Keeping Tabs: Art, wind and rain
Art whatever the weather
It’s been a mix of cold, wind and rain here in London but that hasn’t stopped me from seeing art, though I am looking forward to heading to Bilbao for hopefully some sunnier weather from Thursday to Sunday. A busy week with lots to read and see:
My latest diary entry with all the exhibitions I’ve seen this fortnight
I’ve set up on Bluesky, let’s see if it replaces Twitter
Thanks as always for keeping tabs on me, and have a great week ahead. A heads up that there may be no newsletter or a lighter newsletter next week as I’ll be in Bilbao for the long weekend.
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Tab’s World
My latest articles and events for your reading pleasure.
Art you walk through and walk into, this week’s top 5 shows on FAD are ones you can catch in November and December.
Plus, catch up on my recent diary entries and more:
Stephen Harwood is inspired to paint the grittier side of London
The first in a new Artists Inspired by London series - kicking off with Luke Walker
Click below to see all the subscription options, and a big thank you to everybody supporting the newsletter already - I couldn’t do it without you!
There’s been a movement away from Twitter to Bluesky so I’ve set up on there as well but let’s see if it takes off. My fingers were burned by Vero a few years back, so I will wait and see.
As a member of the Critics’ Circle, I’ve compiled all the writings from the art and architecture section during October on its website.
Tab’s Weeks Ahead
Highlighting my top events for the weeks ahead. Let me know if you'd like to join me!
Please join us at the ArtCan Christmas Quiz. It’s always a fun night, with great people and prizes. If you want to be on my table just make a note in the booking and the team will make it happen. Shameless brag - we were the winning table last year. 2 December, 6.30-11pm, £27.
I’ll be away this Saturday and back to my usual gallery hopping rounds on 7 December to take in some East London galleries, including Stephen Harwood’s show at Benjamin Rhodes. All are welcome to join me, just drop me a line (or DM me on Substack) and I'll share the full itinerary with you so you can drop in at any point throughout the day. Saturday 7 December, 12-6pm.
The Wider Arts
Here are my top picks of culture that may be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Paid subscribers have access to my full back catalogue of recommendations.
DARK COMEDY SERIES: I’ve always enjoyed the dark comedy of the Fargo series, set in Minnesota - including seasons 1-3. Season 5 is another great one with Juno Temple excellent as the housewife with a dark past that comes back to haunt her, and Jon Hamm is also brilliant as a right-wing sheriff. Season 4 is arguably the weakest, but still watchable. On Prime Video.
SELF-HELP BOOK: The Success Myth by
is a great book that dispels the misconceptions about success, how not to get side-tracked by all the 'success stories' on social media and how to focus on what matters to you. I’d also recommend her other book The Multi-Hyphen Method, about juggling multiple careers. The links go through to my online bookshop and you can follow me on Goodreads here.
DOCUMENTARY SERIES: I grew up watching WWF / WWE and Mr McMahon is an insightful profile of the man who made it what it is today and the many controversies along the way. On Netflix.
Articles I’m Reading
Interesting stories that I recommend, largely from beyond the art world. If you fancy reading offline at another time, I recommend the app Pocket.
This is a selection of articles I found thought-provoking in one way or another; opinions expressed in the articles don’t necessarily reflect my views or those of Londonist. Paid subscribers have access to my full back catalogue of recommendations.
THE FUTURE OF ENERGY: Heat pumps are all the rage but if you’re Stumped by Heat Pumps then Wired has the 7-minute read for you. Wired has also been looking into The Hunt for the Most Efficient Heat Pump in the World (10 minutes). BBC shows us The Enormous Heat Pumps Warming Cities (10 minutes), Grist proposes Heat pumps are expensive. What if billionaires bought them for everyone? (5 minutes) and The Guardian asks Do heat pumps work at freezing temperatures? (6 minutes). Switching energy sources MIT press reader takes us to Chernobyl and The Most Dangerous Film in the World (6 minutes), Hakai suggests Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal is About to Go Big (6 minutes), and BBC tells us about the cement that could turn your house into a giant battery (6 minutes). In a flashback to energy from the past, Smithsonian reports When the Street Light First Came to London, Disaster Ensued (5 minutes).
LIVING BETTER: Greater Good sets out How Embracing Uncertainty Can Improve Your Life (8 minutes), The Atlantic explains How Not to Be Bored When You Have to Wait (7 minutes) and sets out Jung’s Five Pillars of a Good Life (8 minutes). Time shows us The Power of Changing Your Mind (9 minutes), Stressed out? These 8 skills can help boost mood and reduce anxiety according to NPR (6 minutes), cynics think they’re realists but there’s a cost to cynicism according to Vox (9 minutes), Time’s advice on How to Respond to an Insult, According to Therapists (8 minutes) and GQ tells us how to be more present (5 minutes).
US POLITICS: Trolls Used Her Face to Make Fake Porn. There Was Nothing She Could Do in a worrying 15-minute read for the New York Times and ProPublica takes us to Armed and Underground: Inside the Turbulent, Secret World of an American Militia (30 minutes). NPR has the stats to back up the fact immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born Americans (2 minutes) and Vox explains America’s long history of anti-Haitian racism (8 minutes). Stepping back in history Smithsonian shines a light on The Top-Secret World War II Mission That Killed Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., the Heir Apparent to the Political Dynasty (10 minutes). In recent news, relating to the election, NBC sets out How Trump won — and how Harris lost — the 2024 election (13 minutes), The New Yorker looks at How America Embraced Gender War (8 minutes). Following Trump’s victory, some women consider swearing off men as reported by Vox (9 minutes), and The New Yorker reports on a worrying New Rallying Cry for the Irony-Poisoned Right (9 minutes). In more depressing news about the US on the world stage ‘American Idiots Kill the American Century’ is a 14-minute opinion piece in Rolling Stone.