What’s on in London this week: 21 - 27 October 2024

Discover our pick of events in London this week: 21 - 27 October 2024.

Frieze Sculpture

It’s the final week to catch this year’s Frieze Sculpture installations! This free outdoor exhibition in Regent’s Park, curated by Fatoş Üstek, features works by 22 international artists, presenting innovative public sculptures that incorporate sound, light, performance, video, and augmented reality. The sculptures will be on display throughout Regent’s Park until the weekend.

Date: 18 September – 27 October 2024. Location: The Regent's Park, Chester Rd London, NW1 4NR. Price: Free.

Halloween at Kew

Kew Gardens has opened a new after-dark Halloween trail, created by the team behind Christmas at Kew. They have pulled out all the stops with a spooky, illuminated path featuring ghostly spaces, flickering flames, glowing pumpkins, neon cobwebs, ghouls, witches, giant spiders, and bats. The experience includes a fire garden with live fire artists, as well as treats like hot toddies, decadent hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows.

Date: 18 - 26 October 2024. Time: 6pm - 10pm; 27 October - 3 November 2024: 4pm -  10pm. Location: Kew Gardens, Entrances at Elizabeth Gate and Brentford Gate only. Price: from £17. Book now.

Kirstine Roepstorff, LIGHTNING ROD, 2024, 2112. Frieze Sculpture 2024. Photo by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Linda Nylind/ Frieze.

Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck at the Barbican

Flemish architects Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck showcase their Ghent-based practice, AJDVIV, highlighting recent projects such as the innovative redesign of the Palais des Expositions in Charleroi, created in collaboration with AgwA. Their work reflects a bold approach to architecture, merging artistic vision with functional design.

Date: 22 October 2024.  Time: 7.30pm. Location: The Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £15 + BF. Book now.

Gin and Jazz at Artesian Bar

Tanqueray No. TEN launches its ‘Make It a TEN’ residency at the renowned Artesian bar within The Langham, in celebration of London Cocktail Week. This week, the residency will host a Gin and Jazz night showcasing live performances by rising jazz artist CKTRL. The curated cocktail menu, crafted by actor and cocktail enthusiast Stanley Tucci and head bartender Giulia Cuccurullo, includes unique interpretations of classic cocktails like the Gimlet and French 75, paired with exquisite canapés. The ‘Make It a TEN’ residency runs from 3 - 31 October, with another Gin and Jazz night set to take place on 24 October.  Click here for more on this residency.

Date: 3 - 31 October 2024. Location: The Langham, 1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA.

LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair 2023.

LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair

The LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair returns to Mayfair this week, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the LAPADA Association. Featuring over 80 exhibitors, the fair will showcase fine art, jewellery, sculpture, and rare antiquities, including a Monet masterpiece and a vanity box belonging to Queen Victoria’s Mistress of the Robes. A partnership with Fromental will bring a special display to the venue’s exterior. New for 2024 is the LAPADA Fringe, expanding the fair’s cultural reach across Mayfair. Click here for more on what to expect from this year’s fair.

Date: 23 - 27 October 2024. Location: Berkeley Square, Mayfair. Price: from £27. Book now.

London Literature Festival

The Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival opens this week, inviting readers of all ages to celebrate the written and spoken word. Co-curated by British rapper Ghetts, the festival kicks off on 23 October and will showcase emerging writers inspired by the city. Highlights include Ghetts Presents: An Evening of Poetry and Music , where writers and musicians will explore their respective art forms, discussions with Florence Given about her book Women Living Deliciously, and Alan Hollinghurst presenting his novel Our Evenings. Family-friendly events, such as the Tho Elmer Adventure, will take place from 30 October to 3 November. The full line-up of events for the London Literature Festival 2024 is available here.

Date: 23 October – 3 November 2024. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. southbankcentre.co.uk.

In celebration of Michael Tilson Thomas’s 80th birthday, the London Symphony Orchestra will perform Gustav Mahler’s monumental Second Symphony.

London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler 2

In a grand celebration of Michael Tilson Thomas’s 80th birthday, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) performs Gustav Mahler’s monumental Second Symphony, known as the Resurrection Symphony. Composed over six years, this epic work features a large orchestra, chorus, and soloists, guiding the audience through a journey from solemnity to an uplifting, cathartic finale, interspersed with moments of nostalgia and haunting visions.

Date: 20 - 23 October 2024. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 - £70 + BF. Book now.

Jordan Stephens: Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs

In a candid and moving memoir, Jordan Stephens, writer and performer known as one half of the chart-topping duo Rizzle Kicks, reflects on his experiences with masculinity, mental health, addiction, and heartbreak in conversation with Africa Brooke as part of the London Literature Festival. Diagnosed with ADHD, Stephens navigated a tumultuous journey through his teens and twenties, marked by career success and meaningful friendships alongside struggles with self-harm and destructive coping mechanisms. In his exploration of fear, tenderness, and trauma, he challenges societal expectations of modern masculinity, ultimately affirming the importance of vulnerability and the value of love in all its forms.

Date: 23 October 2024. Time: 7.45pm. Location: Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.Price: from £15 + BF. Book now.

Sound therapist Farzana Ali will host London’s highest sound bath experience at Battersea Power Station’s Lift 109.

Wellness

Lift 109 Sound Bath

This week, Battersea Power Station’s Lift 109 will host the first of its Elevated Sound Bath experiences, led by sound therapist Farzana Ali. Taking place at the top of the station’s north-west chimney, 109 metres above London, the calming sessions will utilise crystal singing bowls to promote relaxation and rejuvenation. The impressive views across the city will enhance the meditative atmosphere.

Date: 17 October 2024, 7pm - 8pm and 8pm - 9pm; 24 October 2024, 7pm - 8pm and 8pm - 9pm. Location: Battersea Power Station, Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DD. Price: £45 includes the Lift 109 experience and a 45-minute sound bath. lift109.co.uk.

Yogabliss to Live Music - Darbar Festival

Join Kanwal Ahluwalia for a 60-minute Yogabliss session featuring gentle hatha yoga suitable for all levels. This class emphasises relaxation, deep stretches, conscious breathing, and individual attention, all set to live Indian classical music. With over 20 years of experience, Ahluwalia encourages participants to explore the deeper philosophy of yoga while enjoying a serene and rejuvenating practice.

Date:  26 - 27  October 2024. Location: The Frobisher Rooms, Level 4, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £25  + BF. Book now.

Arts & Culture

Opening this week

The World of Tim Burton

Opening this week at the Design Museum, this exhibition delves into Tim Burton’s imaginative universe, spanning four decades of his creative work. It showcases his talents as an illustrator, painter, photographer, and author, drawing from his personal archive. Curated with Burton’s input, it features drawings, paintings, and photographs, offering a unique insight into his whimsical and influential style.

Date: 25 October 2024 — 21 April 2025. Location: Design Museum. 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG.  Price: Adult tickets from £19.69/ children aged 6 to 15 from £9.85. Under 6s go free. Book now.

Felicity Aylieff: Expressions in Blue

Expressions in Blue by Felicity Aylieff will open at Kew Garden’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, showcasing monumental porcelain ceramics crafted in Jingdezhen, China. The exhibition will feature large-scale, hand-thrown vessels with traditional Qing Hua painting techniques. Inspired by botanical illustrations, these works celebrate Aylieff’s enduring collaboration with local artisans, merging the beauty of ceramics with the wonders of nature.

Date: 26 October 2024 - Sunday 23 March 2025. Location: Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. Price: Admission to Kew Gardens starts at £20/ £5.50 adult/child, which includes access to the exhibition. Tickets from £10 for under 29s. Book now.

Surrounded, 1996, © Tim Burton.

#FLOFavourites: This week

Francis Bacon: Human Presence

Human Presence, an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, explores the career of Francis Bacon, focusing on his portraits for the first time in nearly two decades. Featuring over 50 works, the display spans from the late 1940s to his final unfinished paintings, showcasing self-portraits and depictions of significant figures in his life, including Isabel Rawsthorne, Henrietta Moraes, and Lucian Freud. The exhibition highlights Bacon’s innovative approach to portraiture and includes rare photographs of the artist taken by prominent twentieth-century photographers, providing further insight into his life and work.

Date: 10 October 2024 - 19 January 2025. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Pl, London WC2H 0HE. Price: From £23. Concessions available. Book now.

Discover Constable & The Hay Wain

Discover Constable & The Hay Wain on show at the National Gallery focuses on John Constable’s iconic 1821 painting, The Hay Wain. The exhibition examines the social, political, and artistic context of English landscapes during this period, highlighting the painting’s significance after it won a gold medal at the 1824 Paris Salon. It showcases Constable’s rise as a master of British art through important donations from his daughter and prominent collectors while tracing the painting’s journey to the National Gallery in 1886 and its subsequent popularity. Organised into three sections, the exhibition also features works by contemporaries like Turner and Gainsborough, offering insights into Constable’s artistic development and the influences that shaped his celebrated reputation.

Date: 17 October 2024 – 2 February 2025. Location: The Sunley Room, The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN. Price: Free.

Head of Boy, 1960 by Francis Bacon. © The Estate of Francis Bacon All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024. Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd. Private Collection.

UMBRA by Heemin Chung

Heemin Chung’s UMBRA at Thaddaeus Ropac explores the interplay of light and shadow through an array of artworks. The exhibition encourages viewers to engage with the delicate nuances of existence, creating a dialogue between absence and presence. It’s a thought-provoking experience in contemporary art.

Date: until 20 November 2024. Location: Thaddaeus Ropac, Ely House, 37 Dover St, London W1S 4NJ. Price: Free.

Making a rukus!: Black queer histories through love and resistance

Making a rukus! at Somerset House celebrates Black queer histories, focusing on love, resilience, and resistance. The exhibition features multimedia installations and historical artefacts that illuminate the experiences of Black queer individuals. It encourages reflection on identity and community, fostering inclusivity through a pay-what-you-can entry.

Date: until 19 January 2025. Location: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: Pay What You Can. somersethouse.org.uk.

Making a Rukus! Black Queer Histories through Love and Resistance runs from 11 October 2024 until 19 January 2025 at Somerset House. Photography courtesy of Somerset House.

Oscar Murillo: A balancing act between collapse and spirit

Oscar Murillo’s exhibition, A balancing act between collapse and spirit, offers an introspective look at themes of displacement and identity. Featuring a blend of painting and installation, Murillo’s work serves as a poignant commentary on contemporary life.

Date: until 16 November 2024. Location: David Zwirner, 24 Grafton Street, London W1S 4EZ. Price: Free.

The Bleed, Part I by George Rouy

The Bleed, Part I by George Rouy invites viewers into an emotive exploration of identity and human experience. Featuring striking paintings that merge abstraction with figuration, the exhibition creates a visceral dialogue between the canvas and the viewer, highlighting the complexities of vulnerability and connection.

Date: Until 21 December 2024. Location: Hauser & Wirth, 23 Savile Row, London W1S 2ET. Price: Free.

The Bleed, Part I by George Rouy Is on show at Hauser & Writh until 21 December 2024.

what have we here? by Hew Locke

Hew Locke’s what have we here? at the British Museum explores themes of identity and cultural heritage. Featuring a range of mixed media works, the exhibition reflects on post-colonial narratives and the complex layers of meaning within contemporary society. It encourages an examination of cultural heritage, aiming to spark more questions than answers.

Date: until 9 February 2025. Location: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.Price: From £16. Concessions available. britishmuseum.org.

Hew Locke with The Watchers, the British Museum © Richard Cannon.

Cinema

The Apprentice (15) (AD)

Ali Abbasi’s docu-drama explores the rise to fame and power of young Donald Trump, focusing on his beginnings in the real estate business during the 1970s and ‘80s New York, aided by the notorious lawyer Roy Cohn. Starring Sebastian Stan as young Trump and Jeremy Strong, known for his role as Kendall Roy in Succession, the film presents a critical look at the business mogul’s formation and ethos. Abbasi, acclaimed for the crime thriller Holy Spider, highlights the ruthless mentality behind Trump’s ascent, encapsulated in the mantra, “You have to be willing to do anything to anyone to win.

Date: 18 - 24 October 2024. Location: Barbican Cinema 1, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £13 +BF. Book now.

The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan as young Trump and Jeremy Strong, known for his role as Kendall Roy in Succession.

#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week

Pop-ups & Venues

Captain Morgan and Pepsi MAX pop-up

Captain Morgan and Pepsi MAX are hosting ‘The Mixer’, a two-day pop-up event this week in Shoreditch, to celebrate their new pre-mixed drink. The event will turn Kachette into a free daytime convenience store where visitors can customise their own Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold x Pepsi MAX cans and access an exclusive evening guest list through a hidden ATM. At night, a secret house party will be revealed behind the fridge doors, featuring a quirky living room and guest DJs providing the soundtrack for the evening. This event marks the nationwide launch of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold mixed with Pepsi MAX, a refreshing pre-mixed drink with a 5% ABV. Click here for more.

Date: 23 - 24 October 2024. Time: Convenience Store: 12-6PM / House party: 7pm - 11pm Wednesday night & 7pm - 12am Thursday night. Location: Kachette, 347 Old St, London EC1V 9LP.

Interview of the week 

In conversation with Daria Blum

Daria Blum

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daria Blum, a 2023 graduate of the Royal Academy Schools and the winner of the prestigious inaugural £30,000 Claridge’s Royal Academy Schools Art Prize, awarded in September. Her exhibition, Drip Drip Point Warp Spin Buckle Rot, is currently on display at Claridge’s ArtSpace until 25 October 2024.

Click here for the full interview.

Bar of the Week

Kioku Bar

Kioku Bar, located at Raffles at The OWO, is an intimate cocktail bar inspired by Japanese listening bars and boasts Europe’s largest sake selection. Chef Endo Kazutoshi, known for his work at Rotunda, has collaborated with Sake Samurai Natsuki Kikuya to curate a world-class sake programme, complemented by cocktails crafted by the team behind Nipperkin.

Location: Kioku Bar at The OWO, Ground Floor, 2 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2BD. kiokubyendo.com.

Milk Run. Photo by MTotoe.

Cause of the week 

Action for Happiness

Action for Happiness

Action for Happiness

Action for Happiness is a charity aiming to create a happier world by fostering kindness and prioritising happiness in everyday life. The organisation encourages people to gather regularly, learn evidence-based skills for happiness, and commit to actions that spread joy to themselves and others. Volunteers play a vital role in supporting this mission by running local groups, coordinating events, or sharing resources to help others live happier lives. If you’re passionate about promoting happiness and wellbeing, you can apply to become a long-term volunteer, with training and support provided. Click here for more details on volunteering with Action for Happiness.