What was started by visionary Arthur Lasenby Liberty in 1874 with only a £2,000 loan from his father-in-law has since surfaced to become one of the most iconic British brands, Liberty & Co. When Liberty opened his first store, he was convinced that he could change the look of homewares and fashion by carrying brightly colored ornaments, fabric ... Read More »
It has been 18 long months since one of the crowning jewels of the National Gallery, London has seen the light of day but last week, Leonardo DaVinci’s masterpiece The Virgin of the Rocks finally returned to its place in the museum’s Sainsbury wing. Read More »
The British Council Arts initiative entitled, New Silk Road, “aims to use the arts traditions of the region to make these places seem vivid again, and to address negative stereotypes with a creative energy that is independent of politics.” A worthy goal. Set to help the BCA accomplish this are textile designers Bruno Basso and Christopher Brooke who “travelled to ... Read More »
A brave new exhibit at The National Gallery of London opens June 30th which promises to reveal the fakes, mistakes and discoveries which the National Gallery has made over time in regards to its paintings. The exhibition “celebrates the remarkable collaboration of scientists, conservators and art historians at the National Gallery” and will be on display through the summer until ... Read More »
The neighborhood of Notting Hill in London is cutting edge, it’s well to do, it’s historical and cinematic. The setting for the renowned 1999 film of the same name, Notting Hill is a neighborhood that has seen political upheavals and gentrification on an enormous scale, turning from slum into highly sought after real estate. The Hugh Grant and Julia ... Read More »
Though technically entitled the “O2 Academy, Brixton,” the building which houses the famous Brixton Academy in London was once the location of a bustling film house, The Astoria. Built in 1929, The Astoria saw many film premieres and the BBC would occasionally broadcast live acts playing The Astoria stage. In 1972, the theater closed but later that year reopened as ... Read More »
On May 14th, hundreds of museums, galleries, historical sites and more will open there doors to late night visitors all over Britain for the annual, Museums at Night. Londonist has chosen a list of their picks within the city but the event reaches as far as the Fife Folk Museum in Ceres, Scotland. And the late-night museum raid isn’t just ... Read More »
Today in London 250 brightly decorated, lifesized elephants are being installed all over the city by Elephant Family, a non-profit that raises money for, you guessed it, Elephants. The elephants were decorated by celebrities and artists, amongst them Isaac Mizrahi, Diane von Furstenberg and the HRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. The installation called Elephant Parade will continue through ... Read More »
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