CULTURE EDITION
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY COMEDY Bryony Kimmings
Showing at Cambridge Junction J2 on 2 and 3 June, Bog Witch tells Kimmings’ real-life story of living in a tumbledown cottage as a last attempt to be happy and sane, using her trademark mix of humour and heart. junction.co.uk BOOKS Leïla Slimani and Tayari Jones A double bill of one-off Cambridge Literary Festival events takes place on 5 June at University Arms. At 6pm, international best- selling author Leïla Slimani discusses her latest work, the Country of Others trilogy, then at 8pm Tayari Jones shares her deeply moving novel Kin . cambridgeliteraryfestival.com Celebrating 40 years as a recording artist, Omar’s Brighter the Days tour supports the release of his ninth studio album of the same name – a critically acclaimed project that the British soul legend describes as his magnum opus. Catch the show at Mash on 6 June. mashcambridge.com MUSIC Arild Andersen trio ‘As Time Passes’ With Arild Andersen on double bass, Rob Luft on guitar and Daniel Sommer on drums, experience a world-class trio that bridges generations in an innovative and spontaneous musical encounter. Takes place at Hidden Rooms, Jesus Lane, on 11 June. wegottickets.com/event/695907 MUSIC Omar
© JO UNDERHILL, KETTLE'S YARD
REVIEW: HANDPICKED EXHIBITION, KETTLE’S YARD
BY DAVIDE MADRIGRANO There is much to enjoy at Kettle’s Yard’s new exhibition, Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today . Whether you’re a keen gardener or a horticultural novice, this exhibition explores the presence of flowers in art and everyday life. It’s not only timely, beginning in spring and ongoing into summer, but it marries wonderfully with the Kettle’s Yard house, where fresh-cut flowers have adorned its interiors since it opened in 1957. Winding down the steps into the exhibition space, I felt a sense of tranquillity. The lighting and pale walls welcomed a meditative way of observing, punctuated by the bursts of colour from each painting. Henri Rousseau’s Bouquet of Flowers , on loan from the Tate (pictured), is the first to greet you, followed by a selection of other significant 20th- century artists from Vanessa Bell to Winifred Nicholson. Despite each work being of varying media and style, the flower remains the constant. It is the shared language of expression; drawn out
by the curation. From personal grief to politics, Handpicked challenges us to view flowers as more than just decorative. In this way, I found this collection to be full of surprises. Though from afar some artworks appear as ordinary bouquets, there is often a more complex story awaiting and I found David Bomberg’s Flowers to be the most striking. Painted during World War II, dashes of maroon paint make it unclear whether you are viewing a flower or an explosion. It is also clear from the diversity of themes that this exhibition was created with the help of Kettle’s Yard Community Panel. With a subject as universal as flowers, this is a welcome approach and provides for a rich collection of art that feels engaged with the present. As any gardener knows, much can be learned from growing a plant. This exhibition suggests the same for the painted flower, proving even the most familiar subjects can surprise. The exhibition runs until 6 September; visit kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk
Luke James Williams performs on home turf Taking the stage at Cambridge Junction J3 on 12 June is local indie-folk singer- songwriter Luke James Williams, following the launch of his second album, Limes Hotel . Emerging from an intense period of
Dubbed ‘the James Taylor of the Fens’, Luke is renowned for his captivating and emotionally resonant live performances and has supported several artists such as Thea Gilmore, Mark Chadwick of the Levellers, Charlie Dore and Megson, and has appeared at Cambridge Folk Festival. His debut album, Our Blood Is Red , was released in 2022, following a debut EP in 2018 entitled Drove – both released to glowing reviews. Get tickets for this special performance at junction.co.uk
grief after the loss of two close friends, the album traces questions of mortality, belief, connection and the quiet work of piecing yourself back together after loss. Despite its origins in sadness, the record leans towards renewal with what Luke calls ‘new shoots reaching up towards the sun; the hope and promise of life rising from the darkness’.
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