Southbank Centre – The Cultural Exposé

Photos: Jazz:Fest, Southbank Centre

Matilda — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 12:00:12 +0000

The mighty Jazz Refreshed crew made their Southbank Centre debut with a day-long celebration of experimental jazz sounds on Sunday. I couldn’t wait to see headliner Ty, and as usual, he lived up to his legendary status with a brilliant and energetic performance. Here’s a few snaps from the day:

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Photos: Africa Utopia at Southbank Centre

Matilda — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:00:25 +0000

This three-day festival of arts and ideas from Africa keeps getting better and better! I only managed to swing by Sunday afternoon, but loved seeing the Chineke! Junior Orchestra in action, as well as folks chowing down on Africa street food, the gorgeous clothing stalls (I need a Vlisco-style wax fabric tee, stat) and the Afro dance class (which I actually gatecrashed, but nobody seemed to mind, ha). Check out some of my pics below:

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Something you should do… Winter at Southbank

Lucy Palmer — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 11:00:13 +0000

We all have those Christmas traditions we look forward to every year and one of mine is going with my friends to the Southbank too see the Christmas lights and ice rink and drink mulled wine as we wander by the river to keep out the cold. This year with so much on offer, they’ve set up www.southbanklondon.com/winter to make planning your Southbank visit hassle free and super easy to organise. Upcoming events include the 12 cocktails of Christmas at Oxo tower, Light Princess a new musical by Tori Amos, the Eyeskate ice rink and even Father Christmas at the London Aquarium where he’ll be hanging out with the penguins.

The site includes more than just event listings and will also host an online photo contest launching in January and a special Southbank advent calendar, as well as offers and deals for the areas many restaurants and shops, saving you more money for all the Christmas presents you need to buy.
With so many events on offer at the Southbank it’s the perfect time to visit and get in that Christmassy mood. And with events running into January it’s more than just a Christmas celebration but the perfect chance to beat the winter blues. (Words: Lucy Palmer)

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Something you should see…The Spaghetti Western Orchestra

Lucy Palmer — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:37 +0000

Everyone loves a cowboy, the rugged hero saving the town and always riding to the rescue just in time. The iconic films made Clint Eastwood a star and in a brilliant twist, The Spaghetti Western Orchestra are bringing the music from films such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Once Upon A Time In The West to life.

Made up of five fantastically talented musical members, they play over 100 instruments between them from the usual orchestra makeup such as the piano and drums to the lesser-known, blowing on bottles, crushing cornflakes, playing coat hangers, apples,
squeaky toys, rubber gloves, bicycle pumps, nail clippers and more – all recreating every punch up, gunshot, and jangling spur we love that made up our most loved cowboy films.

Because so often it is the music that accompanies our favourite films that we remember most, The Spaghetti Western Orchestra bring this beautifully to life combining music, film and comedy to make an altogether different night out at the theatre.

Their touring schedule has taken them all around the world and is definitely worth a trip during their brief stay in London – just
maybe leave your horse and cowboy hat at home… (Words: Lucy Palmer)

From January 5-11 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank. Click here for more info.

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Somewhere you should go… onedotzero_adventures in motion festival 2011

Rachel Segal Hamilton — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:50:24 +0000

With a programme that includes everything from ‘web-based storytelling’ to ‘projection mapping in the fourth dimension’, onedotzero_adventures in motion sounds like a festival from the future. But you may be surprised to learn that this annual showcase of cutting edge moving image and digital culture from across the globe is celebrating its 15th birthday.

As in years past, the emphasis at onedotzero is firmly on creativity and innovation. There’ll be an exciting and eclectic mix of interactive film screenings, experimental installations, live audio visual performance, talks and workshops, plus a symposium presented by graduates of Cascade, onedotzero’s multi-disciplinary education platform. Early career efforts by some of the freshest filmmakers around today – such as Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze and groundbreaking video artist Chris Cunningham – have previously featured in the festival so keep your eyes peeled for new talent!

The best work at onedotzero succeeds in blurring the boundaries between art and design, gaming and entertainment. We can’t wait to check out Plasticity, a giant artificial human brain and ‘participatory sonic experience’, created from a vast web of LED lights, speakers and microphones, distributed around the entrance to the BFI’s atrium. Younger visitors will have a blast designing their own MouthOff™ app cartoons at the Sprites Family Workshop. And don’t miss Future Cities, a selection of short live action and animation films depicting beautiful, strange and sometimes scary visions of the fate which could befall our hyper urbanised world. (Words: Rachel Segal Hamilton)

onedotzero runs from 23-27 November 2011 at BFI Southbank. Click here for more info.

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Something you should see…Tracey Emin’s Love Is What You Want exhibition

Rachel Segal Hamilton — Fri, 27 May 2011 06:32:09 +0000

Swear words spelt out in neon, used tampons behind a glass frame, an indecent proposal from a dog…we’d expect nothing less from Tracey Emin. She’s the queen of Britart’s most notorious works – and while Everyone I Have Ever Slept With and My Bed are absent here, this major survey of Emin’s work shows instead the impressive variety of her technique since the 1990s.

Using text, paint, video, neon, monoprint line drawing, sculpture, textiles and memorabilia, Emin draws on personal and often harrowing experiences from her own life to explore female sexuality, family and friendship. In the video How it Feels, she recounts a botched abortion in brutally candid detail, while Trying on Clothes From My Friends is a series of photos of the artist larking about in various states of undress.

Somehow Emin’s work achieves something rare – to be both uncomfortable and accessible – as her gritty subject matter and bouts of narcissism are offset by an undercurrent of warmth and wit. Well worth a visit. (Words: Rachel Segal Hamilton)

Love is What You Want runs until 29 August at the Hayward Gallery. Click here for more info.

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