What's on in London this week: 8 - 14 April 2024
Discover our pick of events in London this week: 8 - 14 April 2024.
Hampton Court Tulip Festival
Experience the beauty of spring at Hampton Court Palace during the Tulip Festival. Explore the royal gardens with over 100,000 tulip bulbs in bloom, including rare varieties inspired by Mary II's collection. The best time to capture the splendid display of the Tulip Festival is this week!
Date: 8 April - 29 April 2024. Location: Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU. Price: from £27.20 adult/ £13.60 child. Book now.
Hampton Court Tulip Festival launches this week. Photo by Esther Gorlee.
London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix - Ravel's Daphnis and Chloé with Sir Antonio Pappano
Enjoy the enchanting beauty of Ravel's ballet, Daphnis and Chloé, led by Sir Antonio Pappano with LSO. This hour-long concert brings to life the allure of ancient Greece through Ravel's mesmerising melodies and rhythms.
Date: 10 April 2024. Time: 6.30pm. Location: Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £15 - £35. Book now.
Garden Museum Spring Plant Fair
The Garden Museum Spring Plant Fair is an annual event showcasing expert plant growers and specialist nurseries from across the UK. This year's fair will feature nurseries like Great Dixter Nursery and Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens, offering Londoners a unique shopping experience. The event's programme is curated by Susanna Grant, founder of the Hackney-based shade specialist plant shop Hello There Linda.
Date:14 April 2024. Time:10 am - 4pm. Location: Garden Museum 5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB. Price: from £5. Book now.
The inagural Books in the Park takes place this week. Photo by Syd Wachs.
Books in the Park
Don't miss the inaugural Books in the Park festival at Beckenham Place Park this weekend. Featuring discussions, memoirs, fiction, and interactive activities for children, celebrate nature's inspiration, healing, and unity. There is free entry to some events and others are ticketed. They are also offering a 10% discount on adult author tickets when purchasing four, and 10% off food and drinks at The Homestead Cafe and The Mansion Bar and Cafe with an event ticket.
Date: 13 April 2024.Time: 9am – 6pm. Location: Beckenham Place Mansion, Beckenham, London BR3 1SY. Price: £2.50 - £18.50. Book now.
The London Coffee Festival 2024. Photo by Mike Kenneally
The London Coffee Festival 2024
The London Coffee Festival returns to Truman Brewery this week. Started 12 years ago, it now features over 250 artisan coffee and food brands, live music, and a food court. Highlights include latte art live, crafted coffee cocktails with DJ sets, and the True Artisan Café showcasing various businesses. Tickets start at £38 for standard admission, with ultimate tickets offering extra perks like fast-track entry and access to the LCF Club Lounge.
Date: 11 - 14 April 2024. Location: The Truman Brewery,91 Brick Ln, London, E1 6QR. Price: from £38. Book now.
HistFest 2024
HistFest, the dynamic history festival returns, offering an exciting weekend of talks, discussions, performance, and music. Expect a blend of entertainment and enlightenment with an amazing lineup of historians, writers, performers, and thinkers.
Date: 11-14 April 2024. Location: British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB. Price: In person / online ticket available from £10/£5. Book now.
Vadym Kholodenko Performs Mozart & Rzewski
Pianist Vadym Kholodenko, winner of the 2014 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, presents a unique recital featuring Mozart’s Requiem transcribed for piano by Karl Klindworth. He also performs Frederic Rzewski’s 36 Variations on ‘The People United Will Never Be Defeated!’ – a transformative piece based on a Chilean resistance anthem. This recital reflects themes of grief and resistance, resonating with Kholodenko's Ukrainian heritage.
Date: 14 April 2024. Time: 3pm. Location: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. Price: £15. Book now.
La Linea – the London Latin Music Festival returns this week. Baque Luar
La Linea – the London Latin Music Festival
La Linea, the London Latin Music Festival, is back this week, promising a vibrant fusion of Latin rhythms showcased through a series of shows across various venues in London. Featured highlights include performances by Desta French & Friends at the Jazz Café, Domenico Lancellotti and Ricardo Dias Gomes at Cafe Oto, and Nacao Zumbi at the Jazz Café. This event offers a perfect opportunity to celebrate Latin music and culture right in the heart of London. Click here for the full line-up of shows.
Date: 12 - 22 April 2024. Website: la-linea. Instagram: @lalineafestival.
Wellness
Monday monthly yoga class at Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden hosts a special yoga class led by Live Karma Yoga within the serene setting of their botanical garden. Experience the gentle sway of branches and the peaceful sounds of nature as you practice yoga in the tranquil environment. Whether you're looking for relaxation, rejuvenation, or simply a moment of quiet reflection, all levels are welcome to join and find inner peace amidst the beauty of the garden.
Date: 8 April 2024. Time: 6pm-7pm. Location: Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Rd, London SW3 4HS. Price: £18. Book now.
Arts & Culture
Opening this week
Yinka Shonibare CBE RA: Suspended States
Serpentine will showcase Suspended States, a solo exhibition featuring new and recent works by British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. The exhibition coincides with Shonibare's showcase at the 60th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia. This marks his first solo exhibition in a London public institution in over 20 years, returning to Serpentine where he first exhibited in 1992.
Date: 12 April - 1 September 2024. Location: Serpentine South Gallery. Price: Free.
Courtesy of the artist and Goodman Gallery, Cape Town, Johannesburg, London and New York, James Cohan Gallery, New York and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London and New York. Photographer: Stephen White & Co. © Yinka Shonibare CBE.
Richard Serra: Six Large Drawings
David Zwirner presents an exhibition featuring six significant drawings by American artist Richard Serra. Influenced by his observations and architectural experiences, Serra's drawings explore themes of mass and form. The exhibition highlights Serra's enduring impact on contemporary art and marks his debut at David Zwirner's London gallery.
Date: 9 Apr 2024 – 18 May 2024. Location: David Zwirner 24 Grafton Street, London, W1S 4EZ. Price: Free.
Purple Hibiscus
Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama's new commission, Purple Hibiscus, will debut at the Barbican this weel. The artwork will cover the Barbican's Lakeside Terrace with approximately 2000 sq m of woven cloth, featuring vibrant panels of pink and purple fabric embroidered with approximately 100 'batakaris' – robes historically worn by Northern Ghanaians. This installation, part of the exhibition Unravel: The Power & Politics of Textiles in Art, highlights the significance of collective labour, echoing Mahama's belief that art should be accessible to all.
Date: 10 April – 18 August 2024. Location: Barbican Lakeside Terrace. Price: Free.
Ibrahim Mahama, Purple Hibiscus, 2023- 24. Courtesy Ibrahim Mahama, Red Clay Tamale, Barbican Centre, London and White Cube.
Secundino Hernández: Problematic Corners
Victoria Miro presents new paintings by Secundino Hernández, marking his fifth solo exhibition with the gallery. The Spanish artist's dynamic series of oval works explores innovative aesthetic territory while incorporating his signature techniques, including vibrant colors and calligraphic mark-making combined with a unique stitching process.
Date: 10 Apr 2024 – 18 May 2024. Location: Victoria Miro Gallery, 16 Wharf Road,London, N1 7RW. Price: Free.
#FLOFAVOURITES: THIS WEEK
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants fosters collaboration and solidarity among women in the arts, platforming emerging and established Dutch female artists. Drawing inspiration from historical figures like Rachel Ruysch and Saar de Swart, the exhibition aims to reshape the narrative for current and future generations of women artists. Featured artists include Janine van Oene, Iriée Zamblé, Krystel Geerts, Simone Albers, Wieteke Heldens, Maria Roosen, Anne von Freyburg, Lisa Šebestíková, Anya Janssen, and Louise te Poele.
Date: 8 March – 12 May 2024. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY. Price: Free.
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants on show at the Saatchi Gallery.
Shizuko Yoshikawa: Possible Progressions
Marlborough London proudly presents the first solo exhibition in the United Kingdom dedicated to Shizuko Yoshikawa. This retrospective showcases relief sculptures, paintings, drawings, and conceptual colour studies spanning four decades of the artist's career. A pioneering figure in Constructivist and Concrete Art movements, Yoshikawa immigrated from Japan to Switzerland in her late 20s, leaving a significant mark on the art world.
Date: 5 April - 18 May 2024. Location: Marlborough, 6 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BY. Price: Free.
Possible Progressions by Shizuko Yoshikawa at Marloborough Gallery.
Nancy Haynes: Dialectics of Silence
Also on show at Marlborough are works by Nancy Haynes. Her debut UK exhibition, Dialectics of Silence, features intimate book-sized paintings inspired by influential writers. Through meticulous manipulation of depth and light, Haynes explores impermanence and contemplative silence.
Date: 5 April - 18 May 2024. Location: Marlborough, 6 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BY. Price: Free.
Cinema
Back to Black
The long-awaited Amy Winehouse biopic has finally arrived, featuring Marisa Abela in the lead role and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. Winehouse, celebrated for her soulful hits like Valerie, Back to Black, and Rehab, left an indelible mark on the music industry. Tragically, her untimely passing at the age of 27 placed her among the ranks of the infamous '27 Club,' alongside other legendary artists. Taylor-Johnson, known for her adept storytelling in films such as Nowhere Boy, brings her directorial prowess to this highly anticipated portrayal. Will it do Amy justice? You be the judge...
Date: 12 -18 April 2024. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £14.50 + BF. Book now.
Amy Whinehouse.
Perfect Days
In Wim Wenders' meditative drama, Kôji Yakusho portrays Hirayama, a janitor who finds solace in the simplicity of everyday life. As Hirayama carries out his duties across Tokyo, he immerses himself in his work, finding moments of tranquility amidst the mundane. However, glimpses of his personal life reveal complexities beneath his calm exterior. Yakusho delivers a captivating performance, earning him the Best Actor award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Wenders' delicate direction brings depth to this serene character study, making it a must-see cinematic experience.
Date: 23 February - 11 Apr 2024. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £13 +BF. Book now.
#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week
FREE EVENTS OF THE WEEK
Capturing Amy: An Evening with Charles Moriarty
Photographer Charles Moriarty, famous for his iconic cover image of Amy Winehouse's debut album, reflects on their friendship and collaboration. At the Iconic Images Gallery Chelsea, join him on the eve of the premiere of Back to Black to delve into Amy's legacy, photography, and the vibrant music scene of early 2000s London.
Date: 11 April 2024. Time: 6:30 - 9pm. Location: Iconic Images Gallery,13a Park Walk London SW10 0AJ. Price: Free. Book now.
Interview of the week
In conversation with Elsa Wang
Elsa Wang.
IT entrepreneur Elsa Wang founded Bluerider ART in 2013, a groundbreaking gallery at the crossroads of art and technology. Starting in Taipei and expanding to Shanghai, the gallery recently opened a new space in London's Mayfair.
Click here for the full interview.
Food of the Week
Restaurant Sune
Restaurant Sune.
Sune, nestled in Broadway Market, embodies laid-back charm curated by hospitality veterans Charlie Sims and Honey Spencer. With a pedigree from Noma and Lyle’s, they offer modern sharing plates and a stellar wine list in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Led by chef Michael Robins, the kitchen crafts inventive yet comforting dishes. Sommelier Honey Spencer curates an exciting wine selection!
Location: Restaurant Sune, 129A Pritchard's Rd, London E2 9AP. Opening: Wednesday - Sunday. Website: sune.restaurant. Instagram: @restosune.
Cause of the week
Hackney Foodbank
Hackney Foodbank
Hackney Foodbank provides support to individuals facing crisis or poverty in the Hackney community. They offer emergency food parcels and connect people with local organisations addressing the root causes of poverty. Since 2012, they have distributed over 864,632kg of food and household items, relying on the kindness of the local community. As an independent charity and member of the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network, they are working towards a hunger-free future.
Click here to learn more about how you can support the organisation.
Instagram: @hackneyfoodbank.
