Architecture in Paris, Frankenstein on screens, and a music expo of European talent. Here's what to see and do in Europe this week.
ADVERTISEMENTThe year is off to a bang as the festival season begins, potentially the best film of the festival circuit drops in wide release across European screens, and everything from festivals to films have started to tantalise us with what the year holds.
Exhibitions
Diana Copperwhite: ‘Onomatopoeia’, London, UK
Irish visual artist Dianna Copperwhite brings her popular 2023 show to London’s Flowers Gallery. ‘Onomatopoeia’ stunned viewers in Limerick and Galway for her unique approach to painting and “giving the unseen world visual form.” Brash undulating strikes of colour evoke memory and perception in 21st century life. The exhibition is now open to the public until 17 February.
Bijoy Jain/Studio Mumbai: ‘Breath of an Architect’, Paris, France
Running until 21 April, Indian architect’s new exhibition at the Cartier Foundation in Paris is a stunning array of a master’s interpretation of physical space. Through sculpture, painting, and design from Jain, Hu Liu and Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye, the exhibition explores the way a viewer interacts with the impressive gallery in the Cartier Foundation building. A place to silently contemplate or the perfect venue to impress a date, either way, Jain has you covered.
Festivals and events
Eurosonic Noorderslag, Gronigingen, the Netherlands
The first big European music event, Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) takes place 17-20 January in Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands. It’s a bumper event for anyone lucky enough to bag a ticket. The main event is the ESNS Festival – four days of all the best new and upcoming musical artists from around Europe perform. Then, there are the multiple award shows taking place in the city. There’s the Music Moves Europe Awards for upcoming artists before the European Festival Awards. Finally, for any industry experts, there are 500 speakers at the conference events during the festival days.
Weekend Festival, Espoo, Finland
Just on the outskirts of capital Helsinki, Finland’s fantastic Weekend Festival has just announced its line-up for its 2024 edition. The big headline act will be Dutch DJ Tiësto, widely considered to be one of the best DJs of the 21st century. Alongside Tiësto, there’ll be performances from Alan Walker, Timmy Trumpet, and Showtek. Set to take place over 2-3 August, it’s a long way off but as with all festivals, once the line-up is released, if you’re interested it’s worth looking into tickets.
Movies
Poor Things
Greek-Freak director Yorgos Lanthimos finally returns to European screens with his film adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 cult novel ‘Poor Things’. It just won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for its star Emma Stone and has been highly hyped up by Euronews since resident film critic David Mouriquand saw it at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion. The bold reimagining of Frankenstein’s monster through a feminist lens also stars Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe. You can read Mouriquand’s full review here.
Back to Black
It’s been over a decade in production since the untimely death of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse in 2011 aged just 27. The supremely talented musician left behind a legacy of two perfect albums and a troubled life, haunted by drugs, alcohol and the cruel cameras of tabloid journalism. Many have questioned whether the upcoming biopic on her life would be another posthumous exploitative episode for Winehouse. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Marisa Abela as Winehouse, the first trailer of the film has now been released. Does Abela make a convincing Winehouse? Is the film a cruel re-animation of a tragic story? Will this be another musician biopic to add to the pile or something actually special? Before its release in April, we just have the trailer to leave us wondering.
Music
Ariana Grande – yes, and?
Ariana Grande returns for her first single since 2020. It might be an instant classic for the clubs as it takes the hectic pop culture news cycle that has swirled around the starlet’s romantic life and reclaims the narrative. The internet went crazy when it was reported that Grande had divorced Dalton Gomez and shacked up with Ethan Slater, who filed for divorce from his wife. While that kept social media busy for a week or so, Grande is unequivocal about the invasion of her privacy: “Don’t comment on my body, do not reply; Your business is yours and mine is mine; Why do you care so much whose dick I ride.”
