Here’s your spring 2019 what’s on, giving you a taster of the many exciting 
events coming up in London over the next 3 months. Continue reading
Welcome back to the Painted Hall, Greenwich
The Painted Hall has been undergoing extensive renovation for the last 2 years so I was really looking forward to seeing this amazing place when it was unveiled. They managed to keep the venue open to visitors during the work by offering tours on the enormous scaffolding erected to enable the painstaking cleaning and this gave visitors a once in a lifetime chance to see the ceiling really close up. I went on one of these tours and you can read about that here. Continue reading
Martin Parr’s Only Human at the National Portrait Gallery
Martin Parr is one of our great British photographers with a career spanning over 40 years. So I was excited to be invited to the preview of his new show, Only Human, at the National Portrait Gallery, especially as I knew Martin would be there himself. It’s a brilliant display of his observations of Britishness in all its eccentricities and variety with particular reference to a country after Brexit referendum. Continue reading
The return of the extraordinary Cast Courts at the V&A
Who doesn’t love a sneak preview? It was a late night opening at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and most visitors were enjoying the very loud and upbeat band playing in the main entrance. However, I was there to use my members only entry to the reopened Cast Courts and as I flashed my card at the entrance, I found I had them to myself – what a treat. Continue reading
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize
Painted portraits or photographic portraits – is one medium better than the other for capturing a person, is there more skill in the painting or the photograph? I was pondering these questions as I approached the National Portrait Gallery to view the annual Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. Earlier in the year I had enjoyed their exhibition of painted portraits and here’s my blog about it so you can compare the two: BP Portrait Award. I had really enjoyed many of those pieces still remembered them so was slightly apprehensive that I would not be as impressed, a little unfair I know, but there it is! Continue reading
The new Science Gallery London
London has so many museums and galleries, from the world-famous ones such as British Museum and Natural History Museum, V&A and National Gallery through to fascinating smaller and niche ones such Sir John Soane’s, Denis Severs, The Fan Museum and the Museum of Brands and Packaging – and so many more… However, we do love a new opening so we were excited to hear that after a couple of years of preparations, the Science Gallery was finally ready to visit. Continue reading
Modern Couples opens at London’s Barbican Gallery
It’s been a mammoth undertaking! This was the introduction from Jane Alison, the co-curator of the Barbican’s new exhibition, Modern Couples, which explores how all the relationships featured in the exhibition have changed art and how society viewed these relationships. This is not art seen as it so often is through the lens of the single male genius but instead it opens up our thinking about what emerges from collaborations between couples and it makes a particular point of putting the women first in each couple (where there is a man/woman couple) making her the lead, not the muse or supporter. A refreshing viewpoint, which feels very much in tune with our times. Continue reading
What’s on in London this autumn and winter 2018
I’ve been looking through all kinds of listings to pick out some good stuff for you for the next 3 months of what’s on in London. Scroll through the various categories to find what floats your boat: special events, theatre, art galleries, shopping, fashion and markets, museums and exhibitions, foodie things, parks gardens and royal palaces, sport and music! Continue reading
Splendours of the Subcontinent at the Queen’s Gallery, London
The first member of the royal family to visit India was Edward when he was Prince of Wales in 1875. The purpose of the tour was to establish and strengthen diplomatic links with the independent rulers of Indian Subcontinent who were not under the British crown. He visited more than 21 places over 8 months and met over 90 rulers and the gifts mounted up. Continue reading
Glorious dresses from Azzedine Alaia at the Design Museum
So often displays of dresses are a disappointment as the mannequins used do not do the designs justice and the dresses end up looking limp and the best idea of the real glory of the frock comes only from an old photo of a celeb wearing it. Not the case here! These dresses by Azzedine Alaia shine and stun you as soon as you enter the room and stay with you when you leave. Continue reading