Somerset House Studios: February and March Highlights

Nocturnal City: London-Berlin, Saturday 11 March, River Rooms &
Lancaster Room, 17.00 – 01.00, £10 full event, £8 music performances only + booking fee
New for 2017, Nocturnal City is a series of events exploring the state of London’s nightlife and its influence in pushing the boundaries of culture.

Curated by Studios resident Estela Oliva and Somerset House Studios, the first edition will interrogate the interplay between London and Berlin nightlife with an evening of installations, panel talks and performances. The line-up features DJs, artists and professionals from both cities, including London Night Czar Amy Lamé, musicians Laurel Halo and Beatrice Dillon and artists Lawrence Lek and LaTurbo Avedon.

Berlin’s Berghain nightclub recently received the same tax status as the city’s concert halls in recognition of its contribution to culture. Yet in London, nearly half of its nightclubs have closed in the last ten years. With rents spiralling in the capital, more and more London artists and DJs are decamping to Berlin each year, contributing to an ever more international and vibrant cultural landscape.

A series of conversations includes recently-appointed London Night Czar Amy Lamé in discussion with the Clubcommission Berlin, the industry association for Berlin clubs, to share ideas on the development and safe guarding of club culture. Berlin Community Radio will participate on the rise of independent online platforms and their roles in distilling new forms of music and culture emerging from the cities into
a global audience.

The evening continues with a series of DJ performances including a special dance set by Berlin-based electronic artist Laurel Halo, alongside London producer, musician and NTS DJ Beatrice Dillon. Throughout the event, audiences can take a virtual reality tour of LaTurbo Avedon’s virtual nightclub Club Rothko and enjoy Lawrence Lek’s Berlin Mirror, which presents a simulation of a Berlin institution and its fictional exhibition in 2042.

Shutters Down! curated by LoneLady, Saturday 25 February, The Deadhouse, 19.00, £8 + booking fee
As part of her residency inside Somerset House Studios’ Rifle Range, LoneLady brings the second edition of the experimental club night celebrating urban wilderness and repurposing of derelict space, Shutters Down!, from Manchester to London.

Titled ‘Transmissions From A Wilderness State Of Mind’, LoneLady will take over The Deadhouse – a subterranean space beneath Somerset House’s courtyard which is lined with 17th century gravestones – and invite special guests to play a selection of music shaped by post-industrial landscapes.

LoneLady will headline a DJ set alongside John Doran, music writer and co-founder of influential culture website The Quietus. Signed up to acclaimed experimental label Tombed Visions, new avant-noise and spoken word project Vanishing will also perform live.

Jennifer Walshe: Sound Salon with Dr Michael Waugh, 15 February, 19.00 New Wing, free but
advance booking advised
Following the success of the first edition of her Sound Salon series in January, Somerset House Studios Associate Artist Jennifer Walshe returns to discuss music, sound, the internet and digital technologies with specially invited guest, Dr Michael Waugh.

A lecturer and researcher on digital media and popular music, Dr Waugh will explore the impact of social media on today’s music. Focusing on hip-hop artists, he will look at music seemingly being made with the motivation of ‘having a moment’ – going viral, inspiring memes and encouraging fan engagement – and consider if it loses its credibility as a consequence or simply reflects the Post-Internet culture of ephemerality and self-curation.

Ben Alun-Jones’ Convergence, until 31 March, New Wing, free
Created by designer Ben Alun-Jones, co-founder of Studios resident UNMADE, Convergence looks like an ordinary table at first glance; so ordinary that it merges into the background and seems almost invisible. However when it is approached, the cuboid comes alive to reveal hidden depths. A series of convergent reflections focus inwards to create an uncertain impression of depth which continuously changes; changes which are in fact influenced by the viewer.

The installation aims to explore a future in which technology is increasingly invisible and how we make use of the objects around us.

Ends

For press enquiries, please contact: Stephanie Lilley, Acting Head of PR // stephanie.lilley@somersethouse.org.uk
Francesca Hughes, Senior Press Officer // francesca.hughes@somersethouse.org.uk
0207 845 4624

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Dates, Times and Tickets Prices vary. Please check copy or consult the website at www.somersethouse.org.uk

Address: Embankment Galleries, Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
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About Somerset House
A unique part of the London cultural scene, Somerset House is an historic building where surprising and original work comes to life. From its 18th-century origins, Somerset House has been a centre for debate and discussion – an intellectual powerhouse for the nation. Somerset House is today a key cultural destination in London in which to experience a broad range of artistic activity, engage with artists, designers and makers and be a part of a major creative forum – an environment that is relaxed, welcoming, and inspirational to visit while providing a stimulating workplace for the cultural and creative industries.

Since its opening in 2000, Somerset House has built up a distinctive outdoor public programme including Skate, concerts, an open-air film season and a diverse range of temporary exhibitions throughout the site focusing on contemporary culture, with an extensive learning programme attached. In October 2016, Somerset House launched Somerset House Studios, a new experimental workspace connecting artists, makers and thinkers with audiences. The Studios provide a platform for new creative projects and collaboration, promoting work that pushes bold ideas, engages with urgent issues and pioneers new technologies. Somerset House is also one of the biggest community of creative organisations in London including The Courtauld Gallery and Institute of Art, King’s College London Cultural Institute and over 100 other creative businesses. It currently attracts approximately 3.4 million visitors every year.