Southbank – The Cultural Exposé

Something you should see… Gandini Juggling’s Smashed

Matilda — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 10:00:09 +0000

The award-winning Smashed is a cheeky and bizarre display of circus mastery presented by nine performers who act like they probably juggle in their sleep. In 60 minutes, 80 apples and four crockery sets are tossed with effortless precision, sometimes with one-hand, other times with the help of a fellow juggler in perfectly choreographed acts. It’s only in the murky narrative where the balls – intentionally or otherwise – tend to drop. Set at a tea party that confusingly touches on courtship, bullying and ageism, the show starts off prim and proper before descending into an awkward riot that, for all the clues in the title, you don’t quite see coming. But once the final apple is smashed and the show wraps up in a bemusing throwback to the show’s sophisticated start, you can only chuckle at such a bewildering end. A must-see this Spring. On until 18th May at Udderbelly Festival. For more info, visit: www.underbelly.co.uk.

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Pic: Ryoko Uyama

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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… Dayanita Singh: Go Away Closer

Lucy Palmer — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 10:00:18 +0000

Dayanita Singh is often described as simply a photographer, but her work – while usually photo-based – goes far beyond that, using original display methods and covering a never ending array of topics.
A major new exhibition of her work is about to begin at the Hayward Gallery. Going beyond the traditional photography exhibit, the themes have been organised and put onto tall seven-foot structures. They resemble hard back books with flaps that allow you to pull out each ‘page’, forming a photography wall display.

It’s a method that has been used by Dayanita throughout her career – she would make photo books for friends capturing the things they had done together, the photos were in a zig zag form allowing the book to stand up and form a mini exhibition for the reader. When one of these books was given to a German publisher who loved the photos and the original style and design and asked to publish them, they were an instant success.
The photos are heavily influenced by Dayanita’s life in India but also include images from her extensive travels around the world. The exhibit includes her famous works such as Dream Villa, Blue Book, I am as I am, Bombay Portraits and the Mona portfolio. (Words: Lucy Palmer)
Dayanita Singh: Go Away Closer is on from 8 October – 15 December. For more info, visit: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/dayanita-singh-78547

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Something You Should See… Endless Stair

Lucy Palmer — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 10:32:33 +0000

Personally I blame the Shard, that’s what started this obsession with things in London being high and tall. There’s no more mere five storey buildings for us – if you don’t have to crane your neck to look at its very top, it’s just not getting built in the capital anymore. While not quite skyscraper status, the Endless Stair installation – with its 187 steps – will allow visitors to climb up towards the sky and provide a new viewing platform and feature in London’s attractions. The 436 metre interactive structure is made of a series of 20 interlocking staircases, inspired by drawings of M.C. Escher which is clearly evident when viewing the structure. From photos the piece slightly resembles a children’s jungle playground frame with visitors navigating the steps which turn up and down, left, right and everywhere testing our visual and physical perceptions. Located just outside the famous riverbank art space of the Tate Modern the new installation is being raved as one of the landmark and pivotal pieces from this year’s London Design Festival and was designed by architectural firm dRMM.Endless Stair can accommodate a maximum of 93 people at a time so arrive early or be prepared for queues. (Words: Lucy Palmer) On until 10th October 2013, admission is free. For more info, visit www.londondesignfestival.com/endless-stair

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Somewhere you should go… I Have a Dream: Architects of Our Republic at Southbank Centre

Matilda — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 10:00:12 +0000

It was on August, 28th 1963 that civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr shared his vision for the future while marching to Washington DC to demand equality for all. 50 years on, his I Have A Dream speech remains one of the most stirring, historical moments in modern history, especially as it would come a year before the Civil Rights Act was passed, outlawing all types of discrimination in the US. Since then, King’s address has continued to inspire around the globe and a number of events will be held on Wednesday, August 28th to celebrate its impact on its 50th anniversary. The likes of Charlie Dark, Zena Edwards and Malika Booker will be part of an incredible line-up of contemporary artists who will descend on The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall to honour the speech through spoken word, music and film. There will also be a chance to learn protest and freedom songs at Voicelab’s Sing Freedom! workshop and sing them during a march from Jubilee Gardens to Queen’s Walk – but the main highlight of the event will be a rare yet welcome appearance from the legendary Last Poets, who rose to prominence during the civil rights movement. It’s set to be an inspiring day and evening where art celebrates history, so for more info, visit: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/i-have-a-dream-architects-of-our-republic-78235

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Something You Should See… Light Show, Hayward Gallery

Florence Ritter — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:00:10 +0000

Light. We have built pyramids to worship it, sundials to utilise it and, more recently in our relatively short homo sapien history, solar panels to harness and regenerate it. This month at Hayward Gallery, 23 artists heralding from Venezuela to Wales have been brought together for their work with this most essential of natural phenomena. Light Show showcases pivotal works from the past fifty years which investigate light, its properties and its effects. The artists selected for Hayward’s Light Show are those who are considered significant and progressive in their use of the medium. Some shape light, some shape space with light, some shape our perception of space with light. Alongside some of the more established and readily recognisable works (Dan Flavin’s monuments to Minimalism and James Turrell’s dazzling ganzfeld to name but two examples) the exhibition features the products of a whole range of experiments with this most intangible of media. François Morellet’s astoundingly elegant neon tubes rear northwards from the same concrete floor that is blemished with a humorous ‘splat’ shape beamed by Ceal Floyer’s bowed spotlight nearby. Carlos Cruz-Diez has created a glowing pastel paradise, Katie Paterson presents a room filled with moonlight and Olafur Eliasson presents a strobe-lighted water garden which is the pièce de résistance of the show, and really has to be seen to be believed. Here’s a question: what is light if not our perception of it? As Hayward director Ralph Rugoff proclaimed at the opening of the show, ‘in the world of art it takes two to tango’ – these works are about personal encounters and direct experience. Light Show is an exhibition of verbs: you can explore light, feel light, touch it, stand and bathe in it. You can even almost smell light in the heat coming off the crackling filaments in Cerith Wyn Evan’s towers and from the scorching lamps that fill Ann Veronica Janssens’ misty room with rose-coloured sunshine. Our pupils expand and contract as we move in and out of the darkened exhibition spaces, and our ears hum with the sound of projectors and mist generators. Move your body to Hayward and treat your eyes to this wonderland of visual stimuli as soon as possible: when word gets out about this spectacular show, the crowds will come like moths to a flame. Many of the works are interactive, and there may be queues, but let me tell you – without exception, each is worth the wait. (Words: Florence Ritter) Light Show at the Hayward Gallery is on until April 28th. For more info, visit: http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/light-show-69759

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Somewhere you should go…Vintage Festival, Southbank Centre

The Cultural Exposé — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:00:35 +0000

Old is officially the new ‘new’ and this is true whether you’re looking at fashion, film or music – so brace yourself for a three-day extravaganza putting this philosophy to the test at the Southbank Centre from July 29 to 31st.

Vintage Festival is a celebration of the glamour and style that made Britain so unique from the roaring 1920s to the neon blur of the 1980s. Parts of the event will be held at the historic Royal Festival Hall, which will be dressed up in its own vintage-style glad rags. Tickets can be purchased for exclusive access to events and activities that take place over six different floors, and by day, the venue will play host to live performances, makeovers,vintage retailers, and catwalk shows featuring Jo Wood and Pearl and Daisy Lowe. By night the festival puts on an exclusive Vintage Revue, where a collaboration of world-class performers will entertain audiences.

But for those of us who live life on the cheap do not be disappointed. Vintage Festival also includes free access to the Vintage Marketplace, funfair, food market, bars, beauty parlours and more! (Words: Beth Downey)

For details visit: www.vintageatsouthbankcentre.co.uk

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