Something You Should Do – The Cultural Exposé

Something you should do… a Wreath Making Workshop

Laura Thornley — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 11:00:46 +0000

If, like me, Christmas is a time when you get an opportunity to flex your creative muscles via your perfectly wrapped presents, supremely boiled sprouts and expertly cut paper snowflake decorations, then Columbia Creative have something to blow the mulled wine out of the water. Reach for your holly, mistletoe and wine and head down to a wreath making workshop this month to customise your very own household ornament.

Taking place in Shoreditch (naturally) this creative workshop comes from the local floristry company of the same name, so they certainly know their holly from their ivy. The hour-long course comes complete with everything you could need to pack a creative punch into your wreath – beautiful flowers, evergreen foliage tinsel (well, maybe not?) and magically you get to take home the finished article home after the session.

The Owner of Columbia Creative, Jo Woodward, will be hosting the event and guiding you through the creative process. As experimentation is their forte, you will get the opportunity to push the boundaries of wreath making (within the boundaries of good taste of course).

The courses run up until 21st December and could make the perfect customised gift for a creative relative or simply to get the neighbours talking. Forget Oxford street commercial madness this Christmas – a handmade Christmas is much more up our street! (Words: Laura Thornley)

For more info visit: www.columbiacreative.co.uk/workshops

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Somewhere you should go… Makers, Haggerston

Matilda — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 11:00:57 +0000

You’ll be hard pushed to find events not wrapped up in the Christmas festivities at this time of the year, but there’s a few notable exceptions out there, like this weekend’s Makers pop-up in Haggerston. The one-dayer will be celebrating the East End’s creativity, beginning with 18 different workshops to get you making and doing. Names in the mix include paper crafter Poppy Chancellor and artist Lizzie King, who’s behind the acclaimed Get Rich or Tie-Dyeing workshop.

The event, which is split across different floors, will also include talks, activities for kids and good eats; in the Makers Kitchen, chef Ben Spalding will be serving up a seasonal menu featuring dishes such as Black Hand Pork Belly cooked in “Dalston Coca Cola” and Whipped mince pie. It’s bound to be memorable, if Ben’s popularity is anything to go by.

Finally, the US based vinyl members club Vinyl Me, Please will be making their London debut at Makers, offering you the chance to experience how to match your cocktails to your tunes, while Detroit DJ Theo Parrish is also scheduled to throw down on the ones and twos. Sounds like a brilliant day (and night) out to us! For more details, visit: billetto.co.uk/makers

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Somewhere you should go… Afrovibes Festival

Laura Thornley — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 11:08:11 +0000

Nelson Mandela’s death at the end of 2013 meant that he sadly passed before witnessing the 20th anniversary of the racially segregated structure he had spent his life working to dissolve. The monumental year of 1994 saw the final segregation laws changed, the South African citizens unified as one country under a multi-coloured flag and Mandela as the head of state. The Afrovibes Festival takes place every year and celebrates the music, culture and food of South Africa, but in this 20th year since the abolition of apartheid, the festival takes on an even more significant and reflective meaning.

With a programme of events across the arts, including dance, music and theatre, this festival at The Albany in Deptford represents a great opportunity to explore what the South African society is today; the festival emphasises an exploration of the past atrocities as well as how the country has changed since its liberation.

Don’t miss performances from acts such as The Revivalists – their only performance thus far in the UK. Their work focuses on claiming one’s heritage, despite judgement or perceptions from others. Also featuring ais the award-winning play Skierlik which looks at the racially motivated shooting spree in the remote settlement of the same name in 2008. There will also be a screening of African Cypher, celebrating the influence of dance as a reflection of its community and a spoken word night thanks to Chill Pill, the Albany residents.

The festival will also being serving up authentic South African food including Bunny Chow (curry served in hollowed bread) and Melktert in its township café: a treat that will transport you far away from South East London. (Words: Laura Thornley)

From 13-18 October. For more info visit: www.thealbany.org.uk/event_detail/1229/Theatre/Afrovibes-Festival-

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Somewhere you should go… Hula Schoola at Queen of Hoxton

Laura Thornley — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 10:00:46 +0000

Hula hooping may sounds like something you mastered back in the playground age 7, but quite frankly, you probably don’t know the half of it. The modern hula hoop is attributed to an inventor in 1958 but believe it or not it goes much further back in history. It features in a Native American hoop dance (often with 30 hoops at once!) and it also appears in records dating back to the 14th century, where a metal hoop craze took hold. Yes, our inner twirlers and spinners have been around for centuries and it looks like once again we are embracing this child-like urge to whirl as the hoop gets a hold on us.

If you have the urge, there’s a Hula Workshop on Sunday, 22nd June where you can perfect your hip movements and work up a six-pack of steel, but without the boring bits of gyms, treadmills and expensive equipment. The class is taking place at the Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch and costs a mere £12 for 90 minutes of laughs and hip swaying to head on the right road to washboard stomach (so we hear anyway).

The lady in charge, Marawa the Amazing, will be teaching you the ropes – and if you think you’ve seen her pretty face before you’re not suffering from déjà vu or sleep deprivation. No, this lady’s skillz have been broadcast on Britain’s Got Talent, and if Cowell gives the green light, you know she’s got to be good.

If you need even more convincing about the skill of your teacher then just get a load of this: 130 hoops at once… now that’s a lot of hoop to twirl at once. Inspiring stats like this are enough to get any adventurous mind boggling and eager to get involved… doesn’t it? (Words: Laura Thornley)

For more info, visit: http://www.indytute.com/events/Hoop-Lah-188.html#bookNow

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Something you should see… Run to Run

Laura Thornley — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:00:44 +0000

Ever felt like all art is a one-direction monologue, asking nothing but brain freeze from its viewer? Artist Hannah Millest certainly has. Some time back she developed an interactive art piece that dragged the viewer out of its passive slumber and forced us back into the driving seat: the artwork, Run to Run, meant the viewer had some legwork to do to get some arty rewards. The concept is an interesting one and now Run to Run has developed from its humble beginnings into the size of an exhibition. All the work included requires the viewer to spring back to life and get involved. Every piece will have an element of interactive-ness: the viewer is the one that moves, rather than the image (but sometimes that does too). The viewer is required to ‘perform’ the artwork… if they want to see an animation of a bike, they best get on their bike, so to speak. It’s a real see, play touch event, unusual for an art exhibition but a recipe that always ends in a lot of laughs. The exhibition will take place at the cultural hub that is the Bussey Building in Peckham, well-known for its experimental evenings of dance, art and music. The exhibition runs over 3 evenings and is rounded off by a closing party on Tuesday 28th January. The exhibition is free to enter and is sure to be a fun filled evening… so may I suggest a sweatband and your best running spikes! (Words: Laura Thornley) Run to Run is on from January 26 – 28. For more info visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/221567704690650/

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Something you should do… Friday Night Skate

The Cultural Exposé — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 10:00:48 +0000

Walking through the bustle of central London on a Friday night, you’re likely to see all kinds of people on the streets, from tourists to diplomats. Pedestrians share the road with all the familiar wheeled commuters: black cabs ferrying passengers to West End shows, city buses packed on two levels with commuters anxious to get home, cyclists artfully weaving through traffic, and a pack of roller skaters tearing around them all to keep up with the lead marshal. What you’ve just seen gliding past is the latest outing of the London Friday Night Skate. Every week, if the weather is good, skaters on both inline (rollerblades) and quad (traditional roller skates) dart around the streets of London for 2 hours, with a break in the middle of the route. The course changes every week, though it always begins at Hyde Park Corner. From there, skaters might travel over the bridge into Vauxhall or through Regents Park and Oxford Street. The skate is meant to be fun, but also challenging. The LFNS recommends that skaters should be able to stop, start, turn and control their speed on hills with experience street skating. For those looking for a slightly less intense, but no less enjoyable skating session, the folks behind LFNS also host the Sunday Stroll. Again, as long as Mother Nature cooperates, this skates takes off every Sunday from the east end of the Serpentine Road. The course here changes every week too, but the pace is much more relaxed and terrains easier for skaters to negotiate. All skates are free and staffed by volunteers. As long as you’re comfortable moving on the streets in skates, you’re welcome to join in on the fun. (Words: Barbara Cole) For more information visit: www.lfns.co.uk

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Somewhere you should go… Hot Tub Cinema

The Cultural Exposé — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:00:06 +0000

Whilst the grey clouds of economic gloom are beginning to part, sadly not all of us are ready to return to our decadent tendencies. But thankfully help is at hand for those of us whose wallets still can’t stretch to a Jacuzzi. Hot Tub Cinema combines, well, hot tubs and cinema and they’re returning this summer for their longest season to date.

Whether you want to bathe away your worries with your nearest and dearest or get to know someone new at close quarters, a convivial atmosphere is guaranteed. In every sense I imagine, there’s little need for ice-breakers in a hot-tub.

The films on the bill sit in a choice strip of the cinematic landscape – some familiar, some less so, nothing too art-house or heavy. Depending on whether you want to reacquaint with an old favourite or discover something new, you can generally feel assured that you’re in for a decent watch.

Whilst climbing into 30-odd degree water during this height of a heat wave might not seem like the wisest of moves, HTC’s outdoor, rooftop location helps combat any unwanted over-heating. Furthermore, tub service means you can grab a little refresher without ever leaving the comfort of your tub. Although, be warned, the combination of wet heat and drip-fed alcohol left even the most sauna-hardy amongst us feeling a little pickled by the end of the proceedings.

On paper Hot Tub Cinema looks a winning combination and in large it does well to fulfill on its promise. The concept is great, if in need of a little refinement, the evening wasn’t without its moments of queasiness; more responsible tubbing on our part might’ve helped. At £30 a place, it’s not one for the thrifty, but to my tastes, it amply repaid. (Words: William Prince)

The Summer of Tub season runs until September, with bookings open now for August screenings – www.hottubcinema.com/

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6 things you should do in London when the sun is here

Nori Bell-Bhuiyan — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:54:12 +0000

This city may not be renowned for consistently good weather, but that just makes it all the more important that, every once in a while when the sun is shining, we get out and enjoy it. So here’s a list of the things that you shouldn’t miss out on when the sun decides to come out and play:

Go Swimming

Summer and swimming have naturally gone hand in hand for as long as anyone can remember. One of the best places to take a dip in London for kids and adults both is the Serpentine Lido at Hyde Park. www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/sport-in-hyde-park/serpentine-lido

Go for an ice-cream

It wouldn’t be summer without indulging in creamy refreshing ice cream. The Covent Garden’s Icecreamists however, offer summer ice cream with a twist and their unconventional approach to ice cream making has led to some delicious and some plain bizarre concoctions. Some of the more risky flavours have even sparked lawsuits. www.theicecreamists.com

Take a walk in the park

When the sun’s out there can probably be no better feeling than taking a relaxing wander through greenery. London certainly has no shortage of great parks scattered all over the city, but one of the great ones is Richmond Park – and it has deer.
www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/about-richmond-park

Outdoor cinema

Sitting outdoors as the summer afternoon fades into the summer night, food and drinks on hand and your favourite film classic playing on a big screen… What’s not to love about a good outdoor film showing! Check out Pop Up Screens, which returns on July 12th. www.popupscreens.co.uk

Al Fresco Dining

Sitting outdoors to dine always has a wonderfully sophisticated allure to it, particularly if you find the right restaurant. Quality al fresco dining is available all over the capital, but one place that comes highly recommended is the Italian gourmet River Café, in Fulham. www.rivercafe.co.uk

Take a tour of the city

Alternative London Tours will show you around the cultural and creative East End of London, either on bikes or on foot, sharing inside knowledge of the area as well as a passion for the London that’s off-the-beaten-track. www.alternativeldn.co.uk

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Something you should see.. Collection Sandretto Re Rebaudengo: Have you seen me before? at Whitechapel Gallery

Lucy Palmer — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 10:00:08 +0000

This upcoming exhibition seeks to push the boundaries by playing on our expectations and feelings, skewing the line between reality and fiction all through work produced by internationally renowned artists.

The main attraction in the collection, a bear with soft fur made of fluffy chicken down by Paola Pivi. It challenges your expectations of the feared and dangerous predator with its soft and fluffy exterior. But there’s more works that will give you plenty to think about and ponder. Katharina Fritsch’s mammoth still-life sculpture Table with Cheese (1981) literally features oversized cheese, which can be seen as either appealing or revolting depending on your point of view.

Another recommended work included in the exhibit is by US artist Tauba Auerbach’s, Crumple VII (2009), which from a distance merely seems like a 3D crumpled sheet of paper but up close reveals a surface of undulating black dots, challenging your perception of what you are viewing depending on your position to the work.

The display also includes works by Micol Assael, Roberto Cuoghi, Thomas Demand, Fischli & Weiss, Giuseppe Gabellone, Anish Kapoor, Philippe Parreno and Rudolf Stingel.

Recognised as one the most important private collections in Europe this is an amazing opportunity to view some of the best modern art currently around in the intimate and close surroundings of the Whitechapel Gallery, another wonderful example of the free galleries London has on offer. (Words: Lucy Palmer)

Collection Sandretto Re Rebaudengo: Have you seen me before? is on at Whitechapel Gallery until September 8th. For more info, visit: http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/collection-sandretto-re-rebaudengo-have-you-seen-me-before

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Something you should do… Future Cinema: Saturday Night Fever

Nori Bell-Bhuiyan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:22 +0000

The 70’s are back in town this month with a screening of Saturday Night Fever like no other. For just few weeks in June & July the immersive cinema experience that is Future Cinema are transforming the Troxy into the Club 2001 Odyssey, fully decked out with DJs, dancefloors and disco balls.

True to Future Cinema’s reputation for creating once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences, this event will be much more than the showing of an iconic film – it’s an immersion into a whole world. Expect vibrant technicolor and glamour that fuses film, music, performance and design to create an unforgettable foray into the age of disco, while honouring the legendary dance film, starring John Travolta.

There will be dance classes, hairstyling, beauty parlours, vinyl, American hotdogs… all the best that the 70’s had to offer. On select nights there will even be special music guests such as disco diva Kym Mazelle to complete the Saturday Night atmosphere.

To make the most of a show like this you’ll need to get into character yourself. Glam up in vintage 70’s style and however you wear your hair, wear it bigger – then you know you’re ready to party. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan)

On until July 7th 2013. For more information visit: www.futurecinema.co.uk/news

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