Spectacular surrealism; Netflix’s Love Is Blind UK; Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy; Sziget Festival… and a film to avoid at all costs – here’s what’s new in Europe this weekend.
ADVERTISINGHello and welcome to another round of weekend recommendations. First, a short summary:
Banksy has our attention in a stranglehold this week by posting different animal artworks across London every day (one of them was stolenThe French guerrilla street artist “Invader” was also there and made a pixelated tribute to the Olympic Games in Paris.
Speaking of the Olympics, which ends this weekend (August 11): Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dogg will be performing at the closing ceremonyWe will really miss watching all these incredible athletes – and their Nail art.
Other exciting news is the opening of a Moco Museum in London – which will open with a temporary exhibition by groundbreaking performance artist Marina Abramović – and the unveiling of the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama largest permanent public artwork London.
In a week that has felt particularly dark and hopeless at times, it is at least comforting to know that there is optimism in those fight against it – and the catharsis of art.
Exhibitions
Henry Orlik: “Cosmos of Dreams” at the Maas Gallery (London, Great Britain)
In his twenties, Henry Orlik had the art world at his feet. In the 1970s, he exhibited his work at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, exhibiting alongside Surrealist masters such as Salvador Dalí. But then he disappeared from the scene. Angry at the unfairly high financial cut that art dealers took from the sale of his work, Orlik became disillusioned and retreated into obscurity, living in a council flat in England and creating art for himself. Now, at last, his extensive collection of spectacular Surrealist paintings is on display in a new exhibition curated by Grant Ford of Sotheby’s and Antique Roadshow, who also founded Winsor Birch, a gallery dedicated to Orlik based in Marlborough, UK.
While the show is currently running at London’s Maas Gallery from August 9-20, a second part of the show, featuring an expanded presentation of Orlik’s masterpieces, will be shown at the Little Gallery in Marlborough from August 23.
Edvard Munch: “Trembling Earth” at Munchmuseet (Oslo, Norway)
When most people think of Edvard Munch, they think of The Scream. But the Norwegian artist was so much more than his most commercial work. He created an estimated 1,789 paintings throughout his life. A common theme among them is nature, humanity’s inner emotional turmoil reflected throughout the environment, a symbol of our unity with the earth and the universe. An exhibition at Munchmuseet focuses on this. Eight themed rooms display some of his most striking works, divided by their natural setting. It’s also the last month you can see them. The exhibition ends on August 25 😱.
Festivals and events
Sziget Festival (Budapest, Hungary)
One of the biggest festivals in Europe, every year in August – for 30 years – Sziget transforms the island of Óbuda into a spectacle of boisterous crowds and sound-induced euphoria. What started as a small gathering has become one of the continent’s most popular festivals, and was voted Europe’s Best Festival at the European Festival Awards in 2012 and 2015. The 2024 lineup looks set to reclaim that status, with major headliners including Fred Again.., Stormzy, Sam Smith and Martin Garrix. Other notable acts include Four Tet, AURORA, Fontaines DC and Louis Tomlinson for the Louies.
Can’t make it? Don’t worry, you still have time to check out some of our other Recommendations for European music festivals.
Films
Borderland
Eli Roth’s wacky space-set adaptation centers on bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) and a team of eccentrics battling bandits and searching for an ancient alien bunker chamber on the hellish desert planet Pandora. The cast is amazing: Jamie-Lee Curtis, Édgar Ramírez, Kevin Hart and Jack Black, to name a few – which makes it all the more frustrating that their talents are completely wasted in what Euronews Culture’s David Mouriquand calls “one of the worst films of 2024”. So why are we including it in our recommendation list, you ask? Well, it’s in theaters and Perhaps will you enjoy it? Or just know that it exists, then pay attention the warning in our review: “Avoid at all costs.”
ADVERTISINGTV shows
Love is Blind: Great Britain (Netflix)
Cancel all your plans and buy a pack of Häagen-Dazs – Netflix just released a new dating show with a ridiculous premise (though not as funny how this). Here’s how it works: Heterosexual contestants of the opposite sex are put in separate booths and chat without seeing each other. They choose a partner based purely on personality until they meet in person a month before the wedding (yes, intense). The question: is love really blind? The answer: no, and everyone involved is traditionally good-looking anyway. David Mouriquand of Euronews Culture has watched the first four episodes (the rest will be released gradually in August) – read his review here.
The Umbrella Academy Season 4 (Netflix)
The idea for The Umbrella Academy came from My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way, who also created a comic book series of the same name. The television series launched in 2019 and has developed a large cult following in the years since. It revolves around a bizarre event in 1989 in which 43 babies were born on the same day at the exact same time – to women who were not pregnant. A billionaire named Sir Reginal Hargreeves (Colm Feore) adopted seven of these babies, all of whom have supernatural abilities – and thus founded what is known as The Umbrella Academy. In the fourth and final season, the “Hargreeves siblings,” as they are known, must reevaluate things after losing their superpowers as various external challenges arise.
ADVERTISINGMusic
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: “Flight B741”
The name alone of Australian rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard gives away the kind of sound you can expect: weird, crazy, experimental, and certainly not to everyone’s taste. But one thing cannot be denied: the band’s productivity – they’ve released 26 albums in the last 12 years. While that’s admirable, it can be a little exhausting to keep up – and it’s arguably detrimental to the quality of their output. Nevertheless, they’re back with Flight B741, the band’s “most accessible and enjoyable album,” according to a press release. And you know what? You’re right, it’s kind of fun! Despite the lyrics, which deal with suicidal thoughts and the breakdown of society. In that sense, it’s a fitting album for the world right now – everything is burning, so you might as well dance instead of experiencing doom.
