Lead image: Liza Rusalskaya
So earlier this month I was invited to the opening show of Somerset House’s The Missing Thread – an exhibition that tells the story of Black people’s contribution to the fashion industry and was uplifted in a way that I haven’t been in a long time (You can see my musings about the exhibition in this edition of The Week Unboxed)
Enthused by the experience I started thinking about how I can unchain myself my energy-destroying habit of putting everything else first and go on the hunt for more opportunities to feed my creative soul and decided to list some other exhibitions I have my eye on to attend.
By the time I did have a look at the list I realised something very challenging, in this cost of living crisis I realised that going to an exhibition is an exercise in luxury and one that runs the risk of being inaccessible to people.
Here are the exhibitions I would like to go to, though it’s important to note that not all of them are paid:
Victoria & Albert Museum, until 7 April
DIVA celebrates the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of ‘diva’ and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
GABRIELLE CHANNEL, FASHION MANIFESTO
Victoria & Albert Museum, until 25 February
The first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of CHANEL and the evolution of her iconic design style which continues to influence the way women dress today.
Victoria & Albert Museum, opens 14 October
Take an exciting and atmospheric trip through Japanese history – and explore how landscape and folklore have influenced Japan’s culture, technology and design.
Victoria & Albert Museum, Until 4 February
This display celebrates the glittering world of musical theatre, exploring the evolution and craftsmanship of iconic musicals, from Miss Saigon and My Fair Lady to modern classics SIX the Musical, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
JULIANKNXX: CHORUS IN REMEMORY OF FLIGHT
The Barbican, Until 11 February
Poet, artist and filmmaker Julianknxx explores themes of inheritance, loss and belonging as he crosses the boundaries between written word, music and visual art.
Kensington Palace, Until October 29
This brand-new fashion exhibition for 2023 takes over Kensington Palace’s State Apartments and Piggott Galleries, featuring over 200 items from ball gowns to court suits and handbags to jewellery. The exhibition draws fascinating parallels between the world of today’s red carpet and the Georgian Royal Court in the 18th century.
Outernet, Ongoing
Created by immersive experience studio Pixel Artworks with visual light artist Rupert Newman, The Spaces In-Betweenenables the public to sync their body movements with a breath-taking digital light artwork on the largest digital canvas in the world.
A WORLD IN COMMON: CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Tate Modern, Until 14 January
Bringing together a group of artists from different generations, this exhibition will address how photography, film, audio, and more have been used to reimagine Africa’s diverse cultures and historical narratives.
A phenomenal line up right?! Honestly, my heart races as I think about it. It also raced when I calculated that it would cost me £84.40 for myself alone to see all the exhibitions mentioned of my own volition and that doesn’t include purchasing tickets for my children if I wanted them to experience these collections too nor travel or lunch. Three years ago it would have been an easier Investment to make but now there’s an unfathomable amount of impact assessment that has to be done first.
When did visiting exhibitions become so expensive? Is it greedy of me to want to consume art without considering the impact on my general living expenses?
I get it. Creating and curating these visual masterpieces is time and cost consuming and a lot of the institutions probably lost millions during the two-year hiatus induced by the pandemic. However, where some tickets are priced at £27.50, I have started to wonder who these tickets are aimed at.
The other perspective though is priority. Now I’ve headed to my local cinema expecting to spend 12 quid and ended up spending close to £40 a pop so I suppose it depends on what’s important to you when it comes to entertainment.
I recently saw an interview with activist, photographer and chair of The Southbank Centre where he was asked by Channel 4 anchor Cathy Newman about whether the government should be doing more to invest in the arts.
He stated that he hopes in time the government will acknowledge the importance and impact the creative industries play in our economic ecosystem.
In time, I hope that more money is infused into the sector alleviating the cost to visitors. Will I still go see some of the exhibitions? Yes, but for now I’ll have to stay pretty selective about which ones.
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