This weekend’s highlights include an avant-garde performance in Berlin, a fresh and tasty Italian restaurant in New York’s West Village and the new EP from Londoner Kwes.
1. FOOD: NEW YORK
—Perla
Over the past decade, restaurateur Gabe Stulman has earned a reputation for crafting some of the most charming dining spaces in New York. Stulman’s latest West Village addition is Perla, an intimate, 65-seat trattoria serving rustic Italian fare. The kitchen, helmed by Michael Toscano formerly of Eataly’s Manzo restaurant, serves an impressive range of handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas. For the ferociously hungry couple, Perla’s dry-aged ribeye for two is hard to beat but a cocktail from the well-selected list tries hard. We suggest La Compagnie de Trois, a pleasant mix of gin, apricot brandy, a dash of lime and house bitters.
24 Minetta Lane near 6th Avenue. Open Monday and Saturday 16.30-23.00, Tuesday and Wednesday 16.30-24.00, Thursday to Saturday 16.30-1.00
perlanyc.com
2. EXHIBITION: HONG KONG
—Daydreaming with… The Hong Kong Edition
All eyes are on contemporary art coming out of Asia at the moment. Daydreaming with… The Hong Kong Edition is hosting over 30 local and international artists at ArtisTree, the 1,800 sq m multi-purpose space on the first floor of Hong Kong’s Cornwall House. Highlights include works by Beijing-based Li Wei, Hong-Kong photographer Wing Shya and the founder of the avant-garde artist group “Stars” Huang Rui. British duo Clarke & Reilly bring a European element to this mainly Asian celebration.
ArtisTree, Taikoo Place. Open daily 10.30-19.00. Until 7 June
daydreamingwith.com
3. EXHIBITION: ISTANBUL
—Silja Puranen: Circus Princess
The first solo show in Turkey of Finnish artist Silja Puranen, Circus Princess is now at Soda Gallery in Istanbul. Building a bridge between the modern digital age and traditional arts such as sewing, Puranen’s exhibition is a series of frayed textiles with photographic images incorporated into the work. The circus theme conveys the contradiction between being accepted by an artistic community while still being an anomaly to the outside world.
37/1 Şakayık Street, Nişantaşı. Open Monday to Saturday, 11.00- 9.00. Until 9 June
sodaistanbul.com
4. DANCE: BERLIN
—Future Self at MADE gallery
Founded in 2010, MADE is a gallery, art studio and performance area in the heart of Berlin. The current Future Self exhibit created by artist collective Random International with choreographer Wayne McGregor and composer Max Richter, is a performance involving dance, sound and light set around a mirrored installation. The reflective quality of the centrepiece creates a three-dimensional “living” sculpture as individuals interact around it. Go get involved this weekend.
MADE, 9th floor, 7 Alexanderstrasse. Open Thursday-Saturday, 14.00-19.00. Until 2 June
made-blog.com
5. MUSIC: GLOBAL
—Kwes: Meantime EP
London-based producer and singer Kwesi Sey already has a stellar CV of past work without even releasing a note under his own name – having worked on records for everyone from industry giants like Damon Albarn to scratchy East London upstarts Micachu and the Shapes. Kwes is now stepping out from behind the mixing desk to offer up some beautifully skewed, yet never less than perfect electronic pop. It should see him perhaps outgrow his peers. Although song titles like the EP’s highlight “Bashful”, show that basking in the limelight probably doesn’t come so naturally.
“Meantime” is out now
kwes.info
