CITIES OF THE MONTH / January
Words by Olga Dolina / Publicity photos
Fly to
London
€ 35
from
one way
LONDON
Coal Drops Yard,
Heatherwick Studio
Brasserie of Light at Selfridges
24
/ airBaltic.com
Two grand figures of the art world with five
centuries in between them – the Renaissance
genius Michelangelo and Bill Viola, the headman of
contemporary video art – are about to come together
in the unique exhibition Bill Viola / Michelangelo:
Life, Death, Rebirth (Royal Academy of Arts,
Burlington House; royalacademy.org.uk; January
26 – March 31). Alongside 12 installations by Viola
are 14 subtle drawings by Michelangelo as well as his
marble relief The Virgin and Child with the Infant
St John. Viola has thoroughly explored the works of
the old master and agrees on clear similarities that
involve the spiritual and transcendent matter of
the human being. His emotionally groundbreaking
Nantes Triptych (1992) and five-metre projection
Tristan’s Ascension (The Sound of a Mountain
Under a Waterfall, 2005) unveil the sacred and
symbolic ties between life and death.
This autumn King’s Cross, London’s historical
trade and warehouse area, revealed Coal Drops
Yard (Stable Street, King’s Cross; coaldropsyard.
com), a trendy and creative multi-use shopping
district where the world of art and culture
blends with leisure, entertainment, and engaging
commerce. The setting intrigues with its rich history:
once the realm of industry, coal, and warehouses, in
the wild 1980s these brick viaducts hosted dazzling
rave parties. Today, you’ll find a bit of everything
here, from an exceptional range of clothing and
accessories (American Vintage, Cheaney, Rains,
Beija, and many others) to design (Tom Dixon,
MDR Gallery) and savoury dining at the Middle
Eastern Coal Office or Mexican Casa Pastor. Stay
tuned online for exhibitions, workshops, new pop-up
store openings, and other activities.
Oxford Street’s famed Selfridges department store
has witnessed the spectacular opening of the elegant
Brasserie of Light (400 Oxford Street; brasserie-of-
light.co.uk). The new restaurant and bar welcomes
customers with a jaw-dropping statue of winged
Pegasus hanging from the ceiling. Seven metres tall
and glistening with crystals, a piece like this couldn’t
have been made by anyone other than Damien Hirst.
But this eye-catcher is just a prelude for a delightful
breakfast, afternoon tea, or dinner in the Art Deco-
inspired setting designed by Martin Brudnizki
and spiced up with a refined mix of British and
international seasonal cuisine under the patronage of
chef Emanuel Machado. The duo of cobalt blue and
mustard yellow in furniture never looked as good,
while the signature desserts taste as wonderful as
they look.