Nº 38: Seb Summers
Founder of art events/exhibitions site Seb’s Art List recommends museum late openings, a non-genre of movies, a place to eat in Fitzrovia and drink in Charing Cross.
We’re back with Seb Summers. Read on to find out what he’s into, and if you’re new here, hit subscribe for secret recommendations once a week.
Founder of London art events/exhibitions platform and weekly newsletter Seb’s Art List.
☞ VISITING: London Museum Late Openings - Generally these aren’t busy and you often have the place to yourself - obviously you pay for some exhibitions but for the most part they are either free displays or a quiet opportunity to explore the permanent collection.
Most people don’t have enough time to visit shows that are on during the week or weekend - late openings hours offer a way round this post-work - can fit these in pre/post something else, have no plans and can help keep your weekends free.
General hours - Somerset House is open 10-7pm everyday, The Hayward 11-7pm Thu-Sat and the Barbican 10-7pm Thu-Sat.
Wednesday: 10-7pm - Pitzhanger Manor (Ealing); 11-9pm - Hayward Gallery (Southbank); 11-9pm - South London Gallery (Camberwell)
Thursday: 10-9pm - Camden Art Centre (Hampstead); 10-8pm - Wellcome Collection (Euston); 10-9pm - Whitechapel Gallery (Aldgate)
Friday: 10-9pm - The National Gallery (Trafalgar Sq); Friday & Saturday: 10-9pm - The Design Museum (High St Kensington)
☞ WATCHING: European spy/assassin thrillers - These films don’t have much in common outside the common thread of ‘someone on the run/chasing something’ - but they all have a good train journey or two, great support roles and generally take place in the sun.
The original classic is Day of the Jackal - Anti-hero Edward Fox makes his way from London across Spain and France to assassinate Charles De Gaulle - the late great Michael Lonsdale is the indefatigable detective in pursuit. Gold.
Examples - The Odessa File, An American Friend, Ronin, The Baader Meinhof Complex, Mission Impossible, Munich & The Bourne Trilogy.
☞ DRINKING: The Harp (Charing Cross) - Favourite W1 boozer by far - great downstairs bar, cosy upstairs, tiny alley out back and surprisingly good art on the walls.
☞ EATING: Italia Uno (Fitzrovia) - This would be an above average cafe if it was in Italy - but it's not, it's in central London, open til 10 on weekdays (busy at lunch), fairly priced and the guy who runs the place is a really nice. Never know whether all the Italians who hang out here live nearby, or they travel to get a feeling of home.
☞ DESTINATION: Leigh on Sea - Less than an hour from Fenchurch St or Limehouse, this is a great day-trip alternative to Brighton or spots along the Kent coast. Get off at Leigh, get some seafood and/or a doughnut and walk along the estuary to Southend. Let Essex be Essex.
☞ ALBUM: Mychael Danna - Moneyball OST (2011) - A movie and soundtrack that embodies the feeling of adopting an alternative view and taking a risk.
♪ LISTENING TO: Roxy Music - Same Old Scene (1980) - Always thought this should be more well known - the latter part is just so great; Ministry’s new romantic 1983 synth driven cover is also excellent. “Nothing lasts forever, Of that I'm sure, Now you've made an offer, I'll take some more”.
“Will I still survive, trying to revive, maybe we should try - The Same Old Scene”
☠︎ HATES: People and places that don’t recycle - recycling won’t stop climate change or broad ecological destruction but would help. It’s prevalent, generally accepted and mutually destructive behaviour that has an available solution - scary.
TY Seb! Become a member of Seb’s Art List for weekly access to the most comprehensive and up to date list of art exhibitions and events in London. Follow Seb here and here.
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