Lucy Loves: September
What to book, see and do this month in London, Istanbul & beyond
Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well. I’m writing this from London, where I’ll be for the next month or so for work, a house move and my best friend’s wedding. After a slow and sweltering August in Istanbul, I’m ready to embrace a blustery autumn, and with it a slew of exciting new shows, art fairs and events.
Below, you’ll find my September edit of things to know in the two cities I call home, from the must-book fashion exhibition to a free festival of contemporary design.
As ever, please tell me what you’d like to see more of by sending me a DM or commenting below. If you enjoy The Istanbulist, please do share it with your friends or hit the heart in the banner above. Your support really does mean the world to me.
Here’s to a bumper month of all things art & design!
Love Lucy Xx
Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto
16 September 2023 – 25 February 2024, V&A, London
If you love fashion, the V&A‘s autumn blockbuster will be a joy. The first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, it charts the evolution of the Maison and its founder’s iconic design style through more than 180 looks, seen together for the first time, as well as jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and perfumes. Tickets are selling fast so book yours asap.
London Design Festival
16 – 24 September 2023, Various locations across London
London Design Festival is back with a bang for 2023, with over 300 brilliant shows, pop-up installations, talks, workshops and more happening across the city. This year’s nine-day design extravaganza spans 13 districts, from Bankside to Battersea, Chelsea to Dalston, each with its own unique personality.
Look out for Spirit of Place by Simone Brewster in collaboration with Amorim on The Strand. The festival’s new contemporary art commission comprises 5 large scale sculptural vessels representing Amorim’s cork forest at Herdade de Rio Frio in Portugal. Also noteworthy are the festival’s two landmark projects, Aura and Halo, which form part of Christopher Wren’s 300th anniversary celebrations.
As in previous years, the V&A will serve as a central hub and showcase a collection of specially commissioned projects and displays by international contemporary designers. Plus, much of the festival is free. What’s not to love?
Marina Abramović
23 September 2023 – 1 January 2024, Royal Academy, London
Marina Abramović needs no introduction. As the most famous performance artist in the world, she’s exhibited at such prestigious institutions and festivals as the Venice Biennale and the MoMa in New York. Postponed due to Covid-19, this long-awaited retrospective at London’s Royal Academy presents key moments from across her five-decade career through sculpture, video, installation and performance.
Works such as The Artist is Present will be strikingly re-staged through archive footage while others will be reperformed by the next generation of performance artists trained in the Marina Abramović method. Love it or hate it – everyone’s going to be talking about it.
Contemporary Istanbul
26 September – 1 October 2023, Tersane Istanbul
Istanbul’s leading contemporary art fair brings together more than 65 blue-chip and emerging galleries from across Turkey & beyond. International exhibitors include Mark Hachem from Paris and Dubai-based Inloco Gallery, while local galleries for your radar include Dirimart, Galeri Nev and Galeri Bosfor. Running alongside the 18th edition of the fair will be a comprehensive talks programme and CI Photo Focus, a new platform that aims to promote and celebrate photography as a medium of art.
Escape to…Portugal
Various locations across the country
I’ve recently returned from a road trip around Portugal and I now understand why it’s one of the most talked about destinations of 2023.
If you missed my recently published edit of places to eat, stay and drink across the country, you can now read it via my Substack homepage. Portugal is warm and sunny well into autumn, so I’d highly recommend a scroll if you’re plotting a last-minute getaway.
Raffles London at The OWO
Opening 29 September 2023
Talk of the town is the new Raffles London, located in what was the Old War Office building, known today as The OWO. Not surprisingly, 57 Whitehall has a long and storied history: Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Haldane and James Bond creator Ian Fleming have all walked its hallowed halls. The building has also served as the set for five James Bond movies, including Skyfall and Licence to Kill.
Following a six-year renovation project, overseen by the late French architect Thierry Despont, the building now features 120 guest rooms across seven floors, a 65-foot subterranean pool and a Guerlain Spa. The hotel will also house nine new restaurants, including three from the Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco. Go for a cocktail or for dinner to see what all the hype’s about.
JW Anderson at Offer Waterman
18 September – 28 October 2023, Offer Waterman, London
Landing at Offer Waterman this autumn is a new immersive exhibition curated by fashion designer JW Anderson. Installed across the Mayfair gallery, On Foot features works by contemporary artists alongside Anderson’s own fashion designs and works by celebrated Modern British artists including Frank Auerbach, Lucian Freud and Barbara Hepworth.
As you meander around the galleries, you’ll encounter the people and places that have inspired the artists on display, from the upmarket corners of Mayfair to the storied streets of Soho. For the exhibition Anthea Hamilton has collaborated with JW Anderson to produce a limited-edition version of the iconic pigeon clutch which will be presented at Offer Waterman and the JW Anderson Soho store. Hop to it.
Journeys Across Roman Asia Minor by Don McCullin
Available from 1 September 2023
Sir Don McCullin is one of Britain’s greatest living photographers. Over the course of his prolific career, he has captured some of the most gut-wrenching images of war and urban strife ever published. But he’s also a talented landscape artist, whose peaceful pictures of rural Somerset in winter have garnered him new audiences at home and abroad. For his latest book, McCullin has turned his lens on the mountains, valleys and coast of western Turkey.
The result of three journeys undertaken by McCullin and Barnaby Rogerson in 2019, 2021 and 2022, Journeys Across Roman Asia Minor introduces us to some of the most renowned ruins of the Roman Empire, from pavements once trodden by Aristotle and Alexander the Great, to two-thousand-year-old bridges still used by hill farmers. In addition to McCullin’s spectacular photos, it features commentary by Rogerson and an illuminating foreword by Empire presenter William Dalrymple. Add to basket now.
Open House Festival
6 – 17 September 2023, Various locations across London
Now’s your chance to peek inside some of London’s most iconic buildings, gardens and spaces for free. Take a tour of Hogarth’s House before exploring Walthamstow’s Wetlands or the London Fire Brigade Memorial Hall, a Grade II listed building built in 1937 rarely seen by the public. You can plot your own itinerary or join one of the many guided walking talks taking place across the city. Create a free account here to book your tickets and map your route in advance.
LAPADA
26 September – 1 October 2023, Berkeley Square, London
One of London’s leading art and antiques fairs, LAPADA returns to Berkeley Square with over 100 exhibitors presenting art, antiques, design and decorative arts, including jewellery, ceramics and silver. With prices ranging from £500 to £500,000, there is something to suit every taste and budget. Happy hunting!
And finally…what are you most looking forward to this autumn?
I love the open house festival. Thanks for the reminder!