Your monthly cultural crib sheet compiled by Citizen Femme.
Designed for cosmopolitan globetrotters – based anywhere from London to New York – we’ve rounded up the best exhibitions to see, the films to watch, and the events to catch in your chosen city this month.
Tony Cragg At Houghton Hall, Houghton Hall, Norfolk
Head to the palatial Houghton Hall estate in Norfolk for a glimpse at British Sculptor, Tony Cragg’s latest exhibition. Curated by the artist himself, several new works have been made specifically for the exhibition. Versed in turning the great outdoors into his gallery, Cragg’s imposing outdoor works, cast in bronze and stainless steel, are wowing. Inside the State Rooms and gallery spaces of the house you’ll discover a further 20+ smaller, organic pieces juxtaposed with their stately surrounds. Catch it while you can.
Archival Photo Exhibition, Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
A Hollywood haven, Hotel Bel-Air has played host to icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Cary Grant. This August, the iconic Hotel-Bel Air celebrates its 75th anniversary, and to celebrate, they’re hosting a number of special activities. We’re particularly keen to check out their Archival Photo Exhibition, featuring 14 exclusive archival images from its 75-year history. Capturing the moments that have shaped its legacy, look out for a portrait of Marilyn Monroe posing by the pool as well as images from the filming of the 1950’s film Company She Keeps. After viewing the photography exhibit, explore the hotel with fresh eyes – first pitstop: the hotel’s iconic entrance bridge.
Anything Goes, Barbican, London
Cole Porter’s Golden-Age classic, Anything Goes, comes to the Barbican. Nab your spot on the SS American as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to finding true love… (and brace yourself as hilarity ensues). With a joyful score of foot-tapping songs including ‘I Get A Kick Out of You’, ‘You’re the Top’, and the show stopping ‘Anything Goes’, we challenge you to depart from the auditorium without a smile on your face. Speaking of tapping – and dancing in general – the 50-strong company are wowing. The all-star cast is led by Broadway royalty, Sutton Foster (Reno Sweeney), who appears alongside Robert Lindsay (Moonface Martin), and Felicity Kendal (Evangeline Harcourt).
BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, London
The BBC Proms returns to the Royal Albert Hall for a summer of live music, with 52 concerts over 44 days. Whether you’re keen to see a solo performer or relish in the communal power of a symphony orchestra, this year’s programme caters to all. We’re bookmarking Prom 10 – Nicola Benedetti and the Orchestra of Great Britain will perform Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Eroica – and Prom 36. Attendees at Prom 36 will spend a ‘night at the movies’ with a sequence of classic British film scores by composers including Malcolm Arnold, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Doreen Carwithen, brought to life by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Delightful.
Ryoji Ikeda, 180 The Strand, London
Running until 18 September, now’s the time to catch Ryoji Ikeda’s exhibition at 180 Studios. The largest exhibition of the artist’s work ever staged – hosted in collaboration with Fact Magazine and The Vinyl Factory – the collection immerses viewers in a digital universe, spanning 12 artworks. Catch the world premiere of Ikeda’s Data-Verse trilogy, as well as immersive and site-specific installations including Test Pattern, Point Of No Return, and Spectra III. The latter – a tunnel of strobe lighting – made its premiere at the 2019 Venice Biennale and is a must-see.
Photo Stories, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
One of our favourite Parisian museums, Musée des Arts Décoratifs is unveiling a selection of never-seen photographs from the worlds of fashion, architecture, landscapes, interior design, and advertising, as part of their latest exhibition, Photo Stories. Spanning works, dating from 1840 to the present day, the images were selected from a collection of some 350,000 photographs held by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. A rare opportunity to see works generally reserved for archive viewing – get your tickets now.
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