The TMH Edit: five things to do this November
The clocks might have gone back, but the darker days ahead needn’t be dull. Here are five brilliant ways to make the most of November, from a seasonal truffle-topped meal in London to an exhibition in Middlesbrough on a pioneering female potter.
Aelfred
There’s little we look forward to as much as an afternoon spent scouring flea markets in pursuit of mid-century design, so when we heard about the opening of Aelfred, set to be London’s largest showroom of Scandinavian pieces from the period, on 3 November.
The project is the brainchild of Nina Hertig, the co-founder of interior design practice Sigmar and a self-proclaimed fan of modernist design. Situated within a 300sq m industrial building, which overlooks the canal in Hackney Wick, east London, Aelfred will play host to an ever-changing roster of second-hand Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish furniture and objects for the home – think vintage cutlery, antique vases, 1950s joinery and more. Aelfred will be open for all your design-sourcing needs every week from Thursday to Sunday.
BYOT at Bocca di Lupo
Truffle season is in full swing – and there might not be a better way to celebrate than at Bocca di Lupo. Forget BOYB, the Italian-inspired establishment in London’s Soho is inviting guests to BYOT (yes, bring your own truffle).
Chef and founder Jacob Kenedy and his team will be on hand to shave truffle over dishes from their menu; the ones helpfully marked with a ‘T’, will, in their opinion, be the most delicious with the addition of the autumnal ingredient. We’re eyeing up fondue with anchovy and garlic, as well as tagliolini with duck yolk, lemon and parmesan. However, you can also try it with whatever plate takes your fancy. Where to get your truffles? Gelupo, Bocca di Lupo’s sister gelateria known for its authentic Italian ice creams, is just across the road and will be selling the fragrant white sort. Alternatively, guests are welcome to bring their own from home too. Make your reservation here. Buon appetito!
Making Modernism at the Royal Academy of Arts
What do Paula Modersohn-Becker, Kӓthe Kollwitz, Gabriele Münter and Marianne Werefkin have in common? Answer: the four remarkable German artists are the subject of a forthcoming exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, which opens on 12 November. Titled Making Modernism, it will be the first major retrospective dedicated to these women who worked in Europe in the early 1900s.
Often overlooked in favour of their male counterparts, such as Wassily Kandinsky, the four modernist artists were instrumental in pioneering a radical new style of painting in the early 20th century. From self-portraits to still-life and more, the exhibition will feature 65 works – many of which have never been displayed in the UK before – demonstrating the artists’ lasting influence, while also highlighting the inspiring relationships they had with each other. Making Modernism runs until 12 February 2023.
Picture: Gabriele Münter, Portrait of Anna Roslund, 1917; (below) Marianne Werefkin, Circus – Before the Show, 1908-10
Lucie Rie: The Adventure of Pottery at the MIMA
Over at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, a new retrospective on the inimitable Lucie Rie is opening on 12 November. Created in collaboration with Kettle’s Yard, where it will travel in spring next year, Lucie Rie: The Adventure of Pottery is an ode to the progressive Austrian-born potter and the way in which she changed the perspective of her craft, cementing its status as an art form in the 20th century. Revered for her painterly designs, elegant shapes and thick glazes, Rie’s distinctive modernist style set her apart from the likes of Bernard Leach and the earthy, English aesthetic.
The exhibition will feature more than 100 works spanning the six decades of Rie’s career. As well as artful bowls and vases, lesser-known – but equally exquisite – pieces will be there to pore over, such as a collection of colourful buttons and jewellery she made when she moved to London in flight of the Nazis in 1938. Top tip: while visiting the MIMA, be sure to discover its permanent collection of around 550 ceramics, made between the 1920s and 2020s. Lucie Rie: The Adventure of Pottery is on until 12 February 2023.
Oranj
Natural-wine devotees might already be familiar with Oranj, the London-based booze dealers founded by Jasper Delamothe, which spent the pandemic delivering low-intervention and organic bottles to doorsteps across the country. It collaborated with some of our favourite restaurants in the capital, including Rita’s, P. Franco and Manteca. And now, we’re excited to hear that it’s opening its very first natural wine bar in Shoreditch, east London.
Oranj, which sits within former stables, has been fitted out with an industrial-leaning design, with interiors inspired by artist Rachel Whiteread. The appealing palette of walnut, aluminum and concrete – the materials often used to build vessels for fermenting and ageing wine – makes the place all the more tempting in which to spend an hour or two sipping a glass of zippy Catalonian white or fizzy French orange. If natural wine isn’t your thing, don’t fret – Organj also serves cocktails and Lambic beers, as well as light bar snacks and small plates. Opening times are Thursday-Saturday, 4-11pm.
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