Virtual reality: the best online things to do this May 2020
Tick off your cultural checklist without leaving the house with our curated guide to the best online events taking place this month
Women for Women virtual car boot sale
This weekend, shop pre-loved Prada, Charlotte Olympia shoes, jewellery and beauty – all for a good cause. Hosted by The Store’s Alex Eagle, the annual #SheInspiresMe Women for Women car boot sale is going online this year, allowing you to shop the wardrobe of designers, influencers, editors and stylists from home. 100 per cent of proceeds raised will donated to Women for Women International, an organisation dedicated to female survivors of war.
Visit Frieze New York virtually
Frieze New York was due to take place this week on Randall’s Island in Manhattan, but has of course been called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, the contemporary art fair has moved online, allowing you to browse works from more than 200 international galleries from the comfort of your living room. Look out for work from established artists including Olafur Eliasson and Ryan Mosley, alongside a roster of emerging talent. Frieze is also using augmented reality technology to allow viewers the ability to virtually view artworks to scale on their own walls.
8-15 May 2020, register here
Soho House ‘Open House’ Project
Members and non-members alike can enjoy Soho House’s new online space, Open House, which brings together lockdown stories from members including artist Tracey Emin and model Ubah Hassan. You can also watch online interviews, including conversations between broadcaster Edith Bowman and actor Luke Evans and American journalist and author Elaine Welteroth with designer Prabul Gurung.
London Original Print Fair Online
For an art fair on home turf, visit the London Original Print Fair this May. The prestigious event, which has taken place at the Royal Academy of Arts since 1985, has moved its viewing rooms online, showcasing works by 50 local and international galleries. Old Masters, including Rembrandt, Matisse and Picasso, sit alongside modern and graphic art by Stephen Kenny and Gillian Garnica. Contemporary highlights this year include works by David Hockney, Cornelia Parker and Grayson Perry.
Throughout May; londonoriginalprintfair.com
Staying In cookbook, photographed by Issy Croker
A new charitable e-cookbook brings together more than 30 recipes from London’s best-loved chefs and food writers, including Melissa Hemsley, Gizzi Erskine, Georgina Hayden, Laura Jackson and Tart London. Recipes, including slow cooks, salads, joyful bakes and cocktails, are accompanied by step-by-step illustrations, beautifully captured by photographer Issy Croker. 100% of the book’s proceeds will be donated to the Chefs in Schools’ emergency appeal fund, to provide support to vulnerable children and their families, with lunch boxes to replace free school meals.
The e-cookbook is available to download via a ‘pay what you can’ (minimum £5) donation over on stayinginthebook.com; #StayingInTheBook.
No Space, Just A Place by Gucci
Take a virtual tour of a new Gucci exhibition No Space, Just A Place, which has opened in Seoul, South Korea. Organised at the Daelim Museum and curated by Myriam Ben Salah, it supports Seoul’s independent and alternative art spaces, including Audio Visual Pavilion and White Noise. Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michelle, ultimately wanted to explore the concept of “the alternative spaces as a utopian place, in which to set new empowering narratives.”
LOEWE EN CASA
Spanish fashion house Loewe has launched ‘LOEWE EN CASA’, a collection of online events, videos and workshops, streaming on Instagram. Highlights include studio tours, crafting workshops and conversations between creative director Jonathan Anderson and esteemed talents including professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe, who features in the new autumn/winter campaign. Anderson will also be talking to actor Josh O’Connor, known for his on-screen portrayal of Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown.
BLOK TV
BLOK, east London’s coolest boutique gym, has launched BLOK TV, offering a weekly directory of live classes and on-demand videos across disciplines including yoga, pilates, barre, boxing and calisthenics. It is now the only boutique gym in the UK with a streaming schedule of 150 classes per week, set to easy-listening Spotify playlists created in partnership with Beats by Dr. Dre.
Learn to knit with Jasmine Hemsley
Jasmine Hemsley is the latest celebrity to take up knitting during lockdown. The English food writer and chef has partnered with HRH The Prince of Wales’ Campaign For Wool, to encourage the nation to get knitting, based on findings from the Harvard Medical School about the meditative benefits of needlework. Watch Jasmine’s easy-to-follow knitting tutorial here.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Happy Hour
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Charlotte Tilbury has launched a weekly ‘Happy Hour’ conversation series. Each week, the beauty doyenne will invite one of her inner-circle to share their experiences and wisdom, live on Instagram. An effervescent Dame Joan Collin kicked off proceedings, discussing her relationship with make-up and the most inspirational people in her life. Listen out for signature Joan witticisms including: “The problem with beauty is that it’s like being born rich and getting poorer.”
