This week's selection of cultural distractions to occupy you before London Fashion Week begins
Here is our pick of cultural distractions to keep your mind ticking over just before London fashion week commences. Starting off with a show of Irving Penn’s portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, and finishing with Kenneth Anger’s epic exhibition at Spruth Magers – a means of keeping your cool amidst the plethora of shows that will be taking place as of Thursday.
Le Labo Store Opening at 8A Devonshire Street, London W1 – From Monday, February 15
As of last Saturday, celebrated perfumers Le Labo are in situ in London’s Marylebone. Le Labo have ten fantastic scents that they developed with some of the world’s best noses, each built around a primary natural essence. The Le Labo London boutique offers vistors a chance to learn about perfume making, and to see what Le Labo is about. The more discerning noses can create individual scents and there is a wonderful range of scented candles. After having been in residence in Liberty for the last few years it is great to see Le Labo setting up their own store-cum-sensuory-spectacular.
Ana Mendieta Silueta & Silence at Alison Jacques, London – Thursday, February 18 to Saturday, March 20
The first ever exhibition in the UK devoted solely to the work of Cuban-born artist Ana Mendieta. Since her tragic death at the age of 36, Medieta has been represented at the Met, the Whitney, the Guggenheim, SFMOMA and the Pompidou, yet has scarcely been celebrated in the UK. This exhibition of her little known or viewed works combines photographs from her silueta series, video imagery of her performances and a restaging of one of her most significant performance pieces.
Irving Penn Portraits at National Portrait Gallery, London – Thursday, February 18 to Sunday, June 6
This will be the first Irving Penn UK museum exhibition in 20 years and the largest UK exhibition of Penn’s portraiture. Ranging from his Vogue portraits in the Forties to his work with cultural figures like Woody Allen and Louise Bourgeois, this exhibition demonstrates Penn’s enormous contribution to, and influence on modern portraiture.
Kostas Menelau Fashion Shorts at Machine–A, London – Thursday, February 18
Fashion shorts comes to Soho store/gallery Machine–A for the start of London fashion week. Machine–A stocks new London designers and collaborates with artists and curators on fashion events and exhibitions. Combining video artists creating works for designers and delivering imagery with a fashion aesthetic, London Fashion Shorts’ programme blends genres, to demonstrate how moving image can represent and interpret fashion.
Kenneth Anger Exhibition at Spruth Magers, London – Friday, February 19 to Saturday, March 27
Music video pioneer and counter-culture icon Kenneth Anger is having a solo exhibition at Spruth Magers gallery in London over the next month. Featuring his seminal work Invocation of My Demon Brother with soundtrack by Mick Jagger, and his neon Hollywood Babylon sign and stills from his film Lucifer Rising (on which he collaborated with Manson accomplice Bobby Beausoleil).
Sophie Jackson is on the editorial team for AnOther, AnOther Man and works in Marketing & Events for Dazed Group
