The V&A present an exhibition on Tropical Modernism, a subject with a lot more to unpack than may meet the eye in terms of colonial and anti-/de-/postcolonial politics; internationalism and nationalism; past, present and future. Tropical Modernism As a person with interests in architecture, postcolonialism, and complex historical narratives, I have had Tropical Modernism: Architecture […]
Young V&A is the latest incarnation of the V&A’s East London branch dedicated to childhood. After a three-year renovation project, this new version is very much a museum for children rather than about them. A History Of Young V&A Young V&A is the latest incarnation of a museum which goes back to the Great Exhibition […]
A wonderful selection of works in a modern, spacious exhibition space – Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance feels like a very special moment indeed. Bringing Donatello To South Kensington I didn’t realise what a special exhibition this one was until I saw it. I had some time before a theatre press night to go to the […]
A last minute dash to two very different exhibitions. Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life reveals just how big a debt we owe to this influential mid-century designer. While Epic Iran is a sweeping survey of millennia of history, from earliest archaeology to contemporary art. The Luxury Of Being Busy I am counting my blessings right […]
A review of the V&A’s Alice in Wonderland-themed summer exhibition. A blockbuster without the crowds (at least when I visited)! Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser This exhibition at the V&A has been highly anticipated. Including by me, who had tickets earlier in the year which I had to reschedule when dates kept shifting. So it was […]
A description of my trip to the V&A, including the exhibition Filthy Lucre. In which I enjoy a peaceful evening visit to the Cast Courts, and a wonderful Whistler-themed installation. A Late Summer Evening at the V&A The V&A is a wonderful place to wander. Even better, the lower visitor numbers during Covid-19 are a […]
For once I’m not going to subject this exhibition to my museological musings. No scrutiny here, it was too sweet and nice and reminiscent of childhood. I would recommend going to see Winnie-the-Pooh at the V&A though: it’s fun, playful, far less boring than many exhibitions of drawings I’ve seen, and really well set up […]
Horst P. Horst. What a name. What a photographer. And according to most accounts in the exhibition, what a guy. The V&A’s retrospective of his work is well-crafted, diverse and interesting, and if it doesn’t shed much light on Horst as a person rather than as a photographer, it seems that this may have been […]
If you can’t get to Chandigarh, the Gallery of Everything’s current exhibition A Summer of Gods and Goddesses is the next best place to discover the work of Nek Chand Saini. Nek Chand Saini and the Rock Garden of Chandigarh When I visited the V&A’s exhibition on Tropical Modernism recently, one story stood out. Sure, […]
A first foray into the Fotografiska family of galleries introduces me to several new photographers and one old favourite in a new medium. Fotografiska, Stockholm Edition In a very unassuming way, this photography gallery in the Södermalm district of Stockholm has joined the ranks of global museum brands. The Louvre and Guggenheim are prominent examples […]
