Art

The Tate Britain Gets a Colorful Winter Makeover With Annual Art Installation

Nov 19, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

The last few years the Tate Britain has commissioned a colorful light-based art project to adorn the front of the building. The results have been both controversial and beautiful. This year, a year where most of us can't even see it in person, Tate has unveiled the latest Winter Commission, which takes inspiration from Bollywood and many other sources. It's beautiful when … [Read more...] about The Tate Britain Gets a Colorful Winter Makeover With Annual Art Installation

London History: A Special Look at Cleopatra’s Needle on the Victoria Embankment

Oct 27, 2020 By Laura Porter 2 Comments

Did you know, London has an ancient Egyptian obelisk on display? It's not in a museum or a private collection. It's actually alongside the River Thames in central London so you may have seen it and not realised its significance. Cleopatra's Needle on the Victoria Embankment, near the Golden Jubilee Bridges, has a twin in New York's Central Park. (And those two have a … [Read more...] about London History: A Special Look at Cleopatra’s Needle on the Victoria Embankment

Another London Mapping Wonder: Taking a Close Look at MacDonald Gill’s 1914 London Wonderground Map

Jun 11, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Do you remember the days when we stood waiting for a train before we had mobile phones to distract us? Some read the paper and some simply stared into space daydreaming and avoiding eye contact with any strangers. Back in the early twentieth century, Frank Pick from the London Underground had the idea to commission a detailed illustrative map for passengers on platforms to … [Read more...] about Another London Mapping Wonder: Taking a Close Look at MacDonald Gill’s 1914 London Wonderground Map

STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece

May 7, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Created by Horace Walpole as his summer retreat riverside villa, Strawberry Hill House is Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture. After a £10 million repair and restoration programme, twenty rooms now appear as Walpole left them when he died at the end of the eighteenth century. Throughout his 50 years at Strawberry Hill, between 1747 and 1797, Horace … [Read more...] about STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece

THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince

Apr 9, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

When Queen Victoria's husband died unexpectedly, it was not just the monarch that mourned as the nation too was consumed with grief along with a certain amount of guilt at not having appreciated Prince Albert and everything he had done. A grand and complex memorial was built to place Albert in the centre of arts and sciences of the 1860s. PRINCE ALBERT Prince Albert of … [Read more...] about THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince

Laura’s London: Special Exhibition Report – Andy Warhol at Tate Modern

Mar 11, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

A new major exhibition at Tate Modern looks at Andy Warhol from his childhood in Pittsburgh through to his one of his final works. It's a fresh look at the extraordinary life and work of the pop art superstar and offers a rare personal insight into how Warhol and his work marked a period of cultural transformation. Featuring over 100 works, the exhibition shows how this … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Special Exhibition Report – Andy Warhol at Tate Modern

Exhibition Report: David Hockney – Drawing from Life at the National Portrait Gallery

Feb 27, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

There's a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery featuring one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. David Hockney: Drawing from Life is the first major exhibition devoted to David Hockney's drawings in over twenty years. There are around 150 works from public and private collections on display. The exhibition traces the trajectory of his … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: David Hockney – Drawing from Life at the National Portrait Gallery

Special Exhibition Report: Viewing the Armada Portraits at Queen’s House in Greenwich – Faces of a Queen and The Woburn Treasures

Feb 13, 2020 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

For the first time ever the three surviving versions of the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I are on display together in the Queen’s House in Greenwich (13 February – 31 August 2020). And a major collaboration with Woburn Abbey means even more significant works from their private art collection are on display in Greenwich too. If you do one special exhibition in Britain this year, … [Read more...] about Special Exhibition Report: Viewing the Armada Portraits at Queen’s House in Greenwich – Faces of a Queen and The Woburn Treasures

Exhibition Report: Meet Vincent van Gogh in London

Feb 7, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

From 7 February to 21 May 2020, the award-winning Meet Vincent van Gogh Experience is on display on London’s South Bank. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has found a new approach with this touring 3D experience. The museum's collection is quite small and vulnerable so this idea makes art accessible to a wider audience. It's an interactive and multi-sensory experience that … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: Meet Vincent van Gogh in London

Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery

Nov 18, 2019 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

A new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, looks at a king who collected and commissioned many of the finest works of art in the Royal Collection. George IV: Art and Spectacle makes it clear he was a patron of the arts and while he didn't hold back on the spending, he did have good taste. This is the official state portrait of George IV by Sir Thomas Lawrence, … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery

London Alert: The National Portrait Gallery to Close for Three Years for Major Refurbishment

Nov 7, 2019 By jonathan 1 Comment

The National Portrait Gallery is often lost in the museum shuffle in London, mostly because it's located behind the National Gallery, so it's often an afterthought for tourists. And frankly, if you're walking from Trafalgar Square to Leicester Square or Covent Garden, it's easy to walk right past it and not know that it's there. They aim to change that with a major renovation … [Read more...] about London Alert: The National Portrait Gallery to Close for Three Years for Major Refurbishment

Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain

Sep 20, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The Tate Britain is the flagship of the Tate museum group and has been a fixture in British art since it opened in 1897. Its collection is full of art from throughout the United Kingdom going back to the Tudor era and includes some of the country’s biggest names from J.M.W. Turner to William Blake. With so many works over such a long span of time, there are plenty of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See in the Tate Modern Art Museum

Jul 10, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern is a repository of art from 1900 to the present. With thousands of items in their collection and over 5 million visitors per year, the Tate Modern is the second-largest art museum in the UK. As such, you can believe there are many interesting works to see from Warhol, Matisse, Picasso, Pollack, and more. Since art … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See in the Tate Modern Art Museum

London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

May 31, 2019 By Laura Porter 2 Comments

Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection. As the Royal Collection has more drawings by Leonardo da Vinci than any other Renaissance artist, it forms the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

Top 10 Works of Art to See in London’s National Gallery On Your Next Visit

Apr 30, 2019 By jonathan 5 Comments

The National Gallery in London is one of the finest Art Museums in the world - and one of the oldest. It's one of my favorite places to visit when I visit London. This is one of London's top free museums, and you can just walk in whenever you like and admire some of the finest works of art humanity has ever produced. But there are thousands of works in the museum - which ones … [Read more...] about Top 10 Works of Art to See in London’s National Gallery On Your Next Visit

Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?

Apr 29, 2019 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition has opened at The Design Museum in Kensington and is on until 15 September 2019. A global touring exhibition which started its journey in 2004, has at last reached London where so many of Kubrick's movies were filmed. Marking the 20th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s death, the exhibition explores his unique command of the whole creative … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?

Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

Mar 28, 2019 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

This major exhibition at Tate Britain focuses on the time Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) spent in Britain between 1873 and 1876 when he was in his early twenties. He explored the (then) largest city in the world a decade before he became an artist. The exhibition is able to look at the artist's relationship with Britain and explores how Van Gogh was inspired by British art, … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!

Feb 8, 2019 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Editor's Note: We have a real treat this week - Laura was given an exclusive tour of the newly restored Painted Hall in Greenwich before its re-opening so we're chuffed to bits that she's written up a huge report about it. Please consider subscribing to the Londontopia Magazine as it allows us to commission great articles like this. As reported here recently, The Painted … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!

Future London: Take a Look at London’s Future Symphonic Concert Hall

Jan 24, 2019 By jonathan

London is a world-class city and one thing it lacks right now is a world-class symphonic concert hall. Yes, it has the Royal Albert Hall, but that's over 150 years old and not exactly to the standard of modern concert halls. This is set to change in the coming years and we now have our first good look at what the place could look like. The London Centre for Music is due to … [Read more...] about Future London: Take a Look at London’s Future Symphonic Concert Hall

London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration

Jan 17, 2019 By jonathan

Great news! After being closed for almost two years and undergoing at £3 million restoration, The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich will be re-opening to visitors! This place is sometimes referred to as the UK's 'Sistine Chapel' and it's an incredible sight to see in person. If you've been the Greenwich the last few years, you may have been … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration

London Maps: Check Out This Beautiful New Map of London History and Culture

Nov 22, 2018 By jonathan

This came through the inbox the other day and I knew we had to share it. This beautiful new map from artist Cally Lathey and it took her 11 months to create. Wow! About the map: From Winehouse to Willesden, Elizabeth Taylor to Elephant and Castle, Bowie to Brockley... This map has it all. Did you know that Mozart wrote his first symphony in London in 1764? That Alfred … [Read more...] about London Maps: Check Out This Beautiful New Map of London History and Culture

Ian McKellan To Go On Tour For His 80th Birthday – Tolkien, Shakespeare, others

Nov 9, 2018 By jonathan

Big news for fans of British star Ian McKellan, to celebrate his 80th birthday next year, he's going to go on a national tour around Britain, celebrating his greatest hits and raising funds for theatre. Here are the details: Ian McKellen is to celebrate his 8oth birthday next year by raising funds for theatres, with a new solo show which will play on 80 … [Read more...] about Ian McKellan To Go On Tour For His 80th Birthday – Tolkien, Shakespeare, others

London Alert: Tower of London Lights 10,000 Torches in its Moat in Remembrance of World War I – See it by Sunday!

Nov 5, 2018 By jonathan

A very moving scene has been created in London at the Tower of London and you only have until the 11th to see it. 10,000 gas lanterns have been lit in the Tower's moat in commemoration of the end of World War I. If you're in London right now, you have until Sunday to see this. Go! I wish I was there to see it in person. From Historic Royal Palaces: As the nation … [Read more...] about London Alert: Tower of London Lights 10,000 Torches in its Moat in Remembrance of World War I – See it by Sunday!

Wands At The Ready! Giant Harry Potter Wands Unveiled On Walk to St Paul’s Cathedral

Oct 18, 2018 By jonathan

We reported on this a couple weeks ago (and it was the most popular thing we've posted in months!) so we figured we would let everyone know that the Giant Harry Potter Wands are now on display on the walk to St Paul's Cathedral from the Millenium Bridge for a very limited time. Put up to coincide with the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic … [Read more...] about Wands At The Ready! Giant Harry Potter Wands Unveiled On Walk to St Paul’s Cathedral

Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne

Sep 17, 2018 By Laura Porter

For the first time in London for 70 years, the National Gallery is displaying major Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks from the Courtauld Gallery, purchased in the 1920s by Samuel Courtauld (1876–1947). These are shown alongside paintings from the National Gallery's own collection which the businessman and philanthropist financed and helped acquire. Courtauld … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne