listings

Category: Music

The 8th instalment of Lounge on the Farm promises to be even more deliciously scrumptious than ever before. Heading it up will be a truly diverse and jaw-dropping line up of legends including Seasick Steve and Soul II Soul, featuring Caron Wheeler. Lounge on the Farm’s very own ‘house band’, The Dub Pistols, are back and so is one of the UK’s top reggae bands Aswad. Also expect sets from Man Like Me, Willy Moon and many more.

The FarmFolk plays host to the harmonious sounds of Simone Felice, Treetop Flyers and Marika Hackman, and The Farmhouse Stage features bands and DJs. At LOTF’s most kooky hang out, The Playhouse, discover the weird, the wonderful, the surreal and the downright absurd. From sunrise until the early hours, revellers will find themselves immersed in a unique brand of high octane, leftfield entertainment. Expect to see side splitting stand-up, variety performances, circus, contemporary burlesque, captivating spoken word, and wild, dark and heartfelt music from the best-loved musicians of the cabaret scene. All this will be hosted by The Boom Bang Club, plus Roots Manuva and Kate Tempest will head up Spoken Word curated by Tongue Fu, one of London’s liveliest spoken word nights.

Photography by Pete Fry.

Kids won’t be disappointed either, with offerings from The Science Museum, Shlomo Beatbox Adventure, Chatback Kids Comedy Club, the NCT Sensory Room plus a chance to try out Bushcraft.

Lounge on the Farm was the first festival in the world to put food in the limelight alongside the music. There will be grass-roots and personal cooking of an exceptional standard, proudly championing seasonal, local produce and low food miles. Expect lovingly crafted and carefully refined recipes demonstrated by a host of critically acclaimed chefs in the Kitchen Theatre.

Get lost in nooks and crannies, visit the Victorian funfair in association with The Dreamland Trust; hang out at the Spa and Create area in amongst The Orchards or discover secret restaurants far from the madding crowd. Last year’s big hitter, the Roller Disco, is back along with Lounge favourite The Groovy Movie Solar Cinema, Auntie Nora’s Jumble Sale, Vintage Market, and much, much more besides!

Sounds like the perfect small festival – and it's fabulously close to London. Read our review from back in the early days right here.

Category: Art

Inkygoodness is the brainchild of Lisa Hassell, a lover of character illustration. She shares her very distinctive aesthetic on her much loved Inkygoodness website, and that showcase occasionally spills out into the real world: Inkygoodness has created exhibitions across the UK as well as in Antwerp and Berlin. Lisa's latest project is the Beermat Character Competition, a brilliantly simple idea to which a host of creatives have responded. The end result is an exhibition at the Coningsby Gallery in London, where viewers will have the chance to revel in artists' imaginative and fascinating creations up close.

Beermat Characters by Michael Slack.

Beermat Characters by Joanne Hawker.

Expect to see art from the following and many more: Bart Aalbers (NL), Cachete Jack (ESP), TADO (UK) , Muxxi (GU), Ryan Quincy (USA), David Shillinglaw (UK), Florence Blanchard (FR), Kristyna Baczynski (UK), Scott Balmer (UK) , Dave Bain (UK), Marina Munn (BG), Sneaky Raccoon (UK), Nate Bear (USA), Toy Factory (BE), Mr Penfold (UK), Osian Efnisien (UK), Rob Pybus (UK), Sac Magique (UK)

Beermat Character by Jorfe.

Beermat Character by Slumberbean.

Also showing alongside Inkygoodness is the latest project from Ammo Magazine. Their Poop Deck Project features a host of maritime characters, myths, legends and popular nautical references, all of which has culminated in the creation of a series of art prints and a collectable deck of cards.

Beermat Characters by Rinske Zijsling.

As a fellow new mother (our sons were born not far apart) I have been following Lisa Hassell's creative projects with great interest: she's an inspiration to everyone who works as they care for a baby. You can follow her on twitter for excellent snippets of inspiration about life as a creative and a mother. I look forward to seeing the finished artworks, which include felt plush, paper cuts, inks, paint, 3D and digital, in the flesh. Find more information on the Coningsby Gallery website.

Private view: Tue 30th April, 6pm – 9pm

Category: Art

We.Create International presents Raw Talent, the first ever student-run Art Exhibition and Fashion Show to showcase creativity to respected members of the industry. Raw Talent hosts an art exhibition featuring paintings, ceramics, photography and garments during the day and a fashion show in the evening. From over 300 applications from eight University of the Arts London universities, including Central School of Speech and Drama and Goldsmiths, 69 students were chosen to display their pieces in the exhibition. The fashion show will feature fashion designs from art colleges such as Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion and University of Creative Arts. 

Dr. Gentle and Mr Man by Seung youn Lee.

Dream Catcher Vases by Amanda Tong.

Multiplicity jewellery for a visual movement by Byulna Yoo.

We.Create International Society is a student-run society belonging to the University of the Arts London which promotes entrepreneurialism amongst art and design students by creating opportunities for students to showcase and sell their work. Visit Raw Talent for a unique glimpse into the talent heading out into industry this year.

For full opening times, listing info and to purchase tickets for the event, visit the online ticketing website here.

Category: Fashion

Lara Jensen SS13 Vanitas Collection.

Second Nature will investigate the enduring relationship between fashion and nature, illustrating the powerful influence of the environment on design, patterns, materials and production across the fashion industry. This intriguing new exhibition features a collection of fashion designers working to the highest level of the craft, and takes place in the PM Gallery, the extension to one of Sir John Soane’s great architectural treasures, Pitzhanger Manor sitting in Walpole Park, Ealing. It is the ‘dream house’ designed by Soane as a place to entertain his friends and display his collection of art and antiquities. Second Nature includes film, illustration and sound, as well as patterned textiles and garments, elaborate plumage incorporated into millinery and durable outdoor fashions employing natural fabrics.
 

Peter Pilotto SS12.

The exhibition was inspired by Soane’s work and, in particular, the ways in which he used architectural effects and trompe l’oeil to bring the outside world into his buildings. His country retreat, Pitzhanger Manor, is a striking example of his fascination with the workings of nature, evident in such details as the elaborate Bird of Paradise wallpaper in the Upstairs Drawing Room and the rose garden he planted at the back of the House.
 

Swash, image by David Dunan.

Curator Gemma Williams says 'Soane brought the natural world indoors with his designs and interiors, while fashion has been weaving the environment into its creations for many years. Our new exhibition will provide a vibrant review of the inventive ways in which widely varied designers have continued to return to nature for inspiration. That this will happen within a masterful example of Soane’s craft is a real joy for us and the combination of exhibits and setting will provide a feast for the eyes.'
 

Giles Deacon.

A collection of accessory designers and sculptors will create a special Cabinet of Curiosities filled with myriad intricate objects. Designers for this part of the show include Dai Rees, Leandro Cano, Nora Fok, Simon Costin and Yasemen Hussein. Other featured designers include Donna Karan, Roksanda Ilincic, Zandra Rhodes, Roland Mouret, Giles Deacon, Fyodor Golan, Peter Pilotto, Nigel Cabourn, Jaeger, Temperley London, Laura Ashley and Lara Jensen.
 
Opening Times: Tues-Fri & Sunday 1-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm; Closed Monday.
Travel: Trains & tube to Ealing Broadway. Buses 207, 65 & 83.
Find further visitor information here.

Category: Art

Hattie Stewart's Mean Girls.

To coincide with Film4 Summer Screen open air cinema at Somerset House, Print Club London has curated a screen printed poster exhibition in the newly opened West Wing Galleries. This special collaboration will see some of the most talented and innovative illustrators from the UK and USA design and produce 17 new and original screen prints, inspired by the each of the films screened this year.

Michael Gillette's Kes.

Some of the illustrators selected include Kate Gibb (creator of Chemical Brothers album artwork), Anthony Burrill, James Joyce, Serge Seidlitz and Michael Gillette as well as newcomer Hattie Stewart (read our recent interview with Hattie Stewart here). The full list of films and illustrators can be found here on the Print Club London website.

Joe Wilson's Throne of Blood.

All the prints will be produced in limited editions of 200, signed by the artist and available to buy at £40 each. The exhibition will be open daily until late throughout the Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House season. Amelia's Magazine readers are invited to the Private View Buyers Night (invite below, please RSVP), supported by Dalston Cocktail Bar RUBYS.

Opening times: 10am-6pm and additionally from 6.30pm-9pm for Film4 Summer Screen ticket holders (8–21 August).
More details on the Somerset House website here.

Category: Art

Emerald, oil on linen, 2013

Lindsey Bull’s third solo exhibition – In Disguise – brings together an impressive series of delicate, small-scale paintings which address notions of disguise and transformation. Bull's figures are often masked, hooded or in some way concealed, enacting undefined movements with abstract, undulating rhythms of the brush stroke. Bull draws upon a lexicon of imagery, from books on witchcraft and cults, to silent film stills and occult magazines, exploring perceptions of reality and illusion and investigating fragmentary instances where the real merges with the fantastical.

Dancing woman, oil on canvas, 2012

Bewitched, oil on canvas, 2012.

Head, oil on canvas, 2013.

In Disguise is being held at the High House Gallery, Clanfield, Oxfordshire.
Opening Times: Thurs to Sun: 11am – 5pm

Twins, oil on canvas, 2012.

Category: Art

Artist Tom Howse was shortlisted for the Catlin Prize in 2012, which was when I caught up with him for this exclusive interview. Now Tom Howse has his first solo show at High House Gallery, an exciting venue in Oxfordshire which champions contemporary artists.

Tom Howse is one of the stars of a new generation of exciting young painters that are the vanguard of a new movement that is re-invigorating the recently unfashionable world of oil on canvas. In his paintings he monumentalises figures or objects to bestow them with a greater power, albeit an irrelevant and superficial one. Colour and paint work as a language to evolve an image beyond a physical depiction to produce exciting work that is mysterious, raw and primal.

Opening Times: Thurs to Sun: 11am – 5pm

The 25th edition of London Art Fair – the largest Modern British and contemporary art Fair in the UK – opens tonight in Islington. This year's strong>London Art Fair is the largest ever, bringing together over 130 galleries exhibiting work by over 1,000 artists. It really is the most extraordinary place to discover new art: check out my two reviews of the London Art Fair from 2012 for an idea of what is on offer. Read part one here, and part two here. Writer Jessica Furseth reveiwed the London Art Fair in 2011 here.

Your ticket includes access to an impressive selection of free Talks, Tours, Performances & Book Signings (booking is recommended).

Highlights include:
Thurs 17 Jan 2.00pm – Publishers Lund Humphries present two talks: the first, a look at the unseen photographs of a Modern British artist usually known for his paintings, Keith Vaughan.
Thurs 17 Jan 3.30pm – Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery presents 'The Artist Edition' – a guide to collecting prints and multiples from the days of Duchamp to the present day.
Fri 18 Jan 12.30pm – The second Lund Humphries talk presents painter Jeremy Gardiner, talking to Pallant House curator Simon Martin about his fascination with coastal landscapes and geology.
Sat 19 Jan 1.30pm – Foyles and Phaidon present 'The Art Quiz' – a one-off quiz for novices and aficionados alike. 40 questions in 40 minutes. Prizes to be won.
Sat 19 Jan 12.00pm – The Arts Desk and a special guest panel, including broadcaster Matthew Collings, examine 'Art Crazy Prices' and whether increasing auction prices have changed our experience of art.

View the full Talks Programme and book your place here.

Opening times:
Wednesday 16 January – including Photography Focus Day – 11am-9pm
Thursday 17 January – including Thursday Late – 11am-9pm
Friday 18 January 11am-7pm
Saturday 19 January 10am-7pm
Sunday 20 January 10am-5pm

Tickets:
Tickets Available to Buy Online and On the Door

Preview Evening, Tues 15th Jan – £30, valid for the strong>London Art Fair Preview reception, 6.30-9.00pm
Day Tickets – £16, valid for any one visit to the London Art Fair during normal opening hours
Six Day Pass – £35, unlimited entry for the duration of the strong>London Art Fair from 6.30pm on 15th Jan until the close of the strong>London Art Fair.
Call the ticket hotline on +44 (0)844 8480 138 or **BOOK TICKETS ONLINE**

Nearest tube stops: Highbury & Islington and Angel.

Category: Art

Re-examining the creative potential of the classic children's stories is all the rage amongst illustrators at present. Hot on the heels of Emma Block's The Enchanted Forest Grimm's fairy tales exhibition comes Curiouser and Curiouser, an exhibition exploring the stories of Lewis Carroll. This timely show follows the Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the Tate Liverpool in 2011 (read my review here) and features the illustration work of Middlesex University alumni; current students, tutors and graduates. For sneak previews of the artwork in show visit facebook here.

Alice Through the Looking Glass by Emma Block.

Taking place for a week at Curious Duke Gallery, you are also invited to the private view, complete with a Mad Hatter’s tea-party and talk by the Lewis Carroll Society (6:30pm) on Thursday 24th January, from 6 – 9 pm. To see more work by Middlesex Uni illustration department check out my review of 2012's graduate show here.

White rabbit by Eileen Kai Hing Kwan.

Opening Times: Mon-Fri: 11:30am – 6:30pm, Sat: 12:00am – 4:00pm.

Category: Art

Camilla Westergard.

After successful shows in Liverpool and London in 2012, the Ghosts of Gone Birds project arrives in Brighton with a brand new exhibition hosted by the ONCA Gallery – an art space set up by Laura Coleman in Brighton to work with local and national conservation projects, giving artists and communities a platform through which to engage with our changing environment. The charitable trust will run themed exhibitions, creative writing courses, workshops and outdoor education events in coordination with each of the projects.

Deborah Moon.

'It’s a perfect fit for us,' says Ghosts of Gone Birds creator and creative director, Chris Aldhous. 'It gives the Ghosts project a permanent base for three months so that we can really stretch out and develop a lot of new ideas and involve a lot of new artists – as well as some of the familiar work from last year’s show at the Rochelle School. But the idea remains exactly the same: inviting people to use their creativity to breathe life back into the birds we have lost – so we don’t lose any more.'

Victoria Foster.

The trust’s founder and director, Laura Coleman, is a Ditchling-born artist who had been working at an animal refuge centre in the Bolivian jungle. She returned to Sussex to start the ONCA project (One Network for Conservation and the Arts) and says, 'I wanted to find a way to use creativity to connect with and preserve the wild, both inside and out.'

Geo Law.

The first phase of Ghosts in Brighton will feature new art by Stephen Melton, Patrick St. Paul, Victoria Foster, George Law, Jenny Hooper, Eduardo Fuentes and Amelia's Magazine contributor Deborah Moon – who got involved after reading about the project in these pages. There will also be performance events in collaboration with Feral Theatre, live poetry with WordPLAY and the return of the Ghosts Night Out live music event featuring a range of local musicians and bands.

Carolyn Drake.

For the first time the project will feature photography – by Carolyn Drake – and the campaigning side of the show will focus on raising awareness and funds to fight the illegal trapping of endangered birds in Cyprus through the barbaric use of mist-nets and lime sticks.

Chris Aldhous added, 'Ghosts is about raising a creative army for conservation – and finding the most powerful way to tell the story of what has happened in the past, so that people can understand and chose to get involved in preventing extinctions in the future.'

Definitely somewhere to visit if you're down in Brighton, and in the meantime make sure you also check in with my review of last year's Ghosts of Gone Birds show too.

Opening times: Tues – Fri 12 – 7pm / Sat & Sun 11 – 6pm
For latest info don't forget to visit the Ghosts of Gone Birds Facebook page.