Why rush to see The Great Mughals at V&A: a celebration of opulence, art and culture

Updated: 22/11/2024

Today, the Victoria and Albert Museum opens the doors to a landmark exhibition, The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence. For the first time in a major show, the monumental artistic achievements of the Mughal Empire’s ‘Golden Age’ (c. 1560–1660) take centre stage, showcasing the splendour, craftsmanship, and cultural exchange that defined one of the world’s greatest empires. The Glory of the Mughals The Mughal dynasty, rooted in Central Asia, was founded in 1526 by Babur, a Timurid prince who carved out an empire stretching from modern-day Afghanistan to the edges of southern India, and from Gujarat to the borders of present-day Bangladesh. At its zenith, the empire was known for its staggering wealth, progressive governance, and artistic innovation. Focused on the reigns of three of the dynasty’s most celebrated emperors—Akbar (r. 1556–1605), Jahangir (r. 1605–1627), and Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658)—the exhibition illuminates a period when the Mughal court transformed into a cultural powerhouse. These were the rulers who commissioned masterpieces like the Taj Mahal and fostered an artistic legacy that blended Persian, Indian, and European influences. Unveiling the Court’s Creative Mastery At the heart of the exhibition are over 200 objects, breathtaking in both their beauty and their historical value. Visitors can expect to marvel at exquisite paintings, intricately illustrated manuscripts, luxurious textiles, vibrantly hued carpets, and dazzling objects crafted from mother of pearl, jade, rock crystal, and precious metals. Many of these treasures have been hidden from public view for decades, making this a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in the artistry of… Read More

Category: LIFESTYLE, ART, ARTS & CULTURE, HISTORY

Tags: London museums, Mughal exhibition, V&A, Victoria Albert Museum

DIVA: celebrating the power and creativity of iconic performers in London

by James Banham

Updated: 08/05/2023

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has announced its major new exhibition, DIVA, which will open in June. The exhibition will be the first of its kind to celebrate the extraordinary power and creativity of iconic performers who have made their voices heard from the 19th century to the present day. Let’s not forget Whitney Houston, for example – watch her documentary on Amazon DIVA will honour the powerful and personal stories of creativity, ambition, and resilience of some of the best-known divas, from opera goddesses and silent movie stars to sirens of the big screen and today’s global megastars. The exhibition will also explore how performers have intersected with society and driven change through their platform and profile for social good and political change, including global civil rights and feminism. Over 60 looks will go on display, many rare or on display for the first time, including stage ensembles, iconic costumes by fashion designer for the stars Bob Mackie, and personal objects and accessories owned by divas. DIVA also includes examples of diva branding and key photographic works by renowned photographers. Kate Bailey, curator of DIVA, said that the V&A is the perfect stage to celebrate the multifaceted diva. “At the heart of this exhibition is a story of iconic performers who have challenged the status quo and used their voice and their art to redefine and reclaim the diva,” she said. One of the divas featured in the exhibition is Dame Shirley Bassey, who said: “It is wonderful to see the… Read More

Category: LIFESTYLE, ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, FEATURES, LONDON

Tags: Diva exhibition, London Museum, V&A, VA Diva, Victoria and Albert

London’s V&A hosting never-before-seen Renaissance master Donatello works

by James Banham

Updated: 08/11/2022

Early in 2023, the UK will play host to a very distinguished guest: Renaissance master Donatello. In the first major UK exhibition to explore the exceptional talents of the Renaissance master, Donatello. It will offer a fresh vision of the artist and his impact on both the cultural and artistic development of this crucial time in the history of art. On show at London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, the exhibition Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance will take you on a journey of works that have never been on display in the UK. The exhibition will explore Donatello’s innovations, collaborations and inspirations within the vibrant artistic and cultural context of fifteenth-century Italy, and his influence on subsequent generations of artists. The exhibition will showcase works never seen before in the UK including Donatello’s early marble David and bronze Attis-Amorino from the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, as well as the spectacular reliquary bust of San Rossore from the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, Pisa, and bronzes from the High Altar of the Basilica of St Anthony in Padua. Comprising around 130 objects, the exhibition will also incorporate a significant number of objects from the V&A’s own collections – including the most extensive holdings of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy – notably from the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries. Tickets $20 The exhibition runs 11 February – 11 June 2023 For more and to book a ticket to visit, head to the V&A website Who was Donatello? Arguably the greatest sculptor of all time, Donatello (c.1386-1466) was in the vanguard of a revolution… Read More

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, FEATURES, LIFESTYLE, LONDON

Tags: Donatello exhibition, Donatello London, London museums, V&A, Victoria Albert Museum London

Hallyu! The Korean Wave: a journey through Korea at the V&A

by James Banham

Updated: 16/10/2022

London’s V&A this year – until 25 June 2023 – are taking us on a first-hand tour of the culture and soul of Korea with its newest exhibition, Hallyu! The Korean Wave. A first for the museum and of its kind, the exhibition will celebrate the colourful and dynamic popular culture of South Korea, following its early origins to its place on the global stage today. From Psy (‘Gangnam Style’) to K-pop and Korean cinema, the exhibition will showcase the elements of the culture that have taken the world by storm. From K-pop costumes and a newly revealed interactive K-pop dance challenge, to K-drama and cinema props and posters, alongside photography, sculpture, fashion, video and pop culture ephemera, the exhibition invites visitors to delve into the phenomenon known as ‘hallyu’ – meaning ‘Korean Wave’. Hallyu rose to prominence in the late 1990s, rippling across Asia before reaching all corners of the world and challenging the currents of global pop culture today. For more and to get a ticket, head to the V&A website

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, LONDON

Tags: Hallyu, Hallyu V&A, London museums, THE F Hallyu, THE F V&A, V and A, V&A, V&A London, V&A Musem, V&A Museum London, VAM, VAM Museum

Design exhibition at the V&A: its pivotal role in our time

Design 1900 to Now installation shots , 16th June 2021

by James Banham

Posted: 19/06/2021

From 1900 to now, design has been an integral part of how we’ve evolved, but also existed. The latest exhibition at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London is testament to that, exploring how design shapes and is shaped by how we live, work, travel, communicate and consume. Housed within the museum’s former 20th Century Gallery, this newly curated space brings together leading design objects alongside the first redisplay of V&A’s celebrated Rapid Response Collecting programme since its founding in 2014. As part of the gallery, new acquisitions will go on display for the first time at the V&A, including Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir’s iconic British road signage system, Kim Kardashian’s Selfish book, Nike’s Nigeria football shirt for the 2018 World Cup and a one-of-a-kind desk designed by Future Systems for Condé Nast Chairman Jonathan Newhouse. For more and to book your visit, head to the V&A website

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, LONDON

Tags: Design exhibition at the V&A its pivotal role in our time, Design exhibition London, V&A, V&A Museum London, VA Museum London

London: Freddie Mercury's kimono is coming to the V&A

by James Banham

Posted: 17/02/2020

It was 2018 that saw the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, the movie of band Queen and its larger-than-life lead man, Freddie Mercury. And now in 2020, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is bringing him back again by putting his famed kimono on display as part of a larger exhibition. The major fashion exhibition, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk will open this month on 29 February and bring to the public an array of kimonos, the ultimate symbol of Japan. Why Freddie’s, though? In the mid-1970s he sometimes wore boldly patterned kimono onstage, challenging the norms of gender and sexuality. This personal kimono however is more delicate in its design and overtly feminine, revealing that gender fluidity extended to his private life. For more about the exhibition and to score your tickets, head to the V&A website.

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, LONDON

Tags: freddie mercury, Freddie Mercury kimono, Kimono exhibition, V&A

V&A goes green: Supporting Extinction Rebellion with a new display

by James Banham

Posted: 02/08/2019

The Victoria and Albert, V&A, Museum in London has announced something new: they’ve newly acquired work that supports the movement of Extinction Rebellion (XR). The group is known for their non-violent demonstrations of civil disobedience and disruption, who’ve busied themselves since 31 October 2018, urging the UK government to declare a climate and ecological emergency and commit to reduce emissions to net zero by 2025. They have grown into an international movement with over 363 groups active in 59 countries around the world. And now, the V&A is putting them on show. Given by the Extinction Rebellion Arts Group, a coalition of graphic designers, artists and activists responsible for XR’s Design Programme, the objects reveal how XR has harnessed the power of open-source design to develop a coherent and impactful visual identity and sought to foster a collaborative ‘do-it-together’ movement recognisable across the globe. The objects have been acquired through the V&A’s Rapid Response Collecting programme that enables the acquisition and immediate display of design objects that address questions of social, political, technological and economic change. The collection includes: A digital file of the Extinction Symbol – the logo designed by east-London artist ESP in 2011 and adopted by XR in 2018 The Extinction Symbol website where the symbol is available for download for non-commercial use The first printed pamphlet issued by XR group outlining its ‘Declaration of Rebellion’. The immediate popularity of these pamphlets makes this example from the first print-run extremely rare, while the screen-printed text and graphics outline the emphasis XR placed… Read More

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY, LIFESTYLE, LONDON

Tags: Extinction Rebellion, V&A, V&A London, Victoria Albert Museum, XR

Tag: V&A

Why rush to see The Great Mughals at V&A: a celebration of opulence, art and culture

DIVA: celebrating the power and creativity of iconic performers in London

London’s V&A hosting never-before-seen Renaissance master Donatello works

Hallyu! The Korean Wave: a journey through Korea at the V&A

Design exhibition at the V&A: its pivotal role in our time

London: Freddie Mercury's kimono is coming to the V&A

V&A goes green: Supporting Extinction Rebellion with a new display