A Summer Of Art At Earl’s Court Review
Whether you’re into immersive theatre, watching amazing animals on the screen, eating delicious pub food, or seeing artistic installations- the Summer of Art program at Earl’s Court has something for everyone.
We started the evening by admiring the large, colourful floor mural on Warwick Road created by local artist Lucy Oates. This mural can also be used as the starting point for Sam Jacob’s ‘20 Things’ which is a self-guided walking tour that celebrates the area’s unique heritage and links to musical legends David Bowie and Pink Floyd. Although we didn’t get to do this walk in this experience, my friend and I want to go back to learn more about the area. We did stop to admire a set of living wall hoardings to celebrate local history and culture on our walk to The Gallery on Lille Road. Here we learnt about the Artist in Residence program which will see 12 artists work with the community over a period of three months each. Sol Golden-Sato’s portrait exhibition celebrates six female leaders from the local area.
By now, a drink and nibbles was needed so we headed to The Prince. Located on Lille Road, we were surprised at the insta-worthy space. With wooden tables and chairs and flowers it’s an inviting space for drinks, dining and relaxing. We sampled the Mac Daddy pizza which was delicious though a little difficult to cut given it has Parma ham, burrata and mozzarella. We were also treated to honey glazed chipolatas, Korean chicken popcorn, classic nachos, vegetarian arancini balls, ciabatta and olives. The chicken was sticky, sweet and tangy;
These were perfect for sharing and we’d definitely recommend getting several small plates to share. My friend and I are planning to go back to have more of this scrumptious food.
With our bellies full, we headed to the BBC Earth Experience where we embarked on a ground-breaking 360-degree audio visual journey through iconic landscapes and mesmerising animals, narrated by the beloved Sir David Attenborough. We’d recommend laying in the mattresses and just taking it all in- wherever you look it’s a slightly different view. When they showed Iguazu Falls it’s as if you are right in the midst of the water, which was awesome given I’ve recently been to those falls! As an Australian I enjoyed seeing my home country’s native animals on screen, likewise my friend from Canada enjoyed seeing her country. We were there about 50min it’s but we’d recommend staying a little longer to fully see the seven continents on screen, and explore the mini exhibitions on insects and sea life.
What better way to end the night than heading to 1930s Manhattan. The Greatest Night of the Jazz Age is a live immersive jazz performance, with the option (at additional cost) of a three course meal. The menu was smoked Alaskan salmon, a surf and turf style feast and apple pie. The surf and turf feast included BBQ chicken, smoked beef, truffle garlic shrimp mac, Waldorf salad, and hot sauce. For those who are vegetarian or vegan the entree is smoked asparagus and vegan cream cheese salad whilst the main is aubergine parmigiana, mushroom steak, vegan Mac and Waldorf salad. We were pleasantly surprised at the portion sizes and the mac hands-down the favourite dish amongst our table. Unfortunately, the service was a little slow which is in contrast to the good service I’ve had when I’ve been to The Lost Estate previously. My friend and I got in the spirit and dressed in sparkling dresses and headpieces appropriate for the era, and although dressing up is not essential, you’ll feel more part of the action and may even have the cast involve you in a very very minor role in the action! You’ll need to hurry as it must end 30th September before The Lost Estate launches their second Christmas experience in November.
Curated by The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) the Summer of Art aims to show the importance of inclusive, accessible art and re-establish Earls Court as a top cultural destination for visitors. ONIN would recommend taking some time to explore Earl’s Court and all the experiences on offer.
Website: https://theearlscourtdevelopmentcompany.com
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Written by Caitlin Neal
