Something for the Week, Issue 2
By Keshav AnandSomething for the Week, our new column, returns. From a London Fashion Week first to Hmong-American photographer Pao Houa Her’s latest book, we highlight the events, exhibitions, films, and more that we think you, our readers, should know about.
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DI PETSA at The BoTree, London
During London Fashion Week, DI PETSA, helmed by Greek designer Dimitra Petsa, presents for the first time an exhibition that delves into the brand’s archives. The designer began working with bodily fluids as part of her BA in Performance Design and Practice, before transitioning onto Central Saint Martins’ Fashion MA. Among the pieces on display at The BoTree this week will be a series of her signature “wet look” garments, previously seen on the likes of Beyoncé, Bella Hadid and FKA Twigs, to name a few.
16 – 19 February 2024
Mohamed Bourouissa’s Signal at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris
Mohamed Bourouissa creates images, installations and videos that explore power relations, displays of masculinity and societal tensions, often by referencing art historical imagery. Bourouissa’s Paris retrospective weaves together various geographies significant to him, including his hometown of Blida, Algeria; Gennevilliers, where Bourouissa now lives and is active as a member of the local community; and the skies over Gaza.
16 February – 30 June 2024
St. Clair Bourne’s Cinema of Solidarity at Barbican Cinema, London
Discover the documentaries of St. Clair Bourne (1943-2007), a filmmaker and activist hailing from Brooklyn. Delving into diverse topics including The Troubles in Ireland and racial dynamics in museums, Bourne’s oeuvre is marked by his tenure at Black Journal, a pioneering Black produced TV programme that not only showcased progressive political and formal approaches but also served as a platform for emerging filmmakers to spotlight untold narratives.
20 February 2024
In conversation with Hassan Hajjaj and Rose Issa at the National Portrait Gallery, London
Hassan Hajjaj, the Moroccan-British artist, is renowned for his captivating and vibrant works that merge contemporary art, fashion, and cultural identity. Join curator, writer and producer, Rose Issa, in conversation with Hajjaj at the National Portrait Gallery. The pair will be discussing the importance of embedding Moroccan traditions into UK culture and the London art scene, unpacking Hajjaj’s experiences from the 1980s to today. Book here.
23 February 2024
My grandfather turned into a tiger … and other illusions by Pao Houa Her
Hmong-American photographer Pao Houa Her’s work takes as its starting point apocryphal family lore, portraits of the artist’s community and herself, as well as mythologised landscapes. The personal narratives explored in her practice are grounded in the traditions and contemporary metaphors of the Hmong diasporic community. My grandfather turned into a tiger brings together four of the artist’s major series, including the title work, which reimagines her family’s history before leaving Laos.
The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Over 150 works, comprising painting, sculpture, photography, and film, have been brought together for this landmark exhibition, exploring the far-reaching ways in which Black artists portrayed everyday modern life in the new Black cities that took shape in the 1920s–40s. Featured artists include Charles Alston, Aaron Douglas, Meta Warrick Fuller, William H. Johnson, Archibald Motley, Winold Reiss, Augusta Savage, James Van Der Zee, and Laura Wheeler Waring.
25 February – 28 July 2024
Feature image: My grandfather turned into a tiger … and other illusions by Pao Houa Her. Photo: @phmuseum