AROUND THE WORLD: FENDI’S BEIJING EXHIBITION AND YAYOI KUSAMA’S ART IS IN NEW YORK AGAIN

What’s happening around the world this week? Well, we’re glad you asked. London’s stores have been keeping busy, changing their looks for the new season including Self-Portrait which has just redone its windows and Machine-A which has received a complete makeover. Over in Asia, Tokyo will be holding its Roppongi Art Night while Beijing will receive a dose of Italian craftsmanship with the arrival of a Fendi exhibition. If you’re stuck with what to do this weekend, you won’t be after reading this week’s Around The World.

SOHO’S MACHINE-A HAS A BRAND NEW LOOK

The iconic Brewer Street flagship retail space MACHINE-A received a makeover in line with its 10 year anniversary. In parallel with its newly-opened Shanghai store, the London location was designed by architect Peijing Lu to have a brutalist interior over two floors, connected by a spiral staircase also made out of concrete. The store continues to showcase and sell brands from the likes of Raf Simons to Kiko Kostadinov, with its new look representing “the culture, its DNA and the community” built over the years, says founder Stavros Karelis.

GET LOST IN TOKYO’S ROPPONGI ART NIGHT

Running this Saturday to Sunday non-stop, Tokyo will debut its all-nighter Roppongi Art Night, showcasing local and international artists. From installations to theatre performances, Roppongi Art night has tasked its exhibitors to work around the theme of “An Illustrated Book of Urban Creatures”. With over 45 enlisted artists and 70 programmed events, the night is set to be buzzing with creativity.

BOILER ROOM IS HOLDING ITS DJ-PACKED EVENT

Part of its Boiler Room WorldTour which takes place in 15 different cities, the London leg will be host to a variety of cutting-edge artists whose sounds span from house to drum and bass. The lineup includes the likes of UK garage DJ EZ, Amsterdam-born Jyoty, Afrobeats DJ Juls and electro-garage DJ Bluetoof, for a guaranteed night not to miss.

VENICE KICKSTARTS THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION

Part of Venice’s Biennale Architettura 2023 edition, the 18th edition of the International Architecture Exhibition will be hosting “The Laboratory of the Future” dedicated to exploring novel technologies and their effects on the arts. Now open until November, curator Lesley Lokko decided to focus on Africa, for its rapid growth in urbanisation. She stated “The vision of a modern, diverse, and inclusive society is seductive and persuasive, but as long as it remains an image, it is a mirage. Something more than representation is needed, and architects historically are key players in translating images into reality”.

VISIT FENDI’S “HAND IN HAND” EXHIBITION IN BEIJING

After showing in its headquarters-home of Rome and Tokyo, Fendi’s “Hand In Hand” exhibition is landing in Beijing in the Qing dynasty Buddhist temple, Temple Beijing. Dedicated to the local craftspeople that are behind the creation of Fendi’s Baguette bag. Open until June 16, the exhibition blends Italian heritage with China’s Yi ethnicity’s cultural history.

SELF-PORTRAIT HAS UNVEILED ITS NEW LONDON STOREFRONT

Inspired by Lewis Caroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, self-portrait have decorated its Chelsea store with a floral composition of the Cheshire Cat. In line with this year’s theme of “Flowers on Film”, founder and creative director Han Chong chose to recreate the creature out of hydrangeas, achilleas, roses and more flowers that are bio-preserved to reduce as much waste as possible.

CHECK OUT KIMSOOJA’S ARTWORK AT GALERIES LAFAYETTE IN PARIS

The iconic department store Galeries Lafayette Haussman in the French capital has invited Korean artist Kimsooja to decorate its dome. On show until June 30, the installation “To Breathe” sees the dome covered in a light-refractive film, creating an iridescent mix of infinite colours that changes according to the sun’s natural trajectory.

ANOTHER YAYOI KUSAMA EXHIBITION LANDS IN NEW YORK

Yayoi Kusama has had countless exhibitions in the Big Apple, but this new “I Spend Everyday Embracing Flowers” showing at David Zwirner’s gallery space features new sculptures and a new Infinity Room. Diving into the Japanese artist’s love and inspiration from flowers, the bright, lively and colourful exhibition will also be exploring a duality of themes, from life and death to figuration and abstraction.

BARCELONA IS HOSTING SUNLIT OPEN-AIR FESTIVAL

If there’s one place that knows how to celebrate street music, it’s Barcelona. Starting a slew of summer events, Sunlit’s Open-Air Festival is hosting its first evening of musical celebration this May 27. With sounds ranging from house to disco, the outdoor sesh will take place at the long-running open-air farmhouse-turned club La Terrazza, with more events to be held throughout the rest of May and June.