The best things to do and see (or watch) in Europe this week

Happy May! And may it be filled with many a cool cultural plan. 

As anticipation builds for Cannes 2024 (Messi, the dog from Anatomy of a Fall, will be filming his own show at the festival FYI) there’s also the fashion mecca that is 2024’s Met Gala, the Eurovision Song Contest, the ongoing Venice Biennale and much, much more in store for the rest of the month. 

This week, we’re perhaps most excited about a Kimono exhibition opening in Scotland, Ryan Gosling’s fun new action movie The Fall Guy, and listening to Dua Lipa’s latest album, ‘Radical Optimism’ – a thing we try to channel in these digests, but can’t promise on the topic of immersive exhibitions. 

Exhibitions

‘Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider’, London, UK

The Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter) was the name of an international collection of artists that began collaborating in the early 20th century, marking the beginning of a bold transformation in modern art. This exhibition, housed at London’s Tate Modern, showcases a vast collection of expressionist masterpieces, some of which have never before been seen in the UK. Artists include Franz Marc, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter – the latter two at the core of the movement, having published their groundbreaking ‘Blue Rider Almanac’ in 1912. The works are a joy to behold: blocky and bendy and brazen with colour; emboldened by the exhibit’s fascinating insight into a such a profoundly influential group of artists. 

‘Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk’ Dundee, Scotland

An embodiment of Japanese culture (its name translating to “a thing to wear”), the kimono has become an iconic piece of fashion that continues to hold the world’s fascination. Now, it’s getting a dedicated exhibition at the V&A Dundee, open from 4 May. ‘Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk’ traces the garment from 17th century Japan to its present-day iterations, displaying historical ones alongside the likes of Alexander McQueen and Yohji Yamamoto designs; exploring its widespread influences on fashion and pop culture. Get tickets here.

‘Ana Lupas: On This Side of the River Elbe’, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

A reminder from our must-see European art exhibitions list that a new, comprehensive overview, of Romanian installation and textile Ana Lupas’ work opens at the Stedelijk Museum from 9 May. Her piece ‘Coats to Borrow’ (1989) resides at the centre, a striking suspension of handmade coats, which have travelled from person to person in Romania, on orange printed metal furniture. 

Chanel’s Le 19M, Marseille, France

Fresh off the rooftop runway launch of their latest collection, Cruise 2025, Chanel’s cultural space – ‘Le 19M’ – has created an interactive space for fans of the Parisian fashion brand to engage in the creativity behind its designs and pay tribute to the artistic scene of Marseille in particular. On until 26 May, there’s the chance to see a collective exhibition at MUCEM’s (Museum of Civilization of Europe and the Mediterranean) Fort Saint-Jean and take part in embroidery workshops and discussions.

Speaking to Le Monde, Chanel president Bruno Pavlovsky said: “A fashion show lasts 20 minutes. We wanted to leave something concrete and accessible for the people of Marseille.”

Festivals and events

‘Home Again Club Festival’, Berlin, Germany

Forget 24 hour party people – where are the 100 hour party people at?! Indeed, the ‘Home Again Club Festival’ is for the ravers. Taking place at RSO.Berlin, there’s a stacked lineup to cover the marathon event, including Marlon Hoffstadt, DJ AYA, Olympe4000, Juliana Huxtable, Anastasia Kristensen and SO MANY MORE. Honestly, we’re exhausted just thinking about it (but excited too). Whether you opt to go for just one day or the full thing (we salute you), tickets can be purchased here ahead of it beginning on the 8 May.

Movies

‘The Fall Guy’

Still full of Kenergy, Ryan Gosling is back for another big blockbuster (although one that’s unlikely to beat Barbie’s success, let’s be real). This time he’s playing cheeky Colt Seavers, a seasoned stuntman that returns to the business to work on his ex-girlfriend’s (Emily Blunt) action film, becoming embroiled in the disappearance of a major movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in the process. It’s partly based on the 80s’ TV series of the same name that starred Lee Majors as a stunt artist with a side hustle as a bounty hunter. If you’ve seen the trailer, you know what to expect: quips, quizzical glances and quick fire explosions. Oh, and Ryan Gosling’s abs. Silly fun for all the family. 

‘Pendant ce temps sur Terre’ (‘Meanwhile on Earth’)

Our Film of the Week is a lesser-known French sci-fi called ‘Pendant ce temps sur Terre’, the second feature from filmmaker Jérémy Clapin (J’ai perdu mon corps (I Lost My Body)). 

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Euronews Culture critic David Mouriquand writes: “Dealing with both the emptiness of outer space and the one she feels on Earth, the hollowness of a life crippled by grief sees Elsa search for a sign from her brother. And that’s when the theme embraces a further dimension: Can a void be filled by a sacrifice which would require losing one’s sense of humanity?”

TV Series

‘A Man in Full’ (Netflix)

Based on a 1998 novel by Tom Wolfe of the same name, ‘A Man in Full’ stars Jeff Daniels as a churlish, cocksure property tycoon suddenly faced with a failing business that results in previous allies becoming sharks. Also featuring Lucy Liu (always a bonus) and David E. Kelley of ‘Big Little Lies’ as the showrunner, it’s a stylish satire that explores the ego and insanity within American capitalism. 

Music

Dua Lipa: ‘Radical Optimism’

Sound of the summer, incoming. Grammy-award-winning goddess Dua Lipa is back with her third studio album, ‘Radical Optimism’. It arrives four years after her 2020 release ‘Future Nostalgia’, a sonic disco ball dazzler that ranked among our best European albums of the 21st century. 

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While poppy dance tracks have previously been Dua’s jam, this album looks to expand its genre influences. “I wanted to just experiment and try and create something new,” the singer told AP. “But I think this was always kind of the album that I’ve always wanted to make.” 

Two of Euronews Culture’s resident Lipa lovers reviewed the album here. 

Eurovision 2024

Ahead of the Eurovision song contest semi-finals beginning in Malmö next week, the Euronews Culture team have chosen their favourite contenders. From ‘The Code’ by Nemo, representing Switzerland, to ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ by Baby Lasagna, representing Croatia, we can’t wait to see who takes the title at the grand final on 11 May.

Which entry are you rooting for? Let us know on our socials @euronewsculture.

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