LondonLife – The National Gallery at sunset…
Trafalgar Square
This Week in London -The Banqueting Hall reopened; new loans at The National Gallery; and, 40 years of the Freud Museum London…
• The Banqueting House in Whitehall has reopened following a major project upgrading the building facilities with a new display on the history of the lost Palace of Whitehall. Visitors to the building will learn about the lost palace – of which the Banqueting House is one of the last surviving parts – and see the house’s magnificent ceiling painted by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens. Included is the chance to recline underneath the ceiling on cushioned benches and in bean bags and access specially created digital content to enrich your experience. This weekend BBC Radio presenter Georgia Martin and sound engineer Rob Winter will bring their Classical DJ project to the house, featuring a soundtrack inspired by the drama of the Stuart court and the Rubens ceiling. Admission charge applies. Runs until 20th September. For more, see www.hrp.org.uk.
• Catch a glimpse of the arts scenes of Barcelona, Berlin and Paris at the beginning of the 20th century via three new loans on show at The National Gallery. Joining a collection of works by Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas and George Bellows in the gallery’s Room 45 is American artist Marsden Hartley’s abstract work – Painting No 50 (1914–15), as well as Pablo Picasso’s Portrait of Germaine (1902) – the only Blue Period work by Picasso currently on display in a London museum. Meanwhile, Monet’s Waterlilies (1905) completes a group of four of the artist’s ‘Water-Lily’ works on display in Room 46. Admission is free. For more, see nationalgallery.org.uk.
• The 40th anniversary of Freud Museum London is being marked with a new display. Opening next Wednesday, the display features items from Sigmund Freud’s collection of antiquities as well as family treasures. Runs from next Wednesday until 14th February. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://www.freud.org.uk/
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – ‘Childhood in War’; ‘A Century of American Photography’; and, Monet and Renoir reunited…
• The impact of war on children is the subject of a new exhibition opening at IWM London on Friday. Childhood in War spans the period from World War I to today when more than one in six children globally – more than 450 million – live in areas impacted by war. It features personal testimonies, interactive and hands-on experiences and items from child rights organisations including UNICEF, Right to Learn Afghanistan and War Child. Designed with both families and adult visitors in mind, highlights include a teddy bear still treasured by Holocaust survivor John Hadj, a red knitted jumper given to Jochewet Heidenstein shortly before he and her sisters departed for the UK as part of the Kindertransport at the start of World War II, a large-scale evacuee train carriage, recreations of 20th century war games and reconstructed rooms including a child’s bedroom during World War II and a Cold War-era living room and kitchen. There are also contemporary stories from places including Afghanistan, Ukraine and Sudan. Runs until 28th February, 2027. Admission is free. For more, see iwm.org.uk/events/childhood-in-war.
• More than 100 landmark works by some of the most influential photographers of the 20th century sit at the centre of Dulwich Picture Gallery’s new exhibition, Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography. The gallery’s second major photography exhibition, the display opens in the early 1900s, charts the impact of the Wall Street crash of 1929 and then turns to the rise of photographic modernism, how dramatic physical changes reshaped American cities in the mid-20th century and depictions of life on the margins before concluding with a presentation of Bruce Davidson’s renowned Subway series (1980–85). Featuring the works of some 38 artists, other highlights include Lewis Hine’s Riding the Ball High up on Empire State (1930), Dorothea Lange’s White Angel Breadline, San Francisco (1933), Helen Levitt and Saul Leiter’s studies of street life and works by arry Winogrand, Diane Arbus and Lee Friedlander. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk.
• Claude Monet’s Bathers at La Grenouillère and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s La Grenouillère (both of which date from 1869) are being shown together in The National Gallery for the first time in 19 years ahead of the gallery major new exhibition, Renoir and Love. Painted side-by-side from a similar vantage point the gallery says the works “capture a defining moment in the birth of Impressionism” and provides a glimpse into the friendships and spirit of experimentation which will be explored in the upcoming exhibition (opening in October). The two paintings can be seen until mid-September. Admission is free. For more, see https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Newly discovered Tudor ring on show; Swiss art at the National Gallery; and, the story of electric travel in London…
• A newly discovered gold signet ring bearing the signet of Queen Elizabeth I has gone on display this week at Hampton Court Palace. The ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at the site of a former royal hunting ground at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, and was purchased by Historic Royal Palaces under the terms of the Treasure Act 1996. Dated to the 1570s, it features an engraving of a phoenix rising from the flames. The phoenix emblem was first associated with Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, following the publication of a poem in 1575 by Ulpian Fulwell in which she is eulogised as being like a phoenix, with her daughter Elizabeth rising from the ashes as “a worthy Queen”. It was around this time that Queen Elizabeth I adopted the phoenix emblem for herself to honour her late mother. The emblem subsequently became associated with Anne Boleyn and courtiers had it incorporated in their clothing, jewels and paintings to show loyalty to the queen. It’s thought the ring may have been lost by a courtier or supporter of the Queen. Also on display at Hampton Court is the ‘Boleyn ring’ which, found close to the home of Anne Boleyn’s cousin, is engraved with a bull’s head and arrayed with sunbeams and stars of white enamel and features religious decoration of icons of the Virgin and Child and St Catherine of Alexandria. It has been speculated it belonged to Anne’s father or brother. On display in the Tudor World exhibition in the Wolsey Rooms at Hampton Court Palace and included in palace admission. For more, see https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/.
• Eighteenth century Swiss artist Angelica Kauffmann’s first history painting in oils – Achilles discovered among the Daughters of Lycomedes – has been gifted to the National Gallery. The painting is one of three by Swiss artists gifted to the gallery by Dallas-based collectors Richard and Luba Barrett. The other two include Portrait of Louis Montchal by Ferdinand Hodler (1853–1918) and a landscape – Gallery Four Large Trees – by Alexandre Calame (1810–64). Kaufmann’s painting – the first of hers to enter the National Gallery’s current collection – was produced in 1787 to 1778 at the height of her success in Europe. An unusually large and fully worked preparatory picture, it was created for a final painting commissioned by Catherine the Great that is now at the Scientific-Research Museum of the Academy of Arts of Russia in St Petersburg. Kauffmann’s work can be seen in Room 37, Hodler’s in Room 44 and Calame’s in Room 39. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk
• The story of electric travel is being told at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden from next Tuesday. Electric Pioneers features a programme of events for families to explore the story of how electricity has shaped transport in London. Activities include the chance to design your own traffic light, meet costumed characters in the museum’s galleries and discover how electricity is made. Runs until 2nd September. Admission charges apply. For more see ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/summer-holidays-electric-pioneers.
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – America’s 250th at the British Museum; Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s landscapes; and, ‘rival queens’ at the Foundling Museum…
• The Washington Peace Medal, engraved to bear a portrait of George Washington by Paul Revere in 1777, is at the heart of a new exhibition at the British Museum marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Declaring independence: USA 250 also features a ceremonial copy of the Declaration of Independence, handwritten in sheepskin and on loan from the West Sussex Record Office, known as the Sussex Declaration (it will be added halfway through the display’s run), a wampum belt representing the diplomacy between the Lenape people and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in 1712 (the Lenape later signed the Treaty of Fort Pitt in 1778 with the Revolutionaries in what was the first formal treaty between an Indigenous Nation and the United States), and a pipe tomahawk given to Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant), a Mohawk, Haudenosaunee leader, which represents the Mohawk alliance with the British. The free display can be seen in Room 3 until 29th November. For more, see www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/declaring-independence-usa-250.
• The first UK exhibition of the works of Austrian painter Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793-1865) – and the first to be devoted solely to his landscapes – opens at the National Gallery today. Waldmüller: Landscapes features about 14 works including landscapes depicting scenes in the Prater, Vienna’s famous park, the Alpine region near Salzburg in Austria known as the Salzkammergut, views of Sicily, and later works such as Early Spring in the Vienna Woods (1861). Waldmüller, who was trained at the Academy in Vienna, visited London in 1856, bringing with him 34 works which were sold at auction following a private audience with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, each of whom bought one. The exhibition in Room 1, which has been organised in cooperation with the Belvedere, Vienna, runs until 20th September. Admission is free. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/waldmüller-landscapes.
• A new display celebrating 300 years since the debut of two operas by George Frideric Handel in London – Alessandro and Scipione – is running at the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury. 300 Years of the ‘Rival Queens’: Handel’s 1726 Opera Season focuses on Italian soprano Faustina Bordoni and her rival Francesca Cuzzoni and how Handel carefully composed operas with two equally important roles to suit both singers, known as the ‘rival queens’. Admission charge applies. Runs until 25th October. For more, see https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/event/handels-1726-opera-season/
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
10 of London’s notable fountains – 1. Trafalgar Square fountains…
Whether it’s for a quick dip, the chance to stand in the mist or simply being in close proximity to the cooling water, London’s many fountains have proven their worth already this summer. We take a look at 10 of the most notable…
Subscribe for just £3 a month to access all of Exploring London’s articles – and support our work!
This Week in London – William Tyndale’s New Testament; Marilyn Monroe portraits; and, the Great Exhibition Road Festival…
• The 500 year story of one of the smallest yet most revolutionary books in English history is being told at St Paul’s Cathedral. A Dangerous Calling: 500 Years of William Tyndale’s New Testament, which opens tomorrow, provides a rare chance for visitors to see a first edition of Tyndale’s translation up close in the cathedral library (one of only three in existence) as well as access to a new digitised version on the cathedral floor. The exhibition can be seen until 27th February. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.stpauls.co.uk/whats-on/exhibition-dangerous-calling-500-years-of-william-tyndales-new-testament
• Marilyn Monroe’s life, career and legacy is the subject of a new exhibition which opened at the National Portrait Gallery this week. Marking 100 years since her birth, Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait features works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty, Cecil Beaton and Richard Avedon. There’s also unseen photographs portraits taken by Allan Grant at Monroe’s Brentwood residence a day before her death in August, 1962, in a session for Life magazine. The display can be seen until 6th September. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/marilyn-monroe-a-portrait
• The Great Exhibition Road Festival kicks off in South Kensington this weekend, marking 175 years since the 1881 Great Exhibition. The event features workshops, talks, performances and installations with organisations ranging from the Natural History Museum and Science Museum taking part along with Imperial College London, the Royal Parks, the V&A and Royal Albert Hall. For more on the festival, head to https://www.greatexhibitionroadfestival.co.uk/.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com.
This Week in London – Henry Moore at Kew; The National Gallery expands online offering; and, Churchill’s paintings…
• The largest outdoor exhibition of the art of Henry Moore – including a series of monumental sculptures – goes on display at Kew Gardens this Saturday. Henry Moore: Monumental Nature features 30 of Moore’s work placed across Kew’s landscapes and inside the Temperate House along with more than 90 smaller works on show in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Among the large sculptural works on show will be Large Two Forms, Oval with Points, Reclining Woman: Elbow, Locking Piece and Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae while the smaller works include bronzes as well as stone and wood carvings, prints and drawings. Meanwhile, from 5th June Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex is hosting a parallel exhibition of four more of Moore’s sculptures shown alongside newly commissioned pieces from contemporary artists. Both displays can be seen until 27th September. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.kew.org/kew-gardens.
• The entire collection of The National Gallery can be seen in a new online tour. The new Google Arts & Culture tour shows the 2024–25 Bicentenary redisplays of the whole collection, CC Land: The Wonder of Art. There’s also a highlights tour covering seven rooms which focuses on specific paintings including Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, Sebastiano del Piombo’s The Raising of Lazarus, Johannes Vermeer’s A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun’s Self Portrait in a Straw Hat, Edouard Manet’s portrait of the artist Eva Gonzalès, Sir Thomas Lawrence’s The Red Boy and Claude Monet’s The Water-Lily Pond. The Google Arts & Culture National Gallery Complete Tour can be found at www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours/google-street-view-virtual-tour, and the The Google Arts & Culture National Gallery Highlights Tour at www.nationalgallery.org.uk/stories/virtual-curated-tour.
• Now On: Winston Churchill: The Painter. The first major retrospective of Sir Winston Churchill’s paintings since his death, this display at the Wallace Collection brings together 50 of his works, more than half from private collections. As well as wartime scenes and Mediterranean views, they include still lives, portraits, Moroccan cityscapes and paintings of Churchill’s home of Chartwell. Runs until 29th November. Admission is free. For more, see www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/winston-churchill-the-painter/
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Zurbarán at the National Gallery; documents to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence; and, NIGO at the Design Museum…
• The work of 17th century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán is the subject of a new exhibition opening at the National Gallery this weekend. Zurbarán, the first major monographic exhibition on his work in the UK, features almost 50 paintings spanning the breadth of his career. They include life-size depictions of saints, altarpieces and still lifes such as Saint Bonaventure on His Bier, Saint Apollonia, The Crucifixion, The Crucified Chrisr with a Painter and Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose. Zurbarán (1598-1664) spent most of his life in Seville and, along with Diego Velázquez and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, is considered one of the leading Spanish artists of his era. Runs until 23rd August. Admission charge applies. The exhibition will travel on to the Musée du Louvre and then the Art Institute of Chicago. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
• Rare documents related to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the US are going on display in the City of London Heritage Gallery. The display, which marks the 250th anniversary of the signing, features two letters, dated 1775, which were sent to the City of London from the General Committee of Association of the City and County of New York and the Congress in Philadelphia along with a silk bookmark commemorating the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on 14th April, 1865, and the Roll of Fame recording the Honorary Freedom of the City of London opened at the entry for General Dwight D Eisenhower. Admission is free. The display, entered via the Guildhall Art Gallery, runs until 29th October. For more, see www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/events/heritage-gallery-display-america-and-london.
• The first UK exhibition showcasing the multi-faceted work of Japanese designer and creative director NIGO opens at the Design Museum tomorrow. NIGO: From Japan with Love features more than 700 objects with highlights including a recreation of NIGO’s teenage bedroom, ceramics hand-thrown by NIGO and a life-size glass tea house made especially for the exhibition. Runs until 4th October. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/nigo-from-japan-with-love.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – St Patrick’s Day celebrations; Banqueting House ‘sneak peeks’; and, George Stubbs…
• The St Patrick’s Day parade and celebrations in Trafalgar Square take place this Sunday. The parade, which features Irish CountyAssociations, marching bands, dancers, musicians and carnival performers, kicks off at noon and heads along Piccadilly, through Piccadilly Circus, down Regent Street and then Cockspur Street before ending in the square. In the square, Irish comedian Rachel Galvo will host the main stage where acts will include traditional and contemporary performances from the likes of Irish Culture Centre Hammersmith’s Singing and Reminiscence Choir, Moonlight: The Philip Lynott Enigma, Carrie Baxter, Cór na nÓg Caisleán, Jig and Swig and the London Bodhrán Band, The Wran, Nell Mescal, Huartan, David Keenan and Robert Arkins ‘Commitments’. There’s also a tent hosting comedy, spoken word, music, and Irish film and TV shorts, an exhibition, Irish language lessons, children’s arts and crafts, and the ‘Oldbog Cottage’ experience. Meanwhile, celebrity chef Anna Haugh and The Wee Sister restaurant will be serving Irish dishes while the square will also host a range of stalls offering food, crafts and other Irish delights. For more, see london.gov.uk/events/st-patricks- festival-2026
• George Stubbs’ (1724-1806) monumental portrait of a rearing horse is at the centre of an exhibition which opened at The National Gallery this week. Alongside Scrub, a bay horse belonging to the Marquess of Rockingham (c1762), Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse also features other paintings and works on paper by the artist and visitors can compare the large-scale equine portrait with another of Stubbs’ masterpieces, Whistlejacket (c1762), which is on display nearby in Room 34. The exhibition can be seen in Room 1 until 31st May. Admission is free. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/.
• People are invited to visit the Banqueting House in Whitehall for a “sneak preview” following a major project to upgrade visitor facilities ahead of its formal reopening this summer. The 400-year-old building boasts a new passenger lift offering step-free access to the main hall, home, of Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpiece ceiling, for the first time while a new heating system has been installed along with a new sustainably sourced English Oak floor. The sneak previews will take place on 20th March, 3rd April, 1st May, 29th May and 26th June ahead of its reopening on 1st August. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.hrp.org.uk/banqueting-house/.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Lunar New Year celebrations; Aardman at the Young V&A; and, the women in Dickens’ life…
• Lunar New Year festivities will be held in Chinatown in central London this weekend including lion dances and the Chinese New Year Parade. Lion dances will be held throughout Chinatown on Saturday and Sunday while the parade kicks off at 10am on Sunday just east of Trafalgar Square reaching the square at 12 where an afternoon of festivities will be held. For more, see www.london.gov.uk/events/lunar-new-year-festival-spring-2026. Meanwhile, Lunar New Year celebrations will also be held in Greenwich on Saturday. The celebrations include lion dances, musical and dance performances, a martial arts demonstration, workshops including one on Tibetan dance and another on lantern making and the chance to sample Asian food. For more, see www.rmg.co.uk/lunarnewyear.
• A new exhibition at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green takes a look behind the scenes of stop-motion classics such as Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep. Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends, created primarily for children and families and marking Aardman’s 50th annversary, features some 150 objects including never-seen-before models, sets and storyboards from Aardman’s archives as well as interactive activities ranging from designing characters and experimenting with lighting through to creating live action videos. Among the items on show are early sketches of Wallace & Gromit, a hand-drawn storyboard from The Wrong Trousers (1993) train chase, Wallace & Gromit’s motorbike and sidecar from Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), and the airship model from The Pirates! (2012). Admission charge applies. Runs until 15th November. For more, see vam.ac.uk/young.
• The women who influenced Charles Dickens are at the centre of a new exhibition at the Charles Dickens Museum. Extra/Ordinary Women features a portrait of Dickens’ daughters, Katey and Mamie, on display for the first time, Catherine Dickens’s cookbook, and a draft preface to an 1857 manual for educating working class children written by penned by Angela Burdett Coutts and including edits by Dickens in blue ink as well as items owned by Ellen Ternan, best known for her 12-year extra-marital relationship with Dickens. Admission charge applies. Runs until 6th September. For more, see https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/extra-ordinary-women.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Art deco at the London Transport Museum; art storage during WWII commemorated; and, William Dobson’s self-portrait…
• An exhibition exploring the influence of the art deco movement on graphic poster design in on now at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. Art deco: the golden age of poster design features more than a hundred original 1920s and 1930s transport posters and poster artworks alongside photography, short films, ceramics and other objects to mark the centenary of the 1925 Paris exhibition where art deco originated. In the UK, Frank Pick, then-chief executive of London Transport, was the individual most responsible for advancing this form of graphic style, master-minding the publicity for the Underground and LT from 1908 onwards. A number of the posters in the exhibition in the Global Poster Gallery have never been put on public display before. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/art-deco.
Photo: The National Gallery, London
• An inscribed stone tablet commemorating the Welsh quarry where The National Gallery’s art was protected during World War II has been put on permanent display in the gallery. The tablet, made from slate taken from the Manod quarry in Eryri (Snowdonia), was conceived by the artist Jeremy Deller and designed and carved by letter-carver John Neilson. The work, which was commissioned by Mostyn, an art gallery in Llandudno and supported by CELF – the national contemporary art gallery for Wales, can be seen in the Portico Vestibule, close to Boris Anrep’s floor mosaic of Sir Winston Churchill depicted in war time. The Manod slate mine in north Wales was chosen to store the art after an earlier proposal to evacuate the works to Canada was vetoed over fears of U-boat attacks. At the mine, explosives were used to enlarge the entrance to allow access for the the largest paintings and several small brick ‘bungalows’ were built within the caverns to protect the paintings from variations in humidity and temperature. What was known as an ‘elephant’ case was constructed to transport the paintings on trucks from London and, by the summer of 1941, the entire collection had moved to its new subterranean home, where it was to remain for four years, returning to London only after the end of the war in 1945. For more see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/.
• A self-portrait by William Dobson, widely considered to be the first great painter born in Britain, has gone on display at Tate Britain alongside a Dobson’s portrait of his wife. Dobson’s painting, which was acquired by the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery, was made between 1635 and 1640 and is said to be a “groundbreaking example of English self-portraiture”. His Portrait of the Artist’s Wife (c1635-40), which joined Tate’s collection in 1992, depicts Dobson’s second wife Judith and would have been conceived around the time of their marriage in December, 1637. Dobson rose to the role of King Charles I’s official painter before his career was cut tragically short when he died at the age of 35. For more, see tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain.
• Send items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com.
This Week in London – Trafalgar Square Christmas tree to light up; new location for returning Sir John Tenniel plaque; and, Chinese crafts at the V&A…
• The lights will be turned on the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree tonight. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the gift of the first Christmas tree to the people of London from the Norwegian city of Oslo in acknowledgement of the support Britain gave to Norway during World War II. The festivities will include the choir of St-Martin-in-the-Fields singing some well known Christmas carols to music led by the Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army, the reading of a poem written by children who live in Westminster, a display by The Corps of Drums from the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood and a performance by Det Norske Jentekor, The Norwegian Girls’ Choir, conducted by Anne Karin Sundal-Ask. Festivities start at 5pm and the lights switch on at 6pm. The tree will be in the square until 5th January after which it will be recycled. You can follow the tree on Instagram at @TrafalgarTree, on TikTok at @TrafalgarTree, and on X at @TrafalgarTree.
• A Blue Plaque commemorating Alice in Wonderland illustrator and political cartoonist Sir John Tenniel has been returned to London’s streets – but to a different location than that where it was first positioned. The plaque, which is actually jade-green and white, was originally unveiled by the London County Council in 1930 at Tenniel’s longtime Maida Vale home (the colour was due to the request of the house-holder). But following its removal when the house was demolished in 1959, the plaque was so damaged that its destruction was authorised. But this wasn’t carried out and the plaque, which features an early “wreathed” design, has been in storage since. Following restoration, however, it has now been relocated to a new home – a property at 52 Fitz-George Avenue in West Kensington where Tenniel spent the final years of his life.
• The first major UK exhibition exploring contemporary studio crafts in China is on now at the V&A South Kensington. Dimensions: Contemporary Chinese Studio Crafts features more than 80 objects including almost 50 new acquisitions and puts a spotlight on “contemporary and modern makers who build upon longstanding tradition to reinvent ancient practices, pioneer alternative techniques, and develop new channels for self-expression”. Many of the objects – displayed in the China and Ceramics galleries – sit in dialogue alongside permanent displays of historic Chinese craftsmanship. Highlights include large scale works such as Lin Fanglu’s She’s Bestowed Love (2025), that transforms intricate tie-dye practices into a monumental textile sculpture, more delicate pieces such as Zhang Huimin’s Golden Mammary 4 (2025), a brooch produced by pushing the boundary of filigree in a reinvention of traditional practice, a wall hanging by pioneering artist of studio pottery Tan Chang, as well as works by the three potters who were the first to be exhibited in China under the mantle of ‘modern ceramics’: Mei Wending, Zeng Li and Zeng Peng. Runs until 27th September next year. Free admission. For more, see www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/dimensions-contemporary-chinese-studio-crafts.
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Wes Anderson’s archive explored; Edwin Austin Abbey at The National Gallery; and, Christmas at the Tower…
• The first retrospective of the work of film-maker Wes Anderson has opened at the Design Museum in South Kensington. Wes Anderson: The Archives draws on the director’s own archives to chart the evolution of his films from early experiments in the 1990s and collaborations to an exploration of the design stories behind films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs. The display features more than 700 objects including original storyboards, polaroids, sketches, paintings, handwritten notebooks, puppets, miniature models and costumes. Highlights include a candy-pink model of the Grand Budapest Hotel, vending machines from Asteroid City, a FENDI fur coat worn by Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums, stop motion puppets used to depict the fantastical sea creatures in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Mr Fox wearing his signature corduroy suit and show dog Nutmeg alongside miniature sets. There’s also a screening of Bottle Rocket, Anderson’s first short film, created in 1993. Runs until 26th July. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/wes-anderson-the-archives.
• A design for the ceiling of the House of Representatives in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the US has gone on show at The National Gallery as part of a new exhibition dedicated to its creator Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911). The 12-feet diameter half-scale design for The Hours, newly conserved by the Yale University Art Gallery, depicts 24 female figures representing the 24 hours of the day. The display, Edwin Austin Abbey: By the Dawn’s Early Light, also features six preparatory drawings for his work, The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania, a vast wall mural featuring representations of 16th and 17th century English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and American frontiersman Daniel Boone behind the Speaker’s dais. Abbey, who lived and worked in the UK, displayed the first of his Harrisburg murals at the University of London in 1908 prior to shipping them to the US – guests included King Edward VII and Queen Alexandria. The free display can be seen in the HJ Hyams Room (Room 1) until 15th February. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/edwin-austin-abbey-by-the-dawn-s-early-light
• The Tower of London is being transformed into a “magical storybook world” to mark Christmas this year. A Storybook Christmas at the Tower of London features royal romances, legendary figures and treasured traditions which include animals who once lived in the Tower’s royal menagerie, the famous tower ravens, the chance to step onto a regal throne for a family portrait and find storybook backdrops among Christmas trees and wreaths, and an opportunity to explore the story of the Tower’s Royal Observatory where the first Royal Astronomer was appointed in 1675. The “storybook Christmas” opens on Sunday and runs until 4th January. Included in general admission. For more, see www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/.
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – The first Lady Mayor’s Show; Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’ at the National Portrait Gallery; and, Audrey Hepburn’s Blue Plaque…
• The Lord Mayor’s Show – or this year, for the first time in its 800 year history, the Lady Mayor’s Show – takes place on Saturday as Dame Susan Langley is celebrated as the City of London’s 697th Lord Mayor of London. Langley, who takes office at Guildhall on Friday in the ancient ‘Silent Ceremony’, is the third woman to hold the role and the first to adopt the title “Lady Mayor”. The more than three mile-long procession, which kicks off at 11am, features around 7,000 participants, 200 horses and more than 50 decorated floats and travels from the Mansion House, the official mayoral residence, through the City to the Royal Courts of Justice, via St Paul’s Cathedral, before returning. The centrepiece as always is the State Coach carrying the Lady Mayor as she fulfills the dual purpose of showing herself to residents and swearing allegiance to the crown. For more – including details of the procession’s route, head to https://lordmayorsshow.london/.
• The first exhibition dedicated to the work of 18th century artist Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’ opens at The National Gallery tomorrow. Wright of Derby: From the Shadows focuses on his career between 1765 and 1773 when he created his candlelight series. On show are a number of works from this series including Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight (1765), A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun (1766), and the gallery’s own An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768). Mezzotint prints of Wright’s works – key to the establishment of his international reputation – will also be on display. The exhibition, in the Sunley Room, runs until 10th May. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/wright-of-derby-from-the-shadows.
• Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn has been honoured with an English Heritage Blue Plaque on her former home in Mayfair. The plaque at 65 South Audley Street was where Hepburn lived in a flat with her mother between 1949 to 1954 as she launched her career as an actor. It was from here that she travelled to the West End to perform in chorus lines, appeared in British films such as 1951’s The Lavender Hill Mob and while living here that she was cast as the lead in Gigi on Broadway – a key stepping stone towards her breakthrough performance in 1953’s Roman Holiday. Hepburn was born in Brussels but had strong ties to London, training at the Ballet Rambert and working as a dancer and model before moving on to acting. Of course, as well as Roman Holiday, Hepburn performed notable roles Sabrina, Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady, and Charade. She later dedicated herself to humanitarian work, serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly before her death in 1993. For more on English Heritage Blue Plaques, see www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/.
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Totally Thames kicks off; Black On The Square; and, ‘Rivers and Roads’…
• It’s September and that means Totally Thames – London’s annual month-long festival centred on the famous waterway – is underway. This year’s festival includes a packed programme of events which this weekend include the St Katharine Docks Classic Boat Festival, the Kingston River Cultures Festival, a mud-larking exhibition held in the ancient Roman amphitheatre under Guildhall Yard and a Victorian family day out at Crossness Pumping Station. Other highlights include a foreshore archaeology walk at Deptford (14th September), guided tours of the HMS Wellington (20th September), the month-long exhibition of winners and runners-up from the annual Thames Lens photography competition on the Riverside Walkway on the north bank near Millennium Bridge, and, of course, the annual Great River Race (on Saturday, 20th September). For more, head to https://thamesfestivaltrust.org/whats-on/.
• The contribution of Black Londoners is again being celebrated this weekend as Black On The Square returns to Trafalgar Square. The free, family-friendly festival, now in its third year features live music, dance, food and workshops and this year includes a focus on London’s nightlife under the theme ‘Intergenerate’ recognising Black Londoners’ contribution to electronic culture and night life and featuring Garage music producer and DJ Wookie. There will also be a series of stalls offering foods ranging from Caribbean classics to West African vegan bites and artisanal goods including jewellery, art, books, homeware and fashion with the ‘Accra to London’ stall offering a range of items influenced by Ghana’s capital city, Accra, a highlight. Runs from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday. For more, see https://www.london.gov.uk/events/black-square-2025.
• The Great West Road and the Thames have served as key routes into London since Roman times and they’re now the subject of a new exhibition at the Barbican Library. Rivers and Roads features the work of Brentford-based painter Helena Butler, who paints in a semi abstract style to capture the landscape and the feelings and images the local scenery inspires, and ceramic artist Anna Butler, who has produced a series in response to Alfred Noyes’ beloved poem The Shining Streets of London. Admission is free. Runs until 29th September. For more, see www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/events/rivers-and-roads-art-exhibition
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com.
This Week in London – Millet at The National Gallery; exploring Great Ormond Street Hospital’s new children’s cancer centre; and, a Banksy at the London Transport Museum…
• The first UK exhibition in almost 50 years dedicated to the works of 19th century French artist Jean-François Millet (1814-1875) opens at The National Gallery today. Millet: Life on the Land, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of his death, features around 13 drawings and paintings from British public collections including The National Gallery’s The Winnower (about 1847‒8) as well as L’Angelus (1857‒9) from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris. The exhibition can be seen in Room 1 until 19th October. Admission is free. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/millet-life-on-the-land.
• An immersive digital experience which brings to life the Great Ormond Street Hospital’s new Children’s Cancer Centre opened at Outernet London off Tottenham Court Road this week. The Big Build Adventure, a partnership between the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity and Outernet London, features a giant virtual paint wall, building themed games, a construction site selfie station and the chance to symbolically buy a brick to help build the centre. The free experience can be experienced until 31st August. Admission is free. For more, see www.outernet.com/news/great-ormond-street-hospital-charity-and-outernet-studios-launch-the-big-build-adventure.
• An artwork by Banksy – depicting a rat hanging from the arm of a clock – has gone on show at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. The artwork first appeared on the door of a Transport for London signal controller cabinet in Croydon in October, 2019, which was located in front of the artist’s pop-up showroom installation, Gross Domestic Product. The work, which was preserved by the museum, has been mounted onto an identical cabinet body to provide context for its original appearance. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.ltmuseum.co.uk.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – ‘Design and Disability’ at the V&A; Eid on the Square; and, James Brimble’s pictures of Epping Forest…
• The intersection between design and disability is at the focus of a new exhibition at the V&A which opens on Saturday. Design and Disability showcases the contributions of disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people to contemporary culture from the 1940s until now and spans the disciplines of design, art, architecture, fashion and photography. Highlights include: the world’s first commercially made adaptive Xbox controller by Microsoft; photographs by Simon Way which capture the work of Jaipur Foot as it makes free prosthetic legs, feet and arms for millions of people across India; the
McGonagle Reader – an audio-assisted voting device to help Blind and low vision people to vote independently; and, the Squeeze Chaise Longue, a red recliner developed by artist Wendy Jacobs, which embraces the sitter between two red mohair arms and provides comforting sensory feedback for those who appreciate deep pressure stimulation. The exhibition in The Porter Gallery at the South Kensington institution runs until 15th February. Admission charges apply. For more, see
vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/design-and-disability.
• Eid on the Square returns to Trafalgar Square this Sunday. The free, family-friendly festival, hosted by Deana Soni and Haroon Rashid, will feature traditional and contemporary performances by Nasheed artist Mesut Kurtis, Chand Ali Khan Qawwal & Group, the Indonesian Angklung Ensemble feat HE Dr Desra Percaya, and children’s entertainers Omar & Hana. Halal Tourism Britain are running guided walking tours and presenting a pop-up Muslim Museum of Britain, and there will be workshops including drumming, coconut leaf weaving, calligraphy and poetry at the WAW Creative Arts Family Zone, while Rumi’s Cave – Spearhead Creatives will hosts an interactive tent which blends comedy, music and creative writing. Market stalls will offer books, crafts and jewellery, and the chance to indulge in delicious dishes ranging from Uzbek and Afghan cuisine to Korean fried chicken, churros and much more. Runs from noon to 6pm. For more, see www.london.gov.uk/events/eid-square-2025.
• On Now – James Brimble’s Picture Archive. This free exhibition at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre in Chingford celebrates James Brimble’s 1950 book London’s Epping Forest and includes a range of restored images by James, most of which are previously unpublished, including framed prints and a digital display of around 100 images of Epping Forest and the surrounding areas from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The display also contains some of the original copper printing plates from his book and supporting material depicting Brimble’s photographic legacy. Can be seen until 28th September. For more, see www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/epping-forest/where-to-go-in-epping-forest/chingford-visitor-centre.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – VE Day commemorated at St Paul’s; the National Gallery redisplayed; and, Tate Modern celebrates its 25th…
• VE Day commemorations continue in London this week with an Evensong service to be held outside St Paul’s Cathedral this evening. The service to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe will be held between 5pm and 6pm. Following the service will be a lamp-lighting ceremony and blessing on the cathedral’s west steps with the cathedral bells being tolled as part of a national bell-ringing at 6:30pm. A replica of a World War II Spitfire can also be seen in front of the West Steps. The service is free and unticketed – entry is via Paternoster Square. For more, see www.stpauls.co.uk/whats-on/special-evensong-to-commemorate-80th-anniversary-of-end-of-second-world-war-in-europe-ve80.
Central Hall, The National Gallery. Image and Identity: Full-Length Portraits 1550-1900. Part of ‘C C Land: The Wonder of Art’. PICTURE: © The National Gallery, London
• A major redisplay of the National Gallery’s collection – created as part of its bicentenary celebrations – can be seen from Saturday. C C Land: The Wonder of Art, which coincides with the opening of the transformed Sainsbury Wing after more than two years of building works, features more than 1,000 works and traces the development of painting in the Western European tradition from the 13th to 20th centuries. Among the works displayed are the Coronation State Portraits, commissioned from the artists Peter Kuhfeld and Paul S Benney and unveiled by King Charles III and Queen Camilla this week, which will be on display until 5th June when they will be moved to the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace. There are also newly restored works including the Pollaiuolo brothers’ The Martyrdom of San Sebastian and Jan van Eyck’s Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?) and newly acquired works such as Eva Gonzalès’ The Full-length Mirror (about 1869‒70), Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s After the Audience (1879) and Nicolas Poussin’s Eucharist (about 1637‒40) – one of the greatest paintings of the Last Supper. Meanwhile, a series of rooms have been dedicated to the work of individual artists including the likes of Titian (active about 1506‒1576), Rembrandt (1606‒1669) and Monet (1840‒1926) and one part of the new display focuses on King Charles I (1600‒1649) as a collector of art and includes major loans from the Royal Collection. Finally, in a first for the gallery, Segna di Bonaventura’s Crucifix (about 1310‒15) has been suspended from the gallery’s ceiling, enabling today’s audiences to view the work in the way it would have been seen in the 14th century. Entry to the gallery is free. For more, see nationalgallery.org.uk.
• The Tate Modern is celebrating 25 years this weekend with four days of festivities starting from tomorrow (Friday). A number of recent additions to Tate’s collection will go on display around the building for the anniversary and some of the most iconic works from Tate Modern’s history are coming back including Louise Bourgeois’s 10 metre high bronze spider Maman which was the first work to greet visitors when Tate Modern opened in 2000. Other returning works include Mark Rothko’s Seagram murals and Dorothea Tanning’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik while among contemporary works being highlighted over the weekend is an immersive multi-screen film installation by Nalini Malani. Two new exhibitions are also open for the anniversary weekend – A Year in Art: 2050 which explores how artists imagine possible futures, and, Gathering Ground which features international contemporary art united by a deep connection to land and community. The weekend also features live music and performances, pop-up talks and tours, and special food and drink offers. For more, see https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/birthday-weekender.
Send all items for inclusion to exploringlondon@gmail.com
This Week in London – Gold bunnies at Hampton Court; St George’s Day at Trafalgar Square; and, ‘Food Season’ at the British Library…
Wishing all our readers a happy Easter!
• The Lindt GOLD BUNNY hunt has returned to Hampton Court Palace this Easter. People visiting the palace can seek out the gold bunnies hidden around the gardens – currently also the location of the Tulip Festival – and those children who believe they have found them all will be rewarded with a chocolate treat. Included in general admission. Runs until 21st April. For more, see https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/
• A free, family-friendly event celebrating England’s rich heritage through music, dance, and workshops will be held in Trafalgar Square on Monday to mark St George’s Day. The event, which runs from noon to 6pm, will be hosted by singer-songwriter Harleymoon Kemp and includes performances by The Nigel Grice Jazz Collective, the English Folk Dance and Song Society, singer-songwriter Matilda Garcia, South London-based dance company Bird and Gang, spoken word artist Palacio de Poetas, West End Kids, and harmony group Vocal Shack. St George and the famous Dragon will also be roaming the square and the event also features traditional Morris dancing from the Belles of London City, the chance to meet the Pearly Kings and Queens and a closing ceilidh led by Cut A Shine, a troupe of traditional musicians and dancers. There will also be a variety of food and beverage stalls. For more, see www.london.gov.uk/events/st-georges-day-2025
• The British Library’s ‘Food Season’ – featuring a programme of live talks, panel discussions, workshops, and exclusive tastings – kicks off today. Now in its seventh year, events include a conversation with cookery icon Dame Prue Leith who will be talking about her life in food with journalist Jimi Famurewa, an expert panel discussion on the impact of weight-loss injections on our society, a contribution from cult food magazine Vittles looking at the point of a cookbook?, and a conversation between chef Nadiya Hussain and celebrated author Candice Brathwaite. There’s also an event celebrating the late Californian feminist food writer, MFK Fisher, with her daughter, Kennedy Golden, Alastair Harper from band Extradition Order (who will be performing as part of the event) and authors Rebecca May Johnson and Gurdeep Loyal. The final weekend (31st May to 1st June) will feature the ‘BIG WEEKEND’, a two day celebration of food through words, sounds, cultures, ideas and tastings. For tickets and the full programme of events, head to https://events.bl.uk/whats-on/food-season.
Send all items to exploringlondon@gmail.com.
Exploring London 