This Weekend’s highlights include a Louis Vuitton retrospective in Paris, a healthy menu in New York, and the new album release from the Magnetic Fields.
1. EXHIBITION: LONDON
—Kabuki: A Photographic Exhibition by Frederic Aranda
Despite delighting audiences out front for over 400 years, you won’t find many photos of the backstage area of Kabuki performances. In fact, an exhibition by Swiss-born photographer Frederic Aranda at London’s Hospital Club is claimed to be the first time behind-the-scenes photographs have ever been exhibited or put up for sale. In Japan, Kabuki is one of the most popular forms of traditional drama, mixing dance, song, and known for its highly stylised costumes and makeup. All the proceeds from sales will go to the Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.
The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Street. Open Monday to Friday, 8.00-2.00. Until 16 March
thehospitalclub.com
2. FOOD: NEW YORK
—Naturally Peninsula tasting menu
This weekend, The Peninsula New York hotel is offering a six-course tasting menu that is both nourishing and flavoursome. Naturally Peninsula is a multi-sensory healthy-eating dining philosophy, launched by The Peninsula’s flagship hotel in Hong Kong. Executive Chef Cornel Ruhland’s mindfully constructed menu is meant to appeal to all five senses, featuring crispy asparagus and organic saffron rice rolls and herb salt crusted, grass-fed veal loin. We recommend dropping into Bar at Fives for pre-dinner drinks.
The Peninsula Hotel, 700 5th Ave New York
peninsula.com
3. ART: SYDNEY
—Hugh Ford at Iain Dawson Gallery
Australian painter Hugh Ford’s way with humour is a rare treat in the, at times, serious-faced world of fine art. His diagram-like works evoke the spirit of a dated self-help manual where everything seems perfect, except for the creeping, uneasy normalness of the events they depict. And so “World Thumbwrestling Championship Title Fight” might beg the question why Ford would spend time reproducing such an image. Likewise, the work – “A Real F—king Big Sandwich” might sound obvious. But to make the obvious feel unusual, is no simple task.
Iain Dawson Gallery, 443 Oxford Street, Paddington. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00-18.00. Until 24 March
iaindawson.com
4. FASHION: PARIS
—Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacobs at Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Beginning this weekend at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, this is an analytic exhibition that tells the story of iconic French fashion house Louis Vuitton while celebrating the current appointment of designer Marc Jacobs as its creative director. Housed over two floors, the historical display provides every sought after handbag, suitcase or trinket that Vuitton devotees could wish to lay eyes on from the brand’s 150 year history. While the Jacobs floor sheds light on the evolution of the company during his 15 years of stewardship. The definition of a modern classic.
107 Rue de Rivoli, Paris. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.00-18.00, and 21.00 on Thursdays. Until 16 September
lesartsdecoratifs.fr
5. MUSIC: GLOBAL
—The Magnetic Fields: Love At the Bottom Of The Sea
The musical pen name of New York sonic satirist Stephen Merritt, The Magnetic Fields aren’t truly a band. Merritt often occupies a more back room role of writing the tunes while a revolving line-up of musicians bring them to life. The outfit’s 11th album eschews the conceptual themes of previous classics (1999’s 69 Love Songs was exactly that, 2004’s I had every song begin with that letter, and 2008’s Distortion was, well, loud). The concepts may change, but Merritt’s mastery of setting heartbreak, self-loathing, and good old-fashioned love to perfect three chord pop songs, is never in doubt.
Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is out now
houseoftomorrow.com
