This large Art Deco former town hall in Crouch End North London may be turned into a hotel but for now it is a cultural and community centre. An imposing building, it was built in 1933 by New Zealand-born Reginald Harold Uren, winning him the RIBA London Architecture Medal for 1935. His portrait below stands in the […]
Places
Young Masters at The Royal Overseas League in London
London Clubland (not the dancing type) is a world that most of us are only vaguely aware of and the Royal Overseas League is a case in point. A magnificent building tucked in a courtyard in St James and overlooking Green Park, it really is hidden away in the centre of London. I’d heard about […]
The V & A’s new extension
Gosh, how many years has it been since this entrance to the V&A was really properly used? Well it’s now open and architect Amanda Levete’s company, AL_A has transformed this part of Exhibition Road as well as, of course, the museum itself with this dramatic intervention. Fractal shapes dominate the courtyard: in tiles, grilles and windows […]
Chris Ofili: Weaving Magic. Tapestry at the National Gallery
The National Gallery is currently hosting Chris Ofili’s large tapestry woven by master weavers at the Dovecot Tapestry Studio for a commission by the Clothworkers’ Company. Weaving Magic is the exhibition of “The Caged Bird’s Song”, set in a darkened room surrounded by a monochrome painted chorus of dancers. The original painting below is in watercolour, a subtle […]
Street Art on the Millennium Bridge
Next time you walk along the Millennium Bridge, look down and see the tiny little artworks being created using the marks left by chewing gum on the metal flooring.I didn’t speak to the couple who are doing this but it’s utterly charming.
The Serpentine summer pavilion
It’s that time of year again when visitors to the Serpentine Gallery can also experience the annual Summer Pavilion, designed this year by Francis Kéré It wasn’t raining when I visited; rather than have a central cascade as designed, the area (on the right in the photo below) was used for seating. Bold blue stacked […]