Doors open for the audience. As we walk in, we are welcomed by an almost naked body lying on stage, no set but a microphone, a laptop, and a white wooden cube. There is a video playing on the background – a woman casually sniffing what appears to be a line of coke – but the lights and attention are on the body, neon straps covering only the smallest amount of skin. With this already striking start, Katy Baird welcomes us into her world.

Katy Baird is an artist and producer whose work takes different forms of live art – those could be theatre, cabaret, film, installation, or participatory performances. She has performed at different venues around the UK and Europe, including clubs or parties. Inspired by the messiness of life and her own surroundings, Baird creates unapologetic performances exploring class, gender, and sexuality. ‘My practice is centred around a desire to create a shared space that can be both welcoming and radical’, Baird says. Using her body, she questions the audience on what is acceptable on stage.

Get Off started as a residency commissioned by the Arts Council England, in which Baird aims to create a live performance that answers questions such as ‘What gives us pleasure?’ and ‘How much is too much?’. Baird worked with director Kim Noble, who helped her push boundaries to reach new levels within her work.

As Get Off starts, you immediately like Baird. Her connection to the audience is key, and leaves us wondering – is she trying to make us spectators uncomfortable, or is she creating a space for intimacy between the stage and the stalls of the Battersea Arts Centre? The show is full of these contradictions. A mix of fun and disgust, Get Off is not for everyone, and not for every moment. You either have the stomach for it, or Katy will shove you right in without permission.

Throughout the hour-long performance, Baird stands on stage talking to the audience, sharing her secrets. A video plays on the background for most of the show, screening her in a way more intimate setting – resting, playing music, taking drugs, even going to the toilet and taking a dump in front of the wide-eyed audience. There are a few moments of interaction between both Bairds that leave us wondering if we are really seeing her – is it her on the screen, intimate and shocking, or is the ‘live Katy’, the one with the uncomfortable questions, the real one?

Baird talks about trauma and the past, mentioning her life coach and the ways she is trying to find connection. She talks about surviving the monotony of everyday life and finding her space in the world. She does that in a way not quite explored before, by choosing a welcoming performance with a relaxed atmosphere in which anything can happen.

As hard as creating something ground-breaking can be nowadays, Katy fills the space with her presence and personality and wildly succeeds in not leaving the audience unmoved. ‘I want the audience to be seen and feel part of something’, she says on an interview by Stuart Wilson for the To Do List website. And that relationship to the audience is what defines Get Off as a success. If ready for all they have coming to them, Get Off will make its audience squirm, cringe, and laugh out loud like they never have before.

Review by Eva Mateos Rodriguez

Eva  is an eclectic artist specialising in acting, writing and song writing. She has been part of several performances, responses and exhibitions, and is now a student of the MA Creative Writing at Birkbeck University.

Read Eva’s latest Review: Sacha Polak’s ‘Silver Haze’ is a dizzying roller-coaster of emotions and experiences – Releasing 29th March in UK and Irish cinemas – Abundant Art

Featured Image – Katy Baird in Get Off, credit JMA Photography

Get Off at Battersea Arts Centre
Date: 8 – 25 May
Booking Link: bac.org.uk/get-off
Time: 7:30pm & 8.30pm/Age guidance: 18+/Running time: 75 mins (no interval)
Access: Audio described performances 22 & 24 May. Description by Dot Alma. All performances of Get Off are Relaxed. At BAC, this means you can move or make noise if you need to. You can go in and out of the performance space.

Co-produced by Katy Baird and Battersea Arts Centre
Co-directed by Katy Baird and Kim Noble
Co-commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre, CAMPO, and Transform, with further support from Artsadmin, Tramway, Cambridge Junction, Horizon and Old Diorama Arts Centre. Using public funding through the National Lottery from Arts Council England.

ABOUT KATY BAIRD

Katy Baird is an artist who frequently finds herself in bizarre situations of her own making. Her practice is centred around a desire to create a shared space that can be both welcoming and radical. She has performed at Live Art festivals and venues across the UK and internationally as well as squat parties, clubs and raves. She has received commissions from Battersea Arts Centre, Wellcome Trust, The Yard, Camden People’s Theatre and Duckie amongst others. Since 2016 she has been artist in residence at queer club night Knickerbocker.

Katy proudly identifies as an ‘old, queer, fat, femme deviant’ and is currently based in Hastings, East Sussex. As a curator she founded and produced Steakhouse Live, a DIY platform in London for radical performance practices and is artistic director of Home Live Art. Katy has worked as an independent producer at Fierce Festival and Manchester International Festival. From 2012-2017 she worked as Coordinator at the Live Art Development Agency, London. www.katybaird.com

The BFI showcases a 4K restoration of the trend-setting neorealist masterpiece, capturing the stark realities of war in black and white. 

‘Rome, Open City’ played a pivotal role in establishing Italian neorealist cinema as a genre. Emerging in the 1940s, Neorealism acted as a defiant counter culture to the popular ‘White Telephone’ film genre, promoted by the fascist regime. ‘White Telephone’ cinema arose as a form of propaganda, and was used as a means to pacify the pains of a war-torn nation, rather than address the current issues of the time. Here the sufferings of lower-class groups were overlooked, as Mussolini attempted to showcase the ideal upper-class reality that his dictatorship strived for, rather than the devastation that his leadership caused. 

‘Rome, Open City’ emerged as an answer to the vacant space in Italian cinema. 

Roberto Rossellini is respected as one of the fathers of this cinematic movement. Using hand-held cameras and scenes shot on location, it seems as if the director’s style of immediacy demonstrates the true state of Rome, following the ravages of the Second World War. Cast predominantly from the streets, the film’s ensemble lends an authenticity to the representation of war experiences, given that actors performing genuinely survived the horrors of this conflict.

Set in 1944 during the 9 month Nazi occupation of Rome, the plot follows two resistance fighters, as they struggle to escape the Nazi SS troops’ relentless pursuit. Their desperate struggle for freedom is fraught with grief, heartbreak and betrayal, underscoring the bitter sweet truth that any victory under a Nazi regime is only temporary. In the face of oppression, a recurring dilemma arises: is survival achievable through conformity or resistance?

With bursts of light comedy and brief glimpses of hope, it appears that the slight slips of humanity exaggerate and contrast the truly horrifying displays of cruelty and violence, representing real actions performed by Nazis. The commonplace brutality of war is demonstrated throughout, with scenes displaying a pregnant woman being murdered as she calls for her fiancé, a priest forced to observe a man being tortured and a group of school children witnessing their priest being executed. Here it seems that these tragic stories represent the unsatisfying end to the war, with no way to serve justice to those affected.

This timeless classic holds a place in history, standing as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst the darkest chapters of history. Through the lens of neorealism, Roberto Rossellini masterfully portrays the harrowing realities of war and oppression, highlighting the struggles of the marginalised and the enduring quest for freedom.

ROME, OPEN CITY

Roma città aperta

Directed by Roberto Rossellini

Italy / 1945 / 103 mins / 12A / English subtitles / digital restoration

With Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero

Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 masterpiece won the Grand Prix (forerunner of the Palme d’Or) at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. Now approaching its 80^th anniversary, it returns to the big screen in selected cinemas UK-wide on 17 May 2024. 

Rossellini and collaborators (including a young Federico Fellini who served as a co-writer) created a choral story of a city dominated by fear, violence, moral degradation and the raw courage of its inhabitants.

Shot on the streets and in a makeshift studio only six months after the liberation of Rome, when Germany still occupied Northern Italy, the film features a largely non-professional cast, except for Aldo Fabrizi and Anna Magnani with her memorable performance.

‘The most precious moment of film history’ Martin Scorsese

ROME, OPEN CITY will be on Extended Run at BFI Southbank as part of a major two-month season exploring Italian neorealism. CHASING THE REAL: ITALIAN NEOREALISM, presented in partnership with Cinecittà, runs throughout May and June and features 20 titles.

Review by Teodora Wollny

Teodora is a recent A-level graduate, having studied Art History, Drama, Philosophy and English Literature. Being both a performer and an avid writer,  she enjoys attending a range of entertainment, including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Whilst currently on a gap year, she intends on pursuing Visual Art and Film studies. 

Read Teodora’s latest Review: New York City Ballet Debut at Sadler’s Wells, 7-10 March 2024 – Abundant Art

The stage is dimly lit and sparsely decorated – a few long-empty chairs, a tattered advertising banner, dark wooden floorboards that make for echoing footsteps. Here, the audience is transported into the enigmatic world of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer. A mesmerising revival of the 1979 production, Faith Healer delves deep into themes of belief and deception, recollection and impression, love and worship. 

The narrative unfolds through a series of monologues delivered by three characters: Frank Hardy, the faith healer; his wife Grace; and his manager Teddy. Each character offers a new perspective on the same series of events, allowing audiences to piece together a fragmented story and discover truths hidden beneath the surface. As the story unfolds, Friel’s monologues weave together masterfully – sometimes overlapping, often missing each other completely. 

At the heart of the production lies the character Frank Hardy, presented with haunting intensity by Declan Conlon. As the story is revealed, Frank becomes a figure of both fascination and ambiguity, his gifts as a faith healer juxtaposed with shadows of doubt and stories of drunken ill treatment towards his partner. Faith Healer prompts the audience to explore multiple avenues of Frank’s psyche – grappling with questions of faith, redemption, and the nature of miracles. 

In dramatic contrast, Hardy’s wife Grace is portrayed with raw vulnerability by Justine Mitchell. As Grace’s story develops, the audience sees her unwavering, sometimes blind, devotion to Frank. Mitchell presents the character skilfully, discussing trauma such as enduring a stillborn birth at the side of the road, or numerous counts of emotional abuse from Frank with vehement emotion.

In the second act, Hardy’s Manager Teddy serves as comic relief, with equal parts charm and cynicism. Faith Healer reveals Teddy as the voice of reason – his story often falling somewhere between that of Frank and Grace’s opposing versions.

Owing to its masterful performances, Brian Friel’s captivating script and pitch-perfect direction from Rachel O’Riordan,  this production captivates from the opening scene to the final curtain. At its core, Faith Healer is a meditation on human needs, wants and desires – it invites audiences to tread the fragile line that separates reality from illusion.

Featured Image: Declan Conlon in Faith Healer (c) Marc Brenner

Faith Healer is written by Brian Friel, directed by Rachel O’Riordan, set and costume design by Colin Richmond. lighting design by Paul Keogan, composition and sound design by Anna Clock, casting by Sophie Parrott CDG

Faith Healer is a Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production. For more information on their current and upcoming visit Homepage – Lyric Hammersmith

Review by Amy Melling:

Amy is a Curator and Creative Producer whose practice is centred around community-led arts projects. Her current research is focused on curatorial methods for exhibiting artworks outside. Amy has a keen interest in the arts and recently completed an MA in Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, UAL.

Read Amy’s latest Review: When Forms Come Alive “a rapturous exploration of sculpture” – Hayward Gallery, until 6 May – Abundant Art

Silver Haze is a heart-warming drama that follows the steps of Franky (played by Vicky Knight) as she navigates life, sexuality, and loss. The film is directed by Sacha Polak, winner of several film awards, including a BAFTA (Breakthrough Brit). Knight and Polak’s  previous work together, DIRTY GOD gave Vicky Knight a British Independent Film Award in the Best Actress category.

The film brings us closer to Vicky Knight, as it is loosely based on her own life. Knight was a survivor of a fire as a child. That relationship to trauma is explored in the film in a much broader way, how it developed as she grew up, and all the scars – mental and physical – it left.

At the first instance, SILVER HAZE might feel like a story about love and sexuality. Franky works as a healthcare assistant by day and develops a relationship with one of her patients, Florence (Esmé Creed-Miles), a suicide survivor that seeks refuge in what Franky offers her. As the film unravels with their relationship and the trauma and anger they carry from their past are exposed, multiple layers are touched upon.  All of the characters have their own background and personal journey, even the secondary ones, making the audience laugh and cry and love them in their unique ways.

Polak is a master who leaves nothing to the wilderness, nothing flat. Silver Haze is not only a film about love and hope, it is also about ups and downs, about connections – and connections through other connections – about loss, and pain, and about growth. It is a tale about not giving up. About creating your own community. With a well-rounded conclusion, Sacha Polak and the brilliant cast leave us feeling like we just went on a rollercoaster, dizzy, not sure how to stabilize ourselves.

Another charm of the movie is the crew, a personal touch Polak talks about when interviewed – “I opted for a minimal crew and just started exploring. During the shoot, everyone would wear their own clothes and do their own makeup”.  This mix between reality and fiction is captivating – a personal film that is not in a documentary style and therefore gives the director and crew the freedom to explore so much more. Knight’s own sister played as her sister in the film (Charlotte Knight), and everyone in the cast, ‘Even if they lacked experience, they gave it their all’. Vicky Knight is a natural, an artist, and she is surrounded by compelling performances throughout the film. A clear example that taking risks might end up being a great idea.

Sacha Polak creates a tender yet intense story about the complications and simplicity of life. These contradictions make the film relatable, accomplished and perfected.

Written and directed by Sacha Polak (Dirty God). Produced by Marleen Slot & Mike Elliott for Viking Film and EMU Films

Cast: Vicky Knight, Esmé Creed-Miles, Charlotte Knight, Archie Brigden, Angela Bruce

Interview with Sacha Polak by Marta Balaga

BFI – Screening information

A BFI Distribution release. Dinard Film Festival – Best Film Award

Review by Eva Mateos Rodriguez

Eva  is an eclectic artist specialising in acting, writing and songwriting. She has been part of several performances, responses and exhibitions, and is now a student of the MA Creative Writing at Birkbeck University.

Read Eva’s latest Review: Gamble – Touring until 28 March – Abundant Art

New York City Ballet celebrates its 75th season, returning to London, for the first time in 16 years. The company showcases a mixed bill ranging from 1972 to 2022. Versatility of curation is reflected through the presentation of new works by an emerging new generation of performers, alongside a classic piece by George Balanchine.

In the first performance, ‘Rotunda’, Justin Peck’s dynamic choreography captures the essence of cheerful play and curiosity, as the dancers seamlessly transition from position to position, spreading apart like liquid on material, before drawing together into satisfying geometric formations. The choreographer, celebrated for his contribution to Spielberg’s recent remake of ‘The West Side Story’, seems to depart from the conventional synchronicity of ballet, as he incorporates chaotic and seemingly random motions, punctuated by moments of order, continuously engaging the viewer. The dancers’ expressions and perpetual movement convey a gentle, childlike excitement, with groups dividing and forming audiences to crouching figures, engaging in animated conversation. Enhancing the atmosphere of relaxed playfulness, Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung’s costumes of casual pastel create the impression that the dancers could be immersed within a studio practice session.

Choreographed by one of the most influential figures in the 20th century world of dance, Balanchine’s ‘Duo Concertant’ portrays a neoclassical duet in which the performers and musicians interact and inspire each other. Igor Stavinsky is played live on piano and violin. Ronald Bates’ masterful lighting is strategically used to accentuate and elevate the performance. At times, the use of spotlight, as the sole light source, captivates audience into intense moments of physical contact between the pair. 

The following original post-modern piece, first premiered in 2019, ‘Gustave le Gray No. 1’, is choreographed by the New York based Pam Tanowitz. Portraying four dancers, in bright crimson unitards dancing sharp and spontaneous, create an enigmatic visual experience. Similar to the previous performance, the captivating relationship between movement and sound converges, with performers infusing the underscore with their physicality. Moreover, the choreographer’s choice to direct dancers to push the piano across the space, amongst other such gestures, reiterates the symbiosis.

The final performance, rounding out the programme, is Kyle Abram’s ‘Love Letter(on shuffle)’, described in the programme as “ a mixtape of life”. Here London-born musician James Blake’s music is used to complement the fast paced contemporary choreography. The underscore used is a harmonious blend of piano and rap embodying the company’s progressive approach to ballet. With a pair of male dancers engaged in a romantic duet, the performance introduces aspects of modern day life whilst still paying tribute to the classical art, as seen in Giles Deacon’s costumes. Here elements of the past and present blend, with costumes made of lycra embellished with ruffles, bows and tutus: reference the evolution of ballet costume.

New York City Ballet presents a fascinating repertoire through a contemporary presentation of ballet, pushing boundaries and challenging conventions, whilst also honouring the rich heritage of the form. 

Featured Image: Christopher Grant and Peter Walker of New York City Ballet in Kyle Abraham’sLove Letter (on shuffle).Photo credit Erin Baiano

Review by Teodora Wollny

Teodora is a recent A-level graduate, having studied Art History, Drama, Philosophy and English Literature. Being both a performer and an avid writer,  she enjoys attending a range of entertainment, including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Whilst currently on a gap year, she intends on pursuing Visual Art and Film studies. 

Read Teodora’s latest Review: Nachtland – an unsettling discovery of a painting by Hitler in the attic; a comedic approach to a contemporary conundrum – Young Vic, until 20 April – Abundant Art

Visit Sadler’s Wells and New York City Ballet to know more about their upcoming programmes.

What would you do if you uncovered a potentially valuable painting made by Hitler in your loft? Is it an opportunity to cash in on or a troubling secret best kept hidden?

German Playwright Marius Von Mayenburg’s play ‘Nachtland’ grapples with this dilemma.

This contemporary comedic satire, translated by Maja Zade and directed by Patrick Merber, employs characters of varying backgrounds, each with conflicting opinions to initiate a conversation on what the most reasonable solution to the
situation would be. The audience is encouraged to contemplate how they would respond, whilst also considering the struggles of modern-day Germans in preserving history: burdened with the indelible guilt of their nation’s past.

Siblings Philip (John Heffernan) and Nicola (Dorothea Myer-Bennett) make an unsettling discovery of a painting in their recently-deceased father’s attic, bearing a signature suggesting the artist to be the Fuhrer himself. Accompanied by both of their spouses, including Philip’s wife, Judith, nicknamed the “Jewess” (played by Jenna Augen) and Nicola’s husband, Fabian (Gunnar Cauthery), immediate discord ensues. Philip and Nicola’s eager attempts to inflate the value of the artwork lead them to admit their familial ties to the Nazi party.

As the play unfolds, it appears that the siblings’ performative disdain and distancing from their ancestry unravels. Elated by their finding of letters signed ‘ Heil Hitler’, their anti nazi stance is gradually diluted as they are increasingly drawn into their family’s nazi-sympathising past.  Initially described by Philip to be the ultimate reconciliation between Jew and German, his relationship “with the Jewess” takes a turbulent turn, perhaps symbolising that under the surface historical trauma remains largely unresolved. As the perceived origins of this painting are questioned, it seems that the characters’ moral compasses are compromised, as they desperately seek to establish some relation to Hitler, for the sake of financial gain.

The theatrical style, reminiscent of Brecht, seems to hinder any form
of strong emotional reaction to the performance, other than shock.
Despite the sensitive conversations, laughter arises. This is exemplified in scenes such as Judith’s spotlight lit monologue detailing her reaction to Nicola’s critical reflection on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Here, Angus Wright’s character, Kahl, the buyer, is seen bursting in, wearing racy underwear, oiled up and dancing in dazzling pink light. Richard Howell’s skillful use of lighting enhances the dynamic shifts in tone, immersing and surprising the audience, left in constant uncertainty as to what is going to happen next.

‘Nachtland’ invites viewers to adopt a more tolerant perspective,
employing humour and engagement with audience members to spark a reconsideration of society’s approach to historical taboo topics. Despite this, the correct stance towards the presented scenario remains elusive, as no clear antagonist or victim emerges.

In the play’s conclusion, the once-opposed siblings find themselves
aligning with a Hitler art collector and a nazi-sympathising art
expert, exposing their complicated relationship to their Nazi past.

Mayenburg suggests that an undercurrent of  antisemitism may linger within German culture. Despite the use of comedy and initially relatable characters, the performance remains unsettling, as it is suggested that the nazi past is not as distant as it seems. When confronted between a moral choice and personal gain what would individuals choose? The play probes and exposes points of unease and discomfort in contemporary western society.

Featured Image: Angus Wright, John Heffernan, Dorothea Myer-Bennett in Nachtland © Ellie Kurttz

For more information visit Nachtland | Young Vic website

Review by Teodora Wollny

Teodora is a recent A-level graduate, having studied Art History,
Drama, Philosophy and English Literature. Being both a performer and an avid writer,  she enjoys attending a range of entertainment,
including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Whilst currently
on a gap year, she intends on pursuing Visual Art and Film studies. 

Read our latest review Review: Gamble – Touring until 28 March – Abundant Art

Gamble – Presented by Hannah Walker and Co – A multi- media theatre production-an exploration of the online gambling industry based on conversations with experts and experience of being in love with a compulsive gambler.

Co-created by Hannah Walker & Rosa Postlethwaite

‘It is estimated that there are around 24 million people in the UK who participate in online gambling’, a paper waiting for us at our table reads. It includes some more statistics, plus numbers you can call if you need support, both as a gambler or as a family member/friend of a gambler. This piece of paper, and the setting we were just welcomed in – a dim, almost restaurant-like theatre space, where we are offered a small glass of prosecco or orange juice by the performers themselves on arrival – give us an insight on what we are about to see.

GAMBLE is an autobiographical multimedia theatre production about addiction and its impact on loved ones. Hannah Walker navigates her own life being in love with someone with a gambling addiction and deciding to stay and work it out with him. Throughout the show, with 2000s-vibe videos running in the background with a repertoire of mimicking songs,  Walker leads us from that starting point, when casinos were seen as glamorous and cool – behind the glittery curtain of jackpots and big wins – to the discovery after their first kid together, that her husband is addicted to online gambling, through rehab, to relapses and recovery.

Hannah Walker is personal in this show. She speaks out to the audience, including everyone in different ways – like asking an audience member to read a script for her ‘So I can be in the scene!’, Hannah says – in a cabaret-style show that’s fun, sweet, and very real. Always accompanied hand to hand by Faye Alvi, a wonderful BSL interpreter who is in this show more than that, but a performer – an intrinsic part of the act and, perhaps, one of the reasons why the show stands out. This is on point and provides momentum to the otherwise slow-paced cabaret form in an interesting way.

The Performance is followed by a post-show 45-minutes discussion with Dr Matthew Garkell – a professional in the topic, Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychologist for the NHS Northern Gambling Service – where the floor opens for a Q&A. ‘Gambling has the highest rate of suicide of all addiction’, he says to a wide-eyed audience. In this talk, Hannah Walker also expands on how the show was created, starting as therapy for her and her husband, and she hopes that, by presenting it to a wide audience across the country, it can initiate meaningful conversations to help those suffering from gambling addiction. An informal coffee and a chat ‘change making’ follows each performance on the following morning for those that might benefit from further discussion and support.

GAMBLE makes a statement and delves into a topic that isn’t well explored yet in UK theatres. Inclusivity takes its much-needed space in this initiative. Though the production may benefit from some further deepening – the chosen form of cabaret too light to hold the topic at times, Hannah Walker and team take a bold step here and succeed in establishing that gambling addiction is a real, substantial, dangerous challenge.

Image credit: Andrew Moore

Review by Eva Mateos Rodriguez

Eva  is an eclectic artist specialising in acting, writing and songwriting. She has been part of several performances, responses and exhibitions, and is now a student of the MA Creative Writing at Birkbeck University.

Gamble is touring – 15 February-28 March 2024 

8 March – Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH/8pm | £12 macbirmingham.co.uk/| 01214463232

22 March – The Mercury Theatre, Colchester Balkerne Gate, Colchester CO1 1PT/8pm £12 mercurytheatre.co.uk/|01206573948

28 March – Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, Gandy Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3LS/7.30pm | £12-£10 exeterphoenix.org.uk/| 01392 667080

To learn more about the company visit thehannahwalker.com

Read our latest theatre review Women In Revolt! at Tate Britain until 7 April 2024

Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival 2024 is a beautifully curated burst of amazing colours, inspired by the incredible island of Madagascar with spectacular horticultural displays.

Orchids remain a powerful vector of cultural symbology. In the western context in the past, orchids often represented the effete lives of the idle rich. In literature and in films in the 20th century they could be alluring exotic sometimes unobtainable yet dangerous. More recently orchids have come to symbolise the fragile beauty of nature’s ecosystem which need protecting. In other cultures, especially Asian cultures orchids have been part of symbiotic respectful relationship with nature. For example the moon orchid (Aphrodite’s phalaenopsis) derives its name from Indonesian ‘Anggrek Bulan’ where it is revered as the national flower. The boat orchid (Cymbidium orchid)  have symbolised morality, beauty, and love in many Asian cultures for centuries. Showcased at the festival, these extraordinary orchids even inspired Confucius  to mention them in his famous writings, naming them “the Kings of Fragrance.”

Kew Gardens’ Orchid festival is a sumptuous homage to these elegant rare beauties. This year the theme is around the island country of Madagascar with its unique flora and fauna. The Princess of Wales Conservatory is beautifully decorated with some water based orchid installations.  Several orchid arches festoon the path. The orchid collection is a colourful bunch covering species from across the globe. It includes the Clamshell Orchid (Prosthecea cochleata ) from Central America and West Indies, the Moon and Boat Orchids from South East Asia as well as the European and North African origin Sad Stock (Mathiola fruticulosa ). The slender and colourful aptly named lady Slipper Orchid ( Cypripedium calceolus) also hailing from Europe add some tender beauty to the decoration. We cannot have an orchid showcase without a reference to the Himalayas where many orchid species originate. The lightly scented pink and purple flowers of the Dendrobium Nobile is the state flower of the mist laden Himalayan Indian state of Sikkim. At the show they are juxtaposed with the beautiful orange blooms of the Dendrobium Lindeyi. 

The Orchid Festival heralds early spring in Kew where the cherry trees are budding and early crocus starting to appear in the grasslands. The festival is not only a colourful flower show but also a beautiful art installation. It showcases an ecology which has a powerful hold on human imagination across many cultures. The Orchid Festival is as much sense satisfying as it is effective  in delivering a message of responsibility-  for the urgent need of conserving all fragile ecosystems.

Festival ends on 3rd March, which leaves us with the weekend to visit. A not-to-miss family experience-make your way to Kew this weekend. More information HERE

Featured Image: Orchids at Kew Gardens, celebrating the remarkable biodiversity of Madagascar. (c) RBG Kew 

Review by Koushik Chatterjee – a generous volunteer supporting Abundant Art.

Read Koushik’s latest review Review: Qawwali Flamenco: a deeply emotional experience-Barbican, 15 Oct

Restless, fluid, ever-changing: Hayward Gallery’s latest offering When Forms Come Alive is a rapturous exploration of sculpture spanning the last 60 years. 

When Forms Come Alive begins with two mesmerising installations. Firstly, DRIFT’s Shylight sees balls of light, veiled by delicate fabric, gracefully float and rise from the ceiling reminiscent of ethereal jellyfish dancing in the depths of the ocean. A little further in, large clouds of foam gradually overflow trays in Michel Blazy’s Bouquet Final. On both counts, visitors stand entranced by the hypnotic rhythms of the installations.

Moving further into the exhibition, viewers encounter the sculptures of Marguerite Humeau. Among her trio of sculptures stands The Holder of Wasp Venom, a mesmerising creation that both captivates and unnerves. As visitors approach the sculpture, they are greeted by the scent of beeswax and a faint humming noise that reverberates in the background, transporting them to a realm where the boundaries between the organic and the synthetic blur. Composed of layers of mushroom-like forms adorned with hexagonal patterns reminiscent of honeycomb, the sculpture exudes an otherworldly beauty. Yet, upon closer inspection, viewers are confronted with a vial of wasp venom adorning the top of the sculpture, a reminder of the fragility of existence and the precarious balance between creation and destruction.

Finally, ascending to the upper galleries, visitors are greeted by a riot of pink hues, with works by artists Phyllida Barlow, Franz West, and Nairy Baghramian commanding attention. Among the highlights is Franz West’s Epiphanie an Stühlen (Epiphany on Chairs), a whimsical creation that challenges conventional notions of art and its transformative power. Two chairs invite viewers to contemplate a huge pink sphere adorned with spikes, suspended above them like a celestial body. Through its playful juxtaposition of mundane objects and fantastical elements, West’s work invites viewers to reconsider their preconceptions of art and its ability to provoke introspection and revelation and rather, just enjoy it. The perfect ending to such a jubilant exhibition.

When Forms Come Alive is a captivating exploration of the intersection between form and flux. Through a diverse array of immersive artworks, the exhibition invites viewers to contemplate the beauty and complexity of the world around them, challenging them to consider sculpture in a new light. When Forms Come Alive offers a glimpse into a world where the static becomes dynamic and the mundane becomes extraordinary.

When Forms Come Alive is showing at Hayward Gallery until 6th May. Further information and tickets are available here.

Featured Image: Franz West. Epiphany on Chairs, 2011. Photo: Michaela Obermair/Atelier Franz West © Archiv Franz West, © Estate Franz West.

Review by Amy Melling

Amy is a Curator and Creative Producer whose practice is centred around community-led arts projects. Her current research is focused on curatorial methods for exhibiting artworks outside. Amy has a keen interest in the arts and recently completed an MA in Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, UAL.

Read Amy’s latest review Women in Revolt at Tate Britain

A daring and transformative exhibition, Women in Revolt! at Tate Britain is a powerful testament to the resilience, creativity and audacity of women who, throughout history, have rebelled against societal norms. The exhibition unearths a host of artistic expression, capturing a spirit of defiance that reverberates through the works of women artists across generations.

The curation is both careful and chaotic. With works arranged chronologically, Women in Revolt! unfolds as a narrative of resistance. The exhibition is a visual tapestry that weaves together the stories of women who have defied conventions, shattered glass ceilings and left an indelible mark on the art world.

The selection of works is diverse, with over 100 contributors working across painting, drawing, photography, textiles, printmaking, film, sculpture and the archive. Women in Revolt! celebrates established artists like Sonia Boyce, Linder and Chila Kumari Singh Burman alongside those previously left outside the artistic narrative, such as Poulomi Desai and Shirley Cameron. This thoughtful juxtaposition creates a dialogue that resonates with the ever-changing landscape of feminist discourse.

One, of many, standout works is Marlene Smith’s Good Housekeeping III (1985, remade 2023). The work is a painted portrait of Dorothy ‘Cherry’ Groce, with an accompanying text painted directly on the wall stating ‘it is 7am and I am not bullet proof’. The work tells the story of Groce who was shot by police during a raid of her home in Brixton, London in 1985. The event led to a number of uprisings, with an eventual apology from the Metropolitan Police in 2014. Smith’s work was originally shown in the monumental exhibition The Thin Black Line, curated by Lubaina Himid at the ICA in 1985. The remade piece, showcased once more today, reaffirms the significance of art in political discourse and its enduring impact.

Women in Revolt! leaves you with a renewed sense of the power of art as a catalyst for change. The exhibition is a celebration, an affirmation, and a challenge. It challenges us to revisit our understanding of art history, to question the narratives that have shaped our perceptions and to recognise the indomitable spirit of women who, through art, have revolted! 

Women in Revolt! is open at Tate Britain until 7th April 2024, further information and tickets are available here.

Review by Amy Melling 

Amy is a Curator and Creative Producer whose practice is centred around community-led arts projects. Her current research is focused on curatorial methods for exhibiting artworks outside. Amy has a keen interest in the arts and recently completed an MA in Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, UAL.

Read Amy’s latest Review: If Not Now, When? “is a call to engage, to question, to act” – Saatchi Gallery, until 22 January 2024 – Abundant Art