A curated agenda of all the best the Arts have to offer this month.
ADVERTISEMENTWhen it comes to the Arts, it's hard to know where to look for the best openings, launches and exhibitions, as there is so much on offer and the choice can be overwhelming. Wherever you are in the world, there is guaranteed to be something exciting going on in the next month, whether it's a gallery opening, a festival or a fashion summit - we've got you covered.
That's why we have curated our own agenda of all the best events happening around the globe in May, to help you narrow down your choices and experience the best of the best. And as always...all our recommendations come with a hint of sustainability in mind.
Frieze Art New York
When: May 2nd – 5th
Where: Randall’s Island Park, New York
Introducing new collaborations with museum directors, new curated sections and special exhibitions, Frieze New York 2019 is going to be really special this time round, showcasing an extraordinary cross-section of work. This year, new exhibitions explore themes like virtual reality, a mix of cultures such as Latin American art, and a new public outdoor display featuring artworks by 14 international artists. Our top sustainable picks of the week include:
- Matchesfashion.com Talk: Cameron Russell On Sustainability
- Exhibition: 'Lines' Piero Manzoni. 'Materials of His Time'
- Matchesfashion.com Talk: Food As Art: A Live Installation with Laila Gohar
Fira Del Vi, Wine Festival
When: 3rd – 5th May
Where: Falset, Spain
Fira Del Vi is a small-scale, artisanal wine festival in the Spanish wine region of Falset. The area has long been associated with the craftsmanship of producing wine by hand and the festival attracts many visitors each year to sample grapes and attend wine tastings. Of course there is a wonderful array of food on offer and great music to accompany the tastings. All the events take place in historically rich locations, attracting an international audience of wine connoisseurs interested in locally sourced produce.
London Craft Week
When: 8th- 12th May
Where: London, UK
London Craft Week is an annual event showcasing exceptional craftsmanship, featuring workshops, experiences and talks with unknown artisans alongside celebrated designers, studios, galleries and luxury brands. This year, they have a programme filled with sustainable ideas. Our favourite picks of the week include:
- Living Colours: Kasane exhibition – The Language of Japanese Colour Combinations using natural dyes.
- Battersea Power Station Presents: Woven Waste – A Second-Life Installation from a Regenerating Site.
ADVERTISEMENT- The Future of Craft Talks in Collaboration with Design-Nation and Future Icons
Biennale Arte 2019
When: 11 May – 24 November
Where: Venice, Italy
It is the 58th year of the Biennale di Venezia, one of the most famed international art and architecture exhibitions in the world, held in Venice. One of their exhibitions in 2019 centres around the ocean, connecting thought-leaders to develop solutions for the oceans’ most urgent issues.
ADVERTISEMENT‘Ocean Space’ takes place in the Church of San Lorenzo and becomes a new centre that spotlights the critical state of the planet’s oceans, by hosting presentations and a special performance by Joan Jonas on May 7th. Activist art collector Markus Reymann describes it by saying, “This is not a museum of the past, but a laboratory for the future.”
Festival de Cannes
When: 14th-25th May
Where: Cannes, France
The most famous film festival in the world will take place in Cannes once again in 2019. Head down for exclusive film screenings and a vibrant party atmosphere, or simply watch the coverage unfold online. Look out for the annual ‘Green Carpet Challenge’ (dubbed GCC) to see which celebrities dress to impress in sustainable designs by brands who are more environmentally conscious. As the GCC becomes more important each year, fashion houses are working with celebrity stylists, fabric mills and textile laboratories to vie for coverage on the ‘green carpet.’ The Festival de Cannes has seen a welcome shift in the perception and production of fashion towards sustainability.
ADVERTISEMENTCopenhagen fashion summit
When: 15-16 May
Where: DR Concert Hall, Copenhagen
The Copenhagen Fashion Summit has established itself as the world's leading business event on sustainability in fashion and is taking place this month in the Scandinavian city. In partnership with a group of industry leaders such as Kering, H&M, Target, BESTSELLER, Li & Fung and Sustainable Apparel Coalition, talks and events will be held on the fashion industry’s journey towards a more sustainable future. Plus – you couldn’t find a dreamier setting than the colourful, sleepy capital city of Denmark to hold such an important summit.
ADVERTISEMENTPhoto London
When: 16th – 19th May
Where: Somerset House, London, UK
Photo London is an internationally renowned photography event set in the global cultural capital, London. This year is its fifth edition, showcasing outstanding creative talent from a dynamic photography community. Over the years, the event has a reputation for exhibiting radical work that shines light on global problems we are facing as a planet, and this year is no different. We particularly recommend:
- The New York Times: Carbon’s Casualties, by Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times photographer Josh Haner. Haner has worked across the globe documenting the pressing and wide-ranging realities of climate change and his series depicts a visual narrative illuminating the loss of our planet’s vast heritage.
ADVERTISEMENT‘Climate Change! From Mass Consumption to a Sustainable Quality Society’
When: 29 May - 6 October
Where: MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria
This exciting cooperation between the MAK museum in Vienna and the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT) comes in the form of an exhibition of transformative design for a ‘necessary turnaround of climate change.’ Five design installations of the well-known Viennese design studio EOOS (Martin Bergmann, Gernot Bohmann, and Harald Gruendl) outline images and stories of a new way of life to help curb exploitation of resources, reduce harmful emissions, and deactivate the time bomb of climate change. The presented works will encourage an active participation in a sustainable lifestyle.
Words: Maeve Campbell
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