Discover our pick of events in London this week: 23 – 29 September 2024.

Eugene Onegin

Experience the romantic drama of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in a brand-new production by Ted Huffman. Making his Main Stage debut, Huffman explores themes of memory and desire through this classic tale. Featuring Gordon Bintner as Onegin and Kristina Mkhitaryan as Tatyana, with Henrik Nánási conducting, this production offers a fresh perspective on a timeless story.

Date: 24 September – 14 October 2024.Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London WC2E 9DD. Price: £13–£270. Book now.

British Art Fair 2024

The British Art Fair returns to the Saatchi Gallery this week, with over 70 exhibitors showcasing works by key Modern British artists. Highlights include idyllic scenes by Samuel John Lamorna Birch, Impressionist-inspired cityscapes by Walter Sickert, and wartime lithographs by C.R.W. Nevinson. Surrealist works by Paul Nash and Eileen Agar will also feature, alongside abstract pieces by Bryan Wynter and seascapes by Alfred Wallis. Scottish art by William Crosbie and John Bellany will reflect themes of nationalism, while ceramics by Dame Lucie Rie and contemporary works by Bill Jacklin will also be on display.

Date: 26 — 29 September 2024. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £25. britishartfair.co.uk
  

Rasheed Araeen’s Discosailing: A Ballet on Water

This week, The Line will present the UK debut of Rasheed Araeen’s participatory art piece Discosailing: A Ballet on Water at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The event features six 30-minute performances on the Waterworks River, with nine participants floating on brightly coloured discs and donning sails that reflect Araeen's vibrant sculptures. Originally conceived in 1970, Discosailing invites audiences to engage in a meditative exploration of the relationship between body, object, water, and space, and it coincides with London Sculpture Week.

Date: 27 September 2024. Location: Waterworks River between London Aquatics Centre and UCL East. queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk.

Edward Gardner Conducts Rachmaninov

The London Philharmonic Orchestra will present Rachmaninov’s The Bells, a choral symphony that explores a range of emotions from sparkling joy to deep sorrow, capturing the essence of Russia’s spirit. Conducted by Edward Gardner and featuring the London Philharmonic Choir, this performance follows Rachmaninov’s grand piano concerto, with Leif Ove Andsnes bringing his exceptional artistry to the stage.

Date: 28 September 2024. Time: 7pm. Location: Royal Festival Hall. Price: from £14. Book now. 

Click here to discover our pick of 12 classical music concerts to attend at the Southbank Centre in Autumn 2024.

Debenhams one-day luxury pop-up spa

Debenhams is launching an exclusive one-day luxury pop-up spa at Aire Ancient Baths in Covent Garden to celebrate its Generation Beauty campaign. The event will offer guests indulgent treatments, including massages, facials, and makeup tutorials, featuring brands like Clarins, Decree, Kiehl’s, OPI, and M.A.C. Visitors will also receive refreshments, a bespoke Debenhams dressing gown, and access to beauty diagnostics powered by Revieve®. This immersive spa experience showcases Debenhams’ beauty offerings while celebrating individuality and timeless beauty.

Date: 24 September 2024. Location: Aire Ancient Baths, 2-3 Robert St, London WC2N 6BH. Free tickets are available via the Debenhams Instagram (@debenhams)

For a chance to visit the Debenhams Day Spa, tag and reshare our post here, along with the special woman in your life who you’d like to spend the day with. Good luck! Winners will be notified by Debenhams social team.

Free Pizza from Yard Sale Pizza

Mobile network Slice partnered with Yard Sale Pizza on 24 September to give free pizza at their Hackney Road store. Passersby could get a slice by downloading the Slice app. Founding members of the network are also entered into a competition to win a £30,000 house deposit, reflecting Slice’s support for young adults facing financial challenges. Click here for more.

Date: 24 September 2024. Location: Yard Sale Pizza, 184 Hackney Rd, London E2 7Q.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland returns to the stage with its vibrant choreography and imaginative design. This revival includes debut performances by Viola Pantuso, Ella Newton Severgnini, and Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Alice, and William Bracewell and Cesar Corrales as The Knave. With Joby Talbot’s eclectic score and Bob Crowley’s fantastical designs.

Date: 28 September 2024 – 6 July 2025.  Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London WC2E 9DD. Price: from £10 - £190. Book now.

Chelsea History Festival

The Chelsea History Festival returns for its 6th edition this week, coinciding with the launch of the Chelsea Heritage Quarter. This year's programme features talks by notable figures, including Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, bestselling author Kate Mosse, and Horrible Histories author Terry Deary. The newly announced Chelsea Heritage Quarter brings together four iconic institutions—the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital, Chelsea Physic Garden, and Cadogan—to explore Britain’s history from 1660 to the present. Visitors can preview the refurbished Soane Stable Yard at the Royal Hospital and enjoy walking tours, workshops, and family-friendly activities.

Date: 25 – 29 September 2024. Location: Chelsea. Click here for the full festival programme.

Friday Late: Fashioning Futures

Media platform GUAP is hosting a Friday Late takeover at the V&A Museum, showcasing young emerging talent across fashion, art, music, and dance. Inspired by the NAOMI: In Fashion exhibition and Naomi Campbell’s impact on Black creatives, the event explores diverse cultural influences on fashion. Attendees can also visit the exhibition after hours, with free entry for members.

Date: Friday 27 September 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington. Price: Free. vam.ac.uk.

Christie’s Late: Voices of Black Artistry

This week, in the lead-up to Black History Month, Christie’s will stay open late, offering a vibrant lineup of performances, talks, exhibitions, and workshops celebrating Black artistic expression. The event will showcase creativity from across the African diaspora. Entry is free, but all attendees must register online.

Date: 27 September 2024. Time: 6-9pm. Location: Christie's Mayfair, 103 New Bond St, London W1S 1ST. christies.com.

Arts & Culture

Opening this week

Yayoi Kusama: EVERY DAY I PRAY FOR LOVE

Yayoi Kusama's fourteenth solo exhibition at Victoria Miro gallery features a new Infinity Mirror Room and a series of detailed, vibrant paintings titled Every Day I Pray for Love. These works further her exploration of line and form, reflecting both microscopic and expansive themes. The exhibition also includes new sculptures displayed in the gallery and on the canalside terrace, commemorating 26 years since Kusama's debut solo show with Victoria Miro in 1998.

Date: 25 September - 2 November 2024. Location: Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Rd, London, N1 7RW. Price: Entry is free and booking is essential. Book now.

Silk Roads

Silk Roads will redefine the traditional view of the Silk Road as merely a trade route between East and West. Instead, it presents the Silk Roads as a complex web of interconnected networks linking diverse regions from Japan to Britain and Scandinavia to Madagascar. Spanning five geographical zones, the exhibition features over 300 artefacts, including items like Indian garnets in Suffolk and Iranian glass in Japan, highlighting the extensive cultural and historical impacts of these routes.

Date: 26 September 2024–23 February 2025. Location: The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, The British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Price: Adults from £12, Members and under-16s free. britishmuseum.org.

Wes Lang: The Black Paintings

Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery will showcase nearly 200 never-before-exhibited paintings and works on paper by American artist Wes Lang. This exhibition marks the first time Lang's acclaimed work is displayed in the UK, offering a unique insight into his artistic vision.

Date: 27 September 2024 - 9 March 2025. Location: Newport Street Gallery, 1 Newport Street, London, SE11 6AJ. Price: Free. newportstreetgallery.com.

Daria Blum: Drip Drip Point Warp Spin Buckle Rot

Claridge’s ArtSpace will present Drip Drip Point Warp Spin Buckle Rot, a solo exhibition by Royal Academy Schools graduate Daria Blum, opening this week. As the inaugural winner of the Claridge’s Royal Academy Schools Art Prize, Blum will showcase a performative installation centred around a three-channel video piece. This work delves into themes of muscle memory, institutional power, and intergenerational female relationships, drawing inspiration from dance, architecture, and her family history. The exhibition will feature live performances, along with additional sculptures and photographs displayed throughout Claridge's.

 Date: 24 September – 25 October 2024. Location: Claridge’s ArtSpace Café, Brook’s Mews, London, W1K 4DY. claridges.co.uk.

Theodore Ereira-Guyer: Sleeping Lions

Elizabeth Xi Bauer presents Sleeping Lions, a solo exhibition by Theodore Ereira-Guyer, showcasing new works that push the boundaries of printmaking. Opening this week, the exhibition explores memory and time through etching on paper and plaster. Ereira-Guyer’s process embraces the loss of information between the plate and surface, symbolising the fleeting nature of memory. A central feature of the exhibition is an aluminium pond displaying etched portraits, with water cascading from the works, evoking the themes of crying and singing as elemental expressions of human experience.

Date: 27 September – 9 November 2024. Location: Elizabeth Xi Bauer, Fuel Tank 8-12, Creekside, London SE8 3DX. Price: Free. elizabethxibauer.com.

Geumhyung Jeong: Under Construction

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) will present Geumhyung Jeong's exhibition Under Construction, highlighting her distinctive blend of choreography and technology. Featuring new installations of sculpture and video, the exhibition explores the dynamic between humans and machines through animatronic figures and Jeong's own body. It includes autonomous sculptures and videos capturing interactions between Jeong and her creations, with live performances scheduled for October 8th, 9th, and November 13th, along with a performative lecture on November 15th.

Date: 25 September  – 8 December 2024. Location: Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: from £6. Free on Tuesdays. Book now.

Monet and London: Views of the Thames

Monet and London: Views of the Thames will feature Claude Monet's lesser-known 'Thames series,' painted during his London stays from 1899 to 1901. These Impressionist masterpieces depict iconic London landmarks like Charing Cross Bridge and the Houses of Parliament with evocative atmosphere and vibrant colour. Originally planned for a 1905 London exhibition, this collection will finally be shown in the UK for the first time, offering a unique glimpse into Monet's artistic vision from this period.

Date: 27 September 2024 – 19 January 2025. Location: The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £16. Book now.

Nairy Baghramian: Jumbled Alphabet

The South London Gallery will host a new exhibition by Nairy Baghramian, marking her first major solo show in London in fourteen years amidst growing international acclaim. Baghramian’s conceptually rigorous sculptures challenge perceptions of self, space, and objects, using diverse techniques and materials to explore the spatial, architectural, social, and political contexts of contemporary art. Her works, which blend geometric shapes, organic matter, and industrial processes, subtly examine the intersections between art and fields like interior design, dance, and theatre. The exhibition will feature sculptures from her Misfits series and collaborative works with other artists in the Fire Station galleries.

Date: 27 September 2024 - 12 January 2025. Location: South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH. Price: Free. southlondongallery.org. 

Turner Prize 2024

The 2024 Turner Prize exhibition at Tate Britain features the work of four leading artists: Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur, and Delaine Le Bas. Each artist brings a unique perspective, from Abad's exploration of colonial history through sculptures and drawings, to Johnson's striking portraits of Black individuals. Kaur uses everyday objects in her sculptures combined with sound, reflecting her Sikh heritage, while Le Bas creates immersive environments inspired by Roma culture. The exhibition opens from 25 September 2024, with the winner announced on 3 December 2024.

Date: 25 September 2024 – 16 February 2025. Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Price: 14 / Free for Members. Concessions available. tate.org.uk.

#FLOFAVourites: This week

In House: Ain Bailey and Holly Graham

In House: Ain Bailey and Holly Graham is the third duo exhibition by Studio Voltaire’s community artists, featuring Holly Graham’s video Petname (2014) and Ain Bailey’s sculpture Din/Resonance In Blue (2019). Both works explore Jamaican familial heritage and sonic memories. Petname highlights the significance of pet names in Caribbean families through intimate interviews, while Din/Resonance In Blue explores bereavement using passport photos of Bailey’s mother and the hymn Amazing Grace. Together, they reflect on cultural memory and the complexities of the diasporic experience.

Date: 18 September 2024 – 3 November 2024. Location: Studio Voltaire, 1a Nelson's Row, London, SW4 7JR. Price: Free. studiovoltaire.org.

Public Art

New murals in Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf welcomes three new murals as part of the ongoing London Mural Festival, created by UK-based female artists Zoë Power, Hixxy, and Venessa Scott. Located on Bellmouth Passage by Crossrail Place Quayside, the murals explore themes of community and neighbourhood, reflecting the East London area. The artworks join Canary Wharf’s extensive outdoor public art collection, the largest free-to-visit in the UK. This marks the second collaboration between Canary Wharf Group and the London Mural Festival, following Camille Walala’s 2020 mural Captivated by Colour. Click here for more. 

Location: Bellmouth Passage, Canary Wharf. canarywharf.com.

Cinema

Sugarcane

This debut feature documentary reveals the abuse and deaths of Indigenous children in Canadian residential schools while highlighting survivors' quest for accountability. It presents an epic portrait of a community amidst a groundbreaking investigation, empowering participants to confront intergenerational trauma and acknowledge painful truths. Julian Brave NoiseCat's personal story intertwines with those of others, showcasing both their profound suffering and the enduring love within families. Ultimately, the film serves as a powerful tribute to the resilience of Native peoples and their cultural heritage.

Date: 20 - 26 September 2024. Location: Cinema 1, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £13 +BF. Book now.

#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week

FREE EVENT OF THE WEEK  

Imagine Fund: Life Drawing workshop

Join a life drawing class with a feminist perspective at the Barbican, hosted by Spare Ribs Club and led by founder Alexandra. This unique workshop invites participants to explore creative expression through feminist themes and art history, featuring life model Meg who will present dynamic poses. Suitable for both experienced artists and beginners, the session encourages engagement with powerful themes through art. Spare Ribs Club is a membership community that explores intersectional feminism across various mediums, supported by the Imagine Fund.

Date: 27 September 2024. Time: Noon. Location: Barbican Conservatory, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: Free. barbican.org.uk.

Interview of the week 

In conversation with Lina Fitzjames

Lina Fitzjames is a Junior Numismatist at Baldwin’s Auction House. She is part of a new generation reshaping the image of numismatics, the study of coinage.

Click here for the full interview.  

Food of the Week

Napoli on the Road

This week's food pick is Napoli on the Road, a Chiswick pizzeria recently named the best in Europe outside of Italy at the 50 Top Pizza event in Madrid. Rising from eighth place last year, it surpassed competitors like Sartoria Panatieri in Barcelona and Via Toledo Enopizzeria in Vienna. This accolade follows head chef Michele Pascarella's award as Global Pizza Maker of the Year 2023. Pascarella, who began his pizza-making career in Caserta at age 11, opened the Chiswick branch in 2019 and plans to launch a second location in Richmond.

Location: Napoli on the Road, 9A Devonshire Road. Chiswick W4 2EU. napoliontheroad.co.uk.

Cause of the week 

Alzheimer’s Society

The Alzheimer’s Society is looking for Side by Side volunteers to help make a difference in the lives of individuals with dementia in the community. As a volunteer, you will visit a person for at least one hour each week, engaging them in activities they enjoy or introducing new experiences. You'll build a regular relationship and provide updates to the Side by Side Coordinator after each visit. A commitment to weekly visits and flexibility is required, with a minimum age requirement of 18.

 Click here to find out more about volunteering with Alzheimer’s Society.