Glorious things to do in London this week (21-27 September 2020)
This week's uplifting edit includes a new Grayson Perry exhibition and a celebration of design for dog lovers
Architecture for Dogs at Japan House London, Kensington
The internationally acclaimed Architecture for Dogs makes its European debut at Japan House this week. As the name suggests, it features a collection of innovative structures for man’s best friend, created by world-acclaimed designers including Ban Shigeru, Kuma Kengo, Itō Toyō and Atelier Bow-Wow, among others.
Architecture for Dogs was first launched at Design Miami in 2012 and has since received global recognition, touring in Japan, China and Brazil. 16 creative pieces are on display for different breeds including the beagle, bichon frise, daschund and poodle. Entry is free but tickets must be booked in advance, and four-legged friends are also very welcome to attend.
When: 19 September 2020 – 10 January 2021Location: 101-111 Kensington High Street W8 5SAWebsite: japanhouse.co.uk Book your free ticket here.
Grayson Perry: The MOST Specialest Relationship at the Victoria Miro Gallery, Hoxton
This month, Channel 4 airs a new three-part documentary, Grayson Perry’s Big American Roadtrip, in which the Turner Prize-winning winning artist buzzes across America on a colourful custom-built motorbike to discover various subcultures and communities and explore themes of identity, race and class. He meets farmers in Wisconsin, the so-called ‘black elite’ in Atlanta and endures a toe-curling liberal dinner party in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
To coincide with the series, Grayson Perry has unveiled a new body of work at the Victoria Miro Gallery in Hoxton. The exhibition is free to visit and features tapestries and ceramics, inspired by American culture.
Grayson Perry’s Big American Road Trip begins on Channel 4 on 23 September
When: until 31 October 2020Location:16 Wharf Road, Hoxton, London N1 7RWWebsite: victoria-miro.com
Flor reopens in Borough Market, London Bridge
Nestled in Borough Market, Flor is the highly-acclaimed wine bar and bakery created by Lyle’s co-founders James Lowe and John Ogier. It reopens this Friday for pastries and grain-focussed bread in the morning, before uncorking bottles from lunchtime. Chef Pamela Young has created a new menu, with a focus on preserving, pickling and fermenting, as well as flatbreads with a selection of moreish toppings.
Location: 1 Bedale Street, London SE1 9ALWebsite: florlondon.com
Big Mamma launches Napoli Gang, Shoreditch
Big Mamma, the renowned team behind Gloria in Shoreditch and Circolo Popolare in Fitzrovia, has launched a new delivery-only restaurant called Napoli Gang. The menu offers a selection of moreish starters including arancini and crispy macaroni balls, fluffy pizzas topped with squid, Italian sausage and all kinds of cheeses and Big Mamma’s signature steaming lasagne. Napoli Gang is available for delivery within a two-mile radius of the Shoreditch kitchen, with an expansion to Kentish Town set to follow next week.
Website: napoligang.co.uk
Ultimate Steven Klein auction at Phillips, Mayfair
Photographer Steven Klein is revered for his subversive, often sexually-charged photography. He has shot campaigns for Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton amongst others, as well as subjects including Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Madonna. A photographic series of polaroids is going under the hammer this week at Phillips auction house on Berkeley Square. Each one is set to fetch between £3,000 and £7,000, with the exception of a unique diptych, Good Kate, Bad Kate, created exclusively by Klein and inspired by his Kate Moss cover story for W Magazine in 2012.
When: viewing until Friday 25 SeptemberLocation: 30 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6EXWebsite: phillips.com