Free things to do in London this week

‘The sleep of reason produces monsters’. It’s a perpetually instructive aphorism that artists have repeatedly returned to. Francisco Goya used it to name one of his most well-known etchings from the late 18th century, depicting a character whose head rests on a desk, surrounded by shadowy creatures. Centuries later, in 2008, British artist Yinka Shonibare borrowed the image and title for another body of work. And now, the Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani’s new commission for Somerset House takes the ongoing sleep of reason as its starting point. In the grand Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, she has installed a ten-metre-tall blue figure, who lays supine, gently breathing with closed eyes. We’re told that this ethereal, childlike giant has slept through ‘warnings of present and imminent catastrophes, political and social disaster and environmental collapse.’ Watching its stomach peacefully rising and falling, it’s easy to believe that ignorance is bliss.  Here is a deft balance of content and form Encased in an illuminated casket-like glass box, the figure – the dreamer – is clothed in white lace and mesh. Visitors are invited to step onto its plinth for a closer look at the beautiful hand- painted sculpture, which is both imposing and delicate. On one end, its feet are each the size of a toddler; on the other, flushed cheeks and pink lips give the impression of a fairy tale princess. The Sleeping Beauty parallel is emphasised by an otherworldly, subtly swelling...

To reach Life on the Land, the National Gallery’s exhibition on the nineteenth century French artist Jean-Francois Millet, you have to walk through rooms of the museum filled with centuries’ worth of grand portraits of society’s upper crust. On arrival, surrounded by dusky-toned renderings of outdoor labour, it might take a moment to adjust. Stoicism abounds here, its head bowed and its eyes averted. You won’t find any grandeur or pomp in this concise exhibition of 15 muted and unflashy works, but you’ll experience an intensity rarely achieved in the portraits of nobility in the adjacent rooms. Millet’s images of peasants at work are rhythmic and visceral, unsentimental but deeply sensitive in their depictions of the beauty and harshness of a life working the land. The former can be found in the scenes’ wide horizons and the figures that punctuate them. The latter is best distilled in a detail of The Winnower (c. 1847–8), whose subject’s clogs are stuffed with hay to keep his feet warm. The exhibition’s centrepiece, L’Angelus (1859), is here on loan from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Like most of the work here, its ornate gilded frame feels incongruous with the painting itself, in which two shadowy figures stand statuesque in a twilit field, a basket of potatoes sitting on the ground between them. They could be staring at the ground, though their eyes, obscured by the enclosing darkness, might be closed. Just visible through lacy mist on the horizon is a church spire. The...

During the big men’s sports tournaments, you can count on practically every pub in the city to broadcast matches and fill up with fans. When it comes to the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, though, public places fans can gather at to watch matches remain relatively few and far between. But this year, there is at least one place where you’re guaranteed to catch every single game: the brand new Asahi Open Arms. The fan-focused pub, backed by Women’s World Rugby Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne, is taking residency at The Queen’s Head in Shoreditch for the duration of the tournament. Besides the live screenings, it promises to host grassroots events, like Q&As and exclusive launches. A full programme is on its way soon.

Part of an ongoing exhibition series of group exhibitions featuring artists not represented by the gallery, this show will see three painters – Koak, Ding Shilun and Cece Philips – fill Hauser & Wirth’s vast Savile Row space with windows into imagined interiors. All taking domestic architectures as their starting point, each artist’s work becomes a meditation on the psychology of space.

Every year, London’s famous river gets a whole festival of art installations, performances, and talks devoted to her watery charms, many of which are free to check out. This year’s Totally Thames Festival has scores of events throughout September, all dotted along riverside locations from Richmond to Barking & Dagenham. This year, look out for Rekindling by Compagnie Carabosse (Sep 25-26), a huge fire installation on and around Royal Victoria Dock inspired by the Royal Docks’ role in London’s story. There’ll also be dance performances in the atmospheric Brunel Museum Tunnel Shaft (Sep 17) and gigs in Crossness Pumping Station (Sep 13).  Old favourites will also be making an appearance, including the Great River Race (Sep 20) from Tower Hamlets to Richmond, where 330 crews from across the world spending the morning speeding down the Thames on wooden rowboats, many of them in fancy dress costumes. While St Katharine Docks Classic Boat Festival (Sep 6) will let you clamber aboard ancient vessels. You can also visit a mudlarking exhibition, walk and masterclass, take boat tours and listen to special lectures.  Other events include guided walks, photography classes, talks, cabaret, and more: each weekend's activities revolve around a different hub, in the locations of Brentford, The Royal Docks, London Bridge, Greenwich and Kingston upon Thames. Check out the Totally Thames schedule for full details.

After the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, CelebrASIA is back for 2025, taking over Battersea Power Station with a celebration of South East Asia that shines a light on the cuisines, culture and creativity of the region. Held both inside and outside of the art deco power station, the whole area will get a colourful tranformation in the form of lanterns, sculptures and immersive installations, transporting you straight to the continent without actually having to leave London.  Street food stalls will serve up bites from cult favourite London restos including Chick ’n’ Sours x Sambal Shiok’s chicken satay burger, Eat Lah, Old Chang Kee, and Kasa & Kin. Craft workshops will teach the arts of Batik painting, Sarawak beadwork, and other traditional crafts, and there will be traditional dance and music performances throughout the weekend.  For the sprogs, Team GB’s very own B-boy Sunni will lead a kids’ workshop in breaking, teaching them how to be less Raygun and more Crazy Legs. And for foodies, one of the weekend’s highlights is sure to be the Feasting Table, an intimate, riverside long-table dining experience where 60 diners per seating will munch on an exclusive four-course menu, created by some of London’s hottest South East Asian chefs, and cooked over fire. Budgie Montoya, Mambow’s Abby Lee and AngloThai’s John and Desiree Chantarasak will take the reins in the kitchen over three seperate dinners. 

Each year, Emerge East brings a creative extravaganza to Barking Riverside and 2025 is no different. Favourites including the riverside sauna and food stalls run by local home cooks will return for 2025. And this year for the first time there’s going to be a block party, which means the roads will be closed as the streets are taken over with sound systems, street vendors and plenty of punters. Performances will include DJ sets, live performances and local talent. Plus, artistic duo Atelier Sisu’s huge iridescent sculpture Meliora will make it’s European debut at the festival, so make sure to check that out.   

Black on the Square, London’s massive free celebration of Black culture, returns for the third year in 2025. Taking over Trafalgar Square, the the day is going to be be jam packed with activities, workshops and live music. Main stage performances will include a DJ sets from Born n Bread, a performance from the queen of Lovers Rock Janet Kay, ballet from Pointe Black and spoken word from OPAL. This year’s theme is ‘Inter-generate’ which brings Black nightlife to the forefront, culminating in a live garage music showcase honouring Black London’s electronic legacy. There will be plenty for the little ones to do too, with face painting, art workshops and more. Keeping the punters fed and watered will be Black-owned food stalls serving up Caribbean classics, West African vegan bites, seafood specials and plant-based desserts. While market stalls will be selling everything from art prints, to jewellery, clothes and books.