abuse. In 2011, he faced public backlash and legal consequences for making anti-Semitic and racist remarks. The film combines archival footage with exclusive interviews to provide insight into Galliano's life and creative process, offering audiences a portrait of the iconic designer and his impact on fashion.

Date: 8 - 21 March 2024. Location: Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £13 + BF. Book now.

Arts & Culture

Opening this week

Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron: Portraits to Dream In

Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron: Portraits to Dream In will celebrate the visionary contributions of these two influential women in the history of photography. With over 160 rare vintage prints on display, the showcase spans the careers of both artists, offering viewers new perspectives on their innovative approaches to portraiture while also reflecting on the evolution of photographic portraiture in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Date: 21 March 2024 – 16 June 2024. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE. Price: £8.50 / £9.50 with donation. Book now.

Out shopping: The dresses of Marion and Maud Sambourne (1880-1910)

The exhibition at Leighton House and Sambourne House unveils the fashion journey of Victorian mother-daughter duo, Marion and Maud Sambourne. Showcasing over 40 rare outfits and archival materials, it delves into their shopping habits and the importance of fashion in their lives. Spread across three spaces, including Leighton House and Sambourne House, the exhibition offers insights into dressmaking and early 20th-century shopping. Visitors can also explore the Sambourne family's preserved home and peruse a publication reminiscent of late 19th-century fashion magazines.

Date: 23 March – 20 October 2024. Location: Leighton House and Sambourne House. Price: from £11, or from £20 for full access to Leighton House, Sambourne House, exhibition galleries, displays and documentary film. Concessions available. Book now.

New Paintings: Albert Oehlen

Gagosian presents Albert Oehlen's latest paintings in London, showcasing his exploration of painting's future through manipulation of images inspired by musical sampling and cinematic techniques. Blurring abstraction and figuration, Oehlen's dynamic compositions challenge traditional conventions, embracing "bad" painting with spontaneous gestures and Surrealist influences. His works are a vibrant interplay of graphic brushstrokes, colours, and textures, demonstrating the boundless potential of the medium.

Date: 21 March – 11 May 2024. Location: 20 Grosvenor Hill
London W1K 3QD. Price: Free.

#FLOFavourites: this week

From the Baroque to Today: Recent acquisitions of Works on Paper

This exhibition features twenty-four prints and drawings acquired by The Courtauld since 2018, spanning from the late 17th to the early 21st centuries. Notably, nearly half of the works are by women artists, including a pair of prints by Mary Cassatt, the first by this renowned Impressionist artist to join the collection. The display includes earlier pieces such as an animated battle scene by Giovanni Battista Foggini and a Roman cityscape by Jonathan Skelton, alongside Victorian watercolors and prints. Modern and contemporary works offer a diverse range of styles, from figurative to abstract, by artists such as Maliheh Afnan, Sir Frank Bowling, Deanna Petherbridge, Susan Schwalb, Linda Karshan, and Sir Grayson Perry. 

Date: 23 February - 27 May 2024. Location: Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand 
London WC2R 0RN. Price: Free.  

Construct

Cob Gallery presents Construct, curated by Brooke Wilson, featuring works by Emma Adler, Bobby Dowler, Sylvie Hayes-Wallace, Ali Glover, Dux Pacifico, Anne Tallentire, and Charlotte Thrane. The exhibition explores object biography, material manipulation, and the construction of meaning. Artists reinvent objects, challenge authenticity, and reflect on urban surroundings. Construct prompts reflection on social infrastructure and the decoding of the world through material manipulation.

Date: 23 February - 23 March 2024. Location: The Cob Gallery, 205 Royal College St, London NW1 0SG. Price: Free.

Peju Alatise: We Came with the Last Rain

We Came With The Last Rain on show at Rele Gallery, is an exhibition centered around the empowering narrative of the girl-child, particularly Sim, a 9-year-old navigating life in modern-day Lagos. It sheds light on the struggles of children like Sim and the Almajiri, who roam the streets for survival. This exhibition serves as a prelude to a larger collection, delving into Yoruba folklore and mythology. Inspired by childhood memories and Yoruba sayings, it explores themes of resilience, identity, and cultural heritage.

Date: 23 February - 23 March 2024. Location: Rele, 5-7 Dover St, London W1S 4LD. Price: Free.

Marck’s Playground

Bluerider ART presents a groundbreaking exhibition by Marck, featuring innovative works that invite viewers to explore his creative process within a playground setting. The exhibition showcases a mix of new and classic pieces, including "Gegenstrom" and "Clockwork," which evoke emotions and bridge the gap between virtual and real experiences. Influenced by Fluxus member Nam June Paik and Video Art pioneer Wolf Vostell, Marck's art reflects societal themes of identity and survival.

Date: 14 March - 26 May 2024. Location: 7 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JW. Price: Free.

Antoine Wagner: Maria Callas 

Tristan Hoare presents artist Antoine Wagner's exhibition, featuring photographs of opera house curtains from Maria Callas's performances, alongside a new video, Where It Starts, It Ends Wagner explores curtains' role in opera, symbolically shaping the immersive experience. Through scale and orientation experimentation, Wagner offers abstract reinterpretations of velvet folds, translating Callas's voice into visual form. The exhibition celebrates music and opera through abstract photography.

Date: 8 March - 5 April 2024. Location: Tristan Hoare, 6 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HJ. Price: Free.

HelenA Pritchard: The Homeless Mind

The Homeless Mind by HelenA Pritchard, exhibited at TJ Boulting, explores materials and balance through discarded waste transformed with processes like gilding. Inspired by Peter L. Berger's book, the title reflects modernisation's impact. The exhibition features towering ‘Block Heads’ made from building site offcuts, alongside wall-based works referencing cultural history. The second room showcases maquettes incorporating discarded objects with humor, investigating modern materials' connectivity to art history and daily life aesthetics.

Date: 15 March - 13 April 2024. Location: TJ Boulting, 59 Riding House St, London W1W 7EG. Price: Free.

Woody De Othello: Faith Like a Rock

Stephen Friedman Gallery presents Faith Like a Rock, Woody De Othello's debut solo exhibition in the UK. Renowned for his multidisciplinary practice, Othello transforms everyday objects into humanoid characters, exploring themes of prayer, contemplation, and reverence through vibrant sculptures and painted landscapes. Inspired by pre-colonial rituals, Othello views clay as a conduit to healing and ancestral connection, inviting viewers to contemplate the relationship between humanity and the natural world through symbols of sustainability and renewal.

Date: 8 March - 13 April 2024. Location: Stephen Friedman Gallery, 5-6 Cork St, London W1S 3LQ. Price: Free.

Liliana Moro: In No Time

Liliana Moro's inaugural exhibition at Rodeo delves into her unique artistic approach, marked by a desire to challenge conventions and societal constructs. Her sculptures and collages feature animal metaphors, questioning power dynamics and social hierarchies.

Date: 2 March – 17 April 2024. Location: 12a Bourdon St, London W1K 3PG. Price: Free.

Pop-ups & Venues

The Big South London Flea Market

Explore The Big South London Flea Market at Copeland Park, Peckham this weekend for a treasure trove of vintage finds. Featuring over 70 hand-picked traders offering 20th Century furniture, vintage clothes, collectibles, and more, it's an ideal chance to discover unique items and revamp your living space.

Date: 23 March 2024. Time: 11am – 5pm. Location: Copeland Park & Bussey Building, 133 Copeland Road London SE15 3SN. Price: £1.50 entry Website: hackneyfleamarket.com. Instagram: @hackneyfleamarket.

#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week

FREE EVENTS OF THE WEEK

Lunchtime Piano Concert ft. Cindy Zhu

Pianist Cindy Zhu, a Royal College of Music student, will present a solo performance at Westminster Music Library featuring works by Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Max Reger, and Zhao Zhang. The free concert offers a chance to experience Cindy's talent and artistry in a relaxed setting. With a repertoire spanning prestigious venues globally, her performance guarantees a memorable musical experience.

Date: 20 March 2024. Time: 12:30pm - 1:15pm. Location: Westminster Music Library, 35 Saint Martin's Street London WC2H 7HP. Book now.  

Food of the week

Situated on Maddox Street in Mayfair, Kanishka is celebrated as one of London's top Indian restaurants. Led by renowned chef Atul Kochhar, we can attest to the excellent food. In an exciting development, Kanishka has partnered with artist Zara Muse for a three-month collaboration. Zara's nature-themed artwork perfectly aligns with the restaurant's ambiance. Chef Atul Kochhar emphasises the importance of celebrating women's expressions, making Zara's art a fitting addition to Kanishka's cultural ethos.

Website: kanishkarestaurant.co.uk. Instagram: @kanishkamayfair.

Cause of the week

Knit Club Blankets for London

Craft Forward presents The Knit Club, a workshop aimed at supporting the ‘Blankets for London’ project. Participants, whether beginners or experienced knitters, gather to create knitted squares that will contribute to blankets donated to homeless individuals in London. With all materials provided, including needles for experienced knitters and guidance for beginners. The Knit Club offers an inclusive space for crafting and connecting with others while making a meaningful impact on the community through the ‘Blankets for London’ initiative.

Click here to discover their next knit session to get involved in.

Instagram: @craft_forward.

Upcoming events

Roof East returns in April

Roof East is gearing up for its milestone tenth year, promising another season of rooftop excitement against the stunning backdrop of East London. Scheduled to reopen on 18 April, this cherished adult playground is set to enliven the summer scene with its panoramic views and diverse entertainment offerings. Among the highlights, the rooftop film club returns, bringing cult classics and box office hits under the starlit sky. Alongside favorites like Sluggers baseball batting cages and Birdies crazy golf, Roof East promises an unforgettable summer experience for all. So mark your calendars, grab your tickets, and get ready to soak up the fun at Roof East!

Date: 18 April - end September 2024. Opening hours: Thursday - Friday: 5pm -11pm, Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays Noon - 11pm. Website: roofeast.com.