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Are you ready to spring into action this April with our list of things to do, see, buy and eat around the UK? Expect mania (of the design persuasion), pop-ups aplenty and even some teasingly tactile affairs.
TO DO
Experience Sienna Murdoch’s deeply sensory, often uncanny and sometimes even erotic work in person. From 9 to 12 April, Sienna will take up residence at Frieze No.9 Cork Street to present her debut exhibition Geline, where her wobbly creations will be displayed to the public for the very first time. The exhibition is named after the medium Sienna created using Carrageenan seaweed (sourced from Ireland), natural glycerins and corn starch. On 11 and 12 April Sienna will be co-hosting a workshop and ‘touch tour’ in which visitors will have a chance to interact with the work on display, alongside a newly installed selection of objects contributed by invited artists including Simone Rocha, Linder Sterling and Lucy Kumara Moore. Details: sienna.world
TO SEE
‘The memory of a pattern, a journey, a meeting, a scent, a reflection…’ The timeless glamour of Wong Kar-wai’s cinematic masterpiece In the Mood for Love, set in 1960s Hong Kong, is the inspiration and backdrop for French interior designer Sandra Benhamou’s first solo show in the UK at Invisible Collection. Carefully curated rooms mimic the mise-en-scène of the film: between exquisite fabrics by Dedar, sumptuous Diurne rugs and furniture by Benhamou, Pierre Bonnefille and Josef Frank, one finds vintage records, photographs and artfully placed objets. A must for décor and film fans alike, Benhamou’s exhibition is a transportive experience. Until 25 June at Invisible Collection. Details: Invisible Collection
This month Gagosian presents I Do Not Come to You by Chance, Amoako Boafo’s first solo presentation in the UK. Named after Nigerian writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s 2009 novel, the exhibition explores Amoako’s family’s story and local Ghanaian history through his striking portraiture, in which the texture of skin is created using finger-painting techniques. His work shot to fame when Suborbital Tryptych, a piece consisting of three portraits of himself, his mother and a friend’s mother was painted on to the fuselage of a rocket and launched into space in 2021. If, however, you prefer a more down-to-earth viewing experience, you can see Amoako’s work at Gagosian 10 April–24 May. Details: gagosian.com
This April William Morris Gallery celebrates its 75th anniversary with Morris Mania, a major exhibition showcasing the remarkable influence and complex legacy of one of the 19th century’s most celebrated designers. Despite his death more than 125 years ago the great man’s designs have continued to grow in popularity and his patterns are now more affordable and readily available – something he failed to achieve in his lifetime. The exhibition will explore the paradox of Morris, the staunch socialist and pioneer of Arts and Crafts, flourishing in the context of mass production, computer-generated design and environmental crisis. Details: wmgallery.org.uk
TO BUY
After the resounding success of its 2024 residency, Brownrigg Antiques return to the first floor of Fortnum & Mason in central London. During the seven-month residency the pieces showcased in the Piccadilly emporium will be exclusive to the store and not available on the Brownrigg website. Details: brownrigg-interiors.co.uk
Addison Ross is celebrating its first foray into the world of lighting by inviting the public to shop its vast collection of homewares in person for the first time. The ten-day-long pop-up on the King’s Road will present a host of events and offers for shoppers, including free gifts, discounts and access to unseen products. The store will open on 25 April, with a free full-size ‘Bobbin’ pepper grinder (a product for which it’s renowned) up for grabs for the first 100 customers, and will run until 4 May. Details: addisonross.com
This month Italy comes to London by way of Seletti Market, a new residency on the lower-ground floor of Selfridges. Inspired by the first Italian supermarket, which opened in Milan in 1957, the pop-up combines playful maximalism and a surreal shopping experience – shelves are stocked with a selection of Seletti bestsellers and ‘fake’ products created exclusively for Selfridges. Shoppers can also enjoy a range of authentic Italian delicacies at its café. Details: selfridges.com
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TO EAT
Once you have sated your cultural appetite down London’s museum mile, check in to South Ken’s newest restaurant, The Lavery, for a restoring meal. Situated inside a Grade II-listed town house, one-time home and studio of Anglo-Irish painter Sir John Lavery, the space has been meticulously restored. Formerly of the River Café, Toklas and 180 The Strand, Chef Yohei Furuhashi takes the helm, offering up a menu of modern Mediterranean dishes cooked up using seasonal produce. Details: The Lavery
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