COG’s Adventures in the BIG SMOKE – Six ways to celebrate Spring this April!
Welcome to the first installment of a new monthly series where COG takes you on a whistle-stop tour of some of the BIG SMOKE’s best bits. Here you’ll find a curated list of things to see, do and eat in London – because COG loves all things art, design and culture. So take a peek into his world as we discover his top six recommendations for the official start of spring.
1. Louise Bourgeois --THE WOVEN CHILD at The Hayward Gallery 9th of February - 15th of May 2022
Louise Bourgeova- "The Woven Child"
The Woven Child is the first major retrospective of Louise Bourgeois's work. Focusing on the artist's use of fabric and textiles in the final decades of her life, the collection explores themes such as identity, sexuality, motherhood and relationships. Much of the work is made from domestic textiles taken directly from the artist's personal collection and reflects her childhood growing up in her family's textile atelier in France. Featuring pieces never seen before, the eerie yet beautiful collection draws us in and invites us to think about the female and domestic realms. The imposing and striking Spider, a 15ft bronze statue that serves as the central focus of the exhibition, demands attention and exploration. Arachnids are a recurring theme throughout Bourgouise's work, with the artist often using the ability of the spider to weave its web from its own body as a metaphor for her own artistic processes.
Heward galleryFebruary 9 to May 15, 2022
HAYWARD GALLERY -SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8xx
2. PAntechNicon
Did you know that you can shop COG in person at Pantechnichon?
The Japanese-Scandanavian concept store combines modern Scandinavian interiors and Japanese influences to create a unique shopping experience. Explore the Danish-inspired roof gardens, featuring an open terrace that transports you to a botanical oasis in the middle of London. Sachi, a restaurant inspired by regional Japanese cooking which uses the finest and freshest Japanese and British ingredients. Or try cafe Kitsune, the iconic Japanese cafe where you’ll find the famous egg Sando and delectable pastries, alongside seasonal drinks like blossom matcha lattes. Their calendar boasts an impressive selection of interesting workshops and events, as well as a wide variety of expertly curated Nordic and Japanese items you won't find anywhere else in London! Come and visit Collection 6 in-store from the end of March.
19 Motcomb Street
London
SW1X 8LB
info@pantechnicon.com
+44 (0)20 7034 5425
3. New Perspective -a Brutalist Architecture Tour at the barbican -
"New perspective" -Keet at BarbikanBlutorism architectureTours
Ever wanted to know more about the Brutalist architecture of one of London's most intriguing and opinion-splitting buildings? This 90-minute tour takes you on a journey through the formidable concrete design – the visionary creation of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. Explore the building's well-kept secrets, history, and revolutionary ideas around community living that inspired its design in the 1980s. Not only a sprawling complex of residential homes, the Barbican is also Europe's largest Arts Centre providing endless opportunities for cultural exploration through its theatre, exhibition halls, cinema, shops, cafes and communal areas.
It may be an irresistible tour for vintage architecture lovers!
March 22, 2022 -April 30
Barbican Center - Level G,
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
4. Mark Rothko -1968: Clearing Away
Looking for a picture book collection that is perfect for gently placing a coffee table in the living room?
Looking for the perfect coffee table book to add to your collection? Look no further.
"I'm not an abstractionist. I'm not interested in the relationship of colour or form or anything else. I'm interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on."
Following a bout of ill-health in the 1960s, Rothko was forced to downsize his practice from towering canvas to manageable-sized paper. ‘Mark Rothko 1968: Clearing Away’ is the book that accompanies the 2021 exhibition, a curation of key works created during the late 1960s. Exploring a newfound medium of acrylic paint, Rothko produced jewel-like meditations on colour, using an array of pigments from deep blues to vivid pinks. He further explored light and layered application, favouring a feathering technique to convey the ‘illusion of luminous, infinite space.’ The smaller scale of the work welcomes us into an increasingly intimate place between artist and viewer, inviting us to see his pulsating, radiating use of colour with new eyes. Whether you’re a long-time Rothko fan or you love to collect beautiful art books, this is a stand-out addition that’ll have your guests curiously flicking through cover to cover.
Mark Rothko -1968 Clearing Away
Pace Publishing
5. Jolene Restaurant
East London New Intonton Green RestaurantJolene
At home in North London’s Newington Green and the third foodie venture for Chef David Gingell, Jolene is another winning combination of paired-back homely cooking, fresh ingredients and natural wines. The lyme-washed interior evokes industrial-cosiness synonymous with east London cool, whilst the menu written on a school blackboard changes daily in tune with the seasons. It’s modern European fare – think British scallops, hand-made Italian pasta and French-inspired desserts. Not only that but the attached bakery is rumoured to make some of the best croissants and sourdough in London, possibly due to their grains all coming from Norfolk and milled in-house. Come for the bakery and stay for the un-fussy but delicious dinner menu.
Jolene Bakery & Restaurant
21 Newington Green
London N16 9PU
6. Blossom Trees in West London
How about a flower watching in Westrondon, invited by the spring weather?
Take advantage of the sunny spring weather and go blossom tree spotting in West London. The areas around Nottinghill and Portabello offer endless opportunities to see beautiful trees in full bloom, often lining the streets of the capital’s most desirable and attractive home addresses. The perfect backdrop for an impromptu photoshoot to capture some of London’s quintessential spring-time atmosphere.
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