Five things to do and see this April
The clocks have sprung forward and the spring chicks are chirping: yes, April has arrived. But it’s not only those longer, lighter evenings luring us out of the house; this month’s brilliant list of cultural and culinary must-dos and -sees is equally tempting – even with the occasional April shower. From a new natural wine bar in south London to an exciting art exhibition showing how K-Pop choreography influences traditional painting techniques, here are our top treats for the month ahead.
Be among the first to wine and dine at Ploussard
A new wave of independent wine bars is shaping London’s streets – and the latest opening that’s caught our eye is Ploussard. Aptly named after the French red-grape varietal from the Jura region, this small neighbourhood spot in Clapham Junction, south-west London, serves low-intervention bottles with seasonal small plates – a point-scoring combination we’re still not tired of.
You may already be familiar with the brains behind this business, head chef Matt Harris and front of house Tommy Kempton, who founded Other Side Fried, a chicken venture with outposts in Brixton and Kennington. Here, however, they are doing things differently – there’s not a burger or wings in sight. Instead, the menu will feature dishes include lamb and anchovy crumpet, broad beans with ricotta and wild pesto, and burnt-bay custard tart with poached rhubarb. Yum. As for the design? They’ve done it themselves and its a delight: cosy wooden booths meet a soft-pink and deep-burgundy colour scheme. It’s a yes from us. Open 1 April.
Kudzanai-Violet Hwami: ‘A Making of Ghosts’ at Victoria Miro
From powerful nudes of the Black body to subversive self-portraits, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami’s vibrant paintings are as bold as they are beautiful. We were delighted to hear, then, that from 14 April to 13 May, a new portfolio of work by the artist will be on display at Victoria Miro in north London. Titled ‘A Making of Ghosts’, the exhibition will include a series of large-scale pieces and suspended family photographs, which explore themes such as grief and memory.
Born in Zimbabwe in 1993, Kudzanai-Violet relocated to South Africa at the age of nine, before moving to the UK at 17. Speaking about her art, she said: “With the collapsing of geography, time and space, no longer am I confined in a singular society but simultaneously I am experiencing Zimbabwe and South Africa and the UK.” As a queer artist, Kudzanai-Violet’s investigates subjects such as geographical dislocation and representation, as well as sexuality, gender and spirituality. This particular collection has been crafted predominately using collage (combining layers of photographs and paint), a process that “has given me absolute freedom as a strategy,” she says. A much-needed tonic over April.
Pictured: Work in Progress (detail), 2023 © Kudzanai-Violet Hwami. Courtesy of the artist and Victoria Miro
Family Dinners at Caravel on Regent’s Canal in north London
Which nostalgic dish would you bring back from your childhood? It’s the question brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, who run the barge-turned-restaurant Caravel, are asking some of London’s most exciting chefs as part of their new project: Family Dinners. This monthly supper series, running until July, will see chef Lorcan invite his friends from within the industry into his kitchen to collaborate on one-off menus inspired by the food of their youths.
Following on from the first event in March, where Freddie Janssen of Snackbar whipped up Dutch delights including bitterballen and frikandellen, Max Halley – best known for his namesake sandwich shop – will take up residency on 11 April. His menu will be “full of mischief and big flavours” – think smoked eel and crispy confit chicken wings with sweetcorn puree; and a grilled squid and pea stew with chorizo. The fun doesn’t end there: Amy Poon will celebrate her Chinese heritage in May; Cynthia Shanmugalingam, founder of Rambutan, will nod to her Sri Lankan roots in June; and Sophie Wyburd of Mob Kitchen will prepare her favourite comfort foods in July. Tickets for Family Dinners with Max Halley are available now via Resy.
Maki Na Kamura at Michael Werner Gallery
Maki Na Kamura’s art is arguably the perfect blend of abstraction and figuration, past and present, memory and imagination. The Osaka-born, Berlin-based creative has long been inspired by historical Japanese art and its influence on European painting – pore over her own and you might spot references to traditional masters: Luca Signorelli, Nicolas Poussin, Jean-François Millet and Albrecht Dürer. But look a little closer at Maki’s latest work and you may start to notice another, more surprising influence in the form of ATEEZ, the K-Pop boy band known for their vibrant choreography.
This series of exquiste paintings – on display at Michael Werner Gallery from 21 April to 4 June – showcases Maki’s fascination with the contrast of classical and contemporary cultures alike, as she captures the movements of ATEEZ with her energetic brushwork. Fluidity is key to her wonderfully original work, which developed under the eye of German neo-expressionist painter Jörg Immendorff. Maki describes her work as “Caspar David Friedrich plus Hokusai minus Romanticism minus Japonisme”. It’s every bit as intriguing as it sounds.
Pictured: (top) Ed XIII, 2023; Ed XIV, 2023; (bottom) Camp VI, 2023 © Maki Na Kamura. Courtesy Michael Werner Gallery, New York and London
‘To Be Held’ curated by Ronan Mckenzie at Carl Freedman Gallery
“I really believe that everything in my space needs to fill me with love – or at least make me feel something when I look at it.” So said Ronan Mckenzie about the original art created for her by her friends, which she surrounded herself with at her apartment in Clapton, east London. (Watch our film touring her home here.) If, like us, you were inspired by the photographer and gallerist’s curatorial eye, you’ll be thrilled to hear about her latest project: a group exhibition at Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate.
Questioning what it means to be held – and how that experience can calm and soothe the senses – Ronan is showcasing art and furniture by a particularly exciting spectrum of artists and designers, including Alfie Kungu, Alvin Armstrong, Sola Olulode, Mac Collins and Modular by Mensah, alongside some of her own work. As long-standing fans of Home, Ronan’s own gallery and community space in Holloway, north London, we can’t wait to see her take over this contemporary space on the Kent coast at the end of the month. ‘To Be Held’ runs from 30 April to 25 June.
Pictured: Celebrate the Sun, Alfie Kungu
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