This blockbuster show from the V&A charts the evolution of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ from private manuscript to global phenomenon. Fall down the rabbit hole and explore the novel’s reinterpretations in art, theatre, fashion and dance, from Salvador Dalí’s surrealist paintings to Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet adaptation and Vivienne Westwood’s Alice-inspired collection. Due to open March 27 2021 at the V&A. Maybe.
Trying to see a museum exhibition in 2020 was like playing a game of cultural Whack-a-Mole (now you see them, now you don’t!). If you were lucky, you might have scored a time slot to see the Design Museum’s sensational ‘Electronic’ exhibit or the British Museum’s ‘Arctic’ display between lockdowns. Just as we were getting used to wandering around these half-empty landmarks in a mask, they’d suddenly shut up shop again.
But for every exhibition you missed last year, there will be a shiny new one to make up for it in 2021, whether it’s the V&A’s deep dive into the abject weirdness of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ or the welcome return of the ‘Museum of the Home’ (formerly known as the Geffrye Museum).
Launch dates may be tenuous, but London’s museums are still working away behind closed doors so there will be something to see when they finally reopen. It might not seem like it now, but there’s a lot to look forward to. You’ve got some time on your hands; might as well spend it booking tickets for the good stuff.
